IT'S NOT ABOUT THE WINE

I told her I was volunteering on a nearby farm as I tasted her wine.  She looked me in the eye, raised a finger and began to sing "Mairzy Doats" (Mares eat oats and does eat oats and little lambs eat ivy.)  I laughed, "Oh I had no idea those were the words.  All these years I thought it was just gibberish.  Now it makes sense."

I am speaking of Jeanette Larson, Proprietress of Autumn Winery in Milltown, WI.  She is a charming woman most likely in her 90's now.  I didn't ask but she probably would have proudly exposed her real age.  She is a former Vegas Showgirl and gladly sings show tunes of a bygone era as you taste her and her husband's fruit wine.  They have a little shop/house on their farm and it is open on Fridays from 4-6pm and 9-6 Saturdays and Sundays during season.  The sign on the door reads HONK FOR SERVICE.  Pappy has been making wine for over 60 years so as Jeanette says, "He should know what he is doing by now."

I arrived at the little shop at 4:30 in the afternoon while three friends were tasting, chatting, laughing and creating a mixed case of 12.  They come by the Autumn Winery often.  Whenever friends come to visit they always bring them to the Larson's because... it's not just about the wine, it's about the "Character(s)" of the wine, the ever delightful Pappy and Jeanette.

Jeanette told me how when she was in Vegas using the penny slots and singing to herself Ernest Borgnine came up to her and asked her to accompany him.  She didn't know who he was nor was she (savvy wild woman that she was) about to go anywhere with a stranger.  He left her and sent his female assistant to fetch her.  Up on stage she went to sing.  History was made.

 

I wish I could have met Pappy in person while I was there but he wasn't feeling very well.  You can read a bit of his wine making history at this link  He too was a pretty savvy character.

I was out the door and down the step.  I had to get back to the farm.  Jeanette was singing me one last song, a farewell and then she stopped and looked at me and said, "I have something for you."  She went back inside and brought out one of her special Angel cards.  She told me that she is psychic or psycho, what's the difference, but anyway one day as she was inside praying over her prayer book a white feather fell from above and landed on it  She was indoors, had no pet birds or down pillows.  She took it as a sign that her guardian angel was with her.  She had these cards made up with a white feather laminated to the back.  Listening to her and her stories of how she had given the cards away when she "felt" something and how they had helped people had my eyes tearing up. "You have no idea Jeanette.  I so needed this today.  I haven't had the best week.  Thank you!"

What a lovely lady.  I sang all the way back to the farm and all through my chores even though we didn't finish up for hours and hours as we had a few missing cows.  What's not to sing about?  I have my guardian angel on my shoulder reminding me that I AM A BLESSING.  And source concurs.

Well that is all that I have time for.  I probably won't post again until I am on a small start-up vineyard about five hours south of here. I am due to arrive there on Tuesday evening but I am taking 2 days to get there.  I will be staying with different older Couchsurfers and their families on the way.  I need to transition from sheep to vine. So see ya on the flip (still in Wisconsin but by the bluffs of the Mississippi River).

And remember - DO something NEW! And YOU ARE A BLESSING!  Thanks Angels and Cheers Jeanette!