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This is where I read. My art collection is coming along slowly. I bought that tiny ceramic house because it reminded me of Neil Gaiman books.
In 2023, I read 101 books. This is an all-time record beating my previous record of 97 in 2000.
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It was a great year for wine tasting and writing. After several years of wine judging for Great Northwest Wine, I joined the writing staff, and my first article was published in November. Writing for GNW and for Sip kept my glass full!
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Twenty-four guests, at charmingly decorated rustic tables—a ribbon-tied nosegay at each place setting—under a bower of greenery on a warm summer evening. Chef Aaron Tekulve and the team at Surrell know how to set the scene.
In June, Tekulve launched the new “Inspiration” dinner series in which local winemakers share not the science of how their wines were created, but the stories of what inspired them.
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The line up Tirridis in Prosser, WA.
After several years of wine education, getting to know the industry, and judging competitions, I began my wine writing career in 2022. I’ve always been a writer, but hadn’t written anything outside of work projects in years. It felt good to get those muscles back.
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Artwork by my dear friend Kathy Saxon of some of the books we’ve read over the years at book club.
I am not a particularly discerning reader. If it looks interesting to me, I’ll read it. I like magic and alternative realities and history and romance and real life and completely unreal life.
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The built-in bookshelf in my home office. It’s as organized as it’s going to get.
In 2021: Year Two of Pandemic Reading, I sought out books for comfort; ones I could cozy up with and escape my actual world for a while. Typically, I try to balance fun books with serious or challenging books, but in 2021? Not so much.
Read more“Intriguing nose of cherries jubilee, sweet herbs, and chocolate-covered blueberries,” I noted about the 2017 Siren’s Reserve Beijo Red Wine from Siren Song Wines. “Juicy red berries and plum greet you in this smooth and very drinkable blend, and later give way to chocolate and hints of tobacco.”
At the Great Northwest Wine Invitational, held this past October at the Columbia Gorge Hotel, I tasted 67 Gold medal-winning wines and wrote tasting notes for each in less than two days.
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A selection of books read in 2020 and to be read in 2021
A pleasant side effect of the pandemic has been more time to read. I was a little surprised at my final number as the rest of my family does not observe Sacred Lunch Reading Time and expected to interact while we ate. That’s what dinner’s for. Lunch is for reading.
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Though it may be counterintuitive, fight the urge to over-communicate. If you typically send an eNews to your audience every week, think twice before you send your next blast. Is what you are saying relevant to what is happening right now? If not, don’t send it.
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My high-tech organizational system
From January 2010 to December 2019, I read 631 books. Of those, 30 were repeat reads of personal favorites – I will never ever tire of…
Read moreI started my search for good boxed wine about eight years ago. As the only adult in my household, I found that I would often open a bottle and not be able to get back to it for several days. I was wasting wine and money…
Read moreYou want to be thoughtful, purposeful, and proactive about your communications, right? Your communications messaging should…
Read moreOn a typical day, I can get 20 minutes of reading in while eating my lunch and another 20 minutes before I fall asleep…
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