Merry Christmas and Happy New Year

Well, folks. I ordered my Christmas cards on 13 December. As of the 26th, I still had not received them. Sam's Club agreed to issue a refund. This didn't really help me though, because now they are no longer Christmas Cards, now they are New Year cards.

I'm hoping you'll all just be so happy to hear from us, that you won't hold it against us.

It's always fun to go over the card list. I always feel like there are people that I am missing, if you have managed to be overlooked by my electronic process, PLEASE let me know your address. I don't want to lose contact!

So, I received them on the evening of the 27th. Here it is the 28th and the kids and I are putting them together assembly line style. It's fun, but a little chaotic. Don't mind if the stickers are crooked or upside down, it's part of the fun. (?)

Please stay in touch and USE the return address, put it in your next year's Christmas Card list, or send a note or email!

Good Tidings for a Happy New Year. We miss you all!

If my Christmas cards would ever show up, (I ordered them late, on the 13th with priority shipment. They're still not here. You all may get them next year some time. It actually WASN'T my fault, this time)you'd see that this is similar to or maybe actually the photo on the card.
These signs are seen around, but I've not yet seen the nearby Moose.....
This would have been a neat photo if I had a passenger to take the pic, instead of driving and capturing.
Doug has to dig out the mailbox in order to get delivery. He looks thrilled to do it, doesn't he!?

Middlesex morning drive after the most recent snowfall

Honey, warm up the grill for me, please?

So, I just wanna' grill dinner, but my husband WON'T preheat it for me.
What a slacker!
Even the dog can barely carve a path through this ever renewing bank of snow on the deck.
Don't even TRY to navigate the steps!


So, for those of you who were wondering, "Yes, we've had a bit of snow."

It's not that 3 feet is so much, we've all had occasions of heavy snow, it's just that there's no reprieve. Every day there seems to be at least a fresh dusting to clean off the car or steps or walk. I do, however, hear that this is unusual. The ski resorts are thrilled. I guess last year, they didn't even have a white Christmas, so this much, this early IS unusual. I guess that's good. It's an entertaining induction, to be sure!

neat winter birds

Wish I had a bow on this wreath. It makes the chickadee almost look like a fake!
This nuthatch was right up against the sliding door!

these tiny little birds are so pretty!

winter from deck in increasing zoom levels

as seen from deck
zoomed in view, Sugarbush ski resort visible
Snow on runs is evident
This afternoon before sunset

what winter in VT is already shaping up to be

typical outlook
Claire is too cute Sunday at church not to publish
Back of coat from Grandma Marcy
A look up (actually down) the street from our house. Thank God and Doug for 4x4 truck!

Let it snow! Let it snow! Let it snow!

driving around 'town'

We had a break in the snow and the sun came out. I had to take a few snapshots.
It's nice to see a blue sky, but it won't (didn't) last. Every time the snow melts, more is right behind it to replace it. The dirt roads are loose under foot (tire) when it melts/refreezes, but I think we'll make it through the winter!

Here are the 1st 5 chicks. There has been one more since for a total of 6.
1st chick named 'Coconut' gets introduced to Arie.
Coconut wastes no time TRYING to show Arie who's boss.
(But, come on now, we know who that REALLY is!)

I guess the evening grosbeak post never made it to the blog!

My first evening grosbeak hung around for a while!
He brought a dozen or so of his friends, 5 are pictured here.


I tried to post this when it happened, (couple of weeks ago?) but while posting pine grosbeak pics, I didn't see it, so here it is now.

Sorry to bore all my non-birding family members. Still, you have to admit, it's neat!

Pine grosbeak on a snowy day!

Pine grosbeak plus bluejay on feeder
Zoomed in shot, (very snowy day, hard to capture clearly) of my 1st pine grosbeak. First the flock of evening grosbeaks come to visit, now this fellow. They're my first grosbeaks, ever!

Newest life at our house!

Green Grami helped me take this little clip as we watched the miracle of this little chick hatching.

This video is not the first or the last of the series, but one of the neatest ones.
There are a dozen or so clips of varying degrees of interest/climax.

Let me know if you want to see more!

He really didn't drink too much at the wedding.

The kids enjoyed their crazy uncle!
He just gets silly around his sister!
Doug and Kelly