24 February, 2002

Binding again

The temperatures have passed 10 degrees Celsius. We and our very efficient help have finished the pruning of a bit more than one hectare of Meunier-vines. I have begun the binding.

Yesterday Alain dealt with one row to check out his ability, as he puts it. I have to fight. As usual he works three times my speed. I still fight with the tool - the lieuse - that lies in my hand in an awkward way. As if my hands are equipped with 10 thumbs on my right hand. Or big toes even. It doesn't really work. But I still manage to bind almost 200 meters of vines in a day.

Alain spends the rest of saturday to change broken wires. About time, since our help - efficient as he is - is also supposed to bind. His girlfriend helps him out, and we can see, that she binds at any wire, should the good one be broken. For instance the wire we will lift in some months. Several rusty iron posts are to be changed as well.

Here and there I meet plants, where the pruning is not finished. For whatever reason. This is why you always sharpen and carry your scissors in the vineyards. At the same time I see, that the sap may have begun in the lower plot, but here I don't get even a hint of running sap from the fresh cuttings like Alain did last weekend in the low field.

The difference between these two plots is a few meters and a slightly degree of slope above and not belowe. The marginals of spring are really that delicate here. But there is still no doubt. The birds sing, it's a joy to listen to, and I have seen the first ladybird sunbathing in a golden stribe of sun outside the crack, where it spend all winter.

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