"The Widow of the South" by Robert Hicks

This historical fiction pulls you in slowly, but inescapably. Hicks' style of prose reminds me of Charles Dickens. He uses a lot of detail and verbose descriptions and, while I was reading, I couldn't help but think that no one really analyzes their own feelings in that way. Yet, the minute details are absolutely essential to convey the depth of feelings of these real-life characters. And, that is what this book is about... the sentiments and emotions ravaged by life and conflict, especially during the time of our nation's internal rage against itself... the Civil War.

It tells the story of how a senseless and bloody battle which sealed the fate of the Confederacy just may have helped a woman already damaged by irreconcilable loss to find her sanity and her destiny. The true story of how Carnton, her plantation home, became the largest privately held Confederate Cemetery in the U.S. and the final resting place for 1,500 casualties from the Battle of Franklin, is one of determination, honor and redemption, told from a viewpoint of feelings and thoughts of Carrie MaGavock and the people who made up her world. Thought to be insane, unable to find meaning of her life, Carrie begins a painful journey of understanding the mysterious fragility of life by recognizing the unexplainable inevitability of death.

Before delving into the book, I recommend reading a synopsis of the history of the Battle of Franklin, a conflict fraught with failure from the firing of the first shot to the unimaginable number of casulaties at the conclusion. It will help set the scene and the mood of the entire story, while every character searches for the reasons for survival. Is it truly just luck, or is it destiny?

Neil Ellis Sauvignon Blanc 2011

It's 65 degrees outside. I've been shopping for a tree, top soil, plants and bulbs in anticipation of getting down and dirty — literally — tomorrow. So, in celebration of the entrance into Spring, I'm reviewing a white wine tonight, Neil Ellis Sauvignon Blanc 2011 from the Groenekloof region of South Africa. 

Wine making in South Africa goes all the way back to the mid-1600's. The vineyards have the unique advantage of a Mediterranean climate with oceanic air on three sides of dry, hot soil. The grapes grown are primarily Chenin Blanc and Chardonnay.

I specifically chose this wine because the wine maker's tasting notes described it as "savory." I'd never seen that word applied to a white, and thought, "We'll see." 

The color of the wine reminded me of yellow sapphires, which I found appealing. It's almost as if it's appearance promises a smooth, fragrant, fresh experience. On the nose, I smell ever so faintly some jasmine with grapefruit. What I especially like is that there is no "pucker" effect on the first sip, like I get with most whites. It's very smooth, no bite at all, with flavors of peach, grapefruit and herbs. And, yes, I would even say it is savory. You know the phrase "mouth watering" associated with the word savory? Most of the time it's triggered by aroma, sometimes by sight of a food you're familiar with, and it's absolutely essential to digestion. Well, I have to say, this wine is mouth watering by means of taste. My mouth is refreshed, literally, because of its nice long finish that reminds me of green tea with lemon.

It worked very well with my light dinner of hummus, fresh veggies, and rosemary crackers, but I thought it probably would have tasted even better with a Caprese salad or a nice Greek salad, maybe antipasto, something with a little more oomph to satisfy those salivary glands that are now wide awake. In fact, I think it would work well with any food, because it does not overpower the palate, but prepares it. While white wine is not my first choice, I will definitely choose this one again. Extremely affordable, about $14/bottle. Rated 86 by Wine Enthusiast and Wine Spectator, consumer reviews placed it even higher at 91.

Coppola's 2010 Claret

My blog is about discovery of what is possible after 50... new adventures, so to speak. One thing I found a latent passion for is wine. And, not just the drinking part, although I do enjoy trying to identify the complex flavors found in wine. I'm also able to satisfy my history nerdiness, as well, by researching the varietals, vineyards and processes that go into the making of it. And, just as I love trying new restaurants, I also love trying new wines. So, a portion of my blog will be dedicated to reviewing new wines.

I had seen the wine designation Claret before, while reading Agatha Christie books, and just associated it with English women of eighth generation nobility who would insist on taking afternoon tea breaks that included cucumber sandwiches and petite fours with a teeny glass of sherry. So, when I had the opportunity of saving an almost full bottle of leftover Claret from its inevitable oxidated demise three days after being opened, I really didn't expect it to be worth drinking, much less to actually like it. Incredibly, the wine was still quite good and surprisingly to my taste. As is my habit, especially with a favorable experience, I dug into some research about the wine, Francis Ford Coppola's 2010 Black Label Claret.

I learned that Claret is not a varietal but, rather, a method of blending. But, the story of this wine goes a little deeper than that. It is produced by a blending process that is a replication of one used by the rather fascinating Captain Gustave Niebaum, a Finnish sea captain, who by 1850 was the leading fur trader in the world — operating from the Alaskan Commercial Company, a trading company he founded based in San Francisco — and was the Russian Consul to the U.S. in 1867. He explored much of Alaska, prepared most of the maps of the area and was a strong advocate of the U.S. purchase of Alaska. But, he also established Inglenook Winery, in 1879 in Rutherford, California, a small village in the Napa Valley. It was the first Bordeaux-style winery in the U.S., making him kind of the father of Bordeaux blending in America. Francis Ford Coppola purchased Inglenook in 1975 with money he made from "The Godfather." (See? I wasn't kidding about the history nerdiness.)

What is Bordeaux-style? It's a blending of of the grapes grown in the Bordeaux region of France, which are Merlot, Cabernet Sauvignon, Cabernet Franc, Petit Verdot, and small amounts of Malbec and Carmenere, aged at least one year in oak. The French chose the name Bordeaux. The English, historically at odds with the French on so many levels, chose to call the wine Claret, an anglicized version of Clairet, the most common wine exported from Aquitaine for the 300 years it was under English control. While the French word Clairet actually pertained to a rose wine, over the years the term Claret has come to mean any red wine blended with grapes traditionally associated with the Bordeaux region of France. 

So, let's get to the wine. It is a blend of Cabernet Sauvignon (79%), Petit Verdot (13%), Malbec (5%) and Cabernet Franc (3%). I'm not much of a purist when it comes to red wines. I really prefer the blends, and this one is a new favorite.

On the nose... vanilla and strawberries that leads really well to an earthy palate of nutmeg, coffee and leather. It would work well with any savory foods, like beef stroganoff or prime rib. Best part... it is a fraction of what you would pay for an imported French Bordeaux (less than $20/bottle) and is consistently rated 86 points with consumer reviewers. Highly recommended.

Green Pea Salad

A family favorite, green pea salad always signaled the arrival of spring, as it was always served at our Easter gathering. Two cups of frozen peas are blanched or steamed, just until slightly tender, then quickly cold shocked in icy water. Add to the peas, diced cheddar cheese, onions, sweet pickles, hard-boiled eggs, shredded lettuce and about two tablespoons of preferred salad dressing. Add diced ham for even more flavor. This salad keeps well in the refrigerator for several days, but never lasts that long at my house.

Word of the Day: Recalcitrant

I'm not really the technology geek type. It took 10 years and my cell phone literally dying to force me to purchase an iPhone. I'm still not exactly thrilled with that capitulation. I went from paying about $20 a month for the convenience of having a cell phone to including my cell phone in a bundle plan amount that rivals my monthly grocery budget, all for the privilege of mobile Internet access. Don't get me wrong... I've used it, but there's no freaking way I've used it enough to justify the cost. My children would categorize this as my natural kicking and screaming attitude with regard to making changes. I see the process as market manipulation for the sake of capitalism. And, my feelings on that subject would be best held for a future blog post.

Having said that, I frankly don't know how we existed pre-Internet. Like everyone else, it took me a while to realize it must be used with a healthy level of skepticism but, for the most part, it is my go-to source for information... news, weather, directions, movie times, restaurant menus and, yes, Facebook. I do not let a day go by without checking what's been posted by friends near and far. 

My other cyber activity, specifically this blog, I have to say, falls a little short. I'm not sure what I expected. I just had a lot of people tell me over the years, "You should write," which with the arrival of the Internet became, "You should blog." So far, it's been a matter of me just throwing ideas out into cyberspace for no particular reason other than I can. Unfortunately, I'm gradually coming to the conclusion that my ideas are not really original enough to justify blogging.

But, I'm all about sharing ideas and experiences, especially in a visual format. So, I decided to join Pinterest. It didn't take me too long to get the gist of it and create some boards. I even have a few followers, although all but one are personal friends and acquaintances. I'm rating this experience as a bridge between Facebook and blogging. The downside is it is a huge time drain. Fortunately, it wasn't a problem on a weekend during which March exited like a lion, with weather suitable for channel surfing and Internet scrolling. I was judicious and spent time browsing through sites looking for spring gardening ideas and, of course, recipes, as well as some interesting book titles for reading on those days when the weather reminds us all that there was a time when our entertaining diversions did not require electricity. 

I will, however, draw the line at Twitter. I can only be pushed so far.

Kansas City Art Deco

Still Evolving

I've been very remiss in my blogging. It had begun to feel like I was blogging just to read my own words... kind of like talking just to hear my own voice. My main purpose has always been to inspire people on the backside of 50, particularly single women, to not see their lives as winding down, but as an opportunity to continue the rebellious spirit of our youth and redefine aging. But, it became obvious I wasn't reaching that audience. Besides, it became equally obvious that there were many boomers redrawing the boundaries of old age without inspiration from me.

So, now what? Maybe I just need to follow the original script... describe the discoveries I've made about myself that are making the second half of my life really fun and exciting, and it all comes down to stepping outside my comfort zone.

Let start with two words... power tools. For my male readers, I have to say... I get it now. Sure, they're called power tools for the obvious reason. But, once I overcame the fear of putting an eye out, using them really did make me want to grunt like a Neanderthal. Or, maybe that urge has more to do with the fact that my T hormone level has finally overtaken my E hormone level.

I started really slow. First project was bathroom shelves which required drilling holes for anchor screws. (Are you impressed I know what anchor screws are?) Hey, ladies, you really do have to have a tape measure, a pencil, a straight edge and a screwdriver, not to mention the drill, a chuck key and a drill bit suitable for the size of the anchor screw. Well, all that requires a tool carrier... obviously. I would NEVER have dreamed that would be a welcomed birthday gift.

Second project was a little more complicated. It involved hanging a metal sculpture on the outside wall of my house. I had to come up with a hanger that would attach to the sculpture and be permanently secured. I found the sleeve of a bolt lock worked well to fasten the metal rod holding the sculpture together onto the wall. And, this time, a masonry bit was required. Check it out...

Right after hanging, please note tool carrier in foreground.

Fall Porch Display

So, home improvement has become a new passion. I followed this up with a living room refresh, painting ceilings, walls, new drapes and furniture. Not sure that worked to my favor... I was so successful with achieving feng shui, I don't want to leave!

Spring is coming... DIY season. Next project is a kitchen refresh. I can't wait!