January 2021 well we are nearly done with you and I for one have found the month a drag but as always have found some ways to distract, with good ole camera. With a whole heap of time on my hands I have managed to mostly fill it productively (err I am including word search and jigsaws in there!)
Also note to self just make the cake the boys like, I have a recipe book that does variation of a theme of orange/almond cake, like 4 different versions. Turns out only 2 they like, one is the one for Louie's birthday, so that has to remain special (got to have something in the proverbial bag to lift that Jan 1st B'day) and the everyday friend. Everyday friend cake is a tip all ingredients into the mixer and whizz and then bake. So a nice one for everyday and I even tried to teach Louie to do this (him being the my 'labour saving device') but I hit a snag, he hates breaking eggs.
The conversation went something like "you hate breaking eggs?" me incredulous. "yeah" him sheepish, "why?" me thinking what a phobia? "well they're messy" he is serious "but Louie, it isn't hard, and what if I wasn't there" classic parent fear, how will he manage in life if he can't break an egg....so far he's doing well for the record and this was his answer "well of course if you weren't there and I had to do it, had to, then yes I can do it, but I don't like it, they're messy" get ready for the lovely Louie face "and will you do it?" said in the most Louie lovely way.
What's that saying 'you can't make a cake without breaking a few eggs', or something like that, well you can if you have a Miranda! What can I say, spoilt rotten but it's all my own work:)
and on with the photos:
It is the morn of January 1st and a New Year 2021
The Birthday 19 yrd old Boy and the coat (the present)
Isaac's face is superb! Louie is just so happy!
and this is the famed The Whole Orange Cake !!!!
That was moments before devouring
and stretchy! That of course is Miss Bella and she "caught" a toy for us
This is the 2nd January and we had had some snow
The streets were empty and we went for our delayed new years walk
These left over berries from the Fall will feed those birdies
a favorite house of mine up the road
and a lovely pristine area to walk
always amazing to see the leaves still on the trees in the middle of winter
huge expanse of white and white
as you can see the trees are picked out in snow
even on the branches there is stacked snowflakes
Just wow, so tall
I like this one as you can see the driving snow direction, from the ridge of snow up the trunk.
Long lines of snowy trees
and pinecones in the snow
so now we have to snowshoe! and this is my partner in crime
This is the foot ware and for the uninitiated the thing is, you walk legs apart and like a weird duck. But you do cover more ground in these and if you don't mind looking inelegant it is fun! You can go up hill and down! and you feel like a caterpillar tractor! who can knock that as a winter past time!!!!
model deer? and a face mask on it?
Just lovely seeing the colour. Sumac is a treat all year round!
So vibrant
There is a guy up the street and he does snow carvings on his front lawn. They really are quite special and I'm sure people follow him on social media
This one, not so much. It really is quite sad and forlorn that carrot....tells a story
This would be the everyday cake!
it lasts 3 days max!!!!
I decided that even though we are 'Stay at Home order' , that a trip to Elora was in fact a mental health order for me. So off I went for the 20 minute drive.
Didn't know what I would see as I passed down the path
But the gorge is spectacular any time of the year and I wasn't disappointed
Just wow
It is a long wayyyyy down
The trees look so spindly clinging to the rocks
You can just make out the water in the middle of the picture
This is on part on a feeder river to the gorge, fabulous ice
And there she is majestic, look at those reflections!
It is actually quite fast flowing
You think, oh I could just step there...nope! you would be down the gorge in a second
and it's a long way down (I said that already)
The rock in the river and the weir...certainly fast flowing up stream
On the way back I saw these wavy grasses, so I had to pull over and take a snap. Such a beautiful day
The plant life in winter is always so surprising
But these have a glorious air about them
I'm not sure who is going to ambush who! But a new trick Bella has is sitting on the stairs
Honest to goodness what a cat!
But she can be quite sweet and I didn't make her sit there. Maybe she thinks she is a dog?
It is nice when people clear their paths and we can get out for walks
Archi just chillin
So the thing with the snow carver is that they do melt and it is funny when that happens. Look at the gnome in the back row!
Fantastic fungi and lichen
This had to be included as he is shaved!!!! hurrah
There has been lots of decorations in the trees.
This is the middle of the street and someone hung these all along all the trees...very jolly, as the days can be dull
we decided that we needed a fire pit!
I found I could take pictures of snowflakes while sitting by the fire
aren't they amazing
I was having revelations about snowflakes and how they clump and stick together
Just amazingly intricate and sooo delicate
and now for the marshmallow!!! yum
As I said winter time and plants, they are fascinating to me.
This is from a Rose of Sharon bush outside the laundry window
More snowflake designs
and this is what the snowflakes do, melt to the perfect water droplets
I'm not sure what we had done to deserve this but it does look like a cat sulk. It isn't but why is she doing that.? Maybe she too just wants some alone time! Lockdown is hard
I love this plant, so fluffy
That was an icy walk. Late sun in the day illuminating this treacherous pathway, I didn't walk that!
I think this is his, Joe (Biden). This I wasn't sure whether melting had occurred but I think not. The eye detail was amazing
and this random find on a walk put in a bush. How did the owner of the glasses get home and what about the dog?
More decorations in trees. But I discovered that I was also the subject in this picture
I was really wanting to take the street being reflected and how that looked
magic shovel
a gritty walk but I love the reflected spidery branches in the drainage ditch
More of my favorite grasses, this time by the LRT tracks
Paths in the snow
and just to prove that the sun does come out and make great shadows!
I love this picture and those clouds just above the tree line. They look like they are puffering away.
Isaac has created a monster
The Bella Bouquet...she talks until he cuddles her...
I think that snow carver did these too...but I am sure that this melted, although it was next to a sign saying stay 6ft apart...maybe he's making a point. This might be snow graffiti!!!!
This seed casing almost looks like a chickadee
But no full of seed and waiting to fly
Fantastic blue and the birch has so many catkins
The is something about blue sky in winter and the strong shadows the sun makes
Just fantastic blue sky
someone revving up for February
So snow carving guy has surpassed himself!
If this then turns into the leaning town of Pisa,
I really will be impressed. Talk about thinking ahead.
I couldn't make up my mind about the colour that I liked best.
Louie liked the blue, think I think the darker purply one...but you decided.
What ever, he really has a talent!
