Project 2012: Bean’s Creek

Time for a new Project 2012 post! This time we’re headed to Manchester, TN, home of Bean’s Creek Winery.

About the winery (from their website):

Beans Creek Winery began as a dream no larger than a grape. Tom made his first wine in 1976 in a pickle crock in his mother’s kitchen with childhood friends Joe and Dan Lasater. Tom has spent 30 years perfecting our award winning wine style using grapes and fruit that grow well in Tennessee.
In 2003 with the help and support of other winegrowing families our dream became reality. Our member vineyards are located in Coffee, Warren and Williamson counties of middle Tennessee. We purchase grapes from growers in Sumner, Robertson, Sequatchie, Loudon and Sullivan counties of Tennessee. Beans Creek Winery is pleased to offer a wide selection of Tennessee wines.

He says:

I liked all of them! The staff were great and this one is close enough to our home that we can make trips to the winery without feeling guilty.

This winery was so personable! I was comfortable the moment I stepped into the doors. I found the wines very palatable, and approachable, if one can describe wines as such. They’ve a lovely variety and a few special blends that might mean something only to locals– try the varieties named after famous horses or the white or red Bonnaroo varieties.

We bought Tennessee Cynthiana, Winterberry, Apropos (port), and Pannydroppin’ Peach (which is called Peach Pizzazz now- lame), but you can see their complete wine list here.

Like many wineries, Bean’s Creek has activities in the summer months such as outdoor concerts and farmer’s markets. A schedule may be found on their website.

You’ll have to forgive me as somehow neither of us managed to snap so much as a blurred iphone shot during this visit.  This picture, which I found on their website, was feature on failblog:

Previously, on Project 2012:

Arrington

Sumnercrest

Beachaven

Wine a Little, You’ll Feel Better

Apartment Gardening

We live in a 700ish sq ft apartment, an have a balcony that’s roughly 5×8. We have a garden on that balcony.

The easiest and most useful starter, herbs. Large pot contains parsley, basil and chives, small pot contains oregano, which is aggressive and will choke more delicate herbs out.

Lettuce (far) and spinach (near) planted in window boxes take up no space at all and are harvestable for weeks. There are two more window boxes behind me.

Tomatoes can do great in pots. Just remember that they don’t like wet feet! Wait for the soil to dry completely before watering again.  L to R: Jade plant, marigolds (to keep bugs away), tomato, tomato, random begonias. The black trash can is storage for gardeny stuff.

Potatoes!  This is our first year with potatoes in a container, and I’m excited to see how they do.

Now you see that even in an apartment there’s room for a garden. Do you grow anything in small space? Do you have challenges other than tight spaces?

Pimento Cheese: A Divisive Issue

Readers, you may have already learned that I am from the South. I am a native of the land of front porches, sweet tea, humidity, biscuits, cornbread, live oaks, and slow drawls. It is also the land of pimento cheese. Happenstance Husband (from the north) had never had pimento cheese and had refused to try it on more than one occasion. Tonight I was feeling lucky and made it for supper anyway. Spoiler: he loved it.

Pimento Cheese:

32 oz shredded cheddar cheese

16 oz (2 boxes) cream or Neuchâtel cheese

1 clove garlic, minced

1 tsp onion powder

1 jar diced pimentos

6-9 oz mayonnaise

2 tbsp regular hot sauce (like Texas Pete)

Black pepper to taste

milk

Soften the cream cheese by allowing to sit on the counter for at least an hour. In a large mixing bowl, combine all ingredients except milk. Blend with hand mixer until paste-like consistency. Add small amounts of milk until cheese is desired spreading consistency. (I add a couple splashes, not much at all)

I like to put this between two slices of bread with a slice of a garden tomato. It’s also good on crackers, on toast with tomato soup, and in front of the fridge-straight from the tupperware- at 2 am.

 

 

 

 

Skin Cancer Awareness

May is skin cancer awareness month! Incidence of skin cancer is becoming quite startling among women in my age group. This cancer is preventable for most people and very treatable when caught early. Here are some ways I stay conscious of my skin’s health.

• DON’T use tanning beds or deliberately tan outside. Tanned skin isn’t a sign of health, it’s a sign of damage.
• DON’T expose yourself to the sun between 10am and 3pm, if you can avoid it.
• DON’T expose babies under six months or age to the sun.

• DO wear at an SPF of at least 15 every day. I like this for daily wear and this and this for times when I’ll be  spending extended time in the sun.
• DO wear protective clothing, like sleeves and hats. I have a hat similar to this for the lake and for gardening.
• DO monthly self-exams for suspicious lesions, and have your doctor check your skin once per year.

A suspicious lesion might be anywhere, but some areas of the body are more likely to develop these spots. Particularly susceptible are the face, ears, shoulders, neck, and torso, which are frequently exposed to the sun. On women, lower legs are also a common spot. In people with darker skin, the beds of fingers and toenails, soles of feet, or palms of hand might be the area a lesion develops.

When doing your self exam, you can remember the acronym “ABCDE,” for Asymmetry, Border, Color, Diameter, and Evolving. This means the two sides of the mole might be mismatched, the borders might be irregular, there might be more than one shade on the same mole, the spot might be larger the 1/4 inch, and the mole will start to look different over time. A cancerous lesion does not necessarily need all of these signs. Another tip I’ve heard for self exams is to look for an “ugly ducking” spot, meaning any mole or freckle that doesn’t look like your other moles or freckles. Any suspicious lesion should be reported to your doctor, who can examine it further and take action as necessary.

The following resources may help you in learning more about this condition:

• Skin cancer basics from the CDC
• Skincancer.org’s step-by-step guide to a full-body self exam.
• This slide show from the Mayo Clinic may help you identify a cancerous lesion
• This guide from the CDC to help you choose the appropriate suncreen, and apply (and reapply!) correctly.

from Marc Jacobs- “protect your skin”

Dog (still) in a Cast

Remember how I said the dog was getting better at maneuvering his cast? Lies. All lies. He’s like a drunk with a baseball bat; nobody’s safe when he gets excited and starts to swing that thing around. Happenstance Husband and I have the bruised toes to prove it.

In other news, one week after the cast was applied we had to get a new one because the old one fell plumb off. Then exactly one week after that I had to cut it off because it was soaking wet from the infection underneath (he’s very prone to skin infections) and now he has his third one. We’ll be getting that one changed every week or so from here until the first of June. He doesn’t seem to mind the extra work. At the vet’s today they called him “the happiest dog in the world.”

I’d believe it.

Dog in a Cast

thump thump thump

That’s the soundtrack of our lives this week. Go to the kitchen, thump thump thump. Go to the bathroom, thump thump thump.

Monday afternoon, Happenstance Husband and I came home from a quick trip to the grocery store to find Happenstance Pooch limping. When I pressed on his paw, I felt the kind of crunch that only a broken bone can make. He didn’t cry, but I sure wanted to. I had Happenstance Husband carry him to the car while I called the Animal Hospital and let them know we were on our way.

He sat so very still while the doctor poked and squeezed his swollen little paw. Every squeeze made him lean harder into HH. A quick xray later and it was confirmed: one of the bones in Pooch’s paw was completely broken. Since it was late in the afternoon, he wouldn’t be able to be sedated that day, and the setting and cast would have to come in the morning.

He got a couple injections for pain and we carried him home for the night. HH set him gently down on his bed and we took turns laying there with one arm over him to keep him from whining.

I think he only slept about three hours, and we slept even less. The next morning we carried him back in and dropped him off. In the afternoon we went back and picked up a patched up (and slighty groggy) Pooch. At first, he would stop every six steps or so to look indignantly at the splint, “Excuse me, sir, I’m walking here,” and then, “Do you mind?” But now he’s getting better at maneuvering it.

thump thump thump

Project 2012: Arrington

Please enjoy my favorite Brooks and Dunn song* while reading this post.

This was a very pretty location and a pretty winery. Apparently, Kix Brooks (of the defunct duo Brooks and Dunn) is part owner of this winery. I know because his likeness is plastered on almost everything. Classy. I really enjoyed their outdoor area, complete with fireplace. It was so cozy! Down to the wine though, right? That’s what you’re here for. There were a couple nice ones- one outstanding one- and the rest were good, but over priced. We ended up buying only three bottles and paid over a hundred dollars.

Their wine list can be found here. (Antebellum is not on that list, but it’s a red aged in old Jack Daniels barrels)

The winery (from their website):

Arrington Vineyards was founded in 2005 by country artist Kix Brooks, businessman Fred Mindermann and winemaker Kip Summers. Fred and Kip had been growing grapes at Fred’s Liberty Hill Vineyard in Brentwood, TN. Inspired by the success of Fred’s vineyard and Kip’s winemaking track record, they endeavored to create a first class winery near Nashville. Fred and Kip approached Kix with the winery idea in 2002. Kix initially decided against it because the plan included utilizing Kix’s Painted Springs Farm as the location for the new vineyard.

Then in late 2003, Fred and Kip purchased a small farm near Arrington (original farmhouse pictured left). They cleared the land and established Firefly Vineyards. Almost a year later, in 2004, the farm adjacent to the vineyards was offered for sale. Fred approached Kix with the idea of purchasing it so that Firefly Vineyards could be expanded. Once Kix purchased the property (including the house that is now the Arrington Vineyards tasting lodge), he caught the “winery fever” and decided to form a partnership with Fred and Kip to create a first class winery. The original working name Firefly Vineyards – named for the millions of fireflies that appear in the vineyards each spring – was changed to reflect the local community nearby.

The vineyards were expanded in 2005 and 2006 – meanwhile – Arrington Vineyards worked with Williamson County in creating a whole new class of county zoning that would allow the winery to have a retail store. The first two vintages of wine (2005 and 2006) were made by Kip at Beachaven Winery in Clarksville, TN where he was winemaker for 13 years. Construction on the Arrington winery began in late 2006. By April 2007, the winery was officially licensed and the wine and equipment was moved in. Bottling of the first vintage began in June 2007. Arrington Vineyards opened for retail sales on July 1, 2007. A “Grand Opening” was held on August 14, 2007 – which included a concert by Pat McLaughlin. By the fall of 2007, it became apparent that Arrington Vineyards was quickly establishing itself as a first class operation – winning “Best of Show” at the Wines of the South competition for its Syrah and quickly selling out of most of its 2005 vintage wines in a few months.

 In 2008, Arrington Vineyards continued to expand its vineyards and distribution. AV wines have been featured in NYC, New Orleans, and at fine wine shops in Oregon and Tennessee. Businessman John Russell joined the Arrington Vineyards partnership, adding his keen sense of business to an already strong partnership and management team.

He says:
I really enjoyed the Antebellum wine, but otherwise the fruit wines were the only ones I liked (no surprise). I would like to return sometime in the summer perhaps, because I feel like the events there would be very nice.

The purchases:

• Antebellum
• Viognier
• Encore (a port)

Honorable mention to Stag’s White and Red Fox Red, which we did not buy at that time because we already had bottles at home.

Now it’s time for photos!

*That’s actually not my favorite B&D song. This is. And I did the accompanying dance at my wedding.

Previously, on Project 2012:

Sumner Crest Winery

Beachaven Winery

Wine a Little, You’ll Feel Better

To the La-bor-a-tory!

Last week, I revealed the secret of Happenstance Pooch’s ancestry, as discovered by at home DNA test kit. We used the Wisdom Panel Insights kit (specifically intended for mutts) purchased from Amazon for around fifty dollars.

Then we waited for it to arrive. One day, it finally did. The box was wedged into our mailbox so tight that Happenstance Husband laughed the whole time I was trying to pull it out. Eventually, I was victorious.

After reading the instructions, we were ready to begin.

First, the dog can’t have eaten for two hours prior to the test, to make sure there are no contaminants in his mouth.

Next, swab the dog’s cheek with the provided brushes.

Let the swab air dry for five full minutes. Reinsert into tube, and label them as per package directions.

Fill out the enclosed slip of paper with necessary details, keep one copy for yourself. Fill out online questionnaire. Link is provided in the instruction booklet. Seal tubes and paperwork in prepaid envelope provided.

About three weeks after we put the envelope in the mail, we got an email saying out results were ready! We downloaded the PDF. Wisdom Panel presented the ancestry as a sort of family tree based on breed DNA percentages.  The results went as far back as the “great grandparent” level of DNA involvement. Also included with the results were brief description of the physical and personality traits associated with each breed detected.

Overall, we are satisfied with this kit, and are glad we spent the money. Hap HP been a puppy when we had gotten him it would have helped us be watchful for some health problems that his breeds are prone to, like allergies which he has by the bushels. Have you/ would you ever DNA test your mutt?

Vanity

When I wanted a new look around here, I sought out my sweet friend, Liz. And her husband, Joshua. Together they make up Pink Slip Industries and they do pretty cool shit. Like take a super vague request and make it into awesome reality. And really, what’s more awesome than a pit bull in a bow tie? NOTHING.

Just a disclaimer, while this place may look fantabulous right now, my writing has not gotten any more witty  or coherent. Sorry.

Put Your Bowties On!

The results are in! What a dog. What a dog!

He’s a tramp, but I love him. And I wish that I could travel his way.

According to Wisdom Insights Panel, our beloved mutt’s family tree (based on DNA percentages for each breed) isn’t as varied as we thought it was.

Virgil’s a little bit of this:

Staffordshire Bull Terrier

And a little of this:

Chinese Sharpei

Just like we expected, and just like he appears to be.

Oh, and one more thing. He’s part this:

Rat Terrier

Which totally explains his play style. And his dainty feet.

The bowtie Virgil is wearing in this post was a present from his NosyAunt, Trisha.