Well, our 5th and final harvest is done. Little did we know when we woke up that Saturday September morning, that indeed this day would not be the final harvest day for us. The team was loading grapes into bins and onto flat beds, as I was loading up the final things into the Uhaul. It was a crazy morning as the team unfurled across the vineyard. It was a beautiful morning and families came out with their children. It was such a joyful way for us to complete our cyle of growing. The team loaded up what could safely be carried to the Gorge, while we loaded up what we could safely take in the U-Haul. But we both realized, that neither had planned well enough and somethings had to be left behind. The team ran out of load capacity, so we were unable to get the final 5 rows of grapes picked and loaded.The remaining grapes would await to be picked until the following week. The Keller family came to the rescue for us and took a table we couldn’t fit, as well as my car. The transport team said they could get to St Louis faster than we could, so we opted to have my car picked up a few days after we left, to try and time the arrival simultaneously.
Driving from Salem, OR to St. Louis, MO was not a quick or simple task. The hitch wasn’t placed correctly, our cargo weight was maxed, so driving an electric vehicle over multiple passess, made for a long, arduous journey. We rarely went over 63 mph. We were getting intermittent texts about final details of the farm sale which only made the drive more angst provoking, as usually there was no signal to return these inquiries. On the road, in the middle of Wyoming, with cross winds at 40-60 mph, and grapes left on the vine and pending rain at the farm, we started questioning if should reconsider our timeline. Then you add inclinement weather, fatigue, stress — lets just say after 8-9 hours a day in the car, we were each happy to take our cargo up to the room and rest. We persisted in our plan, knowing that we had to meet the POD and my car.
One redeeming thing about the journey, was being able to reconnect with old friends along the way.
We stopped in Boise and saw our friends the Brandts. They have certainly had some big changes in their lives since leaving Bend and becoming grandparents. This was Rod’s second time to stop at the Shanleys in Colorado Springs while making a cross country journey. Daddy Sean hooked us up with a better hitch, making the rest of the drive feel much more secure. We were able to get a days ‘rest’ with them, while hiking the INCLINE. If you know, you know. Then back on the road to continue adding states to the puzzle.
Arriving into St. Louis, we had to then worry about the the row of cars blocking our no parking signs. We were required to obtained a permit to park the POD on the street to unload it, which we did. Unfortunately not all of neighbors felt obligated to obey the signs. Luckily at the last minute, a kind person showed up and we moved to our planned spot. Also, we had a kind patient POD driver, who used to tow cars for the city, who patiently waited while we figure out the load space. Watching that container shift and rock as it was taken off the truck, well, you can imagine, the stomach queziness was not remedied. Luckily, our movers were timely and helpful, helping us unload the trailer and the container. We live on the 4th floor, and there is only one elevator, so more arms and legs to transport were welcomed. My car arrival was 3 days late, which was 12 hours before I was to leave for Knoxville. The POD departure was 24 hours late, which was 24 hours past our permit. The city employee, however, kindly reassured, me not to worry.
Despite some bumps, which were to be expected, it is all we imagined and more. We can walk almost everywhere: church, post office, library, groceries. There is a direct route to a large park that is right in the middle of town. It has a paved bike/jog path all around it. The zoo, art museum, golf course and skating rink are all located within the park. The homily at the Basilica that first Sunday reminded us to have no anxiety and make all requests known to GOD , as well as the parable of the Tenants. We attempted to be good tenants of our vineyard. We are thankful for the many lessons we often were forced to learn about ourselves and the land while on the journey at Aeolus Vineyards. Farm life offered us solitude and quiet for the past years, especially during the chaos of the Covid-19 pandemic. The bustle of the city seems a welcome change from the isolation.
Soon after our arrival, there was a family emergency for Rod. Recall, one of the key reasons for our relocation, to be closer to our aging parents, proved itself not 24 hours after our arrival. We unpacked enough to make it livable and he was quickly back on the road, without the Uhaul trailer, to go see what needed to be done to help his family.
We are fortunate that we were able to live out one of our shared dreams. Now we will move forward down this next road. Returning to the midwest in the fall, reminds us that there are seasons, a time to plant and a time to harvest. These seasons can bring joy and happiness if you take the time to stop and look around. “So I concluded there is nothing better than to be happy and enjoy ourselves as long as we can. And people should eat and drink and enjoy the fruits of their labor, for these are gifts from God“. Ecc 3:12