The Lure of Waitsburg Calls

While the fires in Los Angeles were raging, I texted my friends who had visited me last fall to let them know Walla Walla was sending some firefighters to the inferno that Los Angeles had become.

Thanking me, they asked if I would throw some bottles of wine in the firetruck for them. Unfortunately, that was not an option. Knowing that they enjoyed our wine-tasting adventures when they visited, I sent each of them a bottle of wine to help them cope with their smokey, evacuation yoyo life.

Of course, I repeated my mantra about clean air and our beautiful blue skies. And, of course, I reminded them about the joys of living in wine country. They took it to heart and are now planning a return trip. No grass grows under my feet; I’ve already booked their stay at Hiromi’s House and planned our wine-tasting venues.

They were both in evacuation zones and even though they won’t visit until the beginning of May, I hope anticipation will give them some respite from the insanity of Los Angeles.

Meanwhile, my work has begun to get ready for guests. It’s been too cold at home to keep the doors and windows open, so aromas, really odors, of cooking fish, short ribs, pasta, lamb, and everything else permeate every room in the house. Febreze is my new best friend.

When it’s icy and cold, Mugsy chooses to “do his business” on the deck, so replacing the outdoor rugs and power washing the deck has become a priority. Along with cleaning the deck, the yard will also need attention, including our new sinkhole. The good news is that despite the recent rain, the subsidence has remained the same. It hasn’t deepened, and neither Mugsy nor I have needed to be rescued. That’s a definite plus.

I enjoy the birds flitting around and gorging on the feeders. But today, I realized that I will soon need to clean the windows, or I won’t be able to see any birds, even on our deck. Of course, winter seems to be the season of procrastination, and who am I to argue with that?

As usual, timing is everything, and happily, their trip here is before tennis camp(s). Sign-up starts February 1, and camps begin at the end of June. I will attempt to do a clean sweep again and attend all camps. I remain a glutton for punishment; I just hope they include massages like last year.

It will be a busy spring between visitors, tennis camp, and a potential trip to Italy. So, of course, the next questions are: What should we plant, when should we plant, and why should we plant?

The why is always the easiest to answer: It’s fun! Often rewarding and brag-worthy, and always intriguing. I love the guesswork of what I planted, what the birds, bees, and squirrels planted, and what that weird squash is. And how much mint does one garden need? Surely not as much as grows in our front yard.

This week, I plan to start picking out the seeds to buy, go through the seeds we have, and clean the windows so I can see what the birds will be planting.