It's snowing!!

That's right, just like the title says...well okay it was snowing earlier today, but it has currently ceased and is thinking about dumping some more later tonight.

We got about 3 inches out here and it is sorely needed.  We had a bit of snow earlier in November and then it melted and we had nothing but cold temps and blue skies for weeks! (How can I complain, right?) It was wonderful to see so much sunshine during the darkest days of the year but the brown was starting to get to me.  It's much nicer now that it's white.  :)  We also really needed the snow in the mountains because word on the street was that we were heading into a d-word.  That's right....drought.  And oh how the people in charge like to remind you about it all summer.  There's not enough irrigation water for this, there's not enough water in the reservoir to allow Seattle to make it all summer, why are you thinking of filling that pool!?!??!  We don't have ANY water!  I love it when mother nature takes care of it before they get their knickers in a twist.

I personally am glad too that we'll have lots of irrigation water because I've been mapping out my garden for next year.  I'm thinking that word has gotten out that I am a gardener because this is what has shown up at my house just in the month of December.

I think I have received about 15 seed and plant catalogs, which definitely gives me a selection, but is a bit overwhelming.  I'll probably stick to the few tried and true places I have been getting seeds and starter plants from.  Last year the best place I ordered from was Territorial Seed Company out of Cottage Grove, OR.  All the plant starters did really well, and like a co-worker at work agrees, I believe it is because there is little shock to the plants and seeds since they are grown in the Pacific Northwest.

I'm hoping to get to some of the other things I want to do this year like making cheese.  I've only done mozzarella before, but I'd like to take it to the next level and go with a cheddar.  I got a new cheese making kit for Christmas and I've got the low down on a place that sells fresh milk, so I'm ready.  We also received a fun catalog recently that has peaked our interest.  So I'll let you guess from the picture what we may be doing next...(this is a big MAY).