Holy Shitake Mushrooms

Well, was Santa good to you all? He was good to me! I took the crew up to scenic northern Indiana to visit with my folks for Christmas - and in the process, got to talk to YoJ, my buddy Lora and actually had dinner with Alison. It was a long and emotional trip - but overall, it was a great Christmas - and we came home with Nameless Cake, that pistachio salad stuff, and a bit of ham. Not too shabby. My folks came through with an Indiana University shirt ( which I haven't had since I was a student many moons ago) and a Colts headband. We watched the defense choke once again on Sunday poor Peyton.

I had asked Santa (in the form of Justin) for a mushroom growing kit - he got me two. First, the Shitake mushrooms - I think because I use that phrase a lot - as in: shit...take mushrooms that hurt! It was only 30 this morning, so I have to wait to plant them outside, but I think I will work on getting them started inside. The other mushrooms are morels - which I loved picking wild in Indiana - and those puppies are headed out to a spot in my woods. The kit is enough for an 8 foot patch - I can hardly wait. Morels sauteed in a little butter - whew - heaven on a plate.

In other news, I got a great surprise which included soap that smelled like Texas Wildflowers - adn looked like cream and bluebells swirled together. There was also an oatmeal soap, that I didn't get to yet and bath salts as well as a ginger tea cream with corn starch - which I LOVED. There is nothing better than corn starch to keep the skin soft - and keep you feeling refreshed when it is hot out. If you haven't had a chance to try the soaps and lotions that Spit makes, click over to her link and check them out. All the stuff I love, none of the artificial junk that I hate.

We came home on Christmas Day, late, but happy to be back home. Yesterday we spent the morning hanging lights and moving cedar furniture out to the new back porch. ( and no, YoJ, I didn't christen it yet - it was only 30 degrees!) It was great, though, to just pop out the door and check the yard one last time - and again to see what Koda was barking at - all we had to do was walk out the door - SOOOOO much easier.

I hope this holiday found you surrounded by those you love. I'm back to the grindstone - but will post some pictures when I get a minute!