Bring it on!

It's New Years Eve - actually, it's already 2009 in Australia - and we're getting ready to settle down for a relaxing evening with a nice fire, some sweet treats and something interesting on TV. We're more relaxed today than previous days because we are now fully equipped for the coming storm. Yes, there's a big storm coming on this of all nights - 25 cm of snow, apparently, beginning at 7 pm.

We're relaxed because we are now ready to plow in record time with our new snowblower. So go ahead. Snow all you want (within reason) and we'll be up and down the driveway in no time. Muhaaaahaah!

Merry Christmas!

The turkey is prepped and stuffed for its day in the heat of the oven. The wind is whistling away outside and the rain yesterday has melted a good portion of the white christmas that fell over the last week or so. The fire is going, and logan is snoozing at our feet.

Ah, peace on earth.

Xmas is on its way

Our neighbours have put up the lights and the street looks very festive. Of course, with only a handful of houses around you can travel a bit before seeing the colourful display - in fact, when I went out to take shots of a couple of the houses I thought they had turned them off for the night, until I got close enough.

And...coming soon...

"Oh the weather outside is frightful..."

The Great Lakes have a long reach when it comes to weather.

Weather you like it or not

Okay, so now the temperature has gone way up to a balmy 17C, with the forecast for Xmas day a mild 7C. No snow. Lots of wind and rain, but no snow. No snow until after the 30th, hopefully. And as of the 30th we won't care (as much) because we'll have a snowblower to help us dig out of the mess.

As for xmas plans, we're slowly getting things together and getting ready for the festive season. Lots of specials to watch between now, and since the season for new episodes is almost at an end until January we're got lots of new release movies to fill our screen time. So snow or no snow we'll be relaxing in the evenings throughout the holiday season.

The temperature is dropping again,but no more snow

...yet.

Spent the afternoon yesterday sorting wood - 5 cords is a bit of wood to pile and shift around to make sure there's always some ready to burn. It was a nice day to be out doing wood work, and Logan seemed to enjoy it - he was wearing his ear muffs to stay warm, obviously, because when I called him he couldn't seem to hear me. Took a while to get him in a couple of times, and once I realized that there was a porcupine out there I kept him close or indoors.

Did some sifting through unused photos and played around with some styles that would make them interesting. The image here is of the moon over the trees in the back on a fall day, turned all funky-like.

Mutual of Omaha's Wild Kingdom

And now my assistant will wrestle this porcupine to the ground for the enjoyment of all of our viewers - NOT!

I tried to stay very quiet, and moved very slowly when I was approaching this little, or not so little, fellow who was dining on some green leafy bits in the field next to us. I don't even think he noticed me, but at any rate he didn't turn his back to me and fire off a barrage of quills - thank goodness!