Yes! I have finally got together enough rose hips to make a batch of wine. Sheesh! it’s very labour-intensive gathering the things and then topping and tailing them and each time you’re sure you have enough and it only comes to a few hundred grams where you need two kilos. Anyway, it is now bubbling away in the bucket, so that’s good. I’ve got four batches on the go right now: apple, elderberry and blackberry as well as the new lot, and I love looking at the developing colours. I only wish I had the self-control to leave them long enough for the flavours to develop more: the elderflower I made in May is now a lovely deep yellow and has a robust, only slightly flowery taste. Sadly I’m on the last bottle…
I’ve been reading up on wine-tasting: I found a great Dorling Kindersley book at the library, so expect to hear words such as ‘great finish’, ‘robust colour’ and ‘lively nose’ in upcoming posts. Actually I learned loads from this book about grapes, terroir, vineyards, techniques, how to taste, what’s on a label, etc: I recommend it if you’re baffled by wine.
http://www.theworks.co.uk/p/drink-books/wine/9781409338680?
I’ve really enjoyed Everybody’s Reading Week this year: as well as going to a couple of great workshops and running one myself, I’ve performed some poetry and listened to some music, and enjoyed the first edition of Leicester Sound Cafe, which promises to be a great venue for poetry. And it’s not over yet! Tonight there’s a chill-out at the Donkey with Bali Rai and the Psychedelic Filberts (I know, wtf?) so I shall I hope be going to that; and then tomorrow and Sunday there are still loads of events left, though I shall be caught up in Tomatoes and the Martyrs Barn Dance; so I shall be hip at the hop.
You see, these titles aren’t just thrown together!
Anyway, here’s a fun and inspirational video about the whole week:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?feature=youtu.be&v=dUPpJ1UfWWQ&app=desktop
Let me know what you’re reading this week!
Kirk out
PS And here’s me doing my thang – the poem called ‘There’s a War On’ at the People’s Arts Collective launch.
Sarada Gray 