Christmas dinner

It was -18 ℃ this morning, Sun, Dec. 28.

We are expecting an ice storm tonight. We'll see what happens over night. 

Dec. 25 –  There was much planning required! And then it is over. I enjoy looking back at the event. Everyone has gone back home after two nights here. It was terrific. 

My friend sent me home with a lovely plate of goodies (center). She'd been baking up a storm, including her famous Christmas Crack. Joe Brian brought some nuts and chocolates. We had a fine time nibbling until dinner. 

There was a Facetime with the Vancouver clan! Poor Jordan has a bad cold, and he had several naps. The grandies both wore masks for us. 

I made the kids a book of their photos from their Newfoundland trip. They had fun reviewing their trip.

Jordan was given a mystery gift. He couldn't quite figure it out! 

🚽 Jordan is in residence. He and another kid share a bathroom, but their bed rooms are private on either side of double doors. They are responsible for their bedroom, but their joint bathroom is cleaned once a week by staff. The toilet paper is replaced with one single-ply roll, but tends to run out. Grampa bought a 4-ply six pack!

The cats had a grand time.

We watched 5 Jeopardy shows, everyone trying to answer. We all have our specialties between space, science, history, literature, etc. 

I even put my face on!

JL was gifted a food basket of cheese, crackers, condiments, canned oysters, olive oils, etc. We hadc fun watching him open it.

My personal shopper bought us two hams. We only needed one, so maybe on New Years! We divided up the meal. The kids brought the cake and yam casserole. JL did the cooking. 

 

I saw this recipe on TV, by Mary Burg. I was keen to try it: Everything Bagel Star Buns. I watched the video twice to get it right. 

Star Bread! Recipe here.

I made it Christmas morning. It didn't brown as well, but it was tasty. I will make it again.

Grampa put on a show, with a singalong and some jokes and Christmas puns. He started this during COVID when the grandies were with us alternate weeks for Virtual School. It made our time fun. 

He is a hoot. Here is a snippet. 

Saturday's critters

It's been so cold. The morning brought some pretty skyscapes, the afternoon brought snow.

It was a marvellous couple of days with the Ottawa kids here. I've lots of stories to tell in the next few days. Suffice to say we were delighted to be together. 

UPDATE: Now, I think it was a red-bellied woodpecker!

 We are enjoying the critters. Caitlin and I saw a woodpecker in the horse chestnut tree. I think it was the yellow-bellied sapsucker. (Archive photo!)

Mourning doves are happy. I counted 19!

The junco:

Female  cardinal:

The Labbit has been hanging out with the deer.

freeze, thaw, freeze, SNOW!

Let me start with a weather report:

We did Facetime with our Ottawa kids. Jordan gave Aster an interesting present. He switched the heads on these stuffies. Thrifted gifts! They are a hoot!

Aster and Jordan left treats out for Santa and the reindeer! Aster is applying for a student exchange in July, to Ireland! Jordan is looking at a summer work placement in Montreal. All great excitement.

 

The cats are fascinated with 75! He figured out how to leap onto the feeder.  

 

There are three black squirrels!

The wetland near Barry's lodge was wet again, after our rain. 

The fisher was by. Barry is safely tucked inside!

Apparently it was getting a drink or playing in the mud. 

I accidentally set this to take photos, not videos. Oh, well. Here is the fisher!

The frog pond melted and refroze!It's seldom cleared and flat.

 I remember the grandies skating here one year. 

We're back into the snow. You can hear the crunch of snow as the coyote trots on his way.

 

We had a lovely dinner yesterday. Another one is planned for today. I turn 69 today. 

There is snow on the way. We'll see you on the other side.

Merry Christmas from Crumbly Acres!

🎁♪♫♩♪♫♬ It's beginning to look a lot like Christmas!

Things are pretty quiet, aside from the weather. Somebody is putting data together about football game results. Did I mention both my husbands were accountants?! Shiny shoes, and numbers.

Science and technology is grand. I'm watching Santa. First on NORAD, also on Flight Radar.

Flight Radar, it's a hoot!

We'll open the things we ordered for ourselves and gave to the other to wrap, or keep it in the shipping box. At our age we forget what we got, and it is a fun surprise. 

The kids are coming over later, after they have their family Christmas. 

🐇 Labbit has been out under the bird feeder. Last week she was cleaning up under the lilac bushes. (Oh, spring, lilacs!) Tuesday she was on the sidewalk headed for the feeders. The squirrels have been cleaning up pretty well, though. 

The Christmas Bunny has arrived! 

 

 

One year, trying to capture a roving cat (not ours) I tried to trapped Labbit!  Who knew she came up on the deck?

March, 2024

🐈  Another morning I was sitting blogging, in the dark. It was windy and cold again. Looking up, I spotted Cinnamon outside the window on his bench, looking to be let in. I had not let him out! He'd slept with us that night, so he hadn't been out. 

It turns out the basement door hadn't been shut properly. I imagine he went down to use the litter box, and sauntered out the door. I taught him to use the cat door recently, and he took off in the night. I'll have to teach him that you can go in the door, not just out! He was cold.

  

Butch Raccoon visited

 I'm amazed that people have time to visit blogs. I've been sheltering in place! I do enjoy connecting with fellow bloggers. It makes my day. 

First, we had a snow storm Tuesday. JB went out and did the sidewalk. Twice! We are having a white Christmas.

I did the driveway once, just before dark. There was only about 4 cm at the time. It kept snowing!

Mid-October RVWS brought a dozen rehabilitated, orphaned raccoons for release. It was so much fun. There was a trio that stuck together through November. They've appeared on trailcams from time-to-time. 

There was plenty of food, until there was our cold December. They hunker down in the cold, don't truly hibernate. Safe in a tree in the forest. Until our recent melt. 

In our big melt, we had raccoon visitors. Hungry ones! 

Raccoons 1

   

 It's difficult to spot them until you see them moving. I was clued in as the pumpkins had been attacked! JB has been looking forward to these videos. They can get into trouble if you don't keep garbage secured, as well as bird seed. 

 

Something scared them and they ran up the tree. You can see their eyes reflecting the light.

 

One of them sounded the all clear, and they all came back down the tree quickly. This one decided to check out the water barrel!

 

I hope you had a good giggle. It's a busy time of year for many. A sad time for some as they miss family or friends, or old traditions. I hope I helped.