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HOW TO REACH US WHEN IT RAINS ALOT!
We do live in Oregon where rain is a factor….In case the route to A Blooming Hill from Highway 47 is closed at Fern Hill, just stay on Hway 47 to Route 8, which is the next major intersection. Turn right. You will go into Cornelius and begin to see Blue Signs to A Blooming Hill. Just follow the signs….for sticklers, turn right onto 10th Avenue, turn right onto Blooming Fern Hill Road, turn left at the flashing yellow light and we are the first driveway on the right.
The Merry, Merry Month of May
Yes! It is the merry, merry month of May. We love May for 500 reasons, most of them Rhodie and Azalea bushes. There are 500 and they all bloom in May! Plus, it is our wedding anniversary month, which means chocolate cake in our Tasting Room most weekends. So, here’s what we’ve got planned:
May 5th – Derby Day! If you know us, you know our other little hobby around here is horses – 13 of ‘em! Some have raced; some are on the Reining circuit right now (doing very well, I might add!). One of our thoroughbreds called Sugar had a great season at Portland Meadows. To us, his winning race was like winning the Kentucky Derby so we will Celebrate the Kentucky Derby by playing the DVD of his race on the computer until actual racetime when we’ll have the TV on so you can all cheer on your favorite horse.
Wear a big hat (we’ll have some spares you can don while you’re here). We’ll serve something minty and toast each other with our wines.
May 12th – Opening Day of the Beaverton Saturday Market where we are pouring for the first time. We’ve heard there are LOTS of people there on Saturdays so it should be a constant party. We’ll be there for the full season. Come meet Buzz Brown who will be working with us at the Market. 8:30 AM – 1:30 PM – We call this serving our Breakfast Chardonnay!
May 19th is the Seaside Wine Walk. We love this event where 20 or so wineries are paired with a specific store on Broadway in Seaside. We’re always in Del Sol where everything changes color! You can try out nail polish or flip-flops or jewelry or great clothes that turn beautiful colors in the light. Oh, and great wine and hors d’oeuvres in each store! www.seasidedowntown.com/winewalks.
May 25, 26, 27, 28 – Memorial Day Weekend! The official start to summer and it all starts here – yay!
We are one of the very few open on Friday plus the other three days. Show up between 11 AM and 5 PM and we promise lovely wines, lovely hors d’oeuvres including our fabulous Wedding Chocolate Cake and music. We know Friday is a furlough day for Oregon State employees so if you come with your employee ID, there’s no tasting fee for you!
Saturday – Open 11 – 5, Music by Andrew Grade and his Acoustic Guitar from 1:30 on…
Sunday – Open 11 – 5 Music from 11 – 2 by Robert Bernadelli; from 2:30 on by Skip and Sandie Farmer
Monday – Open 11 – 5 Music with Jenny and SIX others from 1:30 – 4:30 ish…
Tastings are $5. If it’s great weather, the patio will be the place to be; if it’s not, we’ll open the Big Room with the fireplace.
Holly and Jim Witte
THIS JUST IN! Our 2009 Pinot Gris took a Bronze Medal and the 2009 Riesling a Silver in the Northwest Wine Summit.
We are so excited since this is a highly respected wine competition. You can bet we will be featuring those two stars in the Tasting Room. Here's what's happening for the rest of the month:
INTRODUCING OUR 2010 MINGLE!
A Blooming Hill Vineyard … Our Inspiration
Some days, standing at a particular spot in the vineyard where the light spills across the slope of Blooming Hill, it is possible to believe the world has just begun and life is full of promise. The soft sound of a breeze rustling the vines, the warm touch of sun on emerging fruit, sky as far off as anyone can see beyond the hills reminds us that there may be nothing quite so wonderful as the simple pleasures given us by nature. At A Blooming Hill Vineyard, we revel in the gift of working the land every day and that we are rewarded with its simple and elegant bounty.
This is our gift to you in every bottle of A Blooming Hill Vineyard wines.
Holly and Jim
We got married in 2006 under a beautiful teahouse that Jim built for us. We've known each other for over 40 years … Holly was a not very good secretary to Jim way back in New York in the television production business. Jim was known as "The Myth" for all he was able to accomplish. He ran a scrappy new company that was involved in such notables as Sesame Street and The Electric Company, many of the Central Park Concerts – from Barbra Streisand to George Shearing. Jim was even business manager for KISS! Holly spent her life raising money for good works and writing.
In 2006, after a lot of life had intervened (ask us, we'll tell you), a mutual friend threw his Cupid's darts and urged us to have lunch. We were both living in the Pacific Northwest by then, although 200 miles apart; Holly - a city girl, Jim - a farm boy. Holly drove down to Oregon, had a lovely lunch, drove home and told Jim he was terrific but geographically undesirable.
Jim was persistent….and, suddenly, there we were standing in a beautiful spot in the Willamette Valley getting married! It really is romantic owning a vineyard! Now we are a wedding destination.
