Wonderful Christmas

Christmas morning dawn over the James

We all had a very wonderful Christmas.  We were greatly surprised by Dale, Jill and Reeder’s Christmas present and 40 inch flat screen tv. It looks great in room. 

Dale, Reeder, Will and I spent most of Monday splitting firewood.  We should have enough for all to last till February. 

Gas is at lowest it has been for a while, guess that is the oil company’s Christmas gift.

There seemed to be a lot less “bell ringers” at the store entrances this year, for some reasons.

Started raining this morning, but the high will be mid 50’s, so no snow!

Enjoyable few days

 Will & I went to Bass Pro today to shop.  We scheduled our trip to see the fish feeding.  

After shopping we enjoyed Santa Land with the games and arcades.  Will scored a 327 for the first time on the shooting range, he sure to get a deer this year with his skill.

Cedar Ridge barn party last night was a lot of fun.  Awards and good food was the goal for the night.



Cold and raining

Yesterday high 60’s and today 50 and dropping with light rain.  Looked at an I Pad, however the experience of going to the Apple Store was the highlight.  It sure is the store of the future with excellent customer service. 

Will and Grandma are making cookies, and I am eating as fast as I can.



Photo award

My photo of the kit fox was awarded 2^nd place in the Camera Club of Richmond 2011 competition in nature group.  

The year has flown by once again; I guess it is the sign of getting older.  Edna is into her Cornell Backyard Bird Count project, which lasts 4 months and started in November, and looking forward to the spring when her pony will have its foal. 

Our Lab Polly died of cancer this year. Shortly after Edna was at a horse show and Danny & Ron’s Rescue had dogs up for adoption.  Danny & Ron’s Rescue is run out of a large A Show Barn in SC and takes dogs they have rescued to all the shows and find homes for them,. To date they have found homes for over 3000 dogs.  On with the story, Edna calls me and says she has found a dog she likes and would I come over and see it?  I could not make it that evening, but went with her first thing the following morning.  It turned out the dog she liked had been adopted, but there was this “benji” looking dog just laying there, while all the others were jumping up on the pen to get your attention.  I said lets look at him, he is calm.  So home we went with Baxter and calm he is not, come to find out he had just been neutered and was not feeling well.  He is a great dog and adapted very well as the very next day we went camping for a week, so that was his introduction to our family.                               

Our small engraving business has had it best year ever and we are expanding the number of shows we will be going to next year. 

James out of its banks

30 degrees this morning and high tomorrow forecast to be in the 40s.  Last evening attended and enjoyed Elizabeth’s Christmas Band Concert.  She is playing the trombone in her school band.



Will awaiting concert to begin



With the severe wind and rain storm Wednesday night the James is now out of its banks.  Our lowlands are under about 5 feet of water and still rising.  Parts of Richmond were without power Thursday as the winds were as high as 60 MPH. 





Thursday morning



Firday morning



Starting to have December temperatures and need a fire every night and need to start thinking about splitting the cut wood we have piled up.  

Warm and overcast

It was in mid 60’s today with on and off light rain and overcast all day.  Forecast is for rain all day tomorrow, so lots of shop work planed.

Baxter had the right idea, stay in bed all day.

Almost finished with the large bracelet order and then will finish the tack trunk for a customer for Christmas.  

Very nice day to be outside, would not know it is December.  Forecast however is for rain and then cold weather and possible snow on Thursday.  This evening a glass of wine by the fire, with a book and Christmas music. 

Last of the engraving from the shows mailed today, now on to the big Christmas order we have to get out by December 11.  Sold the propane stove insert today form an add creigs list, have had lots of luck selling items on this free list.

Fixed a few fences this evening, that the ponies had broken during the day, horses sure are destructive.    

36 degrees and fog

It is 36 degrees with heavy of fog.  This is a view of our fish pond area looking toward the river.   

Reeder going to play golf, so Woody, Baxter and I are left on our own. Edna, Jill and Elizabeth are off to the awards banquet.  However already getting calls from them with things they forgot to do, I should do.

November was a very full month

Thanksgiving has passed and December is here.  The month of November was a very busy month for us, two engraving shows and lots of internet orders to fill. With our old engraving machine not dependable and sometimes stop working at the first show, we had to buy and overnight a new machine for the next show when we returned home on Monday.  It was a different brand machine and I had to learn enough to use for certain items in one day, the old machine still would engrave some items and the logos that people requested.  Still have a very large order to fill before Christmas and one for late January.

Seems Edna spent all waking hours shopping the Friday through Sunday after Thanksgiving Day.  She even for the first time went with Jill to the Black Friday sales that started at midnight.  She got home Friday about 3AM and was out again Friday afternoon and all day Sunday.  The rest of the week she knitted and worked on a school project with Elizabeth. 

A hawk got my last bantam hen last week, so my plan of having eggs to hatch next spring has gone away, unless I just order some eggs to incubate.  With the leaves off the trees, we have a good view of the river from our great room, which is very high because of all the rain up river.  

View from our great room 

 Will and Dale have been hunting for the pass week, but have not seen anything.  I told them I have a hawk that the can have.  Edna, Elizabeth and Jill leave tomorrow morning for The Homestead for a VHSA Associate banquet where Elizabeth will get an award for Best Medium/Large Pony rider for the year.  It is a 3 hour trip each way, so on my own tomorrow.  

Should have more time to keep the blog current during December.