Moose on the meadow and some frosty mornings

It's been pretty spectacular weather for the last week or so. Frosty mornings and sunny days. The combination of frost and sunshine makes for some very enjoyable photography. And we've had some lovely close-up visits from our resident moose. As always, when a critter shows up ~ everything else we're doing comes to an abrupt halt while we get out our cameras and click and whir! Visits from our local wildlife are major entertainment around here. Four legged visitors are much more common than visitors of the two legged variety. Every season has it's beauty ~ we are enjoying our winter immensely. Still, this time of year we begin to look forward to spring and the return of our sweet and colourful feathered friends!

Good Morning on the Meadow

The wood stove is warming the kitchen, the coffee's on and it's the start of another great day. David captured these shots of our sunrise this morning. We had about an inch of snow last night ~ the first snow that's fallen in a few weeks. It's lovely; warms things up a bit! At the other end of the day now and a few photos of our sunset. It began about 4:45 pm. David is working at the kitchen table this afternoon because the light is just right and there's the warmth of the wood stove too. He's working on a ring for fellow in Denmark. The ring is Black Walnut and Juniper Heartwood with inlaid bands of Tagish Lake meteorite dust. The ring is tapered and has a featured heartwood knot. The 'star dust' is being inlaid as borders to the heartwood. I can't wait to see the ring finished. Time now to make some dinner and watch the stars come out.

The Owl of Winter.

Winter on the meadow. Our Northern Hawk Owl has been around quite a bit the last few days. All three of us have had our cameras clicking. What a delight this small owl is. Quite comfortable with us it seems.These are a few of the photos David and I have taken while Vince has been getting some great close ups with his telescope camera. A few of our owl's favourite perches are very close to the house giving us the opportunity to watch him up close and personal. He's perched on abird feeder in the photo above.

Here he is perched on top of the clothesline pole.

We see all sorts of critter tracks at the edges of the meadow and watch eagle eyed for sightings of our four legged friends .... soon, soon!

Sending prayers and love and money . . .

We are so grateful to be among the fortunate who are enjoying the comforts of a warm home and a good Sunday dinner. We are grateful that we are able to help in some small way. Wanting to help as much as possible as quickly as possible, we searched for agencies who are on the ground in Haiti offering direct disaster assistance. Here are a few suggestions for legitimate Canadian agencies offering aid to the people of Haiti right now. Doctors Without Borders; 1-800-982- 7908 online at www.msf.ca Donations can be made to the Canadian Red Cross online at redcross.ca/helpnow or toll-free at 1- 800-418-1111. The Humanitarian Coalition comprised of CARE Canada, Oxfam Canada, Oxfam-Quebec and Save the Children Canada, 1-800-464-9154 or www.thehumanitariancoalition.ca and World Vision; 1-800-268-5528 or www.worldvision.ca

A December wander 'round the place ...

A wander around the place generally begins with a stroll by the old hand hewn log cabin that now stands at our gate as a tribute to Jennie Barlow; the pioneer who built it to house her dairy cow and her chickens. T'is a lovely thing at any time but especially pretty in the snow! Looking up and down the creek from our little bridge. A winter moment... an old crossing on the creek Our house (and greenhouse) from the creek with Vinny's place off to the right. Our creek in early winter ~ it's the critters highway! Where a pair of coyotes met and parted. A miniature mountain vista... My tracks meandering back home from across the meadow bringing to an end another lovely stroll in the winter sunshine... In the spirit of wishing you all the very best of the new year; here's a family treasure from a precious autograph book. This greeting card is dated "1873; from Charlie". The very first Christmas / New Year greeting cards can be traced back to the romantic Victorian era. The idea was created in 1843 by businessman Henry Cole after an English postal reform was passed. This made it possible for people to send mail for only a penny.

A subtle late December sky