Let it snow, let it snow, let it snow!

Snow at Christmastime is just about as festive as you can get, and we've got it on the ground, in the air and more on the way! A holiday blizzard is predicted around these parts and while it makes for treacherous travels, it's just so beautiful and FUN.

Ellis took his first turn on his new used cross country skis yesterday at the farm and anxiously awaits opening his Christmas skates for a spin around Uncle Paul's ice rink on Big Pine Lake. Here's to a safe, cozy and festive Christmas...now we just need to get to Perham, Minnesota before the blizzard does!

Merry Christmas and happy winter solstice to you!

Late fall at the farm

Hot cinnamon buns make tree hunting more merry...

Owain walks his first dog. Thanks, Bella.

Pig pile on Uncle Nathan!

Getting a photo where all three are looking at the camera is like capturing a unicorn.

Snoooowwww!

Dad and Jay give the new wood splitter a test run... 

...and compare plaid shirts.

Post-blizzard fun!

No deer!

My brother Greg and I:
- washed all our clothes in scent-free detergent
- dryed our clothes with scent-free dryer sheets
- bathed in scent-free body soap and shampoo
- sat outside for a total of 7 hours in 15 degree weather
- sat behind a ground blind made up of a maple tree that fell down
- looked into a snow covered valley filled with deer tracks
- had a mouse climb up and over our boots
- held hand warmers tightly in our gloves
- did not talk
- tried not to move
- saw one doe during the first five minutes Saturday morning about 100 yards away on the edge of the alfalfa feed and the tree valley, we thought she would come in, but she wandered around the edge and left
- saw no other deer
- watched squirrels, chickadees, blue jays, woodpeckers
- had a fantastic time
- can not wait until next deer season

- yes, I am sad I did not get a deer to learn how to field dress, skin and butcher
- yes, I am sad to not have venison and deer sausage this winter and spring

- but again, I had a fantastic time

- who would of thought hyper-active Jay would enjoy being still and silent for over 2 hours at a time and become addicted

Thanks Greg,

Jay

10 Days

10 Days yet until winter even begins, and yet, here we sit in nearly foot-deep snow, trimming the Christmas tree, and bundling ourselves against the frigid temperatures. The first days of December have certainly brought a new season upon Lostview Farm. Here are some of our days leading up to the solstice & holidays in pictures.

Tree trimming with Owain & Ellis

I think we could have fit at least another dozen ornaments on that one branch.

Stockings lovingly made by Gaga (my mom!)

My bundled little Barbaloot

The boys on Thanksgiving morning (only moments after this photo did I tuck the camera into the diaper bag and forget to take any more photos of our absolutely lovely time with my entire family for Thanksgiving feasting and festing!)

The sun setting on the cornstalk stubs.

The beautifully bleak midwinter approaches...

Luz

Yes, I'm dedicating an entire blog post to light fixtures. You see, there is one thing about our kitchen that makes it go from barely tolerable to cook in to delightfully lovely: lighting. Our IKEA brand under-the-cabinet lights died on us last spring and the replacement fixtures (which are seemingly higher quality but also higher installation difficulty) just went in today, thanks to Chris, who used a lot of elbow grease (and gorilla glue at times) to persuade the world's tiniest screws to attach the darn things to the underside of our cupboards...

...taking our dear kitchen from this:

...to this:

See?! This is the sort of thing that inspires me to blog once in a blue moon these days! But now I'll have evenly chopped onions, well-read recipes, properly measured spices, and the use of all my digits--avoiding chopping the tips of my fingers off because I couldn't see the darn edge of the knife--all thanks to good lighting. Now, if you'll excuse me, I need to go find something to do in the kitchen.