Last weekend offered me a delightful mixed bag of events and activities made up of both cultural and sporting highlights with a dose of spring-like weather thrown into the mix.

I was very much looking forward to the start of the Winter Olympics; I enjoy the athleticism and grace exhibited by competitors vying for medals in everything from ice dancing to snowboarding, curling to freestyle skiing. I’m also drawn to the background stories of the athletes, especially those who have faced more than their fair share of challenges to reach the pinnacle of their sport. And who doesn’t enjoy all the splash and splendor of the opening ceremonies? I have to admit that I haven’t had a chance to view those yet, as another weekend event kept me from watching them live. They are waiting in my queue for a slower day … .

The event that kept me from Games’ opening hoopla promised a different kind of entertainment. Friends Marianne and Rich and my husband and I attended a fundraising event for our local NPR station, Jefferson Public Radio. The 43rd annual wine tasting at the Ashland Hills Hotel in nearby Ashland promised an evening of live music; wine tasting, courtesy of a host of local wineries;  and tasty bites from local vendors ranging from cheese and chocolate shops to fine-dining establishments   and pizzerias.

Guests had the opportunity to participate in a 50/50 raffle and purchase mystery bottles of wine through a cork pull (20 bucks a pop) or full cases at $190 each.   We didn’t purchase any additional bottles of wine (having an over-full cellar at home), but we took part in the raffle to support this worthy cause and had a thoroughly enjoyable evening in the process.

On Saturday I took advantage of 60-degree-plus temperatures and sunny skies to do a little late-winter clean-up in the garden, enjoying blooming hellebores and heather and the sight of daffodil spears thrusting up through the dead leaves blanketing the flower beds. I enjoyed the outdoor interlude even more, knowing that my colleagues back East were enduring mounds of snow and record-setting low temperatures; I was fortunate to have such balmy weather. Of course, the day and evening also included more Olympic competition, with skating a draw for me.

Sunday brought a quick change in the weather, with all-day rain bringing much-needed moisture to our region. That made it even more enjoyable to settle in front of the TV and watch all the coverage surrounding the Super Bowl. As I wrote in my previous blog, this one had Seattle Seahawks

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fans eager to find redemption from their last Super Bowl appearance against the Patriots. With great joy we watched as Seattle’s Dark Side defense shut down the Pats into the fourth quarter while the Hawks’ Jason Myers set a Super Bowl record with five field goals. We reveled in the final score, 29–13, happy to see our beloved team finally get the worldwide recognition they had earned.

Yes, it was indeed a bit of an eclectic weekend, one that I wouldn’t mind repeating next year!

— Patty Vanikiotis, associate editor/copy editor