MERRY CHRISTMAS

 COLD & CRISP THIS YEAR!
WITH LOTS OF SNOW FOR THOSE
WHO ENJOY THAT KIND OF THING!

 HEADING FOR SNOW COUNTRY? WE HAVE IT THIS YEAR!

 A GREEN HOUSE LIT UP. FROM A DISTANCE IT LOOKED LIKE SOMETHING ON FIRE.

WOULD HATE TO PAY THAT HYDRO BILL! OURS WILL BE ENOUGH, THANK YOU

ENJOY THE DAY AND THE REST OF THE YEAR!

WIELER GATHERING

 SHOES WAITING TO BE FILLED? OR IS IT STOCKINGS?

 LUNCH WAS LASAGNA AND PIZZA, WITH LOTS OF SIDES. WE AGAIN HAD THE USE OF THE COMMON ROOM NEXT DOOR TO MOM'S APARTMENT.

WAITING IN LINE!

THE YOUNG UNS HAVE A TRADITION OF DOING A PUZZLE AFTER LUNCH. THEY DID MANAGE TO FINISH THE SECOND ONE THEY TRIED. THIS ROOM IS ALSO THE PUZZLE ROOM FOR CROCUS SO THERE ARE ALWAYS A LOT TO CHOOSE FROM.

WE ARE STILL LUCKY ENOUGH TO HAVE 1 PARENT AROUND SO IT IS GOOD TO CELEBRATE AT MOM'S.
WE HAD A FEW NEW FACES AT THE GATHERING AND WE MISSED QUITE A FEW OF THE FAMILY WHO ARE NOT HOME FOR CHRISTMAS.

MERRY CHRISTMAS TO ALL!

CEDAR WAXWINGS

I HAVE BEEN SPENDING A LITTLE TIME IN MY SEWING ROOM AND HAVE A VIEW OF THE BAY AND NEIGHBORS ACROSS THE ROAD.

YESTERDAY I HAPPENED TO LOOK OUT AND NOTICED TWO TREES FULL OF BIRDS. I WAS REALLY HOPING THESE WERE NOT SPARROWS WAITING TO DESCEND ON MY 

BIRD FEEDERS!

THE TREES ARE ON THE PROPERTY BEHIND SHEM'S HOUSE. SHEM IS A LADY ACROSS THE STREET WHO LOVES FLOWERS AND GARDENING AS MUCH AS I DO.

 SHE HAS A MOUNTAIN ASH THAT ATTRACTS CEDAR WAXWINGS BY THE DOZEN.

I TRIED GETTING A CLOSE UP OF THE BIRDS BUT DID NOT GET A GOOD SHOT. 

AND BECAUSE IT WAS SO CLOUDY, IT WAS HARD TO GET THE COLOR OF THESE BEAUTIFUL BIRDS. I SHOULD HAVE BUNDLED UP AND HEADED OUT IN THE COLD TO GET A BETTER PICTURE. I KEPT THINKING THEY WOULD MOVE TO THE TREE NEXT DOOR. OH WELL, THEY WERE FUN TO WATCH USING MY BINOCULARS.

 

VERY HARD TO SEE BUT THERE ARE STREAKS OF YELLOW AMONG THE BERRIES. 

THEY MOVED SO FAST, THERE WAS NO WAY TO FOCUS ON THEM. THAT MADE ME WISH FOR AN SLR WITH A TELEPHOTO LENS!

HEADING INTO WINTER!

 I BROUGHT IN A NUMBER OF MY SUCCULENTS AND CACTUS THIS FALL. ONE OF THEM IS IN FULL BLOOM AND DOING VERY WELL IN MY SOUTHERN LIVING ROOM WINDOW.

BUT WITH WINTER LESS THAN A WEEK AWAY, WE ARE PUTTING THE PLASTIC ON THE WINDOWS THAT WE HAVE NOT YET REPLACED. THE LIVING ROOM WINDOW IS ON THE LIST BUT SO FAR, WE STILL HAVE THE ORIGINAL WINDOWS AND THEY ARE DOUBLE PANE. A LAYER OF PLASTIC DOES MAKE A DIFFERENCE.

 

WE HAVE BEEN ON THE HUNT FOR A TABLE AND CHAIRS FOR KK'S TEA PARTIES BUT WERE NOT HAPPY WITH WHAT IS OUT THERE. SO IN THE MEANTIME, RON BROUGHT IN THE OLD CHROME SET HE HAD PICKED UP AT A GARAGE SALE AND DECIDED TO CLEAN IT UP AND UPHOLSTER TWO OF THE CHAIRS. 

THEY TURNED OUT PRETTY WELL, SO FOR NOW, LET'S POUR SOME TEA!!

 MY LATEST TREE PURCHASE IS IN THE BACK OF THE TABLE. I FOUND A 6' VERY NARROW TREE AT A THRIFT STORE. IT HAD NOT BEEN USED SO UNTIL I DECIDE TO DECORATE IT, I'LL LEAVE IT AS IS. PROBABLY WILL JUST STORE IT AS I HAVE 8 DECORATED ONES ALREADY AND DON'T REALLY HAVE A GOOD PLACE TO PUT THIS ONE. AS SOON AS YOU START SPREADING AND FLUFFING THE BRANCHES, IT IS HARDER TO PUT BACK INTO THE BOX!

WE HAVE HAD A LOT OF SNOW TO THIS POINT,

 AND WINTER HAS NOT YET OFFICIALLY ARRIVED! 

IT WILL BE A LONG ONE. 

BUT THE LIGHTS SURE DO BRIGHTEN UP THE LONG DARK EVENINGS.

 WE ARE PREPARING FOR A "COME & GO" FOR OUR 55+ GROUP FROM CHURCH.

 TIME TO LIGHT UP EVERY AREA POSSIBLE!

MORE SNOW AND A LOT OF FOG!

BUT THE HOAR FROST IS BEAUTIFUL!

EVEN THE RIVER GRAPES LOOK FROSTED!

 THE WOOD IS PILED HIGH, READY FOR THE FIREPLACE.

FOOD PREP TIME. 

I FOUND THAT USING SOME OF MY CANNING JARS FOR STORAGE WAS AN EASY WAY TO PREPARE THE TACO SALAD AHEAD OF TIME. WHEN I START CHOPPING AND COOKING, I RUN OUT OF CONTAINERS AND FRIDGE SPACE QUICKLY.

THE BAKING IS ALL DONE AND SET OUT.

SOME FINGER FOOD TO PUT AND AND THEN TIME TO ENJOY COMPANY!

IT WAS A GOOD EVENING BUT EVERYONE SEEMED TO ENJOY THE PATIO MOST. 

IT MUST BE THE COZY FIRE!

JAYDEN IS 10!

HAPPY BIRTHDAY TO JAYDEN WHO WILL BE 10 ON THE 8TH. WE WERE INVITED TO A MEXICAN SUPPER TO CELEBRATE!

 THE FERRARI WAS A JOINT EFFORT BY MICHAEL & JULI. MICHAEL DID THE ART WORK ABOVE & THE CARVING OF THE CAKE. HE PUT THE FINISHING TOUCHES ON THE CAKE, WHILE JULI BAKED IT AND DID THE STAR TIP DECORATING.

 IT WAS DELICIOUS - CHOCOLATE WITH A RASPBERRY FILLING AND LOTS OF ICING.

GIFTS BEFORE SUPPER. ONE OF JAY'S  FAVORITE PAST TIMES IS WORKING WITH LEGO, SO IT WAS A NEW LEGO SET. HE HAS ALSO OUTGROWN HIS ROLLER BLADES SO THAT WAS THE OTHER GIFT. THE PINATA WAS NOT BUSTED AS JAYDEN THOUGHT IT WOULD BE A NICE ADDITION TO HIS ROOM. RIGHT COLOURS! SO IT WAS GOODY BAGS INSTEAD OF BREAKING THE PINATA.

A FRIEND OF THE FAMILY DOES CARD MAKING. WHAT A NICE JOB!

BEANS & RICE, VEGGIES, BLUE CORN CHIPS, GUACAMOLE AND SALSA, ENCHILADA AND CAKE! WHAT A YUMMY SUPPER!

 WAITING OUR TURN!

AND THE BUMPER GOES TO_____!

WELCOME!

 WELCOME TO theennsoftheearth & MORE OF THE SAME!

DECEMBER

MY DINING ROOM TREE HAS HAD MORE RED ADDED TO IT DURING THE PAST WEEKS. ALSO, CAN YOU FIND THE PICKLE IN THE PICTURE BELOW? THE GRANDCHILDREN LOOK FOR A PICKLE EACH TIME THEY COME FOR A VISIT. I HIDE ONE FOR EACH OF THEM, SOMETIMES IN THE SAME TREE AND SOMETIMES IN DIFFERENT TREES. THEY LOOK BUT DO NOT TOUCH TO FIND IT AND WHEN THEY SPOT IT, THEY CAN UNWRAP A SMALL GIFT.

STORY TIME - NO MATTER HOW MUCH THEY READ ON THEIR OWN, THEY ENJOY GRANDPA'S STORIES.

HAPPY 88TH BIRTHDAY MOM!

WE WERE ABLE TO CELEBRATE MY MOTHER'S 88TH BIRTHDAY ON THE 24TH OF NOVEMBER. ALL THE SIBLINGS AND SPOUSES MADE IT OUT FOR THE CELEBRATION. SHE LOOKS REALLY GOOD FOR HER AGE AND STILL ENJOYS BAKING AND KEEPING BUSY. SHE HAD BAKED CREAM PUFFS THE MORNING OF THE PARTY. A CHIFFON CAKE HAD BEEN DONE THE PREVIOUS WEEK, AS HAD THE BUNS! HER REQUEST FOR OUR NEXT GATHERING WAS PIZZA & LASAGNA, GARLIC BREAD & SALADS!

DOROTHY'S CORNER CABINET SPORTING A WINTER SCENE.

MOM & MY SISTER, LORNA

FASPA IS SERVED


ENNS FAMILY GATHERING

WE INVITED RON'S SIBLINGS AND THEIR FAMILIES FOR AN EARLY CHRISTMAS CELEBRATION. WE HAD 19 OF US PRESENT.
A MERRY CHRISTMAS TO ALL THOSE WHO COULD NOT MAKE IT DUE TO DISTANCE OR CONFLICT.

A FEW DISHES MADE IN MEMORY OF MOM AND DAD.

MORE REMODELLING HAPPENING DOWNSTAIRS.

TIME TO REPLACE THE TOILET.
THE SHOWER AND SINK WILL BE ON THE AGENDA FOR NEXT YEAR.