Looks like a White Xmas

[Cassandra]

About 4 ins drifting off The Lake early morning. As my mum would have said, "The skies look full of it'. Hee & Haw (seen here) really enjoyed it and couldn't wait to get into the meadow, gallavanting like children and calling excitedly to each other. We're getting the 'Rocket' (snowboggan) out later on, I tempted fate and had it fitted with new batteries yesterday, but my Native Indian friend Joe, told me 'heap big snow' was coming ...

[klondike]

Keep warm keep safe but enjoy the seasons too. Happy Christmas Cass.

[Mups]

Cassandra,  that picture of your gorgeous donkeys,  would make a perfect Christmas card if you knew how to do it?

I hope you are feeling stronger now,  and Happy Christmas to you and yours. 

[muddy]

Great picture .😀

[Alex]

Hee and Haw are adorable 
Stay safe in that " heap big snow " Cass !

[Cassandra]

Cassandra,  that picture of your gorgeous donkeys,  would make a perfect Christmas card if you knew how to do it?

I hope you are feeling stronger now,  and Happy Christmas to you and yours. 

My great niece took them and she is studying 'photograhy etc' at University. She has entered them on a site they all use to judge the appeal of their entries. Apparently at No 1, it's a hit for her already and I'm going to accept your excellent recommendation for next year, re Xmas Cards. She of course says 'its easy', I just need to finance the machine ... Thank you, feeling much better now, but haven't ridden in the drawn buggy yet behind Redd, but did take the Snowboggan out late afternoon - spotlights glaring, wild life eveywherever, very exhilarating.

[Mups]

Excellent news Cassandra.  Clever girl your gt. niece. 
So glad you are feeling on the mend, too.     

[dextrous63]

So glad to hear that you're on the mend Cass.  Wonderful pictures.  Wonderful life.  Are you sure we can't tempt you back to old Blighty?  Thinks there's a couple of old houses in Scunthorpe you could buy for a snip.

[Cassandra]

Hee and Haw are adorable 
Stay safe in that " heap big snow " Cass !

The snowboggan has a cosy heated cabin ad is virtually incapable of overturning (if your sensible on speeds etc). We'd chopped up loads of wood and exported the the trees down from the high wood. I'm going to install a small sawmill with a compressor in the new year, plus a shelter for the chopped logs. We currently use chain-saws up there, but for one man at a time it's hard going and inefficient. Some of the big firs that need to come down have circumferences of nearly three feet. I need to fell a lot of them too. During the sequestration period (4 years) that the US dept of Justice held the upper wood, under court order, no maintenance took place and consequently some parts are choking. I don't want anything for the lumber, indeed I'm going to 'gift' it to local hospices and charities, they just have to call and collect it. Keir Starmer however is banned, seems he wants everything free for himself and to punish old folk and hospices  

[Cassandra]

So glad to hear that you're on the mend Cass.  Wonderful pictures.  Wonderful life.  Are you sure we can't tempt you back to old Blighty?  Thinks there's a couple of old houses in Scunthorpe you could buy for a snip.

Thanks Dex, Of all my small menagerie here, the Donkeys are the most poular with everyone. I've found them to be very intelligent creatures, who'd responded so well to love and care. We recently had them clipped (leaving longer coat in the right places) and the lady who came to do the job remarked how affectionate they both were!

I'ts strange, but during my attack and that fleeting ride home hanging round Dixie's neck I realised just how much I appreciated these things and how sad I was to perhaps be saying goodbye to them all. My local Doc (a friend these days) told me that TIA's are most dangerous during the 72 hours subsequent. In this time a follow-ups damage is very often serious (paralysis etc), or terminal. I'm glad I didn't know that at the time!

I've not been back to Blighty since I left and to be honest after seeing what 'devolution' had done to my birth place of Ilford in Essex shortly before leaving I think I'll leave it that way. As Simon and Garfunkle sung - "long ago, it must be, I have a photograph - preserve your memory - its all that left you ...

[JBR]

I've not been back to Blighty since I left and to be honest after seeing what 'devolution' had done to my birth place of Ilford in Essex shortly before leaving I think I'll leave it that way. As Simon and Garfunkle sung - "long ago, it must be, I have a photograph - preserve your memory - its all that left you ...

Yes, I can appreciate that.  Were Marge and I younger, we'd probably be thinking about emigrating too, possibly to the US, but if not there almost anywhere who would have us!

I have relatives in the States (New England) and have visited them years ago.  They live out in the country and it all seems to be very peaceful there.  I'm not sure how it is in some of the big cities, but I expect rather more happy than here since BLiar despite you also being in receipt of illegal immigrants.  I believe that Trump is promising to rectify that though.

I too hope that you are feeling better now.

[Raven]

Love the donkeys, we have a wee animal sanctuary along at Groats that I called into sometimes when Dageus and I were heading to the Duncansby Stacks walk. They have a couple of donkeys who love a cuddle.

[GrannyMac]

It's a beautiful scene! The expressions on the faces of the donkeys is so serene and contented, as if they know they are really cared for.

I can see at least one of our grandchildren moving overseas when they grow up.   

[Cassandra]

I went out yesterday (1st time since my setback) in the little buggie pulled by the two Donkeys Hee & Haw. We went about 5 miles all in, up into the High Wood to Joe's Cabin. My lady guest here, did the driving, which she's used to. It was her idea to select the Donkeys. I usually take Big Redd the Suffolk Punch. Apparently 'Redd' heard the sounds of his 'cart' setting off and clearly was very 'off' with us when we returned. Indeed he pushed 'Darya' (my friend) in the back for not selecting him. It was so peaceful in the Wood, lots of Rabbits in their winter quarters (hollow felled trees etc.). Joe took us out and led the buggy into a very deep part of the wood and as we watched from a tree platform, a Black Bear went into her Den and just lay there at the entrance, quite aware we were there. Joe walked right up and laid a Deer leg before her and returned to the hide with us. "She eat now, then settle down for about 10-12 weeks of big sleep he told us." I do this every year for her." Apparently he saved the bear as a tiny cub, when her mother deserted her and the lone creature lived in his cabin, until she was mature enough to hunt on her own. He taught her to reject other humans and to fend for herslf, but clearly a great bond exists between them. "Sometimes when I open the Front door of Cabin in the morning she is curled up next to it, like dog". She perhaps stays all day and night, then leaves and I don't see her for weeks while she hunts. Always brings her cubs to show them off he said."

I had no idea I had Bears in my Wood, but they have been moving South further and deeper into Mid-West Michigan over the past twenty years. Indeed it's legal to shoot them, so they are furtive and distant to humans, who they have learned can kill proficiently at a distance. Accordingly I will now institue my territory a 'no kill zone', with Joe as my warden.

[Alex]

Glad you're doing ok Cass, one step at a time eh    Your friend Joe sounds a good person too and what a wonderful area to live in !