Today was an awesome day.

It was the first full day of Spring.

It rained.

But before it rained we may have had the longest stretch of non-precipitation that we have had in a long time.  I was actually able to do some yard work over the weekend and walk across my back yard without sinking.  Today, however I could have used my kayak.

I had the Powerball.

My two Sugar Mountain”Kalinka” Sweetberry Honeysuckle Honeyberry Vitamin Berries Potted Plants that I ordered on Amazon were delivered today.

I started off my day with my protein drink for breakfast as I have done for the last couple of weeks.  It’s made with “milk” made from almonds and cashews and is nondairy.  Well at least that’s what it said in big bold letters at the top of the container.  But the first time I tried it I had to hesitate a bit.  With my first big protein experience in hand and heading for my mouth, I noticed the smaller not so bold letters at the bottom of the carton that admitted it was actually made from almonds, cashews, and pea.  Now there is something about realizing that the beverage you are about to take a big gulp of is made of pea that stops you in mid movement…even if it is pea with an “a”.  After a few moments of thinking rationally through the issue,  down she went.

Then, I mixed my Elderberry with Aronia, Honey and Green Tea Syrup into a glass with eight ounces of water and topped off my almond, cashew, and pea protein drink to complete my morning ritual.

I know,  I am living the dream over here!

Don’t hate.

A few weeks back Kim was researching the benefits of elderberries and ordered a couple of bushes to plant in our yard.

That same weekend we met Kent Marrs of the Village Winery in Waterford, Virginia.  Kent is the owner, winemaker, cider maker, juice maker, syrup maker, self-mocking “snake oil salesman,” and host extraordinaire of the winery that includes a small tasting room off a historic old barn. He is charming, humble, and smart as he has begun to carve out a niche business in producing, promoting, and selling the nutritional and health benefits of the syrups and juices of elderberry and aronia that are alleged to boost immunity, fight cancer, repair organs, and help diabetes. So he has been so successful is his new niche business that he is moving away from wine in a big way.

Kent is very convincing and he has a slew of anecdotal stories from a growing base of loyal customers who swear by his syrups and juices and who now return on a regular basis to restock up on his products and give testimony on why.

On a recent return visit by Kim and I to restock up on our Elderberry, Aronia, Honey, and Green Tea syrup, Kent shared his new venture Honeyberries. Information I found on the internet supports Kent’s excitement saying  “researchers found blue honeysuckle berries to possess the highest content of phenolic acids compared to other berries tested… in summary, the Honeyberry is a nutritional powerhouse!”

Thus the explanation for the delivery of my two Sugar Mountain”Kalinka” Sweetberry Honeysuckle Honeyberry Vitamin Berries Potted Plants from Amazon earlier today.

My honeyberries are going to go head to head with my wife’s elderberries.  We will see who has the bigger immunity.

So on the way home from work I dipped into the grocery store to turn in my winning Powerball ticket, and to pick up some potting soil and some larger pots to replant my new honeyberry bushes.

Like my lottery winnings, my honeyberry plants are currently small (I only matched the Powerball so I let it ride on a couple more for Saturday).

But I am optimistic the future will be bright and will bear fruit.

In the mean time I will drink my liquids made of cashews, almonds, elderberry, aronia and pea; and live this dream.

Who needs the Powerball, I’ve got Powerberries.

If you live in Northern Virginia and need something to do on a weekend, take a ride out to Waterford and visit Kent at the Village Winery.  He is very entertaining, interesting to listen to, has a great tasting presentation, and is just fun to hang out with.  And he is very passionate about his berries.

Here is a link to his website

Let me know what you think.