Backyard visitor

Our feeders usually attract black-capped chickadees, blue jays, downy woodpeckers, starlings, and pigeons. But every now and again we'll see a new bird, like this one.  I'm not entirely sure what it is, possibly an American goldfinch.  We keep a guidebook by the window, and I've started to take photos of our visitors to aid in identification.  Even so, I could use all the help I can get.  So, if you know what this bird might be, please let me know!

Another year gone

I had planned to post an entry for the end of 2009, or the beginning of 2010.  You know, one of those looking at the year past, or looking at the year ahead jobs.  2009 was such a big year of change for us, but the more I thought about it, the more overwhelmed I got by it. 


So here we are on the third day of 2010, and still no big year-end post.  I think that ship has sailed.  As for the year ahead...who knows, I've been too busy digging out from under all the snow we've had this last little bit to even think about it.  If nothing else, it was a nice way to get out and spend some time with the neighbours.  Truth is, I'm really glad for the exercise as well.  


But I digress.  The thing is, I've given up on my original idea.  No one needs me to go over the past year, after all you were there too!  As for the year ahead, I am no soothsayer.  Instead, I've decided to aim a little lower. 


So for my first posting of the new year, I present to you Nate and Tex.

See it hasn't been all work, we got to play as well after all the shoveling was done!  Nate actually helped build this snowman this afternoon, and didn't knock it over after we finished, that being his usual M.O.  Not a bad way to start the year eh? (I did say I was aiming low!)


Happy new year!

Quiet time

Snowing out, sounds of plows on the roads.  The walk home from the bus was straight out of a Christmas card.  Made this egg nog. Waiting for the laundry.  Christmas in a new city.  Thinking of old friends and acquaintances; I wonder where they are now and what they're doing, and if they remember me at all.  Ave Maria on the radio.  I want to call people, but don't know if I will have the words.  Another year almost over.

Holiday baking

We spent the weekend baking. I made some banana bread, and Nate helped make ANZAC bikkies and sugar cookies. He'll probably deny it, but I think Nate had a great time decorating the sugar cookies.  Patty made up little packages which Nate, Snoopy and I took round to the neighbours.


The first 36 mince-meat tarts are all gone, maybe I'll get around to baking some more tomorrow morning.

Tree trimming

Walking away from Christmas

Patty went out with her brother yesterday evening to go get our Christmas tree.  They'd just left when it started to snow, quite heavily.  A little later we had an 8 foot Christmas tree in our living room, and a very excited Nate, who could not wait to decorate it.


We very quickly realized though, that there is quite a big difference between the number of lights you need for a 6 foot tree, compared to an 8 foot tree.  Since we have only ever been able to fit a 6 foot tree in our old place in Vancouver, we only had enough lights for a 6 foot tree.  After several failed attempts at trying to stretch the lights to cover the tree, it was pretty clear that we needed to get more lights if we wanted to trim the tree that evening.


By this time, Nate was getting quite frantic about being unable to start the tree decorating.  It was still snowing and blowing like crazy outside and neither one of us really relished the thought of having to venture out for lights in that weather. We tried to convince Nate to wait till the next day to trim the tree, but he was having none of it.  Increasingly distraught  at the prospect of having to wait another day, he bowed his head and wandered away, announcing "I'm walking away from Christmas!"


I found him sitting on the floor of Patty's office, in the dark.  A few minutes later, I was getting snow blasted in the face as I walked to Walmart to get some lights.


Nate got to trim his tree before going to bed.

Who was that masked man?