December 24 and all is well

Merry Christmas, everyone!

This is a catch-up blog, to explain various little things that have been going on around here.

First, I want to note that we have some very entrepreneurial people in our vicinity, and I always appreciate this business sign when I drive by.

Last week, we had our annual Christmas Clogging Party, which includes invited guests , friends and family.  We try to be on our best performance, even when it looks—well—silly!  Our beginner’s class did a Christmas song from Hawaii and they went all out to make it look appropriate. 

Our class, a more sedate bunch of ladies, merely did a reindeer boogie song, which featured appropriate antlers and tails.  I am proud to say that I made all the tails.

We ordered a new fridge and dishwasher for delivery December 20, and arrived, much to our excitement.  However, there were two glitches.  The fridge was damaged and so it will be sent back January 4, and the vendor did not include installation services for the dishwasher.  In the meantime, our kitchen is a little crowded, and our old fridge is out in in breezeway, still struggling along.  I feel a bit like the poor folks with my fridge outside, but what can I say?

We left on Monday to go to Ottawa to see Brian’s mom, who turns 96 in February.  I took a picture of Ottawa in the evening, and it kind of looks like it is snowing, but that was merely rain.  The day we departed, there were fog warnings everywhere, but no sign of snow.  It was predicted to go to +17C this morning, so it looks like they will be having a green Christmas.

We will certainly have a green Christmas here.  We took advantage of temperatures in the low teens to go out for a walk in the forest.  As usual, there is always something new to see.

Much of the big downed maple branch has been cut into wood for splitting, but there are still two trees to cut which broke when the maple fell on them.

One of the more amusing signs of red squirrel activity is that they like to hide pine cones in the crook of branches.  Some bushes look quite festive when they are done.

Brian confirmed my other neat discovery.  We have a small grove of poplars near one side of the property, and I thought I saw bear claw marks on some of the trunks.  They were! The tree here is about 8" in diameter, and there were obviously baby claw marks as well of those of a bigger animal.  We are now calling the grove the "Bearclaw Playground".

Finally, I had to include a picture of my primulas outside, which are still growing buds and blooming.  It is a bit strange looking out over a fall landscape at this time of year, but the temperatures are hard to beat.

Brian and I hope everyone has a wonderful Christmas!