CATCH-UP TIME

I apologize that it has been so long since my last blog. I am glad to come out of hibernation though and look so forward to daffodils and tulips. 

We got a big suprise the other day when this bald eagle landed across the lake from our house. This picture was taken through the dining room window pane and is a long way off.  

I enlarged it in the next picture. We were told there was an eagle that lived on Wood Creek when we moved here but we had never seen it. We were told that it's mate died or was killed. I wish he or she could find another mate.

We had a few pretty days of sunshine and warmer weather last week, before all the rain came. It was just enough for Phil to build me a couple of fishing benches down on the water's edge.




This one sits in a small crater left by a huge tree that was uprooted.












However, this is my favorite one. He cut notches in two pine tree stumps and placed a 12 inch board. Pretty crafty husband that I have, don't ya think?

Liza Jayne came to visit with Nana and Poppi today, and we had a great time. We went for a wonderful wagon ride.

 

THE GREAT JANUARY FREEZE

We have had a very very cold and frozen month of January. There were times when the snow was over Levi's belly.
 

Here are a couple of pictures of our driveway during the last snowfall.
 

CHRISTMAS 2010

Christmas came early this year. We had our family dinner on the day before Christmas Eve. I am sorry for the delay in blogging but I wanted to do a slide show. I failed several times but here is my virgin voyage in movie making.

FIRST BEAUTIFUL SNOW

 

This is what we awoke to this morning. Our first big snow in our new home and it did not dissapoint. There were over 50 ducks at the edge of the lake, dabbling for the cracked corn that Phil threw out last night.

Levi, got his first look at snow and dashed out the door. He was surprised at how it felt but he loved it. Here he is just before he tumbled off the patio.  

He hopped like a rabbit accross the patio but couldn't stop, taking a tumble down the hill.  

That didn't stop him. He romped and played until I made the little snow ball come in. If you look closely, you can see his tracks in the snow where he took the tumble. I didn't have my telephoto lens on and didn't want to go out so it looks far away.

Phil got up this morning at 4 a.m. and turned the driveay heaters on so by 8:30 a.m. the driveway looked like this. Nearly 5 inches of snow had melted under where the coils were.  

As long as you have a clear dry path for the tires to move on, he didn't have any trouble. Hope all is well with all our blog friends.

TIME TO SPARE

It has been so freezing cold for the past weeks that I haven't ventured out much. We had a skiff of snow on December 4th but our driveway worked great. I was able to get my front wheel Camry up the hill without a skid. So what to do, what to do..
I was playing with my new laptop and decided to make a collage. I Think I did pretty good. Her is one about Titus  

and another of Baby Elsa  

and lastly Liza Jayne  

Not exactly professional but I learned about the face identity part of Picasa and my computer.

Speaking of Liza Jayne, we dropped in on her the other day and caught her in her birthday suit.
SO SWEET, her Daddy was giving her a bath in the kitchen sink.
Of course, when she saw us, she want to get out and come to us. Oh, the joys of being Grandparents!!!

THANKSGIVING WEEKEND 2010

As is our family tradition, we start decorating for the Holidays this long weekend. I imagine it started when I worked full time, and this was the only free time I had. Anyway, Phil helped and we put up our tree, decorated "Ole Grizz" and a few other things.
 

I made this collage to show some of our handi-work. Click on the individual pics to enlarse. Next year we hope to be able to get a taller tree. But this year, I improvised by putting our 7 1/2 foot tree on a table. It really made an improvement in the 15 foot great room. So many have ask for a single pic of "Ole Grizz that I am gonna have to oblige. (I was hoping for a request for the tree which took me two days to decorate, not the bear, which took 3 minutes, but, what the heck).....HERE HE IS...IN ALL HIS HOLIDAY SPIRIT.
 

Then on Thursday, Thanksgiving Day, for the first time that I can remember we went out of town for dinner. Our daughter, Ashley, and her husband Chris, invited the entire family to their home in Cincinnati, Ohio. We had such a great time. Phil thought Ashley was a chip off the old block with her gracious hospitality. Combine that with their love for entertaining and Chris's food, and you have a fool-proof recipe for the perfect evening.


This is a picture of Chris's beautiful Thanksgiving Turkey. You are welcome to click on this picture to see more of Thanksgiving Day.

GREAT WEEKEND

 

To kick off this great weekend, I caught a 22" catfish Friday afternoon, across the lake from our house. I added it to some that I had earlier caught and frozen. Put together, we were ready for a 'fish fry'. I got out my electric skillet, and Lauren and I began the dipping...first in flour, then egg, then the last and secret dip.

 


 

Then we made some fresh veggies.

Liza Jayne drove her Mommy and Daddy down to visit....  

....so we had the makings for a great family time....and a great meal.... 

Liza Jayne and her parents spent the night with us   .....so we had lots of opportunities for hugs and kisses.
 

Even Levi wasn't left out. 

Saturday morning Popie went to Seth's house to help him work on his basketball. Lauren and I went shopping. When we got back, she gave us a fashion show.
 

 

 

We had a great weekend indeed. Then Mommy Erin called and said it was time to come home. I don't think Seth was ready, do you?

 

Then when the house was quiet, Phil and I had a wonderful bowl of fresh homemade soup. 

...thanks Jess for the great new soup pot.