A Day Trip to Shelton Vineyards

Several weeks ago we had the pleasure of visiting Shelton Vineyards for the first time.  It was a pleasant one-hour drive from Winston-Salem through beautiful countryside.  We strolled through the shop where they have many wine-related items and, of course, wine.  We were ready for lunch, so we didn't take the tour or do a tasting.

We ate a very tasty lunch at the Harvest Grill.  We chose to eat on the enclosed patio.  There were quite a few other patrons there, and everyone seemed to be enjoying themselves immensely.  We ordered the crab cakes, which came with grits, corn relish and broiled tomato slices.  I passed on the tomatoes, but everything else was delish.  This was accompanied by a nicely-chilled bottle of their Chardonnay.  Now I don't do WTNs (wine tasting notes), but it had a pleasant nose and went quite well with the crab cakes.  Dessert was 3 scoops of ice cream in an edible bowl.  One blueberry, one port-walnut and one peanut butter.  I tasted all three, but the port was my favorite.

After lunch, we took a leisurely walk around the lake.  They have picnic tables so you can bring your own fare, buy a bottle of wine and just enjoy the scenery.  That day, they were having free hayrides through the vineyard.  This is a place to visit again!

Recycling 101

It is recycle day in our part of the city, and as I drove by the many bins at the street, I noticed that some people still do not understand how to recycle. Here are some guidelines:

Just because an item is marked with the recycle symbol doesn't mean you can put it in the bin.

Paper goods consist of newspaper, junk mail, office paper, phone books, chipboard and corrugated cardboard.

All paper goods must be separated from the commingled items.  Use 2nd bin or brown paper bags to hold the paper.

Commingled items consist of glass, plastic, aluminum and steel.

Metal and plastics lids must be removed, and container must be rinsed.

Items such as pizza boxes, deli containers, margarine tubs, and waxed paperboard such as frozen foods come in are not recyclable.

Do not put items in the bins in plastic bags.  The exception is shredded paper, which must be tied.

Break down all chipboard (like cereal and soda boxes) and cardboard.

See Recycle Today's Frequently Asked Questions for more information on how to recycle.

Quote of the Week

A friend is one who knows you and loves you just the same.

- Elbert Hubbard

My best friend and I once decided that you know you're really friends when you can be gross around one another.  Now we didn't mean yucky gross or anything like that.  Just that we were totally comfortable and not worried about what we said or how we looked, etc.  We are still best friends today, so I guess this week's quote is true.

Christmas in October?

What's this, Christmas in October?  It's not even Halloween and already stores are getting their Christmas stuff in.  Early marketing can make us tire of the holiday season before it even arrives.

In this case, however, I'm talking about people in need.  Our senior population, who have given so much throughout their lives to their families and their communities.  This is one small way in which we can give back.

Senior Services of Winston-Salem has a Senior Stocking campaign where they collect items for seniors for Christmas.  This is a worthy program, and we, especially couponers, can make a difference in the lives of these people.  If we just go through our coupons and match up to several items on their holiday wish list, or look through our stockpiles, we could make a valuable and much-needed contribution this holiday season.


Gifts may be delivered to:  2895 Shorefair Drive, Winston-Salem, NC  27105

Recycle Plastic Bottles - It's the Law Now

Effective today, all plastic bottles such as water, soda, detergent, milk, juice, etc. must be recycled.  These items are banned from the landfill going forward.  Here is an excerpt from the city's website:

The city’s curbside recycling program accepts all plastic bottles that have a neck smaller than the base or widest part of the bottle. It does NOT accept bottle caps or tops; antifreeze, pesticide, motor oil or other hazardous material containers; containers that are not bottles, such as deli or yogurt containers, margarine tubs, or flower pots; plastic bottles that are not marked with the recyclable symbol; wide-mouth prescription bottles; plastic bags of any type; plastic wrap, or Styrofoam.  For more information about recycling go to the Recycle Today web site.

I urge all of you to please recycle these items.  North Carolina has several facilities that turn used plastic bottles into new ones.  Another plant makes carpet from plastic bottles.  This will benefit us all by reducing our dependence on foreign oil (plastics are made from petroleum) and providing more jobs by increasing production in our recycling facilities.