Way to go Monroe County.

"Likely Monroe voters back fracking" is the headline in today's fish wrapper. 55% of the people polled support fracking, 45% oppose and 10% undecided.  Wake up people!  It doesn't look likely the Monroe County will be affected and because it won't impact them directly, why not support it?  I lived in Buffalo during the 1970's and early 80's.  I drove past Love Canal frequently.  Anyone who saw the boarded up houses and empty playgrounds or read the horrific stories of what Hooker Chemical's "safe" way of disposing their toxic waste did to the people in that neighborhood, would understand the impact on health and the environment big companies can have (all the while promising the safety of their procedures). The way the fracking companies have been sneaking in and buying land for cash all around the Finger Lakes is sly and devious, praying on the economic hardships we are facing.   Studies completed in areas where hydrofracking has been done point to destruction, contamination and negative health affects.  Wake up ALL of New York State!  Do you want the beauty of the Finger Lakes decimated?  Drinking water and land contaminated for future generations?  Isn't it about time we stood up for our planet and protected the beauty and abundance we have?  And does anyone honestly think that this will decrease our dependance on foreign energy supplies?  You can live without natural gas, but can you live without drinking water?  The question I would like to ask every person who supports hydrofracking is..."Would you want it in your back yard?"  I think we would have different results.

Wow, it's been awhile, eh? Sorry but we are working on our move to the Finger Lakes Region....

Tonight Jim and I are doing a taste test. We kept meaning to get to Shalestone Vineyards this summer, but because of circumstances way beyond our control, we just keep missing them. So yesterday I went to the McKenzie Child Sale and Festivities for Columbus Day and stopped at the "Bet the Farm" retail shop in Aurora. We tasted "Bet the Farm" wines: Pinot Grigio, Traminette, a white blend, Gamay Noir, Pinot Noir and Cab Franc. I liked what I tasted. They were all light, smooth, but also complex. The winemaker was actually trained by Lou Damiani and does her winemaking at Damiani. Anyway, I bought 2 Shalestones wines at the retail shop because I fear we won't make it there before it closes again this year. I bought the Pinot Noir and Cab Franc. Tonight we opened the Shalestone Pinot Noir. It is full of cherries, nutmeg and coffee with a long finish. Jim, however felt it tasted more like a Cab Franc with green pepper tones. I agreed that the tannins were evident half way through, but then I got cherries again. He disagreed (as we do often these days) and went downstairs to get our benchmark of pinot noirs, Heart and Hands, to compare.

Heart and Hands is like eating a golden delicious apple: smooth, round, full and lush. It gives you that warm fuzzy feeling. The Shalestone is cherry and more fruit forward. I like them both and we are having a discussion about the fairness of comparing them. I think they are both good, though different. Jim prefers Heart and Hands. " That's the way it is" at our house tonight. Try some yourself and let us know your opinion.