Here is our plan. We will start the event promptly at sunset when the Sunset Tasting comes to an end in our Wine Tasting Room.
There will be a jar to put your name in to participate in the Story Slam and Poetry. One name will be drawn at a time, and each person will be given 2 minutes to tell us the story. It has to be your OWN story with your own voice and expression. No paper reading will be allowed. In case of poetry, you will recite your poem in front of the audience. The theme of the story/poem must include something about stars- astronomy, astrology, the sun, moon, our planet, etc.- as this is the Starry Starry Night. When all the participants finish the presentation, everyone will cast a vote. The person who receives the most votes will win a free bottle of wine!
Then I will talk about the stars and constellations we will be gazing at shortly after, so you will know what to expect. I plan to hand out a star chart, and introduce some "star" tales from the East that you probably don't have much chance to hear. Feel free to bring your own telescope, binoculars, star chart, etc. If you don't know how to use yours, I may be able to help you get acquainted with your equipment.
After all the talk and learning, we will walk out behind the Tasting Room. I would expect by then, about an hour and half after sunset, it will be dark enough to watch the stars and find the constellations. Make sure you dress appropriately; long pants and bug spray are a good idea. You may also want to wear sneakers or walking shoes, as the lawn will likely be wet from dew.
When there is a flyby of the International Space Station, we'll take a break from what we are doing and walk out to observe it. I would expect that we will be able to catch the tail-end activities of the Perseid meteor shower on August 16th. Let's see how lucky we will be! There will be no charge to participate in any parts of these events, and audience will be welcome! Please note that we won't do any wine tasting once the event starts; however, wine will be available for purchase by the glass/bottle if you wish.
Sounds interesting? Are you a longtime writer, or a rookie?? It doesn't matter- start brushing up your skills and ideas, and come join us! Any questions? Call Fumie Thorpe at 315-594-2502 or email: thorpevineyard@rochester.rr.com.
The Event Dates: Saturdays, August 16th & 30th and September 13th. The Star Gazing part of the events will be weather permitting, but the Story Slam and Poetry will go on regardless the weather.
