Time flies!!!

It's amazing that I have not posted anything for over a month. It has been a crazy, busy few weeks. Road trip with Molly was great, Thanksgiving came and went, and here we are at Christmas eve. When we gather with the "big" family, we collectively make something. Barb always comes up with a theme and the rest of us gladly follow. This year we are doing food stations. My job is a cheese and fruit tray. I made the trek to Restaurant Depot for a great selection and better prices on cheese. Wow!!! My fridge looks like a cheese case at the deli - only better. Actually, I got a bit carried away. The guy in the cheese aisle was flirting with me so, of course, I had to shop longer. Hey, at 50 I'll take it and man, did I get some great cheeses..

Wensleydale with Cranberries is a hand-made Yorkshire cheese. It is made from milk drawn from cows grazing the sweet limestone pastures on surrounding farms in Upper Wensleydale. This gives the cheese the unique flavor for which it is renowned.

The cheese is a fresh, young cheese taken at only three weeks old - it has a clean, mild, slightly sweet flavor with a honeyed aftertaste. The superb texture of fresh Wensleydale is perfectly complemented by the addition of natural ingredients of the finest quality.

When this Yorkshire Wensleydale cheese is combined with juicy cranberries you will get a cheese that is a beauty to your eyes and to your taste buds. (Gourmet-Food.com)

I bought this cheese because it was pretty. After tasting it, I am hooked. The girls and I tried it with grapes and salty snack crackers. Definitely goes best with the crackers. It is a sweet cheese and needs the saltiness.

I am a sucker for Gouda - any kind of Gouda. I bought a chunk in Amsterdam last Spring and it was great. This giant Gouda is just as good. It's a big chunk of cheese but the price was great!!! Aaahhh...cheese. 

The Boys

Before I left for vacation, Carter and Elliott came to help with some yarden chores. Carter always wants to dig so I gave him a hand shovel and let him go. Two year olds are great help if the work is not too specific. He dug the holes, plenty of holes, for some Narcissus that I hope the moles and chipmunks don't eat. If they make it thru the winter, they should bloom just before the azaleas. Elliott was the job overseer - check out the pictures. Henry, our cat, had to get involved also. They are so fun.

We piled lots of leaves on top of the bed to tuck it in good for the long winter.  It's the freezing and thawing of the soil that causes upheaving and damage to the plants roots.

 

 Just for fun...Bonnie and Marie ripped everything out of the back beds and covered them in horse manure - thanks Music.

We haven't done this in years. The beds are tucked in tight for winter. We aren't sure what we will plant come spring. Spinach and lettuces would work great. We can cover them to protect them from frost. Oh yeah, green onions can go in real early.