Since when does spring start in December?

I'm sorry its been so long...been kind of busy, for a change. And lazy. So between my busyness and laziness, I have not found the time nor the energy to blog. So here it is.
On Monday, my mom and I took some friends visiting from Michigan to the Amish areas relatively close to where we live.  Unlike the touristy, if not overly contrived areas in Holmes County, Ohio, Middlefield and Mesopotamia are surrounded by picturesque rolling hills, neat, white farm houses with colorful laundry drying outside and little black buggies parked in the barn--tacky tourism at a minimum.

But we wouldn't be tourists without at least a little cheesiness... Which is why we went to the Middlefield Cheese House factory.  There really wasn't much to do there (they don't give tours anymore, for health and safety reasons) except to buy cheese.  So now we have more Colby-Jack than we can handle.



 In that same day, we made our way to the incredibly charming town of Chagrin Falls.  It's triangular town center, upscale boutiques, delicious restaurants, and location next to the beautiful Chagrin River and Falls makes it a shoppers dream.  If you have money to spend, that is.

Despite these Christmas garlands and red ribbons, it is looking nothing like December in northeast Ohio.  In fact, it looks--and feels--exactly like April.  It has been raining and in the FIFTIES for the past few days. Since when does spring start in December???  Oh well.  I am still trying to get into the Christmas spirit.  I finished up my Christmas shopping on Tuesday with a visit to the mall in Niles, Ohio, and on Wednesday did some more baking--my own yummy version of extra-healthy banana bread. Here is the recipe:
Mix:  1 cup of honey or agave nectar
1/2 cup of margarine, melted
2 tablespoons of flax meal, mixed with six tablespoons water (let sit 2 mins before mixing)
2 mashed bananas
1/4 cup of water (less if you used agave nectar)

In a separate bowl:
1/2 cup of regular flour
1 1/2 cups of whole wheat flour
1 tsp. of Baking soda
1/2 tsp. of salt
1/4 cup of oatmeal
1/4 cup of chopped walnuts or almonds.
Mix dry with wet ingredients. Grease bottom of bread pan, pour batter, and bake at 350 degrees for 60 minutes or until toothpick comes out clean.
Enjoy!