Merry, Merry.

12-24-23 VERMONT: Xmas eve—we expect Alison, Dan and Lily sometime today. Our annual Xmas day party happens tomorrow afternoon. Judy has been preparing all week. I have tried to stay out of the way. 

Neighbors Steve and Diana had their annual Solstice Party two days ago with a bonfire to lure the sun back to our hemisphere. It was pot luck so there was lots of food to try. 

It doesn’t feel like it, but the days are now getting longer. Maybe by the end of January you will be able to see it. 

We have little patches of snow here and there. The ponds are frozen and patches of standing water are all frozen. The waterfall is still flowing but will be frozen in a couple of days unless there’s a warm up. The sky is overcast. I filled the bird feeders yesterday and the chickadees and nuthatches were here this morning.

We usually go to a church in the Strafford Upper Village for Xmas Eve Carol sing. The minister is very open and welcoming. The service is aimed at and for kids so it's just right for us.  

Blue skies from a few days ago. The horses working their hay.

Maizie and Blue fighting with a broken branch. Blanca watches from the top of the hill.

The little church in Strafford.

The upper pond and stream to the lower pond.

The waterfall still running from all the rain last week.

Back in Vermont.

12-17-23 VERMONT: We came up yesterday in the morning. It was an easy trip. There was no snow until Norwich, and then only remnants of plow piles. Here there was shallow snow cover in places, but tonight it’s raining hard, and all the snow will soon be gone. The ponds are mostly frozen over, inlet spots are not yet frozen. 

The dogs have been roaming all over the place. The horses are in the pasture. Today we got a medium sized tree and set it up—Judy did almost all the work and decorated it. She also brought a load of wood into the house. I have been going upstairs the last two nights and sleeping in my bed after four months. 

Anna, Gardner and Emmett visited us in Short Hills the beginning of the week. He is approaching his two month birthday. 

We took pix of each other by the tree with the dogs. Judy deleted all hers, but some of mine were OK. 

Blogger with pooches.