The New American Gothic: Irish Needed to Apply

Bernie and Kathleen pause from their labors inside the Vidal vineyard

Connie's Post:
Here's to the new American Gothic: gerald's father and sister working together to help establish a new addition to the vineyard. during the memorial day holiday, kathleen and i spent that saturday working in the vidal acre. she hoed 'round each newly planted vine—saving the plant having to compete with the weeds and in reward for her efforts, received several hard-won blisters. i carted off the remaining piles of debris and then picked off the inflorescence the new vines were trying so hard to put out. gerald's family pulls together and every bit of help is welcomed on the shoestring vineyard. that being said, it was a long hot day. next time i'll remember to bring my big floppy hat, too.

here, kathleen, our modern farm girl, sports the necessities for working the vidal acre: sturdy shoes; the trusty orange-topped hoe my parents gave me when i was 9 or 10; ineffective blister-preventing work gloves; the aforementioned big floppy hat, and a cell phone. the cell phone is critical for men to call the womenfolk, requesting lunch be picked up and also critical for women to call the menfolk, requesting boy1 bring them fresh, cool water. the shoestring vineyard does have a system of hierarchy and archetypes, no matter how i may rail against them when i feel they are applied to my direct disadvantage.