Splitting up Christmas

We're not really celebrating Christmas today. Why not? Because Younger Daughter will be coming home in late January (haven't seen her in over three years!) and we'll have our celebration then. In fact, we plan to leave the tree and outside lights up until then because she hasn't seen many Christmas trees in the last three years.

So on this, actual Christmas Day, we're just having a low-key day. In many ways, it's a much more of a religious focus for us. We went to our church's candlelit Christmas Eve service last night, and then attended church again this morning.

We don't even have any livestock at the moment to care for. In years past, we always made sure to feed our livestock extra well on Christmas Eve and Christmas Day, because legend has it animals are granted the gift of speech on Christmas Eve, and we never wanted our beasties complaining to the neighbors about how they're treated.

In the absence of livestock, I've been keeping the bird feeder extra full.

Our "livestock" has consisted of Cassin's finches, Oregon juncos, lesser goldfinches, ring-necked doves, quail, and the occasional black-headed grosbeak.

(The red light on the quail's breast is a reflection of a Christmas light through the window.)

Below the deck, the snow is a mess, covered with cracked and uncracked seeds. This attracts turkey and even deer in droves (you can see some turkeys dashing away on the left.)

Here Mr. Darcy is ON ALERT just after scaring the turkeys off. He lives for moments like that.

Oh, and red-shafted flickers. They're not here for sunflower seeds; they're here to winkle bugs and grubs from tight spaces.

We've had our share of snow and cold. Here snow is falling in front of the woodpile... 

...and across the fields.

We have high-spirited neighbors who drive a pickup pulling young people on sleds, skiis, and anything else that slides.

Last night we were leaving (in the dark) for church and heard shrieks and laughter as they pulled this stunt in the dark. Ah, to be young and stupid again. It's cute, actually. We enjoy watching them.

Tonight we plan to settle down to watch the 1947 version of "Miracle on 34th Street" and drink Irish cream. Our annual tradition is to watch George C. Scott's "A Christmas Carol," but we'll wait for Younger Daughter to be home to do that.

I hope and pray, dear readers, that no one got caught up in the ugly weather slamming so much of the nation. Be safe and warm out there. Merry Christmas!