Scrub it well with a brush and soap and water, -t, air dry, and when it's completely dry, you need to oil it down again. All the "experts" say cooking oil, but my boards always get sticky with cooking oil. I use mineral oil: rub it on with my fingers, into the grain, let it set to absorb as much as possible--12 to 24 hours, then wipe down with paper towels.

You shouldn't actually drink mineral oil, but it isn't toxic, where boiled linseed oil--the oil usually recommended for wood--is toxic.

I scrub my boards as needed and re-oil every couple of months. If you want to try an old-fashioned method of no-soap scrubbing, sprinkle coarse sea salt over the board (less than a teaspoon for an 18-inch square board), cut a lemon in half and scrub with half of it. The salt and lemon juice will bleach and disinfect, and remove lingering odors.

Just rinse off the board, -t. There won't be enough to do any harm. If the odor persists, try vinegar or lemon or tomato juice.

ION, I was wrong. The snow is indeed sticking. The dog took one look out of the door, turned around and ran to the den. He's going to have to go out there sometime. :: evil laugh::

The other good thing about mineral oil is that it doesn't go rancid.

Ooh, I have salt and a lime. I'll try that. Thanks, y'all.

Snow! That's craziness, Ginger. I'm planning on taking Walter up to the Sierras so he can see snow (I suspect he will love it), but probably not while it's actually coming down.

Fllow up query: my salty lime rind should not go in the compost, correct?

Some years ago, I was at a friend's when his cats saw their first snow. One of them discovered that if you bat the snow, it makes a ball and when you bat the ball, it makes a bigger ball. I almost hurt myself laughing.

Oh, wow, I can just imagine.

I remember when our last dog that we had while I was growing up was still a puppy and experienced her first snowfall. She was so curious, and placed her paws so carefully in that weird white stuff! And then she buried her nose in it and rolled around, having a ball. She was part schnauzer, and her "beard" looked like Santa's.

About six years ago, I was out visiting my brother for Christmas, and his family had just two days before purchased two malamute puppies. It snowed on Xmas day, and watching the kids take those puppies out for their first taste of winter was equally hilarious!

ION, I was wrong. The snow is indeed sticking. The dog took one look out of the door, turned around and ran to the den. He's going to have to go out there sometime. :: evil laugh::

Hah!

My Atlanta dog loves snow like whoa. The first time she saw it as a pup she was all jumping up in the air trying to catch the flakes. So cute! She still loves clomping through snow banks (though, oddly enough, she's not a huge fan of snowball fights).

Sometimes I think one of the best things I've ever done, universal balance-wise, was bring that dog north.

In fact t peers out door she's out on the porch lying in a pile of snow right now. Freak.

my salty lime rind...

That really sounds like a euphamism.

For what I do not know.