Sub freezing temps, beef stew,soda bread, and a bottle of red

It finally started getting seriously cold today. The weather forcast said we'd get up to 33 degrees today, so most of the day was at or below freezing, before the wind chill. So we had to make plans for cold weather.  We had some stew meat in the freezer, so we opted for a pot of beef stew, to warm the house during the day, and our tummies this evening.

I started it last night, browning the meat and cutting up the vegetables, so this morning it just needed to go into the crock pot and simmer through the day.

By this evening it was a bowl of warmth and comfort waiting to be dished up.  We were in Gettysburg yesterday, at one of our favorite wineries - Adam's County Winery; we visited a Irish shop and picked up a fresh loaf of Irish Soda Bread. While we at Adam's County Winery we tasted and picked up a bottle of their Nouveau. For dinner we had hot stew, fresh bread, and a glass of red.  And plenty of curious attention from the four legged kids.

The big outing yesterday took us to a big produce market where we got some great apple cider, some relishes, and hoemmade baked goods.  From there we headed to the winery and then we headed into Gettysburg to just be spontaneous and see what we would find. We stopped for lunch at a place called The Pub and Gloria got some of the best tomato bisque that either of us have ever tasted.  We got a quart to take home and split it for dinner last night.  After lunch we wandered down the street to the Irish shop, A Little Irish Too is the shop, and we had fun picking up some Christmas presents, I was able to get Gloria some Irish silver jewelry (she helped pick it out so it's not too much of a surprise, but it's something special because we found it together and she has Irish roots.)

We had a good day yesterday, 

Today was a big trip to the grocery store to get ready for Thanksgiving on Thursday. So I'm sitting here on a Sunday evening sipping on my wine from dinner, thinking about the blessings I have in my life, mostly about Gloria.  When we were married, the preacher told us that we were God's gift to each other.  This March will be 23 years that I've been able to cherish God's gift to me and my life.  Tonight it is a simple time to give thanks for a warm meal in our home.  After the activities of the weekend, we nestled down to break bread together and share a glass of wine before a busy week pushes into the schedule.

In this blog I've spent a lot of words on the yard, and the dogs, and different foods, I have not spenf nearly enough simply sharing the blessings brough into my life by Gloria.  We'll have a busy week getting ready for a big dinner on Thursday, and a houseful of company helping us give thanks; but tonight is a simpler sharing of the blessing who has chosen to share her life with me. My Love; My Life; My Wife.

Rabbi Ben Ezra

BY ROBERT BROWNING

Grow old along with me!

The best is yet to be,

The last of life, for which the first was made:

Our times are in His hand

Who saith "A whole I planned,

Youth shows but half; trust God: see all, nor be afraid!''