January in Edmonton

 My trip to Thailand started with a visit to Edmonton. Surprisingly grey and warm (well not as cold as you would expect) I am never around for either of the kids birthdays so this time it is all about Avery's birthday.

But first Maya and I spent 3 days putting together the Foosball Table that I bought the family for Christmas. Then major Foosball competition commenced.

I taught Maya to crochet granny squares and we folded them over to make these half gloves.

Avery's birthday was held at the recreational area attached to the Great Canadian Brewhouse head office. A gaggle of 10 year olds

played hockey and basketball in the gym,

bowling,

climbing,

air hockey, foosball, 4 person Pacman and a Star Wars arcade game.

Aimee was very sore the next day after going all out vs Mike at basketball and then climbing.

Maya was also a climbing machine. She and I crocheted the flowers sewn to his pockets.

The same day Cigi's birthday party was a more sedate affair. (picture by Chris)

Cigi all geared up for her first skating lesson.

New Years

Rick and I had a quiet New Years Eve, ate a supper of snacks and didn't make it to midnight. Last year we had planned to go to Niagara Falls on New Years Day but due to a covid contact, we cancelled. We booked it again this year, with fingers crossed.

We drove to Fort Erie and then along the river in drizzle and occasional wet snow but it cleared, though still grey, by the time we got to Niagara Falls.

Too early to check, in we went to the greenhouse. It used to be free but now you pay for parking and the visit.

Warmth and lovely displays of

Poinsettias,

Orchids,

Amaryllis,

Lilies and

Cyclamen interspersed with Christmas decorations and plants that we did not recognize.

Built in 1946

and still using some of the original equipment.

Outside, more seasonal displays

 

Right now these sculptures are covered in lights

but in the summer

 they are planted with annuals.

 

The dragons wings were made of recycled plastic water bottles.

 

 When I booked the hotel it said that parking for the day was $60. That sounded exorbitant so we went looking for other options close to the hotel and found one for $20 for the day near the Skylon and just across the road from the Hilton. I had never been to the Skylon and Rick used to maintain their elevators when he worked for Otis. So in we went and noticed an "early bird dinner menu' in the revolving dining room. So we booked our dinner reservation.

Still to early to check in, we walked down beside the gorge

 

Lots of tourists, so many different languages being spoken, so many selfies being taken.

Opportunities

to experiment

with the new camera.

 When we got checked in we were upgraded to a 2 bedroom suite with a jacuzzi tub

and had fabulous views

of both the falls.

 We had walked a lot so Rick lay down and I had a jacuzzi and then we headed over to the Skylon.

The sky began to clear just as the sun was going down.

and photos were a challenge for the camera. The night time setting wanted me to hold the camera steady on a shot....but the dining room was revolving!

As it got darker the reflections of inside were more obvious

and as it got colder outside, condensation started to fog the windows up.

We had a lovely 3 course meal, Rick had wine, I had Prosecco and we enjoyed the constantly changing view. After dinner we went up on to the observation deck but didn't stay long as it was very cold in the wind.

Pleasantly tired and full we went back to the room

to watch the lights changing on the falls and

with some more champagne, watch the fireworks in comfort.

  Early to bed and the next day I swam in the Infinity pool while Rick lazed in the hot tub. Drove home in the sun. Such a fun way to spend the first 2 day of 2025.

More Christmas photos

I ended the last installment saying that Rick and I were going to cook Christmas dinner but neglected to post our prep picture.

 Mum had a cookbook by an Italian chef, Pasquale somebody. We have always cooked "Pasquales turkey" recipe. A little unusual in that it is cooked on a very high heat for a short time, covered in bacon strips. Then the bacon is removed, heat turned down, rubbed with garlic and it is steamed in gin and white wine. It always ends up nice and moist. Mike called for the recipe for their Christmas dinner. We had it with brussel sprouts, stuffing (yes Rick bought stove top but I added fried onions and celery), potatoes and cranberry sauce. He took some leftovers and there was enough for Chris and Jason the next day.

When they got here Cigi had a nap and then we exchanged gifts. Chris and Jason gave me a cat doorstop.

Rasta was hilarious. He must have thought it a threat as his hackles were up and his tail was puffed out.

Then he sneaked up on it from behind.

Rather than a Gingerbread House, Chris wanted to make a "Charcuterie Cabin". We covered the table with crackers, cheese, pretzels, salami, vegetables, bread sticks, cream cheese mortar..... and proceeded to build.

Cigi and my "cabin". It became home to some "gummie unicorns". I loved that I found pretzel pine trees.

Chris declared hers more of a "Hunt camp" (didn't meet code) and ate it before we could tease her too much about it.

Rick bought Cigi a battery operated Unicorn that walked and made odd, vaguely horse like, noises. Chris and Jason were not impressed but Cigi was. Still trying to use all that Advent wool I crocheted Cigi a hat and the Unicorn, a coat.

Chocolate Log is another Joynes Christmas tradition....chocolate swiss roll and chocolate icing. Cigi was in charge of the icing sugar snow.

 They were only here for 2 days and it felt like it was a lot of cooking, gifting and eating!

Christmas Storks and Christmas photos

 

Chris gave me this Advent Calendar, each day there is a small skein of wool. Some of it I will rug hook with but there's lots so.....

I bought this little Manatee, in Florida, for Cigi, for Christmas

but he's cold up here in Canada so I knitted him a blanket and crocheted him a head band to keep his ears warm (do Manatee even have ears?)

 After opening our Christmas stockings  (courtesy of Christine), Rick and I decided to go for a walk before getting started on Christmas dinner (and afterwards we would just be in a turkey coma).

We drove to Port Rowan and found that te  Sandhill Cranes were scattered through out the area.

Normally they are massed in the corn fields to the west of the village,

but this year small flocks were feeding in many fields around the community and along Front Rd.

Some were flapping their wings and jumping.

It was a dull, grey day so not the greatest for photography but the new camera didn't do a bad job

Cranes dance for three primary reasons: 1. To find a mate; 2. To strengthen the bond between a mated pair; and 3. To express aggression or territoriality. 

We walked around the Port Rowan wetlands

hearing the cranes

in the fields around us

and overhead.

There are a lot of numbered Tree Swallow boxes in the area

and we read about the research being done on the relationship between climate change and nesting practices.

We usually see Swans when we come to take photos of the Cranes and realized we hadn't seen any this time.

So we drove back out along Front Rd and didn't see any. Drove out on to the causeway to Long Point and didn't see any. It wasn't until we walked the trail at Bird Studies that we found some.

Out in the Bay

around the patches of open water.

It was hard to tell, at this distance, if they were Tundra or Trumpeter Swans, as both have black legs and beaks. I suspect the two large dark birds at the waters edge are Bald Eagles, but, again, hard to identify at that distance.

Both our walks were just long enough to get cold and I think the camera was getting cold too as it was taking longer to focus. We hopped back in the car and home for a round of family phone calls and to cook Christmas dinner.