Mmmmm, Riesling :)

I was out buying wine for Christmas when I came across a dry Riesling from Troon Vineyards here in southern Oregon’s Applegate Valley.

I have wanted to try a wine from Troon for quite some time and felt this was the perfect time. I am a huge fan of Rieslings.

Oh my goodness! It is one the best Rieslings I have ever had. 

The Troon dry Riesling has a very smooth texture. It is a dry wine, but don’t let that deter you.  To me the dryness was very subtle and worked well with the fruit hints. The bottle says there are hints of pear and Meyer lemon. I could taste the citrus. I don’t really recall the pear, but I think if I got another bottle I might find it :)

I really recommend this wine. And for those of you who don’t like dry wines, it is worth a try. I think this a perfect transition wine for those looking to expand their palate from sweet wines to drier.

Since you are online, you might check out Troon Vineyard.

Gushing orange

I am not a huge sports fan, but I am a loyal Oklahoma State fan, have been since I was born. But I try not to make too big of deal of since everyone thinks their school is the best.
But I feel like bragging right now. The Oklahoma State Cowboys have had a great season this year! They have stayed in  the Top 10 all year and have lost only one game! Go Pokes!
More importantly, the Cowboys beat the University of Oklahoma Sooners 44-10.
Why is that important? Why is that awesome? Well, first, it is another win a rivalry series that generally doesn't favor the Cowboys. Since 1904, Oklahoma State has won 17 of these match-ups and tied seven times.
Second, I kinda like seeing OU Coach Bob Stoops pout because he lost to OSU. I know, bad ... but that is how I feel. I giggled each time OSU forced a turnover or ran right through an open OU line. 
Oh, and the win tonight makes Oklahoma State the Big 12 champs. That is a first for OSU!
A lot of reasons to be proud ...
Now on to a bowl game!
Orange Power

Friends, family and food

Thanksgiving is one of my favorite holidays for a couple of reasons.
I like to eat and Thanksgiving always means good food. There is turkey, dressing, mashed potatoes, gravy, green beans, sweet potatoes (and I love me some sweet potatoes). Oh, and we can't forget the pies. Not to brag, but I make a pretty damn good pecan pie -- I have my great grandmother's recipe. :)
But as great as the food is, I like Thanksgiving because it is a good excuse to have a nice meal with family and/or friends. It is a nice to get together folks, have some food and have some great conversation.
Thanksgiving is also a time for me to reflect on how lucky I am and have so many things to be thankful for. I have a job; am healthy; have a loving husband; have a happy marriage; have two fat and happy cats; have a wonderful family; have great friends; and have a home. I am truly blessed.
I hope everyone had a great Thanksgiving!

Roller skating: Fun times or dangerous folly

So my better half and I went to a friend's child's birthday at the local roller rink. Neither one of us had any intention of roller skating.
But it was clear that my better half and my friend really wanted me to skate. My friend just thought I would have a good time. My better half thought it would be good for me to try something new. So I got some skates.
I was anything but sure-footed and was convinced that a fall was inevitable. But I was going to try. My first time around the ring, I held the carpet barrier with dear life. After the first go, I figured I was done. I skated and I was done.
I thought I was done. My better half and friend, thought otherwise and thought I should do another round -- and not hold onto the carpet barrier.
This did not strike me as a good idea, but I did it anyway. It was going well for the first half.
Then it happened. I wrong move and I fell crashing to the floor. I felt my bottom hit hard then my back. And my poor little head bounced. BOUNCED!
I laid on the floor, stunned. I felt the warm streak of tears on my cheeks. I hurt and my pride was bruised.
A day later, I still require heat and ice on my bottom..but my pride has healed. I tried something new and that is something to smile about -- even if there is a bruise on my ass.

Why hello fruit of the vine

As I get older, my taste in spirits continues to change.
When I was in my 20s, I wanted to spend time with comrade vodka. Man oh man, did I like vodka. At the bar, there were generally two drinks I ordered: Vodka Collins or a Colorado Bulldog (this one was short lived and was a phase my friends and I went through).
When I was broke, it was beer. But I always managed to find a little green to have my favorite clear spirit.
But I have some not-so-good experiences with comrade vodka. And as I have aged, I have seen the comrade less -- on special occasions like a night out with the girls.
I have, however, turned to the fruit of the vine.
When I was younger, I didn't care for the taste of wine. It was bitter, too strong, too dry...I just didn't like it. Until my mother-in-law introduced me to an inexpensive sweet wine -- Lambrusco. I loved it!
It was my first step to enjoying wine. Since then I have branched out to other sweet and dry wines. I am a sucker for a good Riesling, pinot grigio and pinot gris.
There are even a few chardonnays out there that I like.
Recently, I have decided to drink more red wines. A number of studies suggest that red wines -- in moderation -- may be good for you.
Reds are hard for me. My first real wine was Lambrusco, which is a sweet red. It made me associate red wine with sweet wine. Well, that isn't the case; there are some very dry reds out there.
So as I look for a choice red wine, I have to look for something that gives me balance between sweet and dry.
Two Oregon wines are fitting the bill..
I started with Bridgview's merlot. This is a medium bodied wine that has a dry finish. the bottle label talks about blueberry and black cherry flavors. I don't remember the blueberry tones, but I do remember the subtle cherry flavors. It is a nice wine and not an expensive wine. I believe a bottle at the grocery store was about $10 to $11.
But I wanted to try something that had a fuller body. I thought I would break open the Caprice Vineyard's Cabernet Sauvignon. I had sampled this wine at the vineyard and I enjoyed it. But I have found that a sample isn't always the same as glass.
So I was a little worried that it might not be as good as the sample. I was wrong.
When I uncorked it, I fully expected it to be heavier and drier. But it wasn't. It was light and refreshing. It wasn't sweet or dry. The label talks about the touch of plum, and I think there is more than a touch. I think this what gives this wine a nice balance and keeps it from being a sweet or dry wine in my book. But I am no expert.
These are the two I am enjoying now...which reminds me, I need to restock!
If you read this, and have a wine suggestion for me. Let me know, I want to sample as much as I can.

It has been too long

It always amazes me how quickly time goes by and before you know it has been months and months since you have done something. You know, like blog.
Yeah, I know ... I am officially the world's worst blogger. What's worse? Oh wait, a hypocrite. I have been on my reporters and anchors that have blogs to blog regularly. Fine example I set.
Sigh. But I can't change the past and all I can do is move forward. Maybe try to be a better blogger.
It may be time for to think of why I started a blog in the first place. Was it place to gather a following? A place to develop some sort of philosophical body of work? Maybe a way for me to record my thoughts...kind of like a diary but public?
I don't know anymore. But I think it is important that I use the blog as a way to keep up my writing skills, as limited as they may be. I still see the written word as critical communication skill (and for the record, I am one of those people who still uses real words in text messages). It is a tool that I need to work on and improve.
Maybe I will review those old grammar books and get the mechanics down too.
:)

Birthday blues?

I know it is egotistical, but I have always loved my birthday. Shoot, I even dub it Celebrate Ginger Day.
Silly, right? Overboard? Probably...but I like the idea of a birthday. It is a day that is about you. It is about you becoming part of the world -- leaving your mark, no matter how big or small that mark is.
And it is a good reason to have a good time with loved ones and friends.
But I am not feeling it this year. I just don't care about my birthday. I haven't even called it Celebrate Ginger Day...well except once, but it was a joke.
It could be age, I guess.The Giggler is hitting the big 33. Sigh, that doesn't make me old. Age is suppose to be just a number, nothing else. I decide when I am old.
These days I do feel kinda old and obsolete. Like today. May 18 is the 30th anniversary of Mount St. Helen's big eruption. Now I was only 3 years old when this occurred, but it happened in my lifetime. Many of the people I work with -- the reporters -- weren't even born yet. I think the oldest reporter is 26 -- but he does knows who New Kids on the Block are and is familiar with the song "Hanging Tough." (I hope you laughed at the last part -- it is true but funny)
Maybe I am just looking at where I am. I love my life and I'm pretty happy. But I haven't written a book yet. And I can never find the time to revisit my capstone paper so I can revise it and it get it published.  I haven't even finished reading a book about the Italian campaign yet.
Maybe my birthday has me down because I realize there is so much to do and so little time.
That's kind of depressing, too.
Perhaps my birthday gift to myself is to make time for the things I want to do and when birthday no. 34 comes around, we will be Celebrating Ginger again.

Ginger the Snow Adventurer

Ginger the Adventurous inspects her mighty snowshoe. 

 I sometimes feel that I am not adventurous.
OK, I don't feel that way, I KNOW I am that way. I have a bad tendency to keep the same routine and do things the I have always done the way I always do them.
That is kind of dull. It doesn't help fill your life with memories and important lessons. So, I told myself that I needed to try more things. I need to take reasonable chances.
High on my list: Some sort of winter sport.
We live in a beautiful part of the country and the snow-covered mountains are so inviting. It seems natural to want to do something that involves snow -- you know, besides just driving through the mountains looking at the snow. 
At first, I thought, we should try skiing. They have a nice resort there at Mt. Ashland. But I talked myself out of it. Something about breaking my leg and not having the best coordination.
But I still wanted to do something in the snow. Then I heard about snowshoeing.
This sounded interesting. And I wanted to do it.
Really, you are walking around in the snow. WALKING is not hard. I like to walk. This sounds perfect for Gin-Gin!
Oh, how innocent I was.

 Apparently, snowshoeing isn't just walking, though it is a very big component.
Snowshoeing requires special equipment: Snowshoes. They are long, metal and have ragged edges and metal claws. Something about traction, I guess. And you need trekking poles.
If the snow isn't very deep, it is very easy to walk around in said snowshoes. I got my shoes on and trotted around the car. I felt like I was a pro. I felt snowshoeing is created with me in mind. :)
Funny thing, it just gets harder when the snow gets deeper, colder and wetter. Those shoes get heavy. All of the sudden, walking is hard and requires a lot of effort.
Oh, look there is a little hill? I think will dash up it with ease. Yeah, not so much.
The snow is deep on those hills. You can't take quick steps. You have to make sure you have a firm step before you make your next move. Otherwise, you get stuck in deep snow. Don't ask how I know that.
Did you know that crisscrossing your legs with snowshoes can result in you falling down? I didn't, well, until I fell down and got stuck trying to walk down a small hill.
Don't worry. I only fell once and got stuck twice.

My recent adventure was hard work and I felt kind of foolish because I couldn't walk up the little hills like Mr. X (he has to use those snowshoes for work, and is pretty proficient in their use).
But I can't beat myself up too much. I tried and no one is ever very good the first time they try something. I guess I will have to go back to those snow-covered mountains and practice. Poor me, right?

Maybe the next time I will invest in snow pants. For some reason, jeans and snow don't really go together.

Why do I feel old? Seriously?

Seven months ago, if you asked me if I was old. My answer would have been no.
I never felt old. And 33 is a long way from old. But these days, I feel old. I feel ancient. I know, I know... I shouldn't.
But I can't shake it.
At first, I thought I felt this way because many of my co-workers are MUCH younger than I am. They are young enough they remember be 8 or 9 when the Spice Girls were big. I was finishing high school, starting college when the Spice Girls were cool. Yeah, they were cool in the 1990s. Some of my co-workers don't remember when Challenger blew up. (Granted I was in the second grade, but I remember it, damn it!)
That kind of makes me feel old -- almost ancient.
But I don't think that is the only thing that is making me feel old these days.
I think I feel older because they days seem to pass by so quickly. They are almost gone in a blink of the eye. At work, I never feel like I have enough time to do everything that I need too. At home, I feel like the To-Do list is just too big to get done. There never feels like there is time to stop and enjoy the little things. Shoot, I struggle sometimes to find time to read for pleasure -- and there is a very large backlog of pleasure reading.
It makes me think that in order to feel young, we still have to have a little fun... still find the time to make memories ... still enjoy the little things even as we push for the big things.
I'm 33, I shouldn't feel old.
Age is just suppose to be a number...A NUMBER not a feeling.


On the exercise front:
And I know everyone would like to know how the exercise is going with the Elliptical machine...exercise is still evil and I think the machine came from hell. Needless to say, I make a good effort every morning to get up and use it before I get ready for work.
I have lost 7 pounds. That has to be something, I guess.

Mmmm, wine....

Before I write another line, let me state that I am NOT a wine expert. I am merely someone who enjoys the fruit of the vine...on occasion. So anything I write is just based on my opinion of each wine I sample.
Where to begin. OK, how about the beginning?
My wonderful sister-in-law and brother-in-law gave Mr. X and I a wonderful Christmas present: a membership to a wine-of-the month club. Talk about an awesome gift! There is nothing better than wine arriving at my door during the month -- well the UPS man asking if I'm older than 21 is pretty nice too. ;)
So we are getting two bottles of wine at a time. One red, one white.  And since I can't actually share a glass with everyone, I will tell you about the joy that happens in my mouth.
For January, we got a unique red Spanish wine. The club calls it an unfiltered Tempranillo/Cabernet Sauvignon/Merlot blend. It is the 2007 Loxarel Vineyars OPS from Penedes, Spain. It is a dry red wine that is described to have leather and tobacco aromas. When I read that, I wasn't excited. I've lived with smokers for a good chunk of my life and I am not a fan of tobacco. But I was surprised with this wine. It is dry at the start and at the end. There is a hint of tobacco but the leather smell overpowers it. The tobacco essence in the wine is very much that sweetness that can be associated with tobacco. I know that sounds weird, but sometimes tobacco has kind of sweet smell -- pipe tobacco is like that.
The description did talk about having a deep berry taste that was balanced with a vanilla oak flavor. I don't remember tasting the vanilla but the fruit and the oak are both subtle in the wine. They are pleasant and don't overpower.It is a wine that a glass or two is enough. It isn't one that I can just sit and drink all in one afternoon/evening. It does pair up well with a spicy porketta and would probably be good with a steak.
All in all, I like this wine.
But I have to admit I liked the chardonnay that came withe Spanish red better. This wine was a 2009 Scotto Family Cellars Chardonnay from Lodi, California.
It is dry, but you didn't get that bite of dryness until the end. It isn't one that takes you completely by surprise, but you do notice how dry it is at the finish compared to the start.
I do think this has a fruity element to it. My palette isn't sophisticated enough to say exactly what fruits, but it is like a pear and maybe a nectarine. It is definitely a clean taste not sweet or overpowering like berry flavors are. It is very smooth and it is one that I sit and drink glass after glass.
I could certainly see it pairing up  nicely with a fish dish, maybe a chicken dish. It does well with mild cheeses. I have to admit, I drank it with beef tenderloin and still thought it was great.
I really liked this one and would probably buy it at the store.
We did get February's wines: A 2003 Vina Alamosa Premium Cabernet Savignon from Cachapoal Valley, Chile, and a 2009 Steeple Street Chardonnay from North Coast, California.
When I open those, I will share my thoughts.

Until then, cheers!

The age of acceptance

I have spent so much of my 33 years trying to get people to like me, accept me. I wanted to belong.
And this isn't that uncommon. I think many of us spend a lot time trying to fit in and for people to like us. Don't lie, and say, "Oh no, not me."
We all do it, just the way we do it is different. Some of us try to follow the crow and make the same type of jokes. Or we try to bribe our way in somehow. Or we try to make ourselves as fashionable as possible with the newest items. It helps us conform to some idea of cool, hip, acceptable. The hyper-color shirt comes to mind -- I remember pestering my mother for one because everyone had one and I wanted to be cool.
But I realized the other day, that I don't think I care if people like me or not.
Not everyone is going agree with me. Not everyone is going to like my style. Not everyone is going to notice me. Some people are going to be surprised when I say I am married (I'm still not sure why people are surprise, but whatever). Not everyone is going to like me.
And that is OK...because the only person who really needs to like me, is me. Well, and my husband. LOL :)

It has been too long

Since I have written on my little blog. It is almost like I have given Tales of the Giggler a death sentence.

Almost. I have thought about the blog every single day.

I have avoided it for a couple of reasons. First, I haven't had anything to say. Life is filled with work and overwhelming desire to succeed in a job that is still very new to me.

Second, I just wanted a break from the online world. I spend all day on the computer. I pull wire stories, post videos, interact on Facebook. By the time I get home, I don't want to look at my computer. I feel bad because I like my home computer.

I just needed a break. 

But it is time to get back on the blogging wagon.

Now, what do I have to say...

Hmmm.

Hmmmmm.

Nope, still have nothing.

But maybe tomorrow I will come up with something profound.