Whatever holiday you celebrate (or not), I hope you all have a meaningful, peaceful, and happy time!!!
Gray WolfU.S. Fish and Wildlife ServicePhoto labelled Public Domain (Copyright Free)
Today's pic:
(Described as some kind of Fly Catcher)
Lindybird said:We went to a garden centre yesterday, where we forced down a naughty cake with our coffee
Minsmere had the appropriately named Chocolate Challenge in their caff yesterday ................ lovely, lovely, LOVELY!
Our herring gulls are red listed birds. Think about that the next time you hear some flaming idiot calling for a cull of them.
Clare - was that seeing who could eat the most chocolate after the turkey and Christmas pudding?
Frosty and sunny here this morning, after an absolutely foul day yesterday. No two days the same at the moment. Off to our local lake to try to find some birds to photograph - need to try out my new camera before I go on holiday in a couple of weeks.
I had a chocolatey Rocky Road slice, full of marshmallows and goo, and my OH had a large home made type mince pie. Afterwards, we agreed that we would not need much lunch...... In the end we had turkey soup (made by him) and leftover Christmas cake. I wanted to try my cake in the garden centre, as I have been eyeing them up every time we have queued up for tea & coffee in that establishment, but I could never justify having one. As there are no calories in anything from Christmas Eve until 2nd January, it was OK......
Pat, hope the camera is alright. Where are you off to on your hols?
Whilst writing this, my Friend has been on the phone and has described their Christmas: her OH has the shingles and is quite poorly. What a shame.
I'm off to Cambodia in a couple of weeks ... so will definitely need the camera!
Lindy - I was always told calories didn't count if you were away from home ... is that not true?
Pat: Yes, my Friend has been away at her daughters in Devon and they have not had any calories at all.... Cambodia sounds exciting - are you going to look at wildlife whilst there?
Its bright and sunny here now, but we were white over with frost first thing today: my OH has just come back from golf which he described as "rather cold". We've got the heating on full! Laundry draped around everywhere as no point in putting it out in spite of the sunshine.
Our first week will be centred on Phnom Penh, where we will be visiting Tear Fund projects as well as the Killing Fields and Genocide Museum - not sure I'm actually looking forward to that, but it's important to see these places to learn the history of the country. Then up to Angkor Wat and 'temple immersion'. I think I might need a week in bed when I get home! Hopefully there will be the opportunity to see some wildlife.
A brief (!!) description of our Christmas days:
Our family arrived on schedule on Saturday, and were too late to eat so just went to bed. On Sunday, Christmas Eve, we walked into the town and had a lovely meal in a pub which has changed hands this year: we took a risk as no idea if it was going to be OK. However, it was all excellent, and carols were playing as we were given a nice table where Amber had some pencils to play with and a writable place mat. No starters.... we wanted puds! I had a goats cheese risotto which could have chicken added on request, it was lovely and creamy. Eldest and Wife had gammon, egg & fries which looked delicious. My OH had Roast Lamb dinner with a gargantuan Yorkshire Pud on top. Amber opted for a ten inch Pepperoni Pizza --- now this is a child who is only just three....... she ate almost two thirds of it and then demanded the promised chocolate Ice Cream for dessert which was her bribe for sitting still. She ate that, too. Good appetite!! The rest of us had various cheesecake desserts, all delish. We walked back home after having enjoyed our wine. That night I served home made soup and crusty rolls, rather later than usual.
Next morning, woken by cries of "He's Been!!" -- we fell downstairs and managed a mug of tea before the main event of opening a huge stack of presents. Amber suitably impressed by them all, and wore immediately the Disney Princess outfit I'd bought as a surprise. Late breakfast, whilst we got on with the business of getting The Bird in the oven. It was at this point that things went a bit wonky.
My OH had put the main oven on; we have two ovens and don't use the large one much. He then went out with the dog. Five minutes later, when someone started the shower, everything in the house except the lights, died!! I said don't panic, I know where the fuse box is. Went outside and tripped the fuses in garage. D. in Law shouted from kitchen that everything had come back on. Went back in. Power failed again. This was repeated about five times before I said "just get in the shower, and I won't put the oven on yet."
By the time my OH returned half an hour later, we were all clean but there was still no oven. After doing exactly the same things that I'd done, he admitted defeat and we looked at our options. We cut the turkey in half with a bread knife (best knives were in the dishwasher) put the small oven on and cooked it in there. It didn't take as long of course as if we had cooked the whole bird, so then there was time to cook all the other things in the oven, when it came out to be rested. Phew!!
Lindy; That's one of the trickiest busy Christmas meals I have heard of or done in earlier years. Hope it went down well.
Anyone here like snow buntings? I'd click on this little beauty if that's a yes: