winter in a texas vineyard

Yesterday a friend and I visited Messina Hof Winery here in Bryan, TX. Obviously we're many months from grape harvesting time, but there's something ridiculously peaceful about walking through the vines during the middle of winter. And since our weather is currently about as mild as January weather can be, we took advantage of an opportunity to stroll around the lake, snap some photos, and enjoy multiple glasses of amazing wine (cheese too, of course). A fantastic Friday afternoon.

SB12

Couldn't care less about the Super Bowl this year; but as usual, the folks at someecards gave me a good chuckle. Oh ... and I intend to make the First and Ten my gameday cocktail of choice.

First and Ten
Ingredients

2 ounces light rum

1 ounce pineapple juice

1 ounce orange juice

1 ounce grapefruit juice

1 ounce cranberry juice

0.5 ounce lemon juice

1.5 ounces dark rum

splash grenadine

0.5 ounce sweet and sour

4.75 ounces champagne or sparkling wine

1 slice orange

1 maraschino cherry

How to Prepare
Combine sweet and sour with all fruit juices in a cocktail shaker with ice. Shake until well combined. Pour light and dark rum over ice in a large highball glass and add combined ingredients. Fill the glass with champagne or sparkling wine and add a dash of grenadine for color. Garnish with fresh fruit and a cherry and serve.

"the brazos still runs muddy ..."

"... like she's run all along ...."

It's a dreary, gray day--the perfect Sunday backdrop, as far as I'm concerned. Trying to beat the rainstorm that's about to roll in, I grabbed my camera and drove out to an old bridge that covers some railroad tracks on the Brazos County line. Nothing but the Brazos River, the occasional car passing on the road above, and the sound of birds in the trees. The scene may not have been considered beautiful in the classic sense of the word; but I thought it was glorious.

funky letterpress prints

Really liking these rustic prints from HAMMERPRESS.

Wood Type Specimen, Turquoise

American Flag, White

No Whining

El Craneo

Genius. Nickel-plated display clips for hanging posters, art prints, and other cherished ephemera with style & ease (and only $10!).

uncorked glass company

My favorite magazine, Garden & Gun, recently featured the Uncorked Glass Company in its December 2011/January 2012 issue. Always one to support local, Texas and/or southern businesses, I checked 'em out. I wasn't disappointed.

The Uncorked Glass Company handcrafts, unique, eco-friendly glassware from recycled wine bottles, donated from local restaurants and bars in Atlanta, GA. Our tumblers are handcrafted from 100% post-consumer materials in our effort to honor our “green” commitment.

They're beautiful, to boot. I love thick glasses, and these are perfect for any sort of table.

Uncorked offers their glasses in sets of four, with five color options and two sizes from which to choose.


The mixed set (4"/12oz. or 5"/16oz.) of 6 glasses comes with 2 amber, 2 green, and 2 gold glasses.

Wonderful.