RESPRUNG

 Today was like a spring day. It was sunny, warm and with just a gentle breeze.

I headed off early to tennis which was so enjoyable we played on for ages.

I really enjoy tennis on days like this as everyone is in a good mood and it's nice sitting in the sun waiting for a turn to play. The absence of wind makes sitting in warm but not too hot sunshine really pleasant.

Given that it's late May and officially late in the last month of autumn I'm wondering what sort of winter we will have this year.  Will it be mild? Or, will it, to counterbalance the warm autumn and hot summer we've had, be really severe?

I'm hoping that it will be normal. I kind of like winter and the ability to wear nice warm clothes, looking forward to getting home to a warm house and eating stews, hotpots, pies and, basically, winter fare along with some red wine.

Of course, recently we renovated the wood burners and installed two heat pumps which to date we haven't had occasion to use so it would be nice to have a normal or colder winter to justify this.

I read recently that global warming is having effect in New Zealand wine regions now in the way that Australia, France and USA have experienced. Marlborough wine producers are concerned that the unique character that has made their sauvignon blanc and pinot gris sought after around the world - crisp and fresh yet from fully ripe grapes - may be under threat and drastic measures might be necessary like picking unripe grapes and relocating vineyards to cooler areas. Well, good luck with that idea. It's been tried in countries like Australia, South Africa and USA and results in a tart, acidic wine which tastes like its been made from unripe grapes. It's just as well that I dislike sauvignon blanc and pinot gris so it won't make any difference to me (it's all about me). It might mean of course, in a few years, I might like Marlborough chardonnay!