My Experience at the Vineyard
by Chris Christiansen
I did it for many reasons!
First, we got excused from class. The days we went were beautiful
weather wise. The definition for foehn, a word I learned from a recent
game of Scrabble is: a warm dry wind that blows down the northern slopes
of the mountain. That is a perfect description of a mental picture
picking grapes those days.
On break, I sat back and
listened to the crisp breeze rattling the leaves on the autumn trees on
the horizon. It brought back many childhood memories as I was raised in a
rural, rustic area in south eastern Wisconsin. I had come to the
vineyard with an open mind to learn new experiences. It was a relaxing
twenty to thirty minute ride to and from the vineyard. A beautiful mini
mansion at the end of a winding gravel driveway with a cattle farm
attached.
The farm was so
quaint and cozy, and the family that occupied it lent a feeling of
nourishment, compassion, kindness, and strong willed. They seemed very
accomplished. The wife, a wonderful chef, of made us spaghetti sauce
from scratch with her own tomatoes! Who has that anymore? To be able to
care for her grandchildren, work in the field, and cook for fifteen
grown adults plus whatever other errands or duties a woman of her nature
would have on a grand farm like that is an accomplished, blessed,
experienced, and organized woman. I got a warm, stern, joking sense from
the husband, and a warm, cheery, pleasant feeling from the wife and
daughter or daughter in-law. The children had faces of curiosity that
seemed to ask ”what are all these different people doing at my
grandparents house?”
The long drooping vine aisles,
cascading against the rolling hills with a dirt pathway along the fence
line perimeter, making way to the driveway that leads to the sidewalk
on the side of the house where there’s a gorgeous Koi pond, gurgling
bubbling, trickling waterfall gently declining along the sidewalk onto a
decadent patio that leads into the Lunch room. I wish the lunch room
was my kitchen. I was in awe at the vision of the Game room/ Wine
cellar. “What a house of inspiration!” is all I could think!!
The second day I worked here, I
had seen an add on Groupon for 60% off of $75.00 org. so like $25.00
for a couple to make their own wine! Now, had I had a car and a liking
for wine, I probably would have done the experience all the way until
the finish! I would go back and do it again if allowed next year.
In conclusion, I think the
vineyard should contract out some kind of way through the bottling
company so others can also have an experience from picking to bottling!
It would open a lot of people’s eyes on how hard it is to take care of a
Grand Farm of that size.
Mistakes Build A Better Person
By Florence Hernandez
I am the first to say I have made a lot of mistakes. From the time I
was a little girl, I always wanted to do whatever I want. I always
thought I knew everything. The more things I did, the worse it got. I
wanted to be a party girl.
I got pregnant when I was 16 I was not ready to be a mother but it was
time for me to take responsibility and do what I had to do. There was a
baby on the way. The party was over. Over the years I wish I would have
listened to my mother. Now I have seven children and I love them.
The second mistake was that I dropped out of school. Here I am 30 years
old. I am trying to change my life around. I want to be a better person
and do better for family. I should, instead of playing around. Now I
am just trying and be a good person.
My third mistake is I used to get in a lot of trouble doing dumb stuff.
I was doing things that were not appropriate. The trouble always seem
to find me. The friend’s I was hanging out with were not my real
friends. They would always get me into trouble. So I stepped back and
took a look at my life and I said, “NO MORE”. It’s time to be the best
mother I can be and do right.
Now, that I am older, I don’t have the time to continue inappropriate
behavior. I am trying everyday to do good things. Now, looking back at
all the things I have done, I say that if I would have known what I know
now,I would have never done half the things I did. The good thing is
that my children have a responsible mother and I am trying to better our
lives.
It’s never too late to do what you want with your life. There’s been a
lot of other mistakes, but that is why they are called mistakes. It’s a
part of life but you learn from them and grow up and better yourself and
your life. Mistakes are a part of life. It’s important what you do with
them.
Domestic Violence
By Marta Macias
Domestic
Violence now a days has become more common than one would think, many
agencies have made women more aware of the help there is.There are
Battered Women’s Shelters, advocates that can help you and let you be
aware you are not by yourself in this. There are thousands of women who
go through some type of violence every day.
I
myself have experienced violence throughout my life. I have seen my
father beat my mother repeatedly that at times I thought she was dead. I
remember at 8yrs old, I jumped in front of the gun so he wouldn’t kill
my mother. The affect it had on me up till this day I still remember.
Now
that I have grown I myself have experienced violence, no matter how
hard I tried to find Mr. Right, I always found Mr. Wrong. I found men
who had been to prison, guys that were active in crime. Now I understand
it’s a cycle we go through, when I was a child my mother couldn’t
afford therapy so I grew up thinking it was normal to get hit, to get
pushed around and to think we had no say so.
But
times have changed there is so much help out there only one could
imagine, we don’t have to be victim’s any more, I choose not to be a
victim, I say “NO MORE” I have been through enough and, I WILL NOT ALLOW
my children to think it’s ok to get hit and it’s not ok for one to hit
women/men either way IT’S NOT OK.
If
you are a victim always remember we are human and we do have rights,
there is people who are willing to help you and it is up to you to
decide “IF YOU HAVE HAD ENOUGH” take my advice it will get better it
did for me.
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