After our long winter, everyone is enjoying every precious burst of color along our paths.
"Colors are the smiles of nature." – Leigh Hunt (English Poet, 1784 –1859)
from here to support this site!Details:
Words: Penny & Ed Cherubino
Photography: © 2018 Penny Cherubino
We just returned from Provincetown where the ever reliable wine folks at Perry's had the 2013 Argyle Brut Rosé chilled and waiting for these two Argyle lovers to enjoy.
This year we're celebrating old friends and wines we already love as we choose our sparkler of the month. We are so happy we discovered Perry's curated wine selection. It's always great when your wine merchant has similar taste to your own.
The friends connected to this wine begin with Argyle founder Rollin Soles. He's the man with the great big smile in the photo. We corresponded with him long before we had the pleasure of meeting him. We have a great history of friendship with his wines.
This wine is a stunner! We tend to be one glass of wine people these days but, with this one, we couldn't resist a second pour.
The 2023 mentioned in our post title is because Argyle says,
"Like all Argyle Sparkling wines, Argyle Brut Rosé is made to be long aging, maintaining its richness & minerality. It was cellared and aged on the yeast for 3-5 years and disgorged on demand, just prior to release. A portion of this vintage will remain on yeast 10 years to become Extended Tirage Brut Rosé in 2023."
We've made a note on our calendars to find that wine in 2023.
We enjoyed one bottle in Provincetown, but stopped by Perry's to buy a second one to bring home and share with friends on May 1st!
Trying wines from different places, made with different grapes, and produced by different methods adds spice to our monthly ritual. Since 2007 we have raised a glass of sparkling wine to greet each new month! Join our Sparkling Resolution!
Related Posts:
Our Sparkling Resolution is covered in this post : Join Us as We Toast…
A Few of Our Favorite Gifts for Wine Lovers
Here are all the wines we've covered. Since this is a category, this post may appear at the top. Just scroll down for more.
What's on your Food Lover's Shopping List?
Details:
Words: Penny & Ed Cherubino
Photos: ©2018 Penny & Ed Cherubino, Rollin Souls photo courtesy of Argyle.
We just returned from Provincetown where the ever reliable wine folks at Perry's had the 2013 Argyle Brut Rosé chilled and waiting for these two Argyle lovers to enjoy.
This year we're celebrating old friends and wines we already love as we choose our sparkler of the month. We are so happy we discovered Perry's curated wine selection. It's always great when your wine merchant has similar taste to your own.
The friends connected to this wine begin with Argyle founder Rollin Soles. He's the man with the great big smile in the photo. We corresponded with him long before we had the pleasure of meeting him. We have a great history of friendship with his wines.
This wine is a stunner! We tend to be one glass of wine people these days but, with this one, we couldn't resist a second pour.
The 2023 mentioned in our post title is because Argyle says,
"Like all Argyle Sparkling wines, Argyle Brut Rosé is made to be long aging, maintaining its richness & minerality. It was cellared and aged on the yeast for 3-5 years and disgorged on demand, just prior to release. A portion of this vintage will remain on yeast 10 years to become Extended Tirage Brut Rosé in 2023."
We've made a note on our calendars to find that wine in 2023.
We enjoyed one bottle in Provincetown, but stopped by Perry's to buy a second one to bring home and share with friends on May 1st!
Trying wines from different places, made with different grapes, and produced by different methods adds spice to our monthly ritual. Since 2007 we have raised a glass of sparkling wine to greet each new month! Join our Sparkling Resolution!
Related Posts:
Our Sparkling Resolution is covered in this post : Join Us as We Toast…
A Few of Our Favorite Gifts for Wine Lovers
Here are all the wines we've covered. Since this is a category, this post may appear at the top. Just scroll down for more.
What's on your Food Lover's Shopping List?
Details:
Words: Penny & Ed Cherubino
Photos: ©2018 Penny & Ed Cherubino, Rollin Souls photo courtesy of Argyle.
When we set out to make 2018 a year of celebrating some of the best, most memorable sparkling wines we’ve tasted during the years of keeping Our Sparking Resolution, Dibon Cava Brut Reserve immediately came to mind.
Not only is this a perfect, everyday bubbly that’s very reasonably priced, but it’s also extremely versatile and an exceptionally handy sparkler to have on hand at all times. We’ve seen Dibon used as a mixer at some top restaurant bars. And, when one prestigious eatery first came to Boston a few years ago, it charged more for a glass of Debon than for the entire bottle! (Perhaps an oversight, however it did give us some idea of the markup they were using on wines.)
It’s a wine we often recommend to anyone who likes bubbly whether a lifelong aficionado or someone just beginning to explore sparklers. It’s a great way to share with friends (Our Westie Poppy gifted a bottle to her favorite butcher and he is now a Dibon fan.) It's also a great way to make new friends as you share not only a bottle, but also show them how delicious a value wine can be.
Another plus, in this year of old friends, is that Dibon comes from another favorite, trusted, and local importer, OZ Wine Company of Haverhill, MA. Our many OZ experiences make up happy to choose any wine from this line when we explore a shop or wine list. (We do wish wine lists included categories for some of the great importers.)
Here's some of what we said in our first post about this outstanding cava:
"If 'balance' is a fault, then it’s this wine’s only fault! It will please a wide range of tastes …"
"It's light, refreshing, and inviting. Very food-friendly …"
"Dibon Cava would be a perfect opener for a party, at a restaurant with friends, to begin a meal or an evening. And, a special way to celebrate the start of a new month. Salud!"
Related:
Our Sparkling Resolution Winner’s List
What's on your Food Lover's Shopping List?
Details:
Words: Penny & Ed Cherubino
Photos: ©2018 Penny & Ed Cherubino (Top) The others are courtesy of Dibon.
When we set out to make 2018 a year of celebrating some of the best, most memorable sparkling wines we’ve tasted during the years of keeping Our Sparking Resolution, Dibon Cava Brut Reserve immediately came to mind.
Not only is this a perfect, everyday bubbly that’s very reasonably priced, but it’s also extremely versatile and an exceptionally handy sparkler to have on hand at all times. We’ve seen Dibon used as a mixer at some top restaurant bars. And, when one prestigious eatery first came to Boston a few years ago, it charged more for a glass of Debon than for the entire bottle! (Perhaps an oversight, however it did give us some idea of the markup they were using on wines.)
It’s a wine we often recommend to anyone who likes bubbly whether a lifelong aficionado or someone just beginning to explore sparklers. It’s a great way to share with friends (Our Westie Poppy gifted a bottle to her favorite butcher and he is now a Dibon fan.) It's also a great way to make new friends as you share not only a bottle, but also show them how delicious a value wine can be.
Another plus, in this year of old friends, is that Dibon comes from another favorite, trusted, and local importer, OZ Wine Company of Haverhill, MA. Our many OZ experiences make up happy to choose any wine from this line when we explore a shop or wine list. (We do wish wine lists included categories for some of the great importers.)
Here's some of what we said in our first post about this outstanding cava:
"If 'balance' is a fault, then it’s this wine’s only fault! It will please a wide range of tastes …"
"It's light, refreshing, and inviting. Very food-friendly …"
"Dibon Cava would be a perfect opener for a party, at a restaurant with friends, to begin a meal or an evening. And, a special way to celebrate the start of a new month. Salud!"
Related:
Our Sparkling Resolution Winner’s List
What's on your Food Lover's Shopping List?
Details:
Words: Penny & Ed Cherubino
Photos: ©2018 Penny & Ed Cherubino (Top) The others are courtesy of Dibon.
Let's play Attention to Detail! We give you a clue, in this case a photo of the scene in 1889, and you have to figure out where you've seen it around Boston. And, in this case, what's in that spot today?
Here are some hints:
Ready? Click through or scroll down past this great book about Boston for the answer.
Almost a decade ago, we were introduced to Eddie’s Wheels for pets when we met a senior Weimaraner named Kepler rolling along the Commonwealth Avenue Mall. His hind legs were gently harnessed into a wheeled cart. Kepler had always been a very active, athletic dog. At age 13, his wheels gave him the freedom to stay that way.
Eddie’s Wheels is a company based in Shelburne Falls, MA. They build custom wheelchairs for dogs and cats and improve the quality of life not only for companion animals with disabilities, but also for the people who love them.
We were reminded of all the progress that has been made with assistive devices for dogs and cats when we spotted Bernie, a young Samoyed, wheeling his way along the mall in a far more streamlined rig.
Ramps, Stairs, and Lift Assistance
Cha Cha is a dog Penny sees on her morning walks. She's 16 years old and, like many a little old lady, needs a bit of help with her daily activities. Her guardian has added a lift assist harness to her walking gear. Cha Cha moves at her slow pace and when she needs a bit of an assist, a gentle sling around her belly allows her person to add support.
We had a visit from one of our rescue Westies, Swiffer, in his later years. He was having problems getting into the right position to relieve himself. We tore a wide strip off an old beach towel and used it exactly the way Cha Cha’s lift assist works. Assistance can be simple and homemade or something designed for that purpose.
This is one of our favorite portraits of our little pal Swiffer. How we all miss him!
Small footstools have been used by our dogs, as they aged, to get up on chairs and sofas. But there are also ready-made stairs and ramps that help a disabled or injured dog or cat reach a favorite spot. For example, there are special ramps designed to make getting a large dog into a car easier for everyone.
Tools for Special Needs
While we can hold an ice pack on our own sore spots, we need help to use ice to heal an injured animal. Now there are purpose-made, physical therapy icing devices that wrap around and stay secured on a leg, shoulder, neck, or paw.
Special splints, wraps, and booties can protect injured paws or skin and fur. Around the house, where wheels might not work, there are drag bags for paralyzed pets.
Today we address incontinence in pets with indoor puppy pads, diaper suspenders, disposable diapers, belly bands, and sometimes medication.
A halo harness for blind dogs protects their heads by bumping into things before the dog does.
For a deaf dog, you can use a vibration collar to help train the pup to recognize that you want their attention. (Since we have always been vehemently opposed to shock collars as training devices, we want to be clear that this assistive device emits a simple vibration like the one you have on your phone when you put it in silent mode.)
Before you decide to struggle along and make the best of a difficult situation, check with your pet care pros. Your veterinary team may suggest physical therapy where some of these products are commonly in use. A local pet shop may stock or be willing to special order the right assistive device. And pet sitters see the problems that others have solved, so be sure to ask their advice as well.
Get to know all of our Sunday Dogs at Boston Dogs.
Thanks to everyone who Hops over to Amazon
Details:
Words: Penny & Ed Cherubino
Photos: ©2017 Penny & Ed Cherubino
(Adapted for BostonZest from one of our City Paws newspaper columns.)
Almost a decade ago, we were introduced to Eddie’s Wheels for pets when we met a senior Weimaraner named Kepler rolling along the Commonwealth Avenue Mall. His hind legs were gently harnessed into a wheeled cart. Kepler had always been a very active, athletic dog. At age 13, his wheels gave him the freedom to stay that way.
Eddie’s Wheels is a company based in Shelburne Falls, MA. They build custom wheelchairs for dogs and cats and improve the quality of life not only for companion animals with disabilities, but also for the people who love them.
We were reminded of all the progress that has been made with assistive devices for dogs and cats when we spotted Bernie, a young Samoyed, wheeling his way along the mall in a far more streamlined rig.
Ramps, Stairs, and Lift Assistance
Cha Cha is a dog Penny sees on her morning walks. She's 16 years old and, like many a little old lady, needs a bit of help with her daily activities. Her guardian has added a lift assist harness to her walking gear. Cha Cha moves at her slow pace and when she needs a bit of an assist, a gentle sling around her belly allows her person to add support.
We had a visit from one of our rescue Westies, Swiffer, in his later years. He was having problems getting into the right position to relieve himself. We tore a wide strip off an old beach towel and used it exactly the way Cha Cha’s lift assist works. Assistance can be simple and homemade or something designed for that purpose.
This is one of our favorite portraits of our little pal Swiffer. How we all miss him!
Small footstools have been used by our dogs, as they aged, to get up on chairs and sofas. But there are also ready-made stairs and ramps that help a disabled or injured dog or cat reach a favorite spot. For example, there are special ramps designed to make getting a large dog into a car easier for everyone.
Tools for Special Needs
While we can hold an ice pack on our own sore spots, we need help to use ice to heal an injured animal. Now there are purpose-made, physical therapy icing devices that wrap around and stay secured on a leg, shoulder, neck, or paw.
Special splints, wraps, and booties can protect injured paws or skin and fur. Around the house, where wheels might not work, there are drag bags for paralyzed pets.
Today we address incontinence in pets with indoor puppy pads, diaper suspenders, disposable diapers, belly bands, and sometimes medication.
A halo harness for blind dogs protects their heads by bumping into things before the dog does.
For a deaf dog, you can use a vibration collar to help train the pup to recognize that you want their attention. (Since we have always been vehemently opposed to shock collars as training devices, we want to be clear that this assistive device emits a simple vibration like the one you have on your phone when you put it in silent mode.)
Before you decide to struggle along and make the best of a difficult situation, check with your pet care pros. Your veterinary team may suggest physical therapy where some of these products are commonly in use. A local pet shop may stock or be willing to special order the right assistive device. And pet sitters see the problems that others have solved, so be sure to ask their advice as well.
Get to know all of our Sunday Dogs at Boston Dogs.
Thanks to everyone who Hops over to Amazon
Details:
Words: Penny & Ed Cherubino
Photos: ©2017 Penny & Ed Cherubino
(Adapted for BostonZest from one of our City Paws newspaper columns.)
Let's play Attention to Detail! We give you a close-up clue, like the dormer with lots of windows above, and you have to figure out where you've seen it around Boston.
Here are some hints:
Ready? Click through or scroll down past this great book about Boston for the answer.
Let's play Attention to Detail! We give you a close-up clue, like the dormer with lots of windows above, and you have to figure out where you've seen it around Boston.
Here are some hints:
Ready? Click through or scroll down past this great book about Boston for the answer.
