Post Christmas post

 Now everything is calm again, chaos no longer reigns, and its just Rasta and I finishing off the leftovers, here's a brief review of Christmas 2025.

Ice beginning to form on the lake and the remaining duck rafts are huddled in the few patches of open water.

 

Chris, Jason and Cigi arrived first on Christmas Eve day and we took a walk on the beach and the pier.

While taking this shot I accidentally found out that my phone

will also do this.

A gingerbread house was constructed with Cigi eating the candies that "accidentally fell off ". 

 

Nic and Dave also arrived Christmas Eve and took charge of the Chocolate Log. Hobbit themed this year with Lego dragon and warriors.

Christmas morning meant Toaster Strudel (Jason's family tradition), stockings and gifts. Cigi received a camera from Santa and spent the whole day taking pictures and videos (and it also played some awful music, they will have to figure out how to disengage that feature)

Back when George had a camcorder he took a video of Nicola putting together Christine's Barbie Caravan, one Christmas. On the video she mouthed "It's a bitch". Fast forward and she and Dave bought Cigi a Barbie Hot Wheels Racer this year, which she then had to put together.

Next came the turkey. Mum used a recipe from a cookbook by Pasquale someone so I just have it written down as "Pasquales Turkey". It involves cooking it for a brief time at a high heat with a cup of gin and covered in bacon. Then at a reduced heat with chicken stock and white wine. It always turns out nice and moist.

Rick, Dan, Fiona and Lou (Dan's dad) were there for Christmas lunch. Photo by Dan on Fi's phone. Dessert was the chocolate log and Ambrosia (Dave's family tradition)

Nic and Dave left that evening and Chris and Jason left early on Boxing Day trying to get home ahead of the forecast freezing rain.

Rick and I walked, ahead of the storm. The trail was very icy already and we had it to ourselves.

 

We checked on the boats at the marina and the fishing basin had lots of ducks. I think this is a Common Merganser.

Red Breasted Mergansers and a lone Bufflehead.

Then the freezing rain started.

Rick left Saturday morning, pouring hot water on his wipers to get them unstuck.

Christmas Prep

 Its been cold, windy, snowy, damp and grey for much of December and I have been tending towards hibernation. I have to make myself leave the house and use the excuse of "bad roads" way too often. I am hibernating/nesting/preparing for Christmas.

The Seniors Centre has cancelled classes a couple of times due to the weather so I made myself an exercise program to do when that happens and when it is closed for 2 weeks over Christmas. I tell google to set 10 min alarms for each set and get about a one hour workout.

 

I have also continued to paint every Friday since the watercolour class is now over. Christmas cards

and painting from photos. This one taken at White Lake when visiting Mark and Emma.

I have been making Christmas cookies - lemon cranberry shortbread and maple shortbread.

Adapting the basic recipe.

Chocolate/Oatmeal Nest cookies. George's mum made these every Easter

but I thought the green and red jelly beans made then suitable for Christmas.

Packaged up for friends and neighbours with some extra to have here over Christmas. (Problem is I have a hard time resisting them in the mean time!)

The Saturday walk at Silver Lake is getting a bit more challenging.

No-one is sitting on the benches any more

Any wind and it brings the damp, cold across the lake. Mallards are all huddled on the ice.

Just a couple of female Buffleheads 

and one lonely duck that I wasn't able to identify (maybe female, maybe winter plumage making it difficult). I have been informed it is a Gadwall.

Minimal Christmas decorations; the ceramic tree surrounded by the wreath we made last year at Pam's.

Rick helped me put up the Christmas tree and then I spent a few days decorating it gradually with ornaments the kids had made,

ones that used to adorn George's parents tree (these probably classify as antique),

ones made by George's mum,

some are gifts from friends,

a few remaining from packages we bought

some commemorate holidays,

and the ones that Sears issued every year.

I still have half a rubber made tub with Christmas tree decorations but it is looking busy enough and every one I put on now, I will have to take off in January!

I have a turkey in the freezer and will buy what I need for stuffing and vegetables early this week. Daniele and Nicola are bringing their contributions. Most of the gifts are wrapped and under the tree. I'm feeling like the Christmas prep is going pretty well.

Sorry, more birds

Life gets pretty routine in the winter - Seniors Centre fitness classes, the occasional social visit, - mostly hooking, knitting, reading. When I go for a walk the camera comes along too.

First of all the hooking. Winter Fox, designed by Carolyn Stich, is finished and in the Woodhouse Gallery in Port Dover. I thoroughly enjoyed hooking him and am quite pleased with how he turned out.

 

Visit to the Silver Lake Market on a grey Saturday and one end of the lake is iced over.

The other end is still open with Buffleheads, Geese and Mallards.

Black Squirrel this time

all fluffed up on the cold.

Rick and I took our annual pilgrimage to see the Sandhill Cranes and they didn't disappoint.

Digging around in the corn stubble

in the fields along Front Road, Port Rowen.

Up in the air and

making their strange, warbling calls.

Crossing the Causeway

I think he is a Northern Harrier.

A patch of open water had Trumpeter Swans, ducks and Geese.

Driving back across the Causeway there was a Sandhill family close to the road.

Digging in the sticky mud of the marsh.

and drinking in the few available puddles.