Monday Musings

Cheese and wine are two ancient gastronomic delights. Evidence of cheese-making is found in Neolithic sites as early as 6000 BC. Wine vats and jars dating to 4000 BC exist in ancient Eurasian caves. France, Italy, and other European countries developed regional wines and cheeses. Wine is sunlight, held together by water . Galileo Galilei Today we delight in pairing these tasty elements. Some suggestions for your next wine and cheese tasting: (1) serve low tannin wines to avoid overpowering your cheeses, and (2) balance sweet and salty flavors to enhance your enjoyment. Add other accompaniments to your cheese board, fruit, nuts, crusty bread, or crisp crackers.  Enjoy some wine and cheese tonight: Cheers! You can follow the Author at her  Website  or on  Twitter .

It’s one of those lazy, hazy summer days when no plan for the day is the best idea. Instead, it’s time to loll in the shade, cooled by nature’s breezes, lulled by the finches’ dulcet tones, and sip a drink, accompanied by the clink of ice cubes. It’s too hot to cook, even on the grill, so dinner will be a crisp, chilled salad and dessert, decadent gooey ice cream. [Rumor has it that the calories will cancel each other out] In that vein, tonight’s blog is short and sweet. Enjoy your evening. You can follow the Author at her  Website  or on  Twitter .

We enjoy the music and plumage of birds on our front porch. The “pretty, pretty, pretty” of the scarlet cardinal, the song of the vibrant yellow finches, and the brilliant indigo buntings. Sparrows, chickadees, nuthatches, and doves join in harmonious tones and a hummingbird whirrs around our heads.  Then there is nature’s darker side: the ominous black cone tells of the ongoing battle with our nemesis, the squirrel. Below, the citronella plant gracing the table helps fend off blood-sucking mosquitos. Across the driveway, deer graze on the periphery of my elevated raised vegetable garden beds. Outside the dog yard, rocks outline a new garden bed. Hours of labor, a bird bath gifted by a neighbor, and sixteen new plants added to the existing infrastructure and greenery.  I wanted to share the photos before the deer and rabbits devour the flowers. The nursery claims my choices will not interest the nibblers; I’ve heard that story before. My wife set up her trail cam aimed at the garden. W

Happy Independence Day, July 4th, when we honor our country’s declaration of freedom from England. Long shall our nation’s flag wave! You can follow the Author at her  Website  or on  Twitter .