COLD DARK ROOM

[Lyn W]

Balloon rides for next year. I know they had some companies running these out of Harrogate. Balloon rides over the Yorkshire Dales. ?

I've done a couple of those over the Welsh countryside they were brilliant!
Unfortunately I think they charge about £260 per couple so I don't think I could stretch to that.

 

[Maggie3fan]

Kind of like a railroad spike!

I know...wow...that's what it looks like too...

 

[CarolM]

Hi Guys, just checking in to say hi, And a very big thank you to @CathyG. I received your Christmas card. I absolutely love the little penguin. It is as cute as a button. And to answer your question the finches have taken over the ?. I wanted to attach a pic, but for some reason I am not having any luck with uploading a pic.

@Maro2Bear I am sorry to see that you had a hip replacement. I hope that all is okay now.

I hope that everyone has an awesome Christmas and New Year.

 

[Maro2Bear]

Hi Guys, just checking in to say hi, And a very big thank you to @CathyG. I received your Christmas card. I absolutely love the little penguin. It is as cute as a button. And to answer your question the finches have taken over the ?. I wanted to attach a pic, but for some reason I am not having any luck with uploading a pic.

@Maro2Bear I am sorry to see that you had a hip replacement. I hope that all is okay now.

I hope that everyone has an awesome Christmas and New Year.

Thanks. It’s only been 2 weeks (today) and things are amazingly well. ?

 

[CarolM]

Thanks. It’s only been 2 weeks (today) and things are amazingly well. ?

That is great news. Always fantastic when a plan comes together.

 

[Yvonne G]

I'm sick and tired of these grey, cold overcast days. Sick, sick, sick, I tell ya'. S - I - C , ILL!!!

(you all are probably too young to recognize that old comedy line)

 

[Maro2Bear]

Cold @39F overcast and gray here too. The bright spot is that we just now picked our largest harvest of Fuju Persimmons from our very own tree. Each year, we get more & more. Last year I think about 30, while this year closer to 90.

 

[MenagerieGrl]

Cold @39F overcast and gray here too. The bright spot is that we just now picked our largest harvest of Fuju Persimmons from our very own tree. Each year, we get more & more. Last year I think about 30, while this year closer to 90.

View attachment 337865

That's a good harvest, I have to fight the tree rat's (squirrel's) for mine.
Mine were harvested a month and a half ago. I got about 20 this year, far better than the 5 when I would wait to harvest and the lil buggers would take two bites and on to the next.

 

[Maggie3fan]

I'm sick and tired of these grey, cold overcast days. Sick, sick, sick, I tell ya'. S - I - C , ILL!!!

(you all are probably too young to recognize that old comedy line)

Try putting your face under a UVB light for about 12 hours...you have S.A.D...we know all about that here in the great Pacific Northwest...Seasonal Affected Disorder...I like the disorder part...lol...better watch out...you better not shout you better not pout...

 

[Maggie3fan]

Cold @39F overcast and gray here too. The bright spot is that we just now picked our largest harvest of Fuju Persimmons from our very own tree. Each year, we get more & more. Last year I think about 30, while this year closer to 90.

View attachment 337865

make bread...yum

 

[Maro2Bear]

That's a good harvest, I have to fight the tree rat's (squirrel's) for mine.
Mine were harvested a month and a half ago. I got about 20 this year, far better than the 5 when I would wait to harvest and the lil buggers would take two bites and on to the next.

Luckily, only a few had recent squirrel bites. Nothing too damaging. We planted this tree about 7 years ago. Really hardy tree, nice foliage, & the persimmons taste great. Fuju are “non-astringent” - taste like papaya & mango combo. ?

 

[Maro2Bear]

make bread...yum

Looking at some recipes now. Normally we just eat them fresh from the tree.

 

[Cathie G]

Yes, Maggie, I have "been there Done that". And it's no fun doin it when it's pouring down rain. Reminds me of a story:
Back in 2012, Dec. 31st we were getting inundated with rain. I worked for The local Sewer District as a Senior Maintenance Technician, I got a call from our Crew member that was "on-Call" that a Pump Station in Crockett Ca. was on the verge of flooding and to come assist. I threw on my clothes, put the tool box in the truck and on I went, I was 500ft. from the exit off the freeway, hit a huge puddle, lost control, did 2, 360's, hit the center divide and came to rest in the middle of the freeway @ 04:00am. Virtually NO cars around. Fired the truck up, limped off the freeway on 3 wheels, made it into town, and headed for the pump station. Un benonste to me the parking lot you had to drive through to get to the pump station had 2 ft of water in it. I rounded the corner, went flyin through the parking lot with water going over the hood of the truck, once I figured out this is NOT good, I floored it, got to high ground 600 feet through the parking lot. We ended up spending 14 hrs there keeping the pump station from going under. . . True Story! Whatta night!

Florida in the everglades is real fun too. Part of the year is so dry you can have fires and the summer you can have so much rain you can find baby turtles swimming in your yard.

 

[Cathie G]

I went too see the new pup yesterday evening and she is absolutely beautiful.
Very playful and good around people. I think they are going to call her Tilly or Poppy.
I'll post her pic when they send me one.

Oh good! Please do. I'm so happy for all of you with a new baby in the family.?

 

[Cathie G]

My tree is about 3 feet tall and comes out of the box ready decorated. All I have to do is add the fairy (who has been in the family for over 60 years) to the top and plug the lights in. Not much of a chore.
I give my nephews and nieces money now because who knows what they want for Christmas anymore? I always tell my sisters not to get me anything but but they do anyway because they think I'm too generous with their kids, so I get something for them. Even last year when we agreed we would definitely not buy for each other - they all still did and I felt awful because I didn't!
So this year I'm ready - 2 of them are getting experience gifts - one and her partner are going to the Royal Mint where all coins are made, they get to make their own with a tour and lunch included; another with her hubby is off the Bletchley Park where all the code breaking with enigma was done during the war...they both like things like that. I wanted to get them a ride on a zip wire but that was rather too expensive. The other sister and hubby have a wildlife camera for the garden which I know they'll enjoy. So I've finished my Xmas shopping at least.

Those are such nice thoughtful presents. No wonder they make sure to think of you. My tree never comes down ? I just turn on the lights. I change it out and clean now and then but I did do something different this year. One of my Spruce trees from the Arbor Day Foundation is now planted as a small forever Christmas tree. I'm going to try to bonsai it but not small like a traditional bonsai. Just small like my ornamental fake Christmas tree. Joe always buys me little things for it. I think he'll enjoy it as much as me.

 

[Cathie G]

I dislike Christmas. It was different when I was raising a family....but when you are a single adult it can be painfully lonely. I do stuff for myself on Christmas. Some years I put up a tree...this year it was free from my logger friend, I bought myself a gift and I will probably take the tree down as I have decided to move furniture and change my living room around...I don't know about you but when a friend gives me a gift on Christmas, because I can't reciprocate, it makes me uncomfortable. I really would rather they don't. I'm not bored and generally not depressed, I would just rather it didn't happen...
here's my last Dale Earnhardt Christmas tree...View attachment 337858

Ahh Maggie I'll be here on Christmas. I can't go without my TFO fix for even one day. Christmas or not ? I'm alone a lot too which I don't really mind and sometimes actually like ? because then I can get on here and if people are talking I get to laughing about their antics. I always hate it when TFO is quiet.?

 

[Cathie G]

Hi Guys, just checking in to say hi, And a very big thank you to @CathyG. I received your Christmas card. I absolutely love the little penguin. It is as cute as a button. And to answer your question the finches have taken over the ?. I wanted to attach a pic, but for some reason I am not having any luck with uploading a pic.

@Maro2Bear I am sorry to see that you had a hip replacement. I hope that all is okay now.

I hope that everyone has an awesome Christmas and New Year.

And don't they just sing their little hearts out ? that's how I got hooked line and sinker. I absolutely love ? their noise ❤️. Merry Christmas ??

 

[Cathie G]

I'm sick and tired of these grey, cold overcast days. Sick, sick, sick, I tell ya'. S - I - C , ILL!!!

(you all are probably too young to recognize that old comedy line)

Well...then please educate me. It might have been on TV when I was a kid but I didn't get to watch it. I was busy looking at frogs and toads and accidentally playing with snakes.?

 

[Cathie G]

Cold @39F overcast and gray here too. The bright spot is that we just now picked our largest harvest of Fuju Persimmons from our very own tree. Each year, we get more & more. Last year I think about 30, while this year closer to 90.

View attachment 337865

This year I think fruit trees went nuts. I had to pay a tree service to fix our Crab Apple tree. I have a friend that made sure his family fit me in or I would not have gotten it. People here in Ohio actually had to cut down trees because they were so heavy with fruit that they fell apart. Mine had broken limbs from it... but I did make some pretty good Crab Apple jelly.?

 

[Lyn W]

Hi Guys, just checking in to say hi, And a very big thank you to @CathyG. I received your Christmas card. I absolutely love the little penguin. It is as cute as a button. And to answer your question the finches have taken over the ?. I wanted to attach a pic, but for some reason I am not having any luck with uploading a pic.

@Maro2Bear I am sorry to see that you had a hip replacement. I hope that all is okay now.

I hope that everyone has an awesome Christmas and New Year.

Merry Christmas to you and your family too, Carol.
I hope you have a lovely time!! x