Look Around

Tonight I took a look around my new apartment. It's interesting to think back of where and when I acquired certain things. I have some of the most random knick knacks and decorations. But the great thing is, that each one of them represent special memories, special people and special times in my life.

Here's the top five most random items in my house:
1. A homemade sock monkey: My mother made this for me for Christmas one year and it has traveled with me ever since. It reminds me of family and home.
2. A Rubik's cube: Somebody special gave this to me and opened my eyes to believe that someday I could and would fall in love again.
3. A three legged pig: It is supposed to bring good luck and was sent to me by a friend while she was living in Japan. This friend was a major part of my college life.
4. Big Sur Half Marathon Bib and framed picture: This was my first half marathon that I ran. I am even smiling in the picture. I cannot say the same for Jon, my ex who was a real trooper to even take the initiative to run it with me. This was how I got addicted to running races. The best feeling in the world is crossing the finish line.
5. A pair of pink high heeled shoes that are actually a wine bottle opener and a beer opener: A recent gift from my Aunt Lisa, but one that shows people really are reading my blog. One of my posts "I Traded my High Heels for Rubber Boots" talks about how I gave up my office attire and high heels for rubber boots and less appealing work clothes. I appreciate that people are supportive of my dreams.

So take a look around. What special memories are surrounding you?

Memorial Day Weekend

Over Memorial Day weekend my friend, Lisa, flew in for a visit from California. It had been a year and a half since we last saw each other so we had a lot of catching up to do (conversation and wine that is). Like always, she was glad to help me do some research in the industry. Friday and Saturday we became local tourists in Willamette Valley. We tasted a wide assortment of wines from Oregon and even Washington! But most of the wines we tasted were Pinot Noir. We spoke with owners and winemakers and tasting room staff to learn more about the vintages and vineyard sites.

Wineries we visited included Archery Summit, Erath Winery, Canas Feast, Tyrus Evan, Cleo's Hill Wines and two smaller producers whose name I cannot recall.

We also visited the new and still under construction Press Wine Bar during its Memorial Day Weekend open house. I interviewed here for a part-time job last week and hope to get hired. Four boutique wineries: de Lancellotti Family Vineyards, Arterberry Maresh, Crowley Wines and Merriman Wines were pouring their wines. All of these wines were amazing and I highly recommend them all. There will also be a restaurant Farm to Fork and luxury boutique hotel on site.

This is a picture of Lisa at Archery Summit Winery in Dundee Hills. We were the first ones to arrive at 10:00 AM.

How Long Before I Can Call Myself A Local?

Greetings friends! You will be happy to hear that I finally have a permanent residence in the USA. My new home is in Sherwood, Oregon. 15 miles from Portland and in the Willamette Valley Wine Region (Pinot Noir country). My mother and I left Wisconsin on Thursday afternoon and arrived here on Saturday. I am living in a brand new 2 bedroom apartment and loving it.

Today is Thursday, May 21st and I am all unpacked and waiting anxiously for a job offer. This week I had four interviews! Yes. Four. All of them went well and I even had a second interview for one winery. The biggest weakness that they find with my resume is that I am not a local. The thing is that I already interviewed for a job here a few weeks ago and was one of the two final candidates. The only reason I didn't get the job was because the other woman was a local. Since that was the only thing stopping me from getting the job, I quickly found a place to live, packed up my stuff and drove cross country so I could begin my journey of becoming a local.

So how long does it actually take to become a local? I have started going to Starbucks every morning and ordering a carmel latte with an extra shot. Am I a local the day they remember my name without me telling them? Or maybe it is the day when I walk into my favorite wine bar and the bartender asks me if I want, "The usual?"

I am not sure what it will take for me to become a local. Don't you know, I am from Wisconsin and always will be. I can live here and become accustomed to the wines and the culture but deep down I will always be a Midwest girl.

What I Have Learned

Here's what I have learned the past year and a half:

1. Think with your head and not your heart. It is your heart that gets you in trouble and sometimes even makes you fly to Tasmania and back twice!

2. Some jobs seem more glamorous then they appear.

3. Having a college degree doesn't mean anything. It's the people you know and the choices you make that matter.

4. No matter where you go and for how long, it is always nice to be back home.

5. If you think you have it bad, remember there are people out there who have it much worse.

6. Family and friends are the most important things on this earth. Call them, email them and hug them every chance you get.

7. Life is short. Make sure you do the things you dream of doing. Travel, take a day off of work just because, laugh, eat ice cream, have a glass of wine.

8. I am not perfect and never want to be. Life would be boring that way.

9. With each door that closes a new one opens. You just have to be patient. (Something I am working on.)

10. That I don't know what life has in store for me next. But if it is anything like the past 28 years, then bring it on. Life is an adventure. Jump on board.

Probably the Worst Tasmanian Vintage

Well, are you on the edge of your seats waiting for a blog update? This is Beckaroo and I am reporting live from beautiful Kayena, Tasmania. Today is April 7, 2009. This is probably the worst Tasmanian vintage in a long time. Why do you ask? The total crop is down at least 30% or more and the grapes are having one heck of a time ripening with all the rain and cool weather. Also botrytis cinerea, a necrotrophic fungus that affects many plant species, although its most notable hosts may be wine grapes threatening a majority of the crop. In viticulture, it is commonly known as botrytis bunch rot. The fungus gives rise to two different kinds of infections on grapes. The first, grey rot, is the result of consistently wet or humid conditions, and typically results in the loss of the affected bunches. So work is limited and the harvest is probably going to wrap up fairly soon.

I am taking it day-by-day. As you can see from the picture above the work here is hard. This is a picture of me sampling the juice. It is a tough job, but somebody has to do it! Just happy to work when I can and I am even picking grapes on my days off if there are any to pick. I need a bit of improvement in the vineyard since I have already sliced open two fingers with the shears.

The winery work is keeping me fit and I am running a lot here. I ran in a women's 5 km breast cancer fundraiser in Launceston a couple weeks ago and finished 26th out of 2000+ runners/walkers. Not bad although I would have liked to place in the top 25. My time was 22:08.

I am excited to come back to the states and see my little handsome nephew Jamison. I miss everyone and will see you soon!

Vintage House

Tasmania Take Two

What a crazy few weeks it has been. All I can say is life is unpredictable. My life seems to be the most unpredictable of anyone I know. At least I can provide entertainment for my friends and family. So after one day back in Chicago, I felt like I had made a huge mistake. I know. I know. What were you thinking?

So after speaking to the Cellar Manager and Winemaker, they are willing to let me come back and work vintage. Luckily the harvest has been delayed and I will make it back in time to start. I left because of him but I should have stayed for me. You see, life keeps throwing me curve balls and I keep striking out. Each time this happens, I always seem to make it through. I too will make it through this. I am going to make sure that I have the best time ever and keep a positive outlook on life. When this harvest commences, I will have learned more about winemaking, about myself and hopefully about life.

I love my family and my friends. Thank you for your support and open ears. To my family--I promise to try harder with you all and let's get R Little Winery up and running!

Tasmania

Do I Stay or Do I Go Now?

Tuesday, February 24, 2009
In the land down under, I am feeling a bit down under. After finding out my boyfriend who is also my bestfriend has been cheating on me since November, I have been on an emotional rollercoaster. Do I seriously have such bad luck? I am literally numb and in shock. Of all the things that could happen to me, this is the last one I thought possible. Especially since I have travelled around the world to live and work with the guy. I am not sure what I will do when he arrives this week.

Wednesday, February 25, 2009
He arrived on Wednesday and I let him have it. I am so angry at him and sad. I don't know if I can make it through the harvest. Harvest is my favorite time of the year and I want to make sure that if I stay I will be able to do the job 100% and still have fun.

Saturday, February 28, 2009
Well, my emotional side got the best of me and I re-booked my ticket home for Sunday, March 1st. I hope I am making a good decision. I am sad to walk away from an opportunity like this. I have made friends with the most amazing people.

Sunday, March 1, 2009
Gabby, Lis and Andries drove me to the Launceston airport at 4:30 AM so I could catch my flight to Sydney. I did my best not to cry as I said goodbye to everyone and walked away. Now what?

Welcome to Australia and By the Way Un-Happy Valentine's Day

The wheels of the plane touched down in Sydney at 6:00 AM Valentine’s Day. Only one day later than planned. The original plan was for my boyfriend and me to meet in Sydney for a two-day vacation before flying together to Tasmania. Unfortunately his Visa hadn’t been approved yet, so I was alone in Sydney. This was the first Valentine’s Day I had been looking forward to in a long time. I had even bought a cute new dress outfit and a couple bottles of 2008 Oyster Bay Sauvignon Blanc (a wine we made last vintage in New Zealand together and one he had not yet tasted.). I caught my shuttle to Urban St. Leonard’s Hotel ready for a hot shower and a long nap.

The hotel had internet so I logged on to see if there was any news from home or my boyfriend. Well, after a little investigation, I found some interesting stuff leading me to believe that I was not the only woman in his life. Un-Happy Valentine’s Day to me! Could this possibly be happening? Did I give up an opportunity to move back to Chicago where I could be working at a decent job and living in a place of my own instead of out of a suitcase? No. He would never do this to me I thought. Boy was I wrong...Un-Happy Valentine's Day to me!

Aloha?

“Attention passengers, due to a mechanical issue we will be landing in Honolulu. I never guessed I would be saying Aloha on this flight but welcome to Hawaii.” The flight attendant said. I guess you could say that I wasn’t the least bit surprised. During my travels, the one thing I have learned is to expect the unexpected. I had met a new friend, Melissa from Mexico, on the plane and her and I decided to make the best out of the situation. We would be shuttled to a hotel for the day where we would get our own room to shower and rest while they addressed the problem. It was 5:00 AM and our flight was rescheduled for 11:45 PM this evening. We also got a $15 food voucher. During our wait, we met another woman, Yvonne from Germany, and all three of us planned to check into our room, have a shower and a nap and meet in the lobby at 12:30 to go eat and explore the beaches.

One goal of mine is to visit all 50 United States. Hawaii was one I haven't been to yet and now I only have 10 to go: Alaska, Maine, Connecticut, Rhode Island, Massachusetts, Mississippi, Vermont, North Carolina, South Carolina and Georgia.

Let's just say having a layover in Hawaii was not all that bad. I got to explore Waikiki Beach, swing from a tree, check out the outdoor aquarium, get a little sun, put my feet in the water and meet some new friends.

All Set For Departure

February 11, 2009

After a very restless night of sleep (3 hours to be exact), my parents and I drove to Chicago so I could catch my flight. We arrived at the airport with plenty of time to spare. Heaven knows that I need all the extra time I can get when it comes to airports and traveling. I checked in my luggage and crossed my fingers that it wasn't too heavy (50 pounds per bag). First bag 46 pounds. Check. Second bag 52.5 pounds. Dang it! I moved one steel-toe boot and a pair of shoes to the first bag and re-weighed both bags: 48.5 and 50 pounds. 98.5 pounds of stuff to live with for the next 5 months.

Hugs to the parents and off to security. I breezed right through and went to my gate. Too easy! My first flight was from Chicago to Los Angeles and was scheduled for departure at 4: 05 PM. Everything was going smoothly; the screen began flashing boarding in 5 minutes...then boarding in 1 minute. The next time I glanced up the screen flashed DELAYED due to plane maintenance malfunction. Really?

Luckily I had planned for this. I had booked my flight from Los Angeles to Sydney for 10:13 PM giving myself plenty of time in the case of a delay or bad weather. Our flight eventually departed at 5:45 PM and I landed in Los Angeles in plenty of time. My next flight boarded on time, but after we were seated they announced that there was a plane maintenance problem. Say what? Three hours later the problem was found and the part was replaced. Before we could leave the plane had to be refueled, but guess what? Someone messed up and put too much fuel in. Another delay. Now the plane was overweight and unbalanced. How was this problem rectified? Well, a few people were asked to get off the plane and the pilots burned the rest of the excess fuel by revving the engine for an hour. So four hours later, we were off to Sydney! I would like to say that the rest of my trip went smooth and I landed in Sydney as planned, but that would be too easy.

Here I Go Again...

Wednesday, February 11, 2009 the next adventure begins. I am off to Australia to work vintage in Tasmania for Tamar Ridge Winery. Here's the website: http://www.tamarridge.com.au/. I am overpacked and ready to go.

I have an Australia cell phone so if you would like to call me the number is 011 61 04 48699832. or you can email me at rochester_rebecca@yahoo.com. I will be there until the middle of June and then it is back to the West Coast.

There have been a few updates to my blog: If you enjoy my blog, then become a follower by clicking on the link on the right hand side and you will be emailed when I add new posts to my blog. I added world clocks for New Zealand, Australia, South Africa and USA Central time so it will easy to know what time it is wherever I am. I also added some links to some websites I mention in my blogs. Lastly, I have added banner ads to my blog. Each time you click on one, I get paid some money...so click away.

Stay tuned for adventures from Down Under.

Unemployed...When Does Happy Hour Start?

After working the vintage in California, Andries and I drove cross country back to Wisconsin. We made a few stops along the way in Oregon (winetasting at some magnificent wineries in Willamette Valley), Wyoming (Yellowstone Tour, dinner and a good night's sleep in Cody) and South Dakota (famous Wall Drug).

I have spent the past several months looking for a job in the wine industry. I have had a few interviews and a few offers, but none that I felt were right for me. I have been teeter tottering about moving back to Chicago or keep traveling around the world. This Friday I will make my final decision.

As of now, it appears that I will be flying to Tasmania at the beginning of February to work as a Vintage Cellar Hand for Tamar Ridge Winery. Three people who I worked with in New Zealand have also accepted a job there--Andries, Gabby and Jan. So that is definitely a bonus!

In December I went to visit Andries de Klerk in South Africa. It was a blast and we toured around the country. I will do a whole separate post on this trip very soon.

At the beginning of January, I spent three days at the Wisconsin Fresh Fruit and Vegetable Conference in Wisconsin Dells. It was the first conference hosted by the newly formed Wisconsin Grape Growers Association. http://www.wigrapes.org/ Check out their website for more information on growing grapes in Wisconsin. I met a lot of wonderful people in the industry and learned a few new things from the speakers.

I am back in Wisconsin and we are currently experiencing bitter cold temperatures of -25 to -35 degrees below zero. Hence another reason I am not sure that I want to permanently relocate back in the Midwest. I love sunshine...West Coast may be calling my name.

And lastly, just a few things I have pondered during unemployment:
1. When does happy hour start? Am I still eligible?
2. Do weekends still exist?
3. What else can I google?

California Harvest

Two Harvests in One Year!

Unemployed once again. Yep. Just the life of an international harvester. I just finished work as a Seasonal Viticulturist at Richard's Grove and Saralee's Vineyard in Windsor, California. It feels like just yesterday that I drove 35 hours straight cross country to start working the 2008 harvest in the Russian River (Sonoma area).

Not only did I work in the vineyard but I also took up a part-time night shift position at Martinelli Winery. I worked 3 nights a week there sometimes putting in 20+ hour days between both jobs. The winery was hard work!

This harvest I worked with the most inspirational woman I have ever met in my life. Her name is Saralee. She is dedicated to her family, friends and employees. She is hard working, compassionate and full of energy. I can only hope that someday I can be just as fantastic as a woman as she is. She has inspired me to work harder and not give up. I am even more excited now about being in the wine industry than I was before. This is where I belong.

So what's in store next? Good question. I have a few opportunities in the works. First, I have been offered a harvest position in Tasmania which starts in the middle of February. It's a great opportunity, I get to travel and work with some three people I worked with in New Zealand and of course I get paid to learn more about winemaking. On the other hand, a part of me is ready to get back to my city life in Chicago. I miss my friends and I sometimes I miss having a 9-5 job. I had a phone interview last week with a Chicago area wine company. It went really well and they have asked me to come in for a second interview.

Friday Andries and I head to Oregon to do a little wine research or as some most people refer to as winetasting. From there we head across Washington, Idaho, Montana, Wyoming, South Dakota, Minnesota and should arrive in good ole' Wisconsin in the middle of the week. I am excited to catch up with family and friends. It's been a long, but fun 9 months living in New Zealand, Australia and California. Once I get home I will unpack my bags and hang up my gumboots until the next adventure comes my way.

Home Sweet Home...Well Kind Of

I am home! Well, let me reword that. I was home for a couple days and now I am in Santa Rosa, California. Yes. I said California. I know what you are thinking.
Didn't you just move back from California? Yep.
What are you doing back out there then? This is just a seasonal thing. Keep reading.

I arrived in San Francisco at 10:00 AM on Wednesday, August 6th. I collected my luggage and headed to check in for my Southwest flight to Chicago Midway. It wasn’t scheduled to leave until 6:30 PM that evening, but I thought I would see if I could catch an earlier flight. It was my lucky day! They changed my ticket, at no additional cost to me, to the 12:30 PM flight. I would land in Chicago at 8:30 PM instead of midnight.

Korinne picked me up at the airport and we were off to the city. I couldn’t stop smiling the moment I saw the dazzling Chicago city lights. This was the moment that I knew I was home. I spent the next couple of days in Chicago catching up with friends and on Saturday my mother and aunt Jen came and picked me up.

I interviewed for a couple seasonal harvest jobs in California and accepted a job as a Seasonal Viticulturist at Richard’s Grove and Saralee’s Vineyard in Windsor, California (Russian River AVA). At 5:30 AM on Thursday, August 14th, I started my Nissan Xterra and headed West to California. It had been awhile since I had driven on the right side of the road. I was pumped and spent the next 22 hours driving straight only stopping for gas, to grab a quick snack and go to the loo. Friday morning at 3:30 AM I pulled over for a quick 40 minute power nap and then I was off. I arrived in California Friday afternoon and met up with Andries, that’s my boyfriend who I met while doing harvest in New Zealand.

It has been hot as H- E- double hockey sticks here! The grapes are ripening in record time. My job as a Seasonal Viticulturist has been fantastic. I work with a great group of people, I get to be outside in the vineyard for a majority of the day and I get to drive a Gator around. I am learning a lot about how different varieties of grapes mature and the overall effect of terrior—especially location, soil and weather.

So here I am in Santa Rosa, California. I live in an apartment and have two plastic folding lawn chairs as furniture. I use my boogie board as a table and I love it! Yesterday I drove around to see if I could pick up some part time work in a tasting room. On my second stop at Harvest Moon Winery, I had landed myself a job in the tasting room. I started today and had a blast. I love mingling with people especially over great wines. I will be working Saturday, Sunday and Mondays in the tasting room and as needed.

Life is good.
Becky

The Final Days...Coming Home

Well, most of you probably don't know that I have decided to come back home. I left on February 18, 2008, and it is hard to believe that it has been almost 6 months since I have left home. Honestly, it has been a real eye opener, a wonderful opportunity to meet great people from all over the world and lastly, it has been a true journey for myself. I haven't achieved everything I had set out to do, but I have realized how good I have it in the USA. No matter where I have lived, there always is a strong force pulling me back home. I cannot wait to see my mother, father, brothers, grandma, grandpa, aunts, uncles, cousins, nieces, nephews, friends and give them a big hug. Because at the end of the day, no matter where I am or what I am doing, it all points back to my family and my home.

I love that I grew up in Wisconsin. That I was taught at a very young age how to take care of myself. I love that I am so independent. I know that everything that has happened in my life, good and bad, has happened for a reason. Although I don't want this trip to end, I know that it is time to go home. I hope that I am making the right choice. All I know is that my bags are packed and I am anxiously awaiting my 10:00 AM flight from Albury to Sydney, Sydney to Los Angeles, Los Angeles to San Francisco and San Francisco to Chicago. From there it is a mystery. But I know it is the next step in the adventures of Beckaroo.

CALL ME

For only $10 you can invest in a pre-paid calling card to call me in Australia. Here's the link:
http://www.mobilecaller.com/rates.asp?GUID=A192F5BBAAFF0D4C819F5B93AD868DFF .

My mobile number is +61 448 699 832. I look forward to speaking with some of you soon.

That's only 3 Starbuck's Cafe Lattes, 2 beers at the Chicago Cub's game or 3 gallons of gasoline.


love,
Beckaroo