Brrrrrrrr!!

The big Friday night storm turned out to be not-so-big, but we're still left with a few inches on the ground and drifts around the house. At times this morning it was blustery and visibility was near impossible. It's putting us in a Christmas spirit! Perhaps we should go out and chop down a fir tree!

Scooby was a bit indifferent with the snow but he soon gained confidence and left in great huge leaps all around the drifts. He was covered in snow, but by the time I grabbed the camera it had started to melt off him.

Friday Night Roast

It's Friday night after a week of report cards (excuse me ... progress reports), parent teacher meetings, homework, planning, marking and thinking about Christmas plans, and P put on a roast and the house smelled gloriously yummy when I got home and he had oiled the butcher block counter between drywalling the upstairs hall wall and the Grandma M peeled the potatoes and put them on to boil and we poured a glass of shiraz and ... yes, all is right with the world.

Funny fajitas

Don't play with your food! But sometimes it's absolutely irresistible. However ... this fajita won't hold too many goodies. My bet is that the messy plate award is coming our way.

For those about to walk

For those about to head out for a stroll into hot Florida heat, here's a quick pic of me about to walk Scooby in the snain (a nasty snow-rain mix) in the dark of the 6:15pm night. Dismal and dreary, November is definitely upon us.

A Farm By Any Other Name

We just discovered that our farm (well, the farmland portion) already has a farm name. We dubbed the entire property Hawthorn Creek Farm due to the curiously high number of hawthorn and buckthorn trees here and the meandering creek that flows through the north fields. So here's the original name. Let me know if you think it's more apt: Pinewynd Farm.

So, whaddya think?!?!?!

SNOW!!!!!!!!!!!!!

I could not believe my eyes, but on the weekend we were snowed upon!!

What a shocker!!!

S and I were flabbergasted and gobsmacked, both at the same time!

Oh Chute!

Wood, wood and more wood! We've loaded so much wood into the basement to prepare for winter, especially in light of P's limited assistance ... but we certainly couldn't have done it alone. HUGE thanks to GT and Bop and Andy who worked their pants off (and in Andy's case, he literally worked his pants right off) stacking wood.

As if that weren't enough, GT and Bop put in a few more winter-prep days ... putting the plow on the ATV, cutting grass, and putting planters and assorted junk away for the season. Amazing to have such awesome help!!! We'll miss them for the next 6 months while they're sunning themselves in southern climes.

Making Use of the Track

The day was cool, the sky cloudy, and the kids donned their gear (or most of it) and took their bikes for a spin.

I have no idea what came over me, but at the track while I was walking Scooby and watching the kids ride around on their motocross bikes, I was suddenly overcome with the urge. The urge to ride.

Perhaps I felt like the track hadn't seen much use since P's accident, or perhaps I felt adventurous and carefree, but whatever the impetus, I asked J for his helmet and gave the kickstart a good kick, and off I went!

Yeah, the bike's a bit too small, but look at my form! A star in the making. Gotta go ... I think Ricky Carmichael is calling for advice ...

Wood You Believe ... ?

On Thanksgiving Monday, some friends came out to the farm (indispensable friends, to be sure) and split wood. And stacked wood. ALL DAY LONG! The weather was cooperative (sunny and cool) and even Mr. Broken-Legg worked up a sweat. It's awesome to know that we've got enough wood for the winter piled in our basement now. And it's awesome to have freinds. I mean friends.

Happy Thanksgiving!

Year 2010

In light of the recent past, one might think there's not too much to be thankful for (I'm referring to Peter's broken leg, operation, recovery, discovery of broken foot, second operation, longer recovery and multiple incisions), but I'd like to take a mo and ponder what I am thankful for ...

Awesome weather!

Awesome neighbours who donated an air hockey game to us since their won kids have outgrown it.

Awesome grandma who kicked @ss at said air hockey game with dumbfounded grandsons.

Awesome husband who made dinner for exhausted wife last week in spite of aforementioned injuries, and who is upbeat and uncomplaining throughout.

Awesome kids who love music and teach each other the ins and outs of the tenor sax then practise screechily and enthusiastically.

Awesome turkey which is the first one I've ever cooked pretty much on my own (well, minimal verbal assistance from husband on initial set-up and from grandma on gravy-making). It turned out surprisingly well! I'm still surprised! And full.