The Christmas Train

Joe likes his trains. I take photos of them, since our country depended so much on trains in the early days (as is true of many countries), it is part of our history. 

Our visits to the train museum with the grandies were fun in the old days. We wrote, and self-published, a story about it!

I printed three copies, as I recall, and donated one to the museum! The dude on the left worked at the museum, the dude on the right was one of many volunteers.

I had to look back and see how I set up the table. You know how that is. It requires some work and preparation. The train is busted, you see, but it looks so pretty. I'd totally forgotten that I'd set it up on the games table, right over the coffee table. 

Joe brought up his supplies box by box. 

Cinnamon was heavily involved. 

Moral support?! He's not much help.

There are always tweaks to the arrangement. Note Nutmeg watching the whole thing from her spot on the couch.

There we go. The train set is HO gauge, and the engine is no longer picking up power from the tracks. 

I remembered something I had in the Christmas trunk! While someone was shopping, I brought it up, replaced the batteries, and we were lit! 

I didn't say anything. Somebody sat down for lunch.  SURPRISE! 

The little glass trees have a wee string of lights, hot glued to the mouth of the container. They contained vodka, as I recall. I really got into my work!

Cinnamon inspected!

Ever the inspector, he nudged the trees on the end, and I had to set them up again!

Anyway, these are good days for indoor play. There is ice and snow on the driveway that I couldn't get rid of. We had a sudden freeze and it is bitterly cold out there.

Lake Effect Snow

 Yes, it is the season for it. The Great Lakes are quite warm, as water has temperature inertia. The winds blow across the lakes and pick up the moisture. I learned a new term Monday. The 'fetch' is the width of the lakes, where the wind fetches up water to dump on people as it moves across the land. 

Since the winds blow right across Lake Huron and Georgian Bay, the fetch area is much wider. This is why Muskoka and Central Ontario gets such snowfall.

 

All we had was graupel and dark skies.

Indoors, we've been having fun puttout out lights. Cinnamon is amused. We started small. Joseph Brian got us a little fake fire background! I brought the Charlie Brown Christmas tree up from the basement.

An accidentally artsy photo!

Somebody has been working on his train set. New batteries all around for the houses. 

This was his process. I watched carefully. It began a week ago. It required all sorts of tweaks.

Christmas Train from Jennifer Jilks on Vimeo.

By the way, Isabelle and Papa are continuing on their archery classes at the RA. She is pretty good! Three shots quite close together. What a kid!

🎉Saturday's Critters

 

🎉Happy New Year! 

Let's hope for good things this year. I'm managing a cold, which ticks me off. I haven't been anywhere to get it. The only human I've talked to in closely, person is my JB. The dude who delivered propane was out in the front yard! 

I wish my faithful readers and friends and family all the best. Thank goodness for Facetime with the grandies! 

"Do not be dismayed by the brokenness of the world. All things break, and all things can be mended. Not with time, as they say, but with intention. So go. Love intentionally, extravagantly, unconditionally. The broken world waits in darkness for the light that is you." – L.R. Knost

What brings me joy is watching our critters. I hope they bring you joy, as well. I've since moved the trailcams, we'll see what else I find.

We've 3 black squirrels. I thought we only had 2! 3 black squirrels from Jennifer Jilks on Vimeo.

I've been watching deermice. There is bird seed on the deck, and they go after it. Someone on Facebook's Trailcam page were asking if trailcams could capture little critters, and we can! Trailcams were invented for hunters, and the ads creep me out, showing hunters with their dead as a door nail prizes. sigh.

2 bunnies and a deermouse from Jennifer Jilks on Vimeo.

The bunnies really are a delight! They bounce around, with those large hind legs. jumping cotton tails from Jennifer Jilks on Vimeo.

I managed a walk on Thursday, and I think these are starlings passing through. We haven't had any stragglers till now. They are motoring on through to warmer climes. No robins this year, either. starlings from Jennifer Jilks on Vimeo.

Nutmeg has still been happy with her train set. She thought the lights should be knocked off the table, though. Typical cat. Nutmeg and the light from Jennifer Jilks on Vimeo.

For more critters: visit the ever faithful Eileen and her Saturday's Critters # 420.