Oh Christmas Tree

With the holidays just around the corner, we are getting the house decorated and starting our holiday baking.  Watch for the upcoming post about the epic Christmas cake.

For me, the Christmas Tree is an important part of our tradition. 

I can't have a fake tree.  Its got to be REAL.  

So, one of the things that I absolutely LOVE about living in Nova Scotia is that here you can go to a Christmas Tree farm and cut your own tree down.  Gone are the days of trudging up to the mall parking lot, picking out a tree and then – how we ever did this I will never know – taking our 7 foot real tree home on the bus!  Crazy!

Anyway, a couple of weekends ago we went with some friends to our local Christmas Tree Farm – the Embree's Tree Farm in East Sable River. 

The setting is gorgeous – unspoiled woods with a multitude of trees to choose from.  All shapes and sizes.  It is difficult to pick the perfect tree. 

Too tall!

The trees are all so beautiful.  We always have a discussion about how large it needs to be? how wide?, are there any bare spots?  

Just right

After trudging through the woods, we finally come across the PERFECT Tree for us.

The highlight for the boys is the hot chocolate with lots of marshmallows and homemade cookies in the camp.  

Hot chocolate over an open fire

It must be the setting that makes the hot chocolate taste fantastic.

 

It is such a wonderful tradition. 

Our motley crew

The tree was set up and allowed to rest over night.  

Ready to decorate

Well, that pesky elf - one of Santa's surveillance team - decided that we were taking too long to decorate the tree, so he did it himself.

Elf on the Shelf decorated tree.

Fake flowers and stuffed toys!  Really?  You would think that one of Santa's elves would do a better job than that.  I mean - wouldn't that be part of the job description?  

Seasons Greetings to you all.

It's Drafty, so I'm getting Crafty

Growing up in drafty houses meant that we always had door snakes or draft stoppers by our exterior doors.  They were pretty standard fair.  Long tubes filled with fabric and placed in front of the door to stop the winter chill. 

We've lived in our current home now for quite some time and every winter I say I'm going to make a door snake and never do.  So, we resort to the ever so attractive towel placed in front of the door.  An effective lazy woman's hack.

But no more ... I spent a few hours designing my new and improved draft stopper.  I didn't want to make a snake because then my Ophidiophobic friends would not be able to visit. 

So I made a log.  A door log.  The design was inspired by the Yule Log I make every year.  Instead of being filled with butter cream icing, it has an inner tube filled with popcorn while the rest is stuffed with wool sweater cuttings. 

When I showed it to my children, they thought it was rather plain and boring, so they suggested that I make a couple of creatures to live on the log.  A ladybug 

And a inch worm.

And, now, my house is warm and my front door looks lovely!

Don't you love the vintage purse I found?

If you want to make one of these yourself, search for "DIY Door Snakes", you will find all sorts of sites with instructions.  Hope you are keeping warm. 

Snowy Winter

When the blog is quiet, life is busy.

We have had an extraordinarily snowy December and January.  Its been a winter wonderland for all those who like winter weather and a snowy hell for all those who don't.  

I haven't see this much snow since 2004.

Thank goodness we have a snow blower!

 The Arctic Vortex came for a visit and delivered bone chilling temperatures of -23C.  

We stayed in those days.

On warmer days, we subscribed to the attitude "if you can't beat it join it".  

So we did...

building a snowman

Snow shoeing - don't I look sporty?

Even the most ardent winter haters have to admit it is pretty!

Icy harbour

Sunset over the harbour

 Here is a little something I worked on before Christmas -

Cardinal Ornaments for friends and family

 Happy New Year.

Thanks for stopping by!