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It is very cold, even by February, upstateish New York standards. I mean really cold. Not everyone seems to mind.

Here’s Jen out in the woods, stalking the elusive Barred Owl. We had a glimpse of the owl, but we got a much closer look at these ferocious creatures of the forest, who appear to have wandered over from the Vlei Marsh trail.

We had a quiet Christmas holiday, with just the three of us and Jen’s parents. Sarah ably performed her elfly duties, and Daisy found a soup bone in her stocking. Sarah gave Jen these beautiful pressed ginkgo leaves from Strasbourg. She gave her grandfather a pen and notebook, where he can record his inner thoughts. […]

Here are Jen and Daisy planning for the coming Thanksgiving holiday. Just off camera is Sarah, knitting companionably. There are many chores to be completed, including the annual Storage of the Tubers. Jen has collected about 250 dahlia tubers, so next year should be a colorful one.

When Daisy was younger she avoided the sun, but now, at twelve, she seeks it out.

Jen, returning Sunday from her 40th high school reunion, looked in on her garden, which, as has become customary, received about two inches of rain on Saturday. Daisy assumed her post by the garden door.

What could be better on a snowy Presidents’ Day Weekend than cassoulet and the U.S. v. Canada game in the Four Nations Face-Off tournement. The U.S. won 3-1 in a tight game. Daisy watched with interest.

Daisy has been enjoying the clement fall weather, asking to be let outside at least every twenty minutes or so. She is ever vigilant.

The kitchen was abuzz for our weekend visitors, Julie, Stacey, and babysitter-for-life Lauren Ballback. Between meals, Jen managed to put up quite a few jars of marmalade. Stacey lent her customary good cheer. Lauren stopped overnight on her drive from Virginia to Maine. While here, she and Sarah made approximately 30,000 calories worth of granola. […]

Daisy enjoyed what has become an unusual event: a foot of snow. She remains pretty energetic at ten years old.