Wine tasting

While in California, we indulged in one of our favorite pastimes--wine tasting with friends. We restocked our sad wine cellar and visited our favorite wineries in Amador Co. We also found an excellent new restaurant in Plymouth called Taste. It was a great way to spend a rainy day.

We are back in MT now and in the snow removal business again. It was a nice break to be in CA for a while. Dennis got in a round of golf and was able to wear shorts in January. We saw a lot of our friends and family which is always nice. I do really miss CA sunshine and the smell of farm land and damp oak woodlands. It's always nice to hear mockingbirds, too!

Did you hear something?

"I'll just hide behind this tree while you check on it."

Meyer lemon marmalade

On a wintry day what could be better than the smell of Meyer lemons bubbling on the stove? We decided to make marmalade from some of the remaining lemons.

One dozen lemons have to be juiced, scraped and cut into strips. My hand was killing me after that. Fortunately, my hubby stepped in to finish the chopping.

The lemon peels bubbling away with the sugar and juice.

The finished product. Only 4 jars.

Klancy kiss and snowshoeing

Little Klancy is 6 weeks old and quite the chunker. I fear he's going to be huge.

Can it really be true? The sun came out this morning and we didn't have any snow to shovel. First time in 22 days!!!

Snowshoeing this afternoon proved a bit of a problem. The snow scraped open Cali's old scar on her leg and she bled like a stuck pig. The snow was too deep for all 3 of us and the trip lasted less than an hour.

more wretched white stuff

Cali on our morning walk. At least she sticks by me now because the berms are so high.

Cali digging a snow fort.
Must be something good in there.

Snow total is currently 53.5 inches. I fear a reenactment of The Shining if it doesn't quit soon. 

Happy Snow Year!

Our house with a snowy layer. If only the sun would shine for us on New Year's Day.

Cali in front of the plowed snow. This pile was made by the big plow. We've had to call him twice so far. We are going to be broke if this weather pattern continues. I don't know how it happened that Dennis is in charge of the entire road, but I guess someone has to be. What are neighbors for?