Christmas morning - before, during and after

A surprize for Karen and Barry

I should have taken before and after pictures - all two or three of you would be amazed.  The front yard was a mass of leaves - on large area where raked leaves had been piles and the remainder full of more recent falling leaves.  As it happens, I love to rake leaves and thus I yielded to temptation and took rake in hand and attacked the leaves with gusto.  Their yard debris enormous pick up container is filled with leaves that were crushed downward several times to make more space.  The yard is minus 99% of the afore mentioned leaves - unfortunately, there are leaves still drifting downward from the tree so it is not perfect. 
The only thing that would have been more fun would have been actually burning the leaves - I have loved the smell of burning leaves since childhood.

Christmas is Coming

It always makes me happy to bring out my
few remaining Christmas decorations.
(Note, the picture is staight - the cabinet
does sag abit.)




All the cardinals had to fly to the top of my
bookshelves - a tad crowded but very
happy birds none-the-less.

Hoping to see all of you during the Christmas
season. If not, have a very merry Christmas
and a wonderful New Year.