A partridge in a pear tree and a quick dance around the Tor!

With the cold snap finished (at least for now) it warmed up a bit and the snow has started.

I took this picture while standing on the lake. (It was close to -20 degrees.)

and then turned around and took this one:

It is really so pretty to watch the snow fall and it sparkles when the light hits it just right. I told my Mom that it is like watching glitter float through the air. It seems you can almost see the each individual flake when you look close enough.

We have finished the master bathroom paint (yippee) and we really like it. No longer looking like a crime scene it actually makes the room quite warm looking which was my intention. The kitchen is next. I am actually standing in the kitchen taking these photos so you can see the primered walls and unpainted trim that is next on the work agenda.

I have also been faithfully living up to my reputation as Egg Lady and have been baking etc ., so I have been keeping the neighbor’s chickens on their toes…

or I say.. I say... should I say on their bottoms.

Anyway, we are tucked in quite nicely and enjoying the holiday season even though we do miss the folks back home.

The little tree David cut for me… the one Delta left… has a bundle of presents underneath and we have also received many pretty cards updating us on friends and family. I can not wait for Christmas morning so that we can open them all!

I must admit that we have already opened a couple of presents. When they arrived we knew immediately one was Heidi’s wonderful Fruit Cake. Heidi is David’s brother Keith’s wife. (Phew that’s a mouthful.) Anyway, the fruit cake is amazing. I was never one for fruitcake but I had never tasted THIS one. It is truly fantastic and Heidi has sent us one every year for the past few years and I can not tell you how much we look forward to it! The rumor I heard was that she made close to 30 cakes this year!?!? Wow… thanks Heidi for all the hard work! As I work in the Post Office I noticed that three made it here to the U.P. So… well... David and I sure enjoyed all three! Just kidding! They made it to where they were supposed to go. Thanks again!

The other package we opened early was from Vashon Island… David’s brother Terry lives there with his wife Judith and their son Zach. The box had ‘perishable’ stamped on it so when I brought it home from the post office I wondered aloud to David what he thought it might be.

He said pears.

Oh…. I thought… Well that is very nice… some good pears would be a tasty treat. (I believe I may have mentioned the whole fresh fruit and vegetable issues here in the Midwest once or twice) I had once lived in Washington and mentioned just in an offhand manner that I was surprised it was not apples since Washington is famous for their apples and that I had not realized Washington was also noted for its pears... but that made sense I suppose being an orchard type fruit.

Then we opened the box.

First, David reached in and took out a BIG envelope full of flower seeds. Mystery seeds (I am guessing some sunflowers maybe) and I am so excited to get them into my garden and how fun to get to wait and see what they are until they come up. I love to garden and I told David how very thoughtful that was.

Second, David pulled out two Fran's chocolate bars…

We both are chocolate fiends and we both know all about Fran's chocolates. (You MUST try them when you find them by the way) David immediately clutched the bars close to his chest and said, "We will share these… Ok? "(a touch of panic setting into his eyes) Let me explain this chocolate hoarding behavior, of course it has nothing to do with shall we say... me eating it.

My explanation instead is this: When goodies come into the house you can immediately tell the birth order difference between us. He is he youngest of five so while I am sure he always got his share, sometimes he probably had to wait for the older kids to go first so he would get a bit anxious about the goodies disappearing before he got his turn. (I am also sure he probably had his turns with going first, and he never went without but that has not dissuaded his anxieties) In my immediate family I am the oldest of three girls... so of course, I am not at all convinced why I should not get to choose goodies first… and I was never stressed out that I will not get my turn.. oh yes.... I will get my turn.... Heh heh.

Anyway back to the Vashon box…

Third, David pulled the wrapping back a little further, reached in, and out comes a pear. Well, my mind at first told me it was a pear since that was what we were talking about… but wait a second…. ::Blink Blink:: This 'pear' was a lovely dark emerald greenish black color… and the skin was rather bumpy!

::Cue the heavenly music::

Criminy!!!!

It’s not a pear, it is an AVOCADO!
Not just one, but MANY avocados!

Forget this sharing business!!! I used some of my ex-DPO/oldest sister moves on David to knock him out of the way and dislodge the avocados from his hands just as quickly as he had grabbed the chocolate.

Before you could blink an eye, into the bowl a few of the luckiest avocados went and after MAYBE 5 minutes…

Voila’!
CHRISTMAS ROCK-N-ROLLEE GUACAMOLE!!

These lovely fruits lasted a whole three days… All of them were perfect and ready to eat. We ate them smashed, sliced, and cubed and enjoyed every last cool creamy bite. What a wonderful gift Terry, Judith, and Zach! Thank you very very much!

Well, David just took off with Delta on the snowmobile to ride around on this northern side of the lake. Kinda scary to me. I am sitting here next to the fire with Cosmo the Magnificent thinking of everyone back home and how I miss you all. Really.

So... please everyone have a safe and happy holiday and an even better New Year!

and so as not to disappoint my dirt worshiping, heathen, tree hugging, hippy, Redwood Tree Sitting, Druid friends from Northern California out there... (and apparently not just in California)... us folks in the U.P. did not forget you!

Happy Winter Solstice!

There is always time for a quick bonfire, a burning of the Yule Log, and the obligatory dance around the Tor to celebrate the shortest day of the year!
(Yes folks, I realize it was on the 21st, a few days ago)

You wonder what my Christmas - Winter Solstice wish is?

Can't we all just get along?

* May There Be Peace On Earth *