Sunday 29 July 2007

July 29 - Saying of the Week

This week's saying came with the e-mail to me from South Africa about the old bottle of wine (see older post below) :

"Drink wine, and you will sleep well. Sleep, and you will not sin. Avoid sin, and you will be saved. Ergo, drink wine and be saved." Medieval German saying

Sunday 22 July 2007

July 22 - Saying of the Week

"By the power vested in me by the Province of Alberta I now pronounce you husband and wife" - Justice of the Peace, Joan, concluding the marriage of Bronwen and Brennan on Wednesday July 18, 2007 !

Friday 20 July 2007

Loading Day

The movers came today to load all our belongings into a trailer to be stored for the next 6-8 weeks until we move into our other house. Cai was both fascinated with, and a bit wary of, the "big truck" !

Thursday 19 July 2007

Wedding Day Photos - Batch 2

The wedding took place in the Poultney's front yard with only parents and siblings in attendance and the ceremony conducted by a Justice of the Peace. Everyone then retired to the Hanmer's where they were joined by other members of the family for a celebration dinner.
Photos of the ceremony itself will be published soon.

Above - Brennan and Bronwen just before they left for two days of honeymoon - camping at Brazeau - in the much decorated car - below !


Above - members of the family relax on the Hanmer's lawn and then gather around the BBQ to cook dinner. To the left of Brennan is his brother Devin and at the grill is his dad, Steve.


Wedding Day Photos - Batch 1

Above : the couple with Bronwen's grandparents.
Below : Cai and Johanna - Cai was the ring bearer !



Above : FoB and GoB !
Below : Bronwen and her Granny Rita


Wednesday 18 July 2007

Temporary Residence

Having sold our house we have to be out of it by the end of July and do not get our other house, in Spruce Grove, until mid-September. So for the next several weeks we are camping out at Jenny's parents place - as seen in these photos. Jenny and I are using the tent and Johanna is in the camper on the back of the truck. All quite comfortable and we'll always be dry under the car-port roof ! Jenny has it all set up with toys and play area for kids so Cai is in his element and thoroughtly enjoying his new "home" - said with a very pronounced "O" in the lips !!


Sunday 15 July 2007

July 15 - Saying of the Week

I have decided to start posting a favourite saying each week. If I know the source I will obviously quote the person. If there is no reference and you do know please let me know so that I can update accordingly ! So here's the first one :

"If you really want to do something you will find a way. If you don't you will find an excuse."

Tuesday 10 July 2007

Le Bonheur Sauvingnon Blanc 1985

Here is a story about an old bottle of South African wine that we recently drank :

It starts with my e-mail to the winery in Stellenbosch, South Africa

June 17 - Dear Le Bonheur

I thought that you might appreciate hearing about one of your wines from Alberta, Canada.

Last week-end we opened and drank a bottle of your Sauvignon Blanc 1985 vintage ! My brother likely bought it in Cape Town in 1986 when he was working for Pick n Pay and then took it with him to England when he moved there in 1988. Over the years it would have moved a few times - from home to home in England and into storage when he went to New Zealand for a couple of years and another time when he went to France for a year.

In 2003 he came to visit us in Canada and brought the bottle to us as he was clearing out some of his older stock. I had been keeping it in my 'cellar' for a special occasion. A few weeks ago we sold our house and decided that we should start enjoying some of the wines that we have collected over the years - to celebrate this change in our lives and to save us having to move them all too !!

I am not an absolute connoisseur of wine and was also suffering from a cold last week-end so I am not able to wax poetical about the characteristics of the wine. As you can see the colour was beautiful and the wine was very full bodied - it had excellent legs after been swirled in the glass - something I do know about ! The taste was rich and satisfying - an excellent medium. Not a trace of sediment in the bottle and the cork in great condition. It went very well with the Arctic Char fish which I had brought back from Northern Canada - right out of the Arctic ocean - quite an exotic paring.

Unfortunately, as you can see in the photos, the label had seen better days so I couldn't soak it off the bottle to keep. I have not seen any of your wine being sold in this part of the world but it may possibly be found in some speciality wine stores particularly in Eastern Canada where the market is much larger.

I have to wonder if you have any other stories along the same lines or if ours might be one of a kind !

On another note. We are all long time Africans. My ancestors were 1820 settlers and my parents moved to Rhodesia in 1950 after growing up and being married in South Africa. Some of my wife's ancestors were supposedly De Villiers of the Huguenots but we don't have the family tree traced back that far so can only wonder if there is any connection to Le Bonheur ! Perhaps in time we will find out.

Thanks for the great wine. Sincerely, Gordon



June 21 reply : Dear Gordon

What a treat to receive your mail and with photographs !!! Your story (and photos) are most unique.
Thank you for taking the time to let us know - I have sent this to the current wine maker as well as to our marketing team. Can't believe that the wine lasted that well - fantastic - and to see the old label ! Below find a picture of the new label... very different.

I hope you will enjoy lots of lovely Le Bonheur wines in the future.

Kind regards, Tanya



July 9 - a further follow-up : Dear Gordon,

Just a quick email from Stellenbosch to say thanks so much for your great email and photographs. Really is one great story and will be published to the website.

The Le Bonheur wines are made in a more Old World style where the focus is to produce wines true to the grape. Not interfering too much with nature, the LBH wines naturally do not see too much oak, have a good acidity, shows great minerality (given the weathered granite soils) and
have great fruit that all add to the longevity/long life of the wine. I am very happy you had joy drinking this wine. Great proof that the Cape wines can age... if made properly. The current releases you will appreciate with the character and style so typical Le Bonheur.

Imported into Alberta by Peter Mielzynski Available, various stores carry the products. I will get PMA to confirm some store names for you for possible purchase and enjoyment with your family, friends and food!

Best to you ! Cobus Joubert, Business Manager - North & South America

Saturday 7 July 2007

Balloon Fun

A neigbour of ours has a hot air balloon and every summer he launches it right from his house at least once, creating a lot of excitement in the area. (Note the date of this posting - quite significant !)

Lift off from his yard

Heading out over the trees

A view of the balloon from our upstairs window

Sunday 1 July 2007

Canada Day 2007

Cai enjoyed being patriotic on Canada Day - July 1 - this year being the 140th anniversary of the formal unification of all provinces under that national name.