after the rain

So after I left work I decided to stop at the market to pick up "a few things." I hadn't bothered to eat anything before I went to work this morning so I broke one of the cardinal rules of grocery shopping, which is "Never shop for food when you're hungry." Of course, when I do follow that rule, my kids complain that I didn't buy anything good (AKA, junk food). Tonight I broke the rule. I bought a LOT of yummy stuff, and some things (like the variety pack of mini boxes of cereals) I don't normally buy. Here are some of the things I bought:

a nice plump chicken (to roast tomorrow)
fresh rosemary (for the roast chicken)
bottle of white wine (again, for the chicken)
salad ingredients
olive bread from the store bakery
potato chips (regular AND barbecue)
red licorice
Asiago cheese
frozen waffles
heavy cream
3 bottles of Rose

I also picked up some of the staples, including food for the critters.

As I was leaving the market, I noticed that it must have just finished storming. Or, at least, it had been raining very hard. The air was still misty and moist, but smelled crisp and fresh, as it always does after a storm. The parking lot was full of random puddles. On the drive home, directly in front of me, I spied the most enormous rainbow I have ever seen. It seemed to fill the entire eastern horizon. I had to catch my breath, it was so beautiful.

After I returned home, I put away the groceries and then I opened one of the bottles of wine. It is one I have never tried before, Red Guitar 2006 Navarra Old Vine Rose. It's from Spain. The grape is a Garnacha, which I have been reading much about recently. Roses are still (if you believe the New York Times) all the rage this summer, and I selected several varieties. I had placed the Navarra in the freezer as I was unpacking the bags; it was chilled to perfection when I opened it. I am sipping it now. It's good; not too sweet, not too dry. Cheerful. Perhaps a hint of berries. The color is a deep rose, almost the color of strawberries. I am no wine connoisseur so I can't spout the jargon, but I know if a wine tastes good or bad. I think I would buy this one again.

the beginning

So this is my first blog post. I christen thee "just a wee blog," and I hope that I will be able to pour out my heart here in a way that I haven't been able to in any other forum.