This week Ellen bought him a Christmas collar with little, really quiet bells. What did Charley do? He hid under Ellen’s desk at our Berkshires bed and breakfast. It took all of us awhile to figure out that this little Fearless Fosdick aka Curious George is afraid of his collar!

Charley just loves his little stuffed “eggs.” He has turtle eggs that were hiding inside a turtle that is now in shreds. Charley is really hard on toys. He also has dinosaur eggs although the dinosaur is no more. And for Christmas, I know he’s getting a fish with fish eggs. That fish won’t be swimming for long. And I think that Charley is getting his holidays wrong. Just yesterday he hid a few eggs under bushes in the garden. Hey, Charley, wake up! It’s not Easter!

He went to the movies for the first time with Ellen. Forget the story, but the moral is: If you don’t want to share your popcorn, don’t take Charley to the movies!

And then there was Santa Claus. Most young ones sit on Santa’s lap and face the camera, either smiling or crying. Not our Charley. He jumps on Santa’s lap and gives him a big kiss and nearly took off Santa’s beard.

Yes, Charley gets all of the laughs, but I still don’t think he’s funny. Ridiculous? Maybe. But not funny at all.

Happy Charley Days!

Our Inn in Lenox, MA offers 12 accommodations enjoy Berkshires, Bed & Breakfast,Inn in Lenox MA featuring private baths, cozy fireplaces and more. You can read the original blog post here I Saw Charley Kissing Santa Claus in the Berkshires!.

During the holidays, our Berkshires Bed and Breakfast is reminiscent of a Currier and Ives painting. All dressed up for Christmas, the holiday lights sparkle, brightening the dark winter days while the wood-burning fireplaces take the chill off of winter. Popcorn and cranberries on the soaring tree, snowflakes twinkling from above, hot mulled local cider. Join us this holiday season and experience a truly old-fashioned Christmas. And save!

Quinn and Charley would love to welcome you home, our home, this winter.

Our Inn in Lenox, MA offers 12 accommodations enjoy Berkshires, Bed & Breakfast,Inn in Lenox MA featuring private baths, cozy fireplaces and more. You can read the original blog post here Berkshire Deals: Save 25% as Birchwood Takes the Chill out of Winter.

INGREDIENTS

1 cup butter

1 cup confectioner’s sugar

1 egg

1 tsp. peppermint extract

1/2 tsp. almond extract

1 tsp. vanilla extract

2 1/2 cups all-purpose flour

1 tsp. salt

1/2 tsp. red food coloring (more if needed)

1/4 cup crushed candy canes or peppermint candy

1/4 cup sugar

DIRECTIONS 

Preheat oven to 375F.
Mix the butter, sugar, egg and extracts thoroughly.
Mix the flour and salt, and stir into the butter mixture.
Divide the dough in half.
Blend the food coloring into one half.
Mix the sugar and crushed candy together.

Roll 2 tsp. of each color into 2 5-inch “snakes,” rolling each “snake” back and forth on a lightly floured board. Place the two “snakes” next to each other, press together lightly and twist like a rope (so it looks like a barber’s pole).
Make the cookies one at a time.
Curve the top to make the handle of the candy cane.
Bake for approximately 8-10 minutes, until just lightly brown on the bottom. Remove the cookies immediately and sprinkle with the sugar-candy mixture.

Makes approximately 3 dozen candy canes.

Our Inn in Lenox, MA offers 12 accommodations enjoy Berkshires, Bed & Breakfast,Inn in Lenox MA featuring private baths, cozy fireplaces and more. You can read the original blog post here Candy Cane Cookies.