Vanilla

Looks like a lot of alcohol, doesn't it?  well, don't worry, I can explain.

Do you do much baking and have your priced vanilla lately?  Then you know how expensive it is. 

I knew Nina had made some vanilla a while back and wondered if she had any to spare.  She did not have a whole lot of vanilla made up, but she did have 1/4 pound of whole vanilla beans.
 And she gave them to me!  of course she knows there will plenty of vanilla that I will share when I get this batch made. 



 So,  Jeff helped me pick out some vodka and rum at the liquor store.  He even split all the vanilla beans and bottled them all up. 
In 6 months,  we will have lots of vanilla! 

It's beginning to look a little like Christmas here

Fresh green wreath made by my brother,  I think this is the 4th year he has made a Christmas one for me.  He has also made Thanksgiving and Easter wreaths.   

close up of a little bird on the wreath

green tree with lots of birds and mostly red ornaments

and a white tree - it looks better in person

Nativity set

the butler gets a Santa hat this time of year.
Theo is usually a good sport but he draws the line at wearing hats or sweaters for that matter

the cutest Christmas decoration at our house is Gavin, he is holding a Santa doll my mom made about 50 years ago.