(Montreal, January 2009, photo by Ben Lester)

Tomorrow morning, we leave for Montreal!!  In theory, a five hour drive, but when driving with a toddler who was infamous for hating (and I do mean hating) the car, well, just pray for us, ok?  Tonight for dinner, we had local steak, and potatoes from our garden mashed with parsnips from our winter CSA share, with a (rare) dessert of strawberries (frozen from the garden) over yogurt we made with local raw milk, drizzled with a little local honey.  Eating local in the winter is rough, I tell you what.

I wish I could say that this past week, after our big CSA distribution, was peaceful and quiet.  If you consider the frantic screaming and flailing of the worst tantrums I’ve ever seen quiet, then sure.  If you consider a 1600-pound horse testing his electric fence, finding it shorted out by the snow, and proceeding to bust through it at midnight peaceful, then we had peace aplenty.  It’s safe to say we had all the “peace” and “quiet” we can take this week, and now we’re just to hoping to actually get a break once we make it to Montreal.  Last year in Montreal, Ella threw wicked tantrums, and Ben was just starting to recover from a sore back when he got awful food poisoning . . . but despite all of that, we had a great time and returned home recharged.  I’m not sure how exactly to explain this phenomenon, but it’s true.  This time, we’re hoping for more good food, friendly folks, and lots of snow.  Those three can be counted on, I think.  See you next week!