Snow and Cold

With the bitter cold the past few days, hummingbird feeders are getting rotated inside to warm up on an hourly basis. The ordinarily quarrelsome hummingbirds apparently have struck a truce that allows multiple birds at one feeder. 

We got to go sledding on a small hill near our house.

Snow angels

Boookie the sled dog

Ela doing snow magic

After we all got back from sledding, Eejee wanted to spend more time playing outside and he made this great snow castle.

What a great group of snow hobbitlings!

Winter Birds

Over the past year, the Mayor has used up 4.5 pounds of sugar for our local hummingbirds.

When one of the little jerks gets our attention through the window by flaring his neck colors to complain about the state of the feeder, it makes it all worth it.

Yesterday morning, the Mayor and Hobbit Wife got to watch this little guy wake up from a state of torpor and start moving about.

Speaking of waking up from torpor and moving about, here are Boookie and Ela helping keep the driveway and sidewalk clear.

"Mr. Subzero" enjoying a crisp winter workout.

Christmas Pickle

We learned a Christmas tradition from Auntie Jen, where a pickle is hidden in the Christmas tree. This year, the Mayor has been hiding the fake pickle early each morning and leaving a riddle of some kind on the "mind grapes board" to give a clue. Yesterday's clue was, "sic semper cucumis," so of course, everyone know to look around the Muppet Theater ornament to find John Wilkes Cuke.

School Pictures

After a delay, we finally got 2022-2023 school pictures from the photographer.

It's the most wonderful time of the year

For people who love batch cooking, there's nothing like being able to store vats of food in the snow outside.

Snowshoes!

Boookie finally got to try out snowshoes he received for his 17th birthday.

Going for a brisk snowshoe run up at the track. 

Posing in the woods after an enjoyable hike through the neighborhood.

Tree Decorating Party

Last night after school and work, we went out to get our Christmas tree.

Hobbitlings decorating the tree, circa 2022.

For comparison, hobbitlings decorating the tree, circa 2016.

Every year we do themed ornaments, and this year, the theme is racoons.

The tree is decorated and snow is falling outside. In the words of Boookie, "This is one of those 'perfect moments!'"

The hobbitlings also decorated a gingerbread hot cocoa stand.

Old coots giving advice, ft. Stattler and Waldorf

Unexpected Snow Day

We went to bed last night with snow falling but the prediction things would warm up through the night. It turned out to be a night of many falling branches and an extended power outage.

The Hobbit Wife did her usual magic and created "Branches Down Cafe." 

Boookie cleared a path to the shop for the Mayor in a (successful) attempt to get the Mayor to print up handouts for a class that moved online today.

Here's one of the advertised branches. No major losses at Michael Delving, other than a small section of damaged fence and a loosened gutter. Lots of cleanup awaits, though.

Sadly, the Sons of Thunder are under the weather and have to enjoy the snow day listening to an audiobook of Harry Potter.

Harry the Raccoon looking out the window at the snow.

Remember, Remember

For the fifth of November, we enjoyed drinking 5th of November gunpowder tea. The lads set Pop-Its on fire, along with the school calendar from last year.

Unclear what triggered this, but here is Eejee being a city councilmember, listening to public complaints from Seimi.

End of October

The Mayor and Boookie went down to Oregon last weekend to go to a conference and they worked in a hike before-hand.

Stopping for a cup of tea in the snowy woods up near Mount Hood.

Halloween was a very low-key event this year. With busy school schedules and some illnesses, pumkin decorating didn't happen until the day before Halloween. 

Eejee was the lone trick-or-treater this year. Here he is, ready to head out to the wilderness dressed as Lewis (of Lewis & Clark).

Mid-November update: There was a  little mandarin orange with a split that we decorated at Halloween. This weird little gremlin has become a valued member of the fruit bowl and we are all wanting to see how long he can last.

Indoor Tent

The Mayor and Hobbit Wife worked together to create an indoor tent for Sukkot, and Ela helped with the decorating.

We enjoyed having people over to celebrate with us.

Ela wanted a picture to capture the phrase "Now is the Winter of Our Disco-Tent"

A bonus picture of a monstrosity the Mayor discovered downstairs.