{"id":131,"date":"2014-08-15T18:47:53","date_gmt":"2014-08-15T18:47:53","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/www.skyblanketv1.ca\/?p=131"},"modified":"2024-03-14T15:11:28","modified_gmt":"2024-03-14T15:11:28","slug":"irrigation","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.skyblanketv1.ca\/?p=131","title":{"rendered":"Irrigation"},"content":{"rendered":"
\n

Mount Aconcagua is the highest peak outside of the Himilayas\u2014and is the water source that allows what would otherwise be a desert to be one of the most important agricultural areas of Argentina, certainly in terms of wine production.<\/p>\n

We\u2019ve had a LOT of rain in February, desperately needed as the reservoirs here, as they were in Chile last year, are at record lows. What fell as rain here added to the snow pack on the high Andes. While wine makers will not have a great vintage this year, the long term prospects have been improved. (Some bodegas harvested early, before the grapes become overfilled, under ripe being a better choice than watered down. Not all varietals will be affected, only those grown here on the plateau.)<\/p>\n

The water situation plays on my emotions in complex ways. While there is a sign in front of the municipal hall with the message \u201cEvery Drop Counts\u201d the public toilet accessbile from the municipal hall parking lot is in disrepair and water flows out of the tank and onto the floor day and night. Not only that, it is not uncommon to find the sink faucet left open. I thought I found a sink faucet left open in a resteraurant where I went for lunch\u2014but no, it was broken and could not be turned off. The major rainfall exposed weaknesses in the infrastructure. Pipes that had had slow leaks were now spouting water into the air. It took hours for the workers to get to them and sometimes more than a day for them to stop up the flow. There are obvious leaks in the numerous hoses that lie about the grounds where we live that get no attention at all. When it is not raining, you see people out washing their driveways, an activity the government has specifically asked people to stop.<\/p>\n

What to feel?<\/p>\n

These photos tell the story of bringing the water from the snow pack to the vineyards and gardens. Some of the words and images come from S who was sending stories of our life here back to his friend Donald. Donald has now passed after many, many years of facing down a terminal illness. He was cheerful to the very end, and we miss him. But he will be forever in us. All of us.<\/p>\n

Like water.<\/p>\n<\/div>\n