December activities: burning maple tree leaves on the vegetable garden plot. Unfortunately, in 2022 the weather has been either too cold or too wet.
So the leaves have stayed scattered all around. I guess we'll hope for a mild, dry springtime. There's my 2005 collard patch in the foreground. In recent years I've had no luck with collards, kale, or chard. Snails and slugs have enjoyed my seedlings. Sigh.
A pale and frosty December 2005 sunrise. At this time of the year, we are often out walking around in the vineyard with the dog before sunrise.
Out in the vineyard on a sunny December day in 2005. The Renaudière vineyard runs about a mile west from our house.
The road down into the Cher river valley on a December day. At the bottom of the hill, take the river road to Saint-Aignan. And beyond.
I have immensely enjoyed the entire month of wine, food, travel and the walk down memory lane known as December. The photography is fantastic and the narration is so easy to understand. Since I have been following vlogs on YouTube of chateau renovations I have picked up a little of the French language that has made it easier for me to understand what you say/write in French. I took two years of French in high school and I remember nothing of it which I think is because what I learned was written and not spoken. French is a "live" language and seems to change with "the times". I also took four years of Latin and it's a dead language so it really never changes. Up until about 15 years ago I could carry on a conversation in Latin but after the two aneurysms burst in my brain I can no longer speak it but still can read and understand it. I will be 70 on the 29th of December and I don't think speaking Latin matters anymore. LOL. A severe winter storm, an artic bomb, is going to descend upon us today. The temperature will drop from 44F to 0F all in 24 hours. High winds, rain, snow and near freezing temps continue through Christmas Day. Then the next week it is back to the 40s and the 50s by that weeks end. I'd like to say that it's Southwestern Ohio's weather at it's finest but it will cover a huge portion of the USA. It's times like this I wish I was back in my home instead of this apartment because it had a backup generator for emergencies. Wishing you and all your loyal followers a Safe and Happy Christmas from Woody in Ohio. Oh, while on the topic of food, my Christmas Day menu for one is a bone-in roast loin of pork, pan gravy from the drippings, mashed potatos made with cream, cream cheese, and butter, a succotash of corn and butter beans seasoned with freshly dried celery flakes, homemade buttery Parkerhouse rolls, and German style sweet sour cabbage slaw served cold instead of hot. Dessert is a classic apple dumpling with vanilla sauce. And a dry Gewürztraminer. I look forward to preparing and enjoying the meal. Lots of leftovers for Boxing Day lunch and to put into the freezer for another day.
ReplyDeleteI enjoyed your post, Woody. I like the people who like Ken. I took four years of Latin also- there aren't many of us around anymore. I also lived in Cincinnati for seven years and experienced 20 below weather a few times. Now I live in Alabama and we are really afraid of this storm that's coming with temperatures in the teens. That's because we're so fragile here and the pipes will even burst at not much of a freeze.
DeleteI second your salute to Ken who has given us a glimpse of his good life in France. Joyeux Noel to Ken and his faithful readers.
Thank you Evelyn. I wish you and Lewis a Merry Xmas and a wonderful New Year. Same goes for Ken and Walt and all the nice readers of this blog.
DeleteWoody, thanks for that comment. I had just one year of Latin in school before teaching it was dropped. I decided to take French because the school had a four-year program. The only other foreign language taught was Spanish, and that was just a two-year program. Your Christmas day dinner sounds fantastic.
DeleteKen, I haven't had time for seedlings the past couple of years.... so this year I bought plant plugs....
ReplyDeletethey were out of kales and brussels, but I got Savoys [Chou Milan], Chou Rouge, Romanesco and Chou Fouragere [Collard]....
we have no trouble with Chard because it self seeds everywhere....
but I experimented with moving a 2yr-old Chard after I cut it to the ground and it has not only survived, it has thrived [ so I have lined another up for transfer], they are both Fordhook Giant, the one capable of giving up to 3" wide leaf stems.... although our soil here is neither water-retentive, nor fertile enough to achieve that!!
Same with the leeks, I bought a bundle of 50 and filled a bed [there were in fact over sixty... so I planted the littlest ones in bunches for baby leeks... one of which will be pulled for Christmas lunch]
Talking of Christmas, here's wishing you and Walt a very merry one and a wonderful 2023!
I've never heard the term "plant plug" before. They're just seedlings, aren't they? Where do you buy them? Gamm'Vert? Some other garden center? Merry Christmas to you too.
DeleteThat vineyard photo is stunning!
ReplyDeleteBettyAnn
Nice photos ken - I wish I was walking along that roadway, so peaceful.
ReplyDelete