Merry Christmas 2021

 

Santa is right on schedule.

It's time to get the cookies and milk out and carrots for the reindeer.

Have a Merry Christmas everyone and a Blessed and festive holiday.

hugs, Deb

Preparing for Christmas

 My five wooden, moveable ornaments will be hung on the staircase at Christmas.

I have yet to find the right foliage to hang them on and freezing rain is in the forecast so I'll have to wait a day or two.

My children, and now my grands, love to play with them as they head up to the loft to the Christmas tree.

I'm not sure how, but I managed to get my wrapping done today with the help of this maniac.

Her job, I presume, was to stand on the bows so they were on good and tight and lie across the tissue paper to keep it perfectly flat. The chewing on the ribbon was short-lived.

"Thank you, Cora."

                                                                  "Oh, Christmas Tree"

I spotted a 'new kid on the block' today looking out the sliding door window. He/she was obviously hunting  and quite comfortable with it all. Looked well-fed (hopefully not with my birds) so I won't worry about it.  I'll just watch for the hunter again.

And the glorious mourning dove is here now for the winter. How I miss them all summer long. They have arrived in a large flock, close to thirty, and I will gladly keep them fed all winter.

And the junco is back, too. Cutest little birds. They are about the same size as the chickadee and seem to get along with them well.

I hope you are all enjoying these days up to Christmas.

I've been watching lots of Christmas movies and drinking far too much hot chocolate

in between the shopping and wrapping of presents.

All good, all fun.

But I best go.

The branches are vibrating and I just heard a bell ring under the tree.

Be kind, Deb

Christmas preparations

Hi everyone. Hope you are enjoying the Christmas season so far.

We have had a heavy snow overnight; our second big snowfall this season. December is in full swing around here.

The house is looking quite Christmassy. I chose the loft for the tree again this year. I like that I don't have to move furniture around to accommodate it.

Once the tree is up I really get into gear. I also needs eyes in the back of my head. Cora and Wilson are very interested and so far four decorations have been seen flying across the room but no casualties as yet. They love to sleep beneath it and look at the lights. I don't blame them.😍

She plans to scare the cookies out of Santa. She's surely on his NAUGHTY list.

Look at the snow and there is more falling.

'Ol Nellie (tractor turned snow-blower) is working overtime.

My little potting shed is now covered with snow as I took this a few days ago.

The mourning doves congregate on the roof when its cold and eat from the feeder to the left.

They also come to the house, too

Then our twelve wild turkeys come by to clean up. I always give them a little extra.

I love these guys. I find them so comical.

The house is all decorated except for the stairs. I'll wait a bit because I want to put cedar branches along the railing.

My favorite Santa

The birds are being remembered where there is no feeder in the woodlot.

My girls and I did our traditional Christmas shopping day together and stuck to small towns only.

                                                                            Jess & Allie

Oh my goodness, the snow is heavy and constant today. One good thing, it keeps this monkey out of trouble. She is fascinated by it all.

I wish you all a wonderful Christmas season.

The days are flying by and I know it can get stressful but I hope you take time out for yourself and enjoy all that it brings.

Take some advice from these two...stay cozy.

Hugs,

Deb

 "Happy Thanksgiving" to my Canadian followers.

I am so thankful for my family, friends and my comfortable home.

Enjoy your weekend, everyone.

Deb

Fall is here

 

I'm not sure how it happened without me noticing but here it is; Autumn. 

I thought I'd show a few pics of what fall brings here at Fox Grove.

collecting seeds in the  shed from the garden.

Cat grass is always growing for the cats.

dahlia bouquets for anyone who wants one, :-)

Harvest time

My Greeter

Dahlia Eveline

Dahlia Sylvia

Back-to-back Eveline

And feeding my stone-wall chips.

Fastidious Wilson

And I'm sure I have a photo of Cora awake.

Nope...

Nope...

There you go.

There's a bug on the floor.

So "Happy Fall" to everyone. There will be lots of beauty ahead with this season. I'm about ready to take a break from gardening although I'm going to cry when it's time to dig up the dahlias. They are what got me through this crazy pandemic this year. And next year...look out.

Nothing escapes fall around here. :-)

be kind

Deb

Back to the garden.

 It's cooled off for a few days so back in the garden we go.

Lots of weeding was done, watering everything was a must and now the blooms need cutting.

I'm not great at that. Every time I snip one I'm afraid it won't bloom again. But, lo and behold there are more blooms in a few days.

Dahlias...what is not to love.

A few dahlias and phlox as a fragrant addition to the birthday bouquet.

Peter kept me company in the garden today. He munched on clover and promised not to eat my dahlias.

I don't know...do you trust him?

I warned him St. Francis is watching him.

I moved my string plants and now have bottles of cut blooms in the kitchen.

Much more summery.

The cats haven't found them yet. lol

I just wanted to pop in and wish you a good week ahead.

Get outdoors as much as you can and maybe don't watch the news at night.

be kind

Deb

Hot as hell...

 It's so hot these last few days that you work about 20 minutes in the gardens and then give up. It's stifling hot...unbearable.

So in-door projects are getting some attention and the a/c is on full blast.

These two staying cool on the stairs to the loft.

One thing we can do for the wildlife is keep the three baths filled with cold water but that's it. They don't come to feeders until the sun is down these days and we only offer black sunflower seeds in the summer months.

I've been keeping my raccoon friend fed at night and the bunny gets lettuce and seed, too. Oh, and the odd pot of pansies. lol

My dahlias have gone nuts...budding and blooming like crazy. It's so exciting to grow them and have them at their best just as other flowers are looking tired. I check on them three times a day like a lunatic but I have to be sure the blooms don't get attacked by bugs after all the work of getting them here. If the bugs are on them I cover the blooms with organza bags. Although...as blooms appear that's becoming a bit of a chore. They may be on their own soon.  Vases and mason jars are holding the mature blooms and keeping the potting shed and home looking pretty. Thank God the heat has gotten rid of the earwigs. They've gone under ground with the fairies. lol

Here's some colour for you...

Sylvia -she's a stunner

                                                                            Esli

                                                                    Triple Lee Dee

                                                  Pink Onesta - just blooming this week

                                                                      Worth the wait

                                                                Hot, hot, hot, hot, hot

Youngest daughter Allie heading home with a few posies. The phlox are nice to add to a vase of dahlias just for the fragrance alone.

All our nesting birds have fledged now but some still stay around the property. I'm so glad they are out of the houses as they would be like little ovens these days. The last to leave was a beautiful family of House Wrens.

                                                                      Pink Onesta

How is your weather? Canada may have the coldest winters but holy cow I bet we keep up with other countries if not surpass them with our summer heat.

I'm heading out for a cool drive in the car and find a Dairy Queen. I'll leave you a little posie of shrub dahlias.

Be kind

Be cool

and...

 Flo says "howdy" from the shed. Her and I had lunch together yesterday. lol

She's a little cracker jack.

hugs, Deb