Reflecting on Time Away

Love the high desert valleys.  The sage brush, the rolling hills, the orchards, vineyards and the little farms, wineries and dusty towns.  Lots of big big pick-up trucks and big big parking lots.  There would be a small small store and a big big parking lot.  Now I understand why Amber and Sam are so freaked out by the parking garage.

We stayed at the Sunnyside Inn and that is a very small dusty deserted little town.  The other towns seemed to have faired better.  We drove around and found Walmart had built on the outer edges of town. Walmart=Death of downtown.

Mary-Elizabeth and Lori and the dogs did well.  I guess I snuck out of town the right way.  No car or house or people disasters.  It was grand to have some time to just wander and take side roads and find funny little places to eat and shop and taste wine. 

The Valley is not Walla Walla.  Most of the wineries have big fake old looking Estates.  Some are sort of garage likes, front living room of old house like and industrial park sheik.  The reason one goes to old fabulous mansions and chateaus in France is because that was the family home.  I sort of like the places that have a couple of tables set up in the fermenting shed, with grapes sitting and turning into great wine.

I have decided that next time, I am going to have a list and a map of the small tiny makers and if there is a water feature in the front, I will drive on to the next.