I'm often confounded by the simplest things. Rattled by obvious truths. I didn't discover that reindeer were actually real animals until I was in high school. In 6th grade my brother told me you could fold a paper 42 times and it would reach the moon. When I confirmed this with my teacher I was literally dizzy with something closer to fright than awe. A winemaker I assisted just a few years ago discussed the limits of his vocation. "If I'm lucky", he remarked, "maybe I get to do 20 more harvests?". An acquaintance last week expressed sadness that her annual family gathering was not happening this year. Again, it was the simple math that crushed me: "...I mean, best case scenario, I think we'll only all get together 10, maybe 15, more times", she lamented.

I got to counting that day. And though I can't control the cruel math, I know I can give it meaning. Of all the struggles and strains that 2020 has presented, I am grateful for the renewed appreciation of time. Of counting and recounting blessings and days and years with an awareness and respect for finite numbers.

Here's another one: 17 days.

Jessie Olsen joined OAKLAND YARD just before the holidays in 2017. She was our first hire. She arrived with a can-do-anything attitude, a New York heart, a down to earth disposition, a wealth of knowledge about Italian wine, and her tiny Chihuahua-fox... a magical creature casanova who would become our greeter and shop dog, Turtle.

Jessie takes pride in her work. She cares. She gets her hands dirty. Jessie helped build this ship and has been at the helm for the past three years, serving and stocking and selecting thousands of wines for dinner tables and countless celebrations across this town. And even as we've sailed into unchartered waters these past few months, we've been able to stay the course with our seasoned captain. In 17 days, Jessie's sails off to a new adventure, to start her own business. We have been so lucky to work with Jessie for so long and will miss her dearly. And while we know she'll drop in on occasion with Turtle (she's convinced him he's the mayor of Temescal and will require future 'face time' for re-election), December 20th will be her official last day here at the shop. Mark you calendars with broken hearts. Ring the bells that can still ring. Get to counting. Stop by while you can and say hello and farewell. Show and share some love.


Daniel