Another successful Christmas eve for the Harris-Wilson-Thornton clan is in the books and it was a doozy.
On the 24th, Rob and I travelled over to Feversham for a celebration at the Thorntons. We had some time before dinner, so Sandy and I took a stroll through her fifty acre sugar bush, marvelling at the gorgeous picture nature painted the day before with all the white stuff blanketing the property.
Above is a panoramic shot I took of the cabin in the woods that's still under construction. One day, it will be a retreat/party house/fun place to hang out just a short walk from the main house. Or it could turn out to be Uncle Paul's hermit home (long story). Anyhow, it's a pretty good subject for a wintry scene, at the very least, no?
Dinner itself was fantastic, with lamb and steak and veggies and all the fixings - including, obviously, Christmas crackers. Rob seems to have already lost his crown in the shot that I like to call the "Herd at the Trough."
Everyone was in a very festive mood, as evidenced by my nieces: the honorary Santa (Rachel in the red hat) and the goofy-specked Erin who can't resist mugging for the camera.
It all went fairly well, save for the unfortunate dessert incident in which Erin's friend's dog ate half the offerings from the kitchen table.
It felt faintly like that scene in A Christmas Story when the pack of hounds charge through the house and abscond with the roast turkey. Only this time, it was one seven-month-old overly exuberant hound named Casper and the target was the lovely baked goodies made by my friend Pat. Fear not, we were able to salvage quite a few treats and there was still plenty of mincemeat tarts and shortbread to go around.
Christmas itself was a quiet affair here at the farmette, although the kitties really appreciated all the packaging detritus. Given that it was his first, Calvin was especially enamoured of the piles of tissue paper and how wonderfully they crinkled as he leaped and gamboled around and in them.
Gotta say I do appreciate being able to spend time with family at this time of year, and despite the odd hiccup, 2018 proved to be a great Christmas. Until next week.