My husband and I recently spent time in the mountains around Asheville, NC. After a day hiking in 

the Pisgah National Forest, backpack full of granola and Kind Bars and our dog, Rooster, nearly drowning in a swelled river, we really needed a glass of wine.

Ok, really, we walked 3 miles of paved trail in the Cradle of Forestry and the closest thing to granola were the Aldi crackers we had with our artisan cheese and Boccalone Salami on our picnic. As for the dog, he walked into the clean water trough and was in about 2 feet of water. He did however need to be pulled out by my husband, as we discovered Rooster doesn’t know how to swim. So there was

Rooster after his tumble into the water trough.

some excitement.

Another exciting moment was when I checked my wine mail box before leaving for the trip and found a few samples of Natura Wines had arrived from Banfi Wines.

Fruity white peach aromas. Fresh, bright flavors of cherry and black berry. Slight tart finish with a hint of minerality.

Region: Rapel Valley, Chili
Varietals: Syrah, Cabernet Sauvignon, Merlot
Inspired by nature, Natura wines are 100% organically grown and vegan friendly. Grapes are sourced from organically farmed estate vineyards in Chili. Choosing the ideal place to grow, nurturing the land allows for a healthy, organic, high quality grape.

It’s too bad people don’t practice this theory more often with their own property. My neighbors seem to be infatuated with their lawn. They mow every week, even during droughts. They have a professional come over and spray poison on their lawn once a month. Then they water at the wrong time of the day. And they wonder why their lawn always looks dry and brown in patches. Hmm, maybe you’re stressing your lawn out. Glad our well is uphill since I wouldn’t want all those chemicals in my drinking water. Don’t even get me started on the Round Up usage. I did share the natural week killer recipe with them and the wife is on board, just need to convince her husband now.

 Natural Weed Killer Recipe

1 Gallon Vinegar
1 cup Salt
1 tbsp. Dishwashing Liquid

Take caution, while the mixture kills weeds, it also will kill nearby plants you may want to keep. Works great in driveway/sidewalk cracks or rock areas.

Until next time. Remember be kind to the Earth, it’s the only one we have.