It's Not Italy...

...and I'm not Italian.  However, I have always been inspired by a little bit of Tuscany.  I think it translates over into our garden.

This is the entrance to what we call "The West Side," as in, the west side of the yard.  Our yard is somewhat oddly configured, being in the shape of a pie.  The west side is where our agrarian alter egos take over.  My husband's vegetable garden is on the west side.

On the wrought iron trellis is a wisteria vine that has never bloomed.  This is the 5th summer since I have first planted the vine.  I am anxious for it to drip with seasonal purple blooms, but it has yet to happen.  I have read, though, that sometimes it takes a good five years for them to bloom, and if they don't than you should shock the root by digging it up a little with a hoe.  Perhaps I will have to do this next year.

I love the little pathway Dan created here with flagstone that leads out to the west side.

Our grapevines have gone hog-wild this year.  They have really taken off and produced a multitude of grapes.  We did not have any problems with pests this year, so we never had to use pesticides of any kind.

Even the vines themselves look truly healthy this year.  We are pretty proud of the crop.

The white obelisk that you see is a former Martha Stewart K-Mart find.  The white wooded windmill top long ago succumbed to the environment and has since been replaced with a weather-vaned type top from our farmer friend (another found barn object).

All that we have on our back fence are two concord grape plants that we picked up at a local nursery about three years ago.  Every year they are more vigorous.

Just pulling back the leaves shows off the big bundles of grapes hiding underneath.  The smell of the grapes is so pungent when you walk by it's almost as if you're in a winery.

Our farmer friend asked us if he could have some grapes.  Well, there's plenty to share, and then some.

In my drawing classes last week, I also demonstrated drawing techniques using grapes and cut grapevines as a visual reference.  Drawing from life and observation is the best way to learn.

This is the taste of a late summer day.

Have a good one.

Linking up with:

Good Life Wednesday at A Beach Cottage

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