Goodbye 2011, Hello BiGMoUtH

I realize my blogging efforts have been sketchy. I suddenly grew conscious of the fact that I was taking pictures and posting everything that I ate and drank...today I say why not? My New Year's resolution is to keep reading, keep writing, keep blogging, keep practicing. Communicate. I enjoy it. Sometimes I'm even good at it. I'm not going to stop eating and drinking so why stop talking about it? It has been a pretty introspective New Year for me. I have big plans for the New Year and they're all about allowing me to be me. The me that enjoys drinking. The me that enjoys eating. The me that enjoys discovering the new and old and wonderful about the Pacific Northwest. Some day the world.

The me that enjoys cheese. Not just any old cheese though. Delicious cheese. Cheese from a a company in Tillamook that dared create cheese in the shadow of Tillamook Cheese Factory. Now I have nothing against the Tillamook County Creamery Association or any of their own delicious cheeses, but when in Tillamook I prefer to visit the Blue Heron French Cheese Co.

K and I took Baloo to the beach this past weekend. It was rainy, as one might expect in late December on the Oregon coast. It was gray, and not just the sky either. It was such a gray day that everywhere you would look was bathed in a bluegreen light, muted and beautiful. Quiet. Even the ocean was quiet. Not very many waves, no real storm in sight. Baloo loves the ocean on days like these. He loves the game of running towards the sea only to turn heel and book it when the sea comes creeping in after you. He actually smiles. A big, wide dog smile that starts at his big dog lips and ends at his wide swinging, salt water soaked tail.

A trip to this portion of the coast calls for a trip to Blue Heron for a loaf of crusty french bread and a wheel of pepper encrusted Brie cheese. It's all we have for lunch. Maybe an apple or pear if we remember to bring one. We eat at least half the wheel and the entire loaf of bread sitting in the truck watching the ocean. I am covered with crumbs and loose black peppercorns and salt. From the seawater or the bread, I'm not sure. Either is fine with me.



I can't wait to get home and eat salad because this day we also pick up the best Blue Cheese dressing I've ever had. It's oil/vinegar based, not creamy blue. It holds spices and chunks of Blue Heron Blue Cheese. Heaven in a bottle.

And so I will continue to drink beer and wine and rave. Seek out new food carts and restaurants and swoon. Eat cheese and write about it. It's what I do.