lummi island wine tasting nov 7-8 ’25
Hours this weekend: 4-6 pm Friday & Saturday
Ferry view of Mt Baker
This Week’s Wine Tasting
L’Amauve Le Rose d’Yvonne ’24 France $14
Pale salmon-pink; nose of red berry fruits and balsamic menthol notes and fresh, thirst-quenching, fruity attack flowing into zippy aromatics.
Pandemonium Cab ’21 California $24
From French Camp Vineyard high above Paso Robles; hot days and cold nights produce layers of jammy black fruit, spicy aromas of leather and licorice, chalky tannins, and a well-rounded finish.
Pollard Cab Franc ’20 Washington $40
Big wine with expressive nose of hibiscus and gooseberry; palate of dried strawberry and garrigue, well balanced tannic structure, and and long smooth finish.
Economics of the Heart: Alien Nation*
Alien Nation movie poster 1988*
The Big News this week is that finally the Maggit Movement is getting some serious – and growing- pushback from American voters. This week’s election has provided several concrete signs that lots of voters are fed up with the cruelty against immigrants, the looting by billionaires, the silent capitulation of Congressional Republicans, and the deployment of armed soldiers to the streets of Blue cities.
Zohran Mamdani, New York City’s bright, outspoken, and charismatic 34-yr old Mayor-elect, mobilized a huge (50 yr high) turnout of voters under the age of 45 and swept in with a landslide. Similarly, Democratic women handily won governorships in New Jersey and Virginia, three State Supreme Court seats remained with Democrats in Pennsylvania.
California Governor Gavin Newsom’s referendum for California to turn five Republican districts Blue passed with a large majority after Texas Governor Greg Abbott illegally gerrymandered Texas voting districts yet again to give Republicans five more House seats in that state in the 2026 election.
Newsom’s plan was largely motivated by the White House deployment of National Guard troops to DC, Los Angeles, and Chicago, and has ignited a growing resistance to the over-reach of this Administration as other states are also taking creative approaches to defending their sovereignty.
The timing of the election also coincided perfectly with the growing economic downturn across our country. There seems to be no one in the Administration with even the most basic economic concepts as Maga has alienated us from our allies across the world, shamed us all with tens of thousands of armed, masked ICE agents breaking into homes, dragging people away and disappearing them with neither due process nor accountability of any kind.
Also, as recently pointed out by Paul Krugman, Hispanic voters who had shifted toward Maga during the Covid economic slowdown– and blaming Biden for it– are increasingly unhappy about the brutality of ICE agents against Hispanics seeking asylum in our country. That, he argues, together with the silence of Congressional Republicans and the horrific cruelty and complete lack of accountability of anything ICE does, has turned them forever against MAGA, and they won’t be coming back any time soon.
So, we begin to see signs of hope. The nationwide No Kings Rally drew millions of Americans to the streets in cities large and small. At the same time the increasingly unhinged Maggot cruelty against immigrants continues, apparently at the ongoing sadistic pleasure of Chief Blue Meanie Steven Miller, who Wikipedia describes as “far-right, anti-immigration, and white nationalist. Btw, Miller is on the Southern Poverty Law Center‘s list of extremists.
* not a great movie, and a long time ago, but an interesting perspective on the politics of ethnic prejudice…
lummi island wine tasting Oct 31/Nov 1
Hours this weekend: 4-6 pm Friday & Saturday
our first date, Halloween ’81
This Week’s Wine Tasting
Juggernaut Chardonnay ’22 Sonoma $17
Barrel fermented; aromas of apple, Asian pear and lemon meringue open to rich, lingering flavors of stone fruit, honeysuckle, and yellow plum, with finishing notes of vanilla, butter cream and hints of clove.
MAN Vintners Pinotage ’22 South Africa $14
Aromas of dark coffee beans, red berries, nutmeg, and vanilla spice turning to dark berries and smoky plum; rustic yet silky and juicy, with smooth tannins, balanced acidity, and comforting intensity.
Domaine de l’Amauve La Vigne de Louis ’23 France $21
Youthful nose offering freshly crushed berries, mild spices, and garrigue. Rounded and supple palate with fresh red berry flavours and a vibrant finish..
Economics of the Heart: Historical Jesus & Project 2025
“Christ in house of parents” Tate Britain, London John Everett Millais c 1850
Over many centuries scholars across the planet have studied and analyzed countless scrolls, tablets, and artifacts related to the historical Jesus and concluded that yes, Jesus was a real human guy who actually did lots of the things the gospels talked about. He lived at the right time in the right place, enough to convince centuries of scholars that he was a real human being known to a lot of people and actually was crucified by Pilate and died. Many of the narratives of the gospels correlate with verified facts.
The same cannot be said of his divinity, his virgin conception, hosts of flying angels in Bethlehem, his resurrection, or his ascension to heaven. Nevertheless over the next 2000 years the religions created in his name and centered around all of those deliberate superstitions eventually spread across the entire world, acquired vast wealth, power, and influence, and maintained a vast following.
The reality of this moment in American history was captured by the elusive author of the oft-quoted warning that “when Fascism comes to America, it will be “wrapped in the flag and carrying a cross.” In a 2024 article in the Daily Montanan, retired lawyer and former Montana Supreme Court Judge James C. Nelson wrote a prescient article with the same title, in which he described his experience at the Feb ’26 CPAC meeting in DC where “right-wing conspiracy theorist” Jack Posobiec openly greeted attendees with: “I just wanted to say, welcome to the end of democracy. We are here to overthrow it completely. We didn’t get all the way there on January 6, but we will endeavor to get rid of it…because all glory, all glory is not to government, all glory is to God.”
So let’s be clear: these politically motivated so-called “Christians” have nothing to do with the life or teachings of the historical Jesus or devotion to any God. They are the culmination of a decades-long conspiracy to overthrow our 250-yr-old Constitutional government and replace it with an autocratic-authoritarian state. All power will be concentrated in the hands of a small, self-selected number of multi-billionaire white men who will remain completely above the laws they will be using as weapons against all who resist.
As we have discussed before, the Project 2025 objective is complete control of this country by dominating the Seven Mountains of Education, Government, Religion, Family, Business, Media, and Entertainment. Their well-funded and well-organized game plan has nothing to do with religion and everything to do with the wanton destruction of Constitutional democracy. Watching these videos makes coherent sense of the deliberate 24/7 chaos of the last ten years of MAGA politics and the last forty years of targeted media propaganda from Republican politicians, news networks, and media celebrities.
lummi island wine tasting Oct 24-25 ’25
Hours this weekend: 4-6 pm Friday & Saturday
Here’s our new “bread protection” awning…
improved structural design and adds some color!
This Week’s Wine Tasting
Decoy Chardonnay ’23 California $16
Blended from several CA central coast vineyards; aromas of sweet mandarin orange and white peach; juicy and vibrant palate of tropical fruit flavors with a hint of oak from its time in barrel.
Tenuta Sant’Antonio Monti Garbi Valpolicella Ripasso Superiore ’21 Italy $21
Spicy and intense, with hints of crushed ash and smoky black cherries; silky texture and pure, with notes of sour wild berries and salty minerality; long, energetic, spicy finish of blackcurrant & mocha,
Angels & Cowboys Proprietary Red ’22 California $22
Attractive nose of red berries, orange peel, spices, and crushed stone; medium to full-bodied and succulent, with silky, mellow tannins and lavorful finish.
Eddie Bauer Wool Shirt, Light Gray Herringbone Found in Wine Shop Oct 3
…Looks like someone’s comfy favorite,
…give us a call to claim!
…Sadly it’s just a little small for us..! 🙁
Economics of the Heart: Christian Nationalism vs American Democracy
Bombardment of Fort Sumter – 1861 Currier Ives
Every day makes it increasingly clear that the current, ongoing, years-in-the-making assault on American democracy is the product of some 40 years of planning, scheming, conning, lying, and stealing by a tight coalition of billionaire “Christian Nationalists.” They began by patiently built a nationwide coalition of mega-churches through which they conned millions of people out of billions of dollars by convincing them that Democrats were merciless Satanists and perverts that killed and ate children and had to be Stopped.
In the late 80’s they launched a massive, 24/7 media attack on all things Democrat via Fox News (et al.)) and an nationwide army of angry radio and TV talk show hosts across the nation that has continued nonstop, all day every day for over 30 years. Heavily funded by billionaires like the Koch brothers, Leonard Leo, and other ultra-wealthy white male supremacists, their long-term goal has been to replace our Constitutional democracy with a Christian autocracy run by and for them alone. Voting would be only for show, with results predetermined. Women would not work except to have children and manage the home. Make no mistake: in the Utopia of these self-styled, self-centered psychopaths, no one matters but them.
Everyone paying attention in our nation, like the 8 million of us who protested around the country last weekend (yay!!) is being increasingly activated by the ongoing cruelty of this ultra-Fascist movement. The guys running this coup intend to do away with the Constitution completely. A small group of hateful, angry people are actively assuming the authority to commit any crime, any time, against anyone they want to punish. It’s already happening, despite ongoing delaying tactics in lower courts.
The great wisdom of our Founders to give everyone freedoms of/from religion has successfully protected us for 250 years from the tyranny of religious oppression. As we all know, religious freedom is now directly in the crosshairs of Project 2025, which is already well down the road toward its dystopian autocratic vision for our country. Our Constitutional government has survived many assaults in 250 years, and what is happening right now is the new Civil War by the same sort of self-entitled, slave-owning, wealthy plantation owners that started the Civil War. This coup is their new Ft. Sumter.
Out of curiosity, I browsed online yesterday for any critiques of Christianity’s use of Old Testament interpretations to justify wars, brutality, and murder and according to AI found they often center on its methods of interpretation, theological contradictions, and ethics issues within the text. You can read the fascinating response here. \
lummi island wine tasting oct 10-11 ’25
Hours this weekend: 4-6 pm Friday & Saturday
click for photo of Padilla Bay dramatic sky
This Week’s Wine Tasting
Novelty Hill Stillwater Creek Chardonnay ’22 WA $22
Aromas of lemon verbena, thyme and apple blossoms; creamy fruit flavors of mango, lemon curd, pineapple, and crème brûlée.
MAN Vintners Pinotage ’22 South Africa $14
Aromas of dark coffee beans, red berries, nutmeg, and vanilla spice turning to dark berries and smoky plum; rustic yet silky and juicy, with smooth tannins, balanced acidity, and comforting intensity.
Idilico Tempranillo ’21 Washington $19
Aromas of leather, forest floor, and balsamic notes wrapped around a core of red fruit, notes of fresh dried herbs, sweet spice and red currant; medium bodied with juicy mouthfeel, soft tannin, and a lingering finish.
Shirt Found in Wine Shop last Friday
click link for photo : found in wine shop last week…
Economics of the Heart: National Guard and Illegal Orders
“Washington State Attorney General Nick Brown today (10/8) led a coalition of 24 AG’s and governors in an amicus brief supporting Oregon’s court challenge to the Trump administration’s attempts to illegally use the military for civil law enforcement…”Every day we’re witnessing tactics by the President of the United States that have been used by fascist leaders across the world — sending the military into cities, threatening to jail political opponents and trying to intimidate into silence the media, academia, law firms and any other perceived critic,” Brown said. “Our Founders never envisioned this for our country, and the law simply does not allow it.”
Joining the brief are AG’s from Arizona, Colorado, Connecticut, Delaware, the District of Columbia, Hawai‘i, Illinois, Maine, Massachusetts, Michigan, Minnesota, Nevada, New Jersey, New Mexico, New York, North Carolina, Rhode Island, Vermont, and Wisconsin, and the governors of Kansas, Kentucky and Pennsylvania.
2. According to Cornell’s Legal Information Institute, “if the United States, or any of the Commonwealths or possessions is invaded or in danger of invasion by a foreign nation; experiences a rebellion or danger of a rebellion against the authority of the Government of the United States; or the President is unable with the regular forces to execute the laws of the United States, “the President may call into Federal service members and units of the National Guard of any State in such numbers as he considers necessary to repel the invasion, suppress the rebellion, or execute those laws, BUT: “ Orders for these purposes shall be issued through the Governors of the States or, in the case of the District of Columbia, through the commanding general of the National Guard of the District of Columbia.”
There should now be no doubt in anyone’s mind that Project 2025 is completely committed to hijacking US military forces to help them destroy democracy. In the war against immigrants we have gone from “they’re eating the dogs!” to grabbing people off the streets at gunpoint and disappearing them to foreign countries (even Florida!) with no legal process or paper trails, to using our military to bomb from the air (on camera!) random small boats at sea and killing everyone aboard with undocumented assertions that they were smuggling dangerous drugs into the U.S. That is just plain old vicious, unjustifiable, literally unwarranted Murder.
You can draw a straight line from these expanding threads of irresponsible murder, kidnapping, and brutal ICE raids all over the country directly to the current effort to invade major Blue cities and states with heavily armed police, soldiers, and masked ICE agents creating deliberate chaos in American cities, especially Blue ones. This is where the brutality starts following even more faithfully the models established by Mussolini, Hitler, Stalin, and other Fascist, Nazi, (name your dictator) rulers.
What you can do: If you have a friend or relative in the military or National Guard, remind them that they have both a right and a responsibility to refuse to obey illegal orders.
The more service members that understand their obligation to refuse to be part of an insurrection, the safer we all will be.
2072 Granger Way