Almost Didn't Have Christmas

What a time we had this year - storms with winds over 60 mph - heavy rains beating down, and then the power went out.  About a week before christmas!  But wait - the neighbors behind us have power - we can see from our vantage point on the top of a hill that almost everyone around us has power - except for the four newest houses - all in a row - us and our three neighbors.

We wait - and wait - get updates from PSE - then the bad news - we are a small outage - a total of 59 people affected (our four houses and some houses across the street and up in the woods) and we are LAST on the list to be repaired - expect power by Christmas Eve, 6 p.m.

We braved a day and a half, but with an all electric house - we soon became so cold we couldn't stop shivering even with layers of clothes and lots of quilts.  The temperature in the house got down below 40 degrees.  We borrowed camping coolers, bought ice and stuffed our food from the fridge into the coolers. But what about our freezer and the huge purchase of meat from the butcher that we had just made.  Fortunately our neighbor just behind us had power and let us run a heavy extension cord to his porch outlet and up into our back window - the freezer was saved!!!!

But we are almost icicles by now - so to the internet on my phone to find lodging.  A nearby Air BnB on Lake Whatcom is available - so we stuff some things into a suitcase and off we go - in the dark of the night - warmth - a soft bed - hot shower - at last we warm up.  So much nicer than a motel.

A very sweet room, with a large shower - and  breakfast items waiting for us in the fridge

The view was amazing - even though it poured rain the entire time.  This would be a wonderful place to come in the summer to enjoy the lovely yard, patio and Lake Whatcom across the street.

PSE kept us informed and kept moving the time up for our return to full power and after three nights and four days in the BnB the power was back on 19 1/2 hours earlier than they originally predicted - Dec. 23 at 1 p.m - we packed up and got home fast as we could.  

We still had gifts to wrap - and Christmas Eve to prepare for - and all sorts of chores to get the fridge and house back in order.  But we made it.

 Our grandson Ben loves Christmas Eve and came up to help us do the table and prepare the food for the festivities.

 We loaded treats on platters, made dips and got out the Lefton Holly dishes that we have had now for well over 40 years - adding pieces along the way.

 Lori made a chocolate house - that baby is solid chocolate!!!!!  And she and I had made the snow candles the day before the power went out - good timing on our part.

 Ready for the crowd - would you like a cookie or a candy - the cheeses, meats, dips and crackers are on the other end of the table - along with plenty of eggnog.

 Snow candles with the lights off and small candles burning bright inside.

 Our family in WV sent each family ornaments and we opened them on Christmas Eve.  Don got a baseball glove with ball - of course, and he loved it.

 Mine was the sweetest Grandmas's Cookie jar ornament.

 One family got a Darth Vader for their tree - to go with other Star Wars ornaments that they already have.

And last was a Silver Stream ornament, just like their very own, real-life Silver Stream

Our Son-in-Law Jason is a magician with the laser cutter and made a Washington State ornament with the Alaska Flag cut out - perfect for the state I grew up in (and where our oldest daughter was born) and our home state now, Washington.  Marvelous.

It was a glorious Christmas Eve - and early the next day everyone was back for Christmas gifts and a delightful brunch - which I didn't get any photos of - but be assured - it was wonderful, beautiful and so much fun.  The Christmas that almost wasn't.

What Are They Eating

It is always a good day when we find large flocks of Trumpeter Swans and Snow Geese on Fir Island.

 Two weeks ago we came upon this gigantic flock of Swans - usually they are spread out over the fields, while the Snow Geese tend to swarm in tighter groups.

 There were hundreds, maybe thousands of the Trumpeter Swans across a large field, in much tighter groups than usual.

 They spread out - and mingled with large flocks of the Snow Geese.  All intent on finding something to eat.

 And look what they found.

 The farmer had dumped large mounds of red and yellow potatoes in piles all along the field.

 The Swans were especially interested in the potatoes. 

 The farmer made big mounds and long piles of potatoes.  The farmers are having trouble selling their potatoes in other countries this year, and many crops are going to waste.

 We stayed and watched for well over 45 minutes - and only one other car drove by, and they didn't stop to watch.  No one else seemed to know that all those birds were there, eating potatoes.

 The Trumpeter Swans and Snow Geese are certainly having a feast.

 Here come more birds, flying in. 

 They want some of the plentiful potatoes.

Snow Geese

Every winter thousands and thousands of Snow Geese overwinter in our area.  Some of the farmers are paid to plant crops that will feed the Snow Geese.  The Snow Geese move around the area and it is an adventure to find some in huge flocks.  Two weeks ago we hit the jackpot - a single flock that was estimated (by someone who knows how to estimate the flocks) that there could be up to 75,000 in the flock we saw.

They fly in and land in the fields - sometimes it takes half an hour for all the flocks to congregate - sometimes they fly in faster - landing on the fields and never landing on top of each other.

Turn on sound and click full screen- it is amazing!

The flocks may stay for hours, feeding on the ground, or they may unexpectedly fly up and swirl about, landing nearby, or they may leave for another area - it is always exciting when it happens.  I am willing to sit for most of a day waiting for a flock to fly up.  

And they settle back on the ground - eating and resting and chattering.

They fly in from their nesting grounds in the Arctic Tundra. 

One end of the flock.

 The juveniles have beautifully colored feathers, the adults are all white, with black wing tips.

Two Books for Christmas Gifts

So, you are looking for the perfect gift - a book for the sports fan in you life.  Look no more - it is here!

My husband is an excellent writer, and his new book was published this summer and is available at Amazon   Click to order - free two day shipping for Amazon Prime Members.

 You will enjoy the player ratings  in this book, and also the lengthy details of the twenty best pitchers, twenty best regular players, 20 greatest games, as well as the twenty greatest baseball books of all time. If you are a baseball nut, this book is for you and the baseball fans in your life.

And now a book for the whole family - 

This is advertised at the top of my blog page - it is my story of the early years of growing up in Southeast Alaska in the 50s, when my family moved there from California.  It is also available on Amazon  in paperback or kindle.

It is family friendly, a great story for anyone from kids to adults.  Full of adventures and history of a time before Alaska became a state.

We hope you and your family enjoy the books and have a wonderful holiday season, from Don and JoAnn Bayne