We had some special guests with us this weekend. Sid and Darlene Cloud hold a special place in our hearts for many reasons. When Robin had her first high school choir, they were the first to sign up to help out with tours. Sid is a Doctor and once had to accompany a young man on a private flight to the US from Canada after the kid had broken his leg. Sid and Darlene were also the owners of the house which we fondly called "the commune". We lived in their beautiful home with another couple right before I went off to seminary.
The Clouds came down to taste some wine, and to talk about church. They wanted to see our Saturday morning community breakfast, and to ask some questions about how the church in their community might reach out to help those in need around them. It was great conversation.
When people visit, I love to head out with a picnic luncheon, grab a bottle of wine and enjoy the view. We had intended to visit Bethel Heights Vineyard, but they were closed for a private event. By chance we happened to notice the new sign just up the road for Bryn Mawr Vineyard. I'm so glad we did. The top picture is the view from their tasting room. We were served by one of the owners, Jon Lauer. He was approachable, friendly, knowledgeable and easy to talk with. They offer tastes of five of their wines for only $5! We had to do our tasting indoors because of arcane OLCC regulations that no one really understands. But Jon is a retired lawyer, and he's not about to break the rules. They have two estate Pinot Noirs for only $20. That's an amazing value. Jon and his wife purchased the property four years ago. They have poured a lot of time and money into the place and the wines are incredible for that price. We purchased one of the estate Pinots and headed out to one of the picnic tables. When it comes to food, I do not do things by half measures! We had a caprese salad with fresh mozzarella, fresh basil and tomatoes fresh from the garden. I had grilled up some peppers and zucchini which we paired up with local cheese and salamis. I also made a salad with grilled corn, fresh peaches, black beans, and aged balsamic vinegar. I also have a thing against paper products, so it's nothing but china, real silverware and some of my platters on 
which to hold the food. And if you are going to go to all of that effort, how much more difficult is it to have a real tablecloth and cloth napkins? People going into the tasting room stop and gawk at us. One woman asks to take our picture. I've become a sort of evangelist for winery picnics, it is one of my favorite ways of showing hospitality. To sit out in this amazing extended summer weather, eating great food and enjoying beautiful wine all the while watching wistful white clouds rolling over the coastal foothills and into the Willamette Valley is about as good as this life has to offer. Sid is also going to be leading A Theology of Wine small group at his local church. If you are coming out this way anytime in the future, I'd love to show you around. We feel as though we live in the most amazing of places, and we love to show it off to our friends.