Although training grapes outside our main bank of windows was intended as a way of shading the summer trailer, I've gotten just as much of a kick out of watching the plants through the seasons. Grape flowers are so small that I've always missed them in the past, but their windowside location means that I've had a front row seat as our Reliance vines break out into bloom this time around.

The visibility also means I noticed the first signs of phomopsis and snipped off the affected leaves and vines. Here's hoping that despite the near constant rain, I acted fast enough to keep this fungal disease in check.