It seems we’re filled with moments in time, and it’s interesting how these moments in time keep repeating.

During a time that doesn’t exist anymore and in a universe that’s history, a young boy was raised in an environment where family was everything and money was minimal. A dime a week was cause to smile and head to the local five and dime store for the weekly treat. From that store, his feet headed toward the town library and the stories to be found there.

The library was a quiet place where imaginations ran wild and all things were accessible and possible. It was a place of wonder, words and wisdom. It was a moment in time for the young lad.

One weekend during a long ago summer, the boy’s family gathered in Okoboji, Iowa, for a reunion and one of the things on the to-do list was a visit to the amusement park in Arnolds Park. Of course, the lad had to try some of the rides in the park and he favored the ferris wheel because of its nice ride to the heights where so many things could be seen from a new perspective.

After the ferris wheel, a rather unsettling “ride” appeared before him and it gave birth to a moment in time that’s not to be forgotten.

The “ride” was a revolving large barrel in which one entered from one end and tried to walk the length of the barrel without falling down. It didn’t look that fun to the lad but with the entire family urging him on, he entered the rolling world of the barrel. There were two problems with the barrel that bothered the boy.

First, it didn’t look fun, and it seemed to the boy someone could get hurt doing this ride.

He could handle the revolving barrel and walk through it if … nobody else was in the barrel. However, that wasn’t the name of the game and the barrel had other people in it as he entered the rolling world and, of course, others followed him into the twirling tube.

He stayed on his feet for a few seconds and then someone slammed into him, he fell and found himself tumbling in the barrel. Jeez! What fun!!

He got on his hands and knees, put down his head and charged to the other end of the tube. As he stood up on terra firma, a solemn vow was pronounced to never do such an idiotic venture again — in words that made his mother cringe just a bit. It was a learning moment in time.

That young lad — now a mature man — revisited Okoboji recently and captured a totally different type of moment in time during the mini vacation. He was much more interested in tasting and seeing than doing and in that, there was success.

Part of the mini vacation was a visit to Round Lake Vineyards and Winery to momentarily capture the aura of the site and to purchase a certain bottle of wine — a 2015 vintage of The Gander. It won a Double Gold Award at the Finger Lakes International Wine Competition and I needed a special moment in time with that wine.

The Gander is a red blend made from Cabernet Sauvignon, Merlot and Marquette grapes. Because one must never hurry into something — like a revolving barrel — the bottle is now resting from its long journey to Iowa and back to Minnesota. However, the time in Okoboji allowed the gentleman an opportunity to taste a new Spanish wine.

Since one must eat on any type of vacation, the man found himself settling into a very nice comfortable booth and looking at the wine list. On the list of wines, there was a Spanish wine called Red Guitar Old Vine Tempranillo Garnacha. The fellow likes Spanish wines and ordered a glass of the wine and when sipped, it presented a special moment in time.

The wine exhibited a full fruity aroma with concentrated black cherry tastes and a dry finish. It was everything that is expected from such a wine and it paired nicely with the night’s dinner. The fellow’s better half enjoyed a glass of Chateau Ste. Michelle Riesling — a wonderfully dry white wine with luscious tastes of pineapple and pear. The dinner was a terrific moment in time.

Upon returning home, the man relaxed in the enjoyment of many things — one of which was not having to crawl through a revolving barrel. The beautiful lakes by Okoboji are magnificent, the people are very polite, the rain held off and the drive was quiet. Reflecting of these virtues, the man opened his library book, began to read and entered, once again, the never lost world of wonder, words and wisdom.

Of course, the glass of Hinterland Vineyards La Crescent wine helped form that moment in time.

As always, eat and drink in moderation but laugh with reckless abandon!

Cheers!