Yeah, yeah, I know: people always say that we Californians are pretty gol-dang soft when it comes to enduring the hardships of winter weather. As if we don’t really know what winter weather is!*

Hey, so what are you waiting for? Let’s go swimming! Flickr image courtesy of John Carleton.

Interestingly enough, we actually (still) have seasons out here in the Golden State. Hockey-stick charts notwithstanding, some of us are lately digging into storage trunks for those moth-eaten afghans Grandma crocheted back in 1966!

But, brrrrrr!! It’s so one-armed-well-digger’s-arse cold right now in California!

Why, it’s so cold that…

…after the usual two-mile walk to work this morning, I was compelled to ask the security guard at my building if my nose was still attached to my face.

…the rock that was rattling around inside my shoe turned out to be my big toe.

…I couldn’t read my book on the train this evening because it was too hard to turn the pages while wearing winter gloves.

…despite cranking the heater on the drive home tonight, the cab of my truck didn’t get warm until I pulled into the driveway.

…if this keeps up, I’m trading in my pickup for a trail-groomer snowcat (super-deluxe Gran Touring model).

…in L.A., it was reported that Tiger Woods is (once again) sleeping with his own wife in order to keep warm.

…the flasher in my neighborhood was caught describing himself to women.

…being that I’m of a somewhat contrarian political nature, Global Warming must be a certainty!

…I could swear I saw snowflakes falling outside my 17th floor window yesterday – in downtown San Francisco! Indeed, I will swear! DA-yam!

…shrinkage is suddenly a real concern. Double DA-yam!!

…and, finally: it’s so cold in California that Ahhnold the Governator today had to turn the heat up on the state legislature, again!

Rimshot! >Ba-dump-bump.<

~winehiker

*I have some snow-capped Sierra Nevada mountains to show you – on snowshoes, of course. You can tote-a the bota.

The term sense of place has often been used to describe a wine’s origins, those elements of a wine that can distinguish its taste from the taste of wines produced elsewhere. It is said by many that one can taste the difference between wines produced in geographically disperse regions – due, most notably, to a vineyard’s sun exposure and soil type.

Image courtesy of Mapsof.net

This sense of place, also known as terroir, speaks of the myriad possibilities worldwide for the variety of flavors that can end up in your glass and on your palate.

You probably have a little experience with terroir yourself and may not know it – especially if you’ve ever planted a vegetable garden or sought to understand the relationship between you and your local wilderness. Today I am delighted to announce that my new article, A sense of place, under your feet, is available on Palate Press, the online wine magazine.

~winehiker