This & That - December 2016

December had us out and about more than usual.  Here are a few of them, including a few animal encounters.  Our first outing was to attend a retirement party for a friend on a restaurant boat as it floated up and down the Potomac River.  You can see the lights of Washington, DC here when we took a short, brisk walk around the deck.  Because it was dark outside and we were moving slowly you could hardly tell you were on a boat from inside.  This was empasized when putting on our coats to make this little jaunt around the deck--our hostess asked us if we were leaving already 😊. . . .

The Take Joy Society went out to lunch for our Christmas get-together.  You can read about it HERE. . . .

We always enjoy our outing to get our Christmas tree.  Our youngest son has continued to go with us since he left home and this year brought along his fiancee so she could be a part of our family tradition.  On the 10th we returned to the tree farm we've been going to for several years now so that I could get my favorite tree--Hemlock. . . .

Here it is all decorated. . . .

We had a dusting of snow the next morning.  The Cardinal that visits my little bird bath looks even more stunning against the winter landscape. . . .

On the 19th a Red-bellied Woodpecker visited the bird feeder. . . .

With two of our sons spending Christmas Day with their in-laws or future in-laws and one son in Mexico with his in-laws we held our celebration on Christmas Eve afternoon into evening.  Before grandchildren came along I often would hide the gifts giving out clues in a poem.  This year I decided Olivia was old enough to enjoy the hunt, but the earlier rain caused a change of plans.  Originally the clue was to lead everyone to the treehouse where they'd find Santa's bag of gifts.  At the last minute Santa had to tape over the clue and change the last two lines.  Can you fill in the blank? . . . .

Righto!  Attic!  When Olivia heard where the gifts were she dutifully declared that she was not allowed to go in the attic by herself and grabbed her daddy's hand.  Ken pulled down the stairs and there it was!. . . .

After a lot of excitement the bag was brought into the living room where Olivia handed out the gifts to everyone.  Then we went around the room taking turns opening the gifts while Gabriel found a spot by the fire. . . .

Later we had our traditional fondue of beef and shrimp, various vegetables and bread to dip in the cheese, plus tator tots and fried onion rings.  Olivia enjoyed just eating the bread by itself. . . .

We ended the evening by carrying candles out to the creche in the woods while we sang carols. . . .

Olivia was in charge of carrying the basket of fruit, carrots, and acorns for the animals. . . .

The wildlife camera installed nearby told us it was the deer who'd feasted early the next morning.

Christmas night we went to a restaurant in downtown Frederick, which is always lit up along the main street with lights in the trees and on the various shops. . . .

I had hoped to end this post with a picture of Poetry carrying the mouse she'd caught in our basement, but by the time I came back down with the camera she'd let it go.  I brought Gabriel down and he and Poetry continued to search for the mouse, but it had managed to secret itself away, not to be seen since. . . .

Perhaps......
the little mouse is hiding in the wainscoting!


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Take Joy!