Where The Magic Happens

This is the storage area where all the Barza Alba brandies are aged.  They have both metal and oak aging casks.  The director gave a nice excursis regarding making and aging and blending and distilling.

 

Elegant Poppies

MolDeco did another great framing job when they framed these poppies.  They're from an EGA group correspondence course that I piloted.

Back To Blue

I've now added a second color of blue to show up the wings.  Beginning to curve out less, so I'm getting closer to the middle.

Beautiful Day In Balti

A couple of weeks ago we went to Barza Alba in Balti.  Barza Alba (White Stork) is a state run brandy factory.  The day was very pretty and we got a tour and tasting.  These photos are of the front of the factory and the area in its courtyard.  It's very soviet, but it also has some beautiful iron work.

Beading Begun

I have officially started the beading and the rest of the other stitching - mainly backstitch.  

Sheepish

Yes, this is a tiny sheep toy.  I've got a thing for sheep toys ... and this one was soft, cute, and cheap.  

Odessa In Winter

At the end of January our travel ban to Ukraine was lifted.  We went to Odessa to celebrate.  All these photos were taken on a chilly and windy February day.  No snow, though, and it was still warmer than Chisinau.

The flowers below Richelieu are a tribute to the fallen in the war.  They've moved the memorial now, but I think it was fitting to have it there.