Hmmmmm, #1 if you were looking for what workers might have to have done before starting work I have a pretty good guess, but before going home ??????

#2 I have a pretty good idea on this.

#3 & #4 need clues.

Annette

I am having a completely unproductive day. We have the monster pup here again and all three maniacs were digging where we had recently replaced the dirt previously dug out above one of the walls. Happily, Chuck caught them before any real cleaning was needed. Now the pup is following me..."I have a little shadow that goes in and out with me..."

I will be back with more clues.

Cynthia

Just now checking in here. Had a good farmers' market today --- beautiful weather, good turn out, and I made a lot of money. Well, two of those statements are true anyway. My flowers are just starting to bloom so I don't have that much to sell yet. Come July, though, and I'll be rolling in it, I'm sure.

I won't be doing very well with the wine questions, but I'll do my best.

1) I'm going to rule out being strip searched. A bottle of wine isn't a diamond after all. I'm going to take a wild guess that they have to sample the wine before they leave each day.

2) I know maybe six French words, and I think a the phrase has to with white and black. More than that I cannot say.

3) Dunno

4) This would have to be wine, yes?

Those are my guesses so far. Now out to the garden.

TM

Glad it was a good market day, TM. We are having a beautiful day, too. We were supposed to have bad storms last night, but we only got a sprinkle, not even enough to wash the dirt off my gardening shoes! Still, any rain is appreciated, isn't it?

I am looking forward to the pictures of your arrangements this year,also, TM! They are always so pretty, rather like poems from your garden, don't you think?

If you think of 'de' as 'from', you may get #2.

#4. TM, could you be more specific? Would it help if I said it was Madame Lilly Bollinger who said that? Probably not unless you are a fan of this particular wine. Is anyone a fan of old musicals? Gigi comes to mind.

Cynthia

#1 Has it something to do with feet? When Dh and I went on a wine tasting at one of the island vineyards we had to step into a tray of disinfectant before we walked around the vineyard. Can't see them having to this when leaving tho... is dirt involved?
#2 I'm thinking has to do with the a bit of the old brut. I don't care how expensive it is, just don't care for it.

#3 ?????????? still thinking.

LOL TM, strip search is the first thing that came to mind too. I'll go along with TM on #4 Wine.

Annette

OK, just home and got the internet working!! Didn't want to work 100% this am, so happy I don't have a long phone call with tech support, after work!!

I have skipped ahead, after reading the questions, to give my 1st impression answers, then will go back and read everyone elses comments!!

1. Huh...

2. I know this one, for sure. And if you think about it, the words give it away.

3. I'm thinking like West Virginia....

3. I think this is a great quote, perhaps from a substantial funnyman from the 1930's......

Now to go back...

Nancy.

Ahhh...for #1 Annette gave me a clue - I wonder if it has to do with propagation?????

Nancy.

I know very little about wine but will make a stab at a couple of questions and I believe I recognize the quotes.

1. My first thought is to sample the product. Wonder if a company would do this is with drunk driving concerns and insurance?

2. Noir is black in French, yes? Made from black grapes or other dark grapes?

3. I know this quote which is often repeated by my wine drinking book club friend. She is a big francophile and would move there if she could convince her husband.

4. I remember this from the old movies. Some people only drink this alcohol. It was considered very classy and expensive (if good). A staple at weddings in our area (though not at mine).

Glad you had a good day at the FM, TM. There were huge crowds Thursday at our city's first outdoor FM of the year.

We've had a busy day with an early graduation party to attend and lunch and long visit with friends we taught with 40 years ago and hadn't seen for many, many years. Nice to rekindle those old friendships. Laughed so long and hard that I'm worn out and need a nap.

Sounds like a wonderful vacation, Cynthia.

Hmmm...need less subtle clues.

1. At the Clos de Vougeot, they don't want the workers walking home with what they consider to be the secret of their success.

2. half right Bobbie, but what is made from the dark or red grapes?

3. Anyone read from a Child's Garden to their children?

4. Now dears, since we are doing wine trivia, you really must be more explicit here. Wine will not earn you stars. However, this has been referred to as tasting stars . ;)

Cynthia

oh, and glad you are not having computer issues, Nancy. I am. I had to move Chuck away from the Mac to check in here. My school computer screen keeps freezing and the computer itself is exceedingly hot. I don't think that is a good thing...

OK, more specific!! Well then.

1. I will say they were worried about the workers taking cuttings, but I just had another thought, hmmmmm.....

2. White wine made from red grapes, crushed so gently, as to not colour the juice.

3. Sticking with my first answer, no children and no one read that book to me.

4. Champers.

Nancy.

OK, #4 Champagne, ahhhhh, that's what I had for #2 must think on this some more.

Still think #1 has something to do with dirt/soil but haven't got any farther than that.

#3 still clueless.

Annette, go a little further...but don't take it with you!

One last clue for #3 from RL Stevenson: Good Night

Then the bright lamp is carried in,
The sunless hours again begin;
O'er all without, in field and lane,
The haunted night returns again.

Now we behold the embers flee
About the firelit hearth; and see
Our faces painted as we pass,
Like pictures, on the window glass.

Must we to bed indeed? Well then,
Let us arise and go like men,
And face with an undaunted tread
The long black passage up to bed.

Farewell, O brother, sister, sire!
O pleasant party round the fire!
The songs you sing, the tales you tell,
Till far to-morrow, fare you well!

well, maybe two: To Any Reader

As from the house your mother sees
You playing round the garden trees,
So you may see, if you will look
Through the windows of this book,
Another child, far, far away,
And in another garden, play.
But do not think you can at all,
By knocking on the window, call
That child to hear you. He intent
Is all on his play-business bent.
He does not hear, he will not look,
Nor yet be lured out of this book.
For, long ago, the truth to say,
He has grown up and gone away,
And it is but a child of air
That lingers in the garden there.

Sweet dreams all.

Cynthia

#1 Wouldn't be wipe their feet, whatever for, you'd think they'd be more concerned with what they brought in on their shoes.

#3 Are we talking poetry?

Annette who is all thunk out, nite all.

1. My second thought is that it might be the formula for making the grapes into wine.

2. I have no idea how red or white wine differ. I'll go with white wine because it would make sense to have a special name for a procedure that is not what one would expect. Are white wines always colorless?

3. Poetry

4. Champagne. It was years before I knew that champagne is a wine. I thought it was its own type of alcohol, like wine, hard liqour, champagne, and moonshine.

Well, no Cyn yet?? Good, I'll change my answer to #1 to yeasts!!

Nancy.

Nancy, that's an inspired answer.

TM

I HATE my school computer! Chuck has left for his meeting, so I have taken over his office and the Mac!

Okay, here we go.
# 1 Annette, you were so close!

The soil of the famed Clos de Vougeot (A vineyard in the Burgundy district of France) is considered so precious that vineyard workers are required to scrape it from their shoes before they leave for home each night.

#2 * for Nancy and Bobbie

The term 'Blanc de Noir' refers to white wine made from red/black grapes.

#3 * for Bobbie and Annette

Robert Louis Stevenson referred to wine as "bottled poetry"

#4 * for Bobbie, Annette, and Nancy

Yes, champagne is the answer. I always used to have at least one bottle in the fridge. I imagine Lilly Bollinger had quite a few more since that was the family business. It was Dom Perignon who referred to drinking his first taste of champagne as tasting stars. "The 17th century Benedictine monk, Dom Perignon, is credited with discovering the cork as a means to seal wine and champagne bottles. He is also credited with discovering the process of making champagne. It is said that upon his first taste of champagne he cried, 'Come quickly, I am tasting stars'."

One more interesting tidbit I had never heard before:
During prohibition, an interesting product called the 'Grape Brick' was sold to thousands of wine-parched households across America. Attached to the 'brick' of dried and pressed winegrape concentrate was a packet of yeast, and the stern warning, "Do not add yeast or fermentation will result."

Off to see Nancy's trivia.

Have a wonderful, sparkling, champagne-y day all.

Cynthia

I'm a little late with my appreciation, but thanks for the interesting questions, Cynthia. I've often thought that it would be fun to make some wine, but have never worked up quite enough enthusiasm to do it. I have done homemade beer a couple of times, enough to see how it's done, but not enough to get any good at it.

The grape brick was funny. I hadn't heard that one before.

Thanks, as always, for the fun.

TM