Bacchus and Dionysis

Did you know that Dionysis and Bacchus were the same god (Roman vs. Greek)? Beth did. I only hope that she retains some of that trivial knowledge, because one day she'll drink a wine called "Bacchus" and she'll understand. I didn't, but I guessed. The god of food and wine. A good god to get to know.

I think the girls were a bit worried about my drinking last week because of my pictures. They've never been to a wine tasting (obviously), so they didn't quite get it that we weren't actually drinking glass after glass of wine, all day every day. Maybe pictures like this were deceiving.

And there was the picture reinforcing the Girl Guide motto "Be Prepared".

We were ready this time. Two vehicles and a trailer, just in case we over-purchased. No holding back this time! We're just getting smarter, that's all.

In reality, our annual trek to the wine country is more about getting away from responsibilities and heavily marked-up calendars.

Good wine was most definitely consumed and tasted in many great vineyards, but we also enjoyed the gorgeous agricultural landscape:

swimming in the non-glacial lake (this is a very good thing):

and I appreciate the creative and often humourous labeling and marketing of the wines.

And seriously, words cannot do justice to the picnics we shared. Fantastic, yummy, delicious, tasy, dippy, cheesy, winey, chocolatey, non-caloric of couse, fresh. I need a better thesaurus, but you have to taste and smell it to get the full picture anyway.

And of course the company is great. It changes slightly each year, but whoever is screening the group must be including a sense of humour prerequisite, as well as laid-back and compromising characters.

Hmm. That could be taken two ways and maybe both ways apply, but you have no right to judge!

In any case, three years running and I can only think of good times and good people.

I've been sworn to secrecy regarding specifics of the trip, but I know that I will do all that I can to go again next year. And the year after that. Thanks, guys! My heart is happy.