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It is nearly spring, so we have Ring-necked Ducks on the pond.  But because we have been away for several weeks, we also have Canada geese.  Neither we nor the ducks are pleased.

They are, if not evil incarnate, untidy nuisances.

Jen tried to run them off, but they just head for the pond.

The only way to get them to leave is to get in the rowboat and head straight for them.

We also had these more welcome visitors: a pair of bald eagles, circling above the house.

After a long flirtation with spring, the weather returned to arctic bluster.  A windstorm last week knocked over this elm tree from our hedgerow, but, on the bright side, it was already dead, and it would have had come down in any event.

We saw a pair of Canada geese and a mallard on the pond this weekend.  By Sunday, it was starting to ice over again.  Daisy was vocal in her displeasure with the geese.

Jen spent much of Presidents’ Day weekend working on a new short story, while I offered helpful plotting suggestions.

After nearly a month away, we returned to the farm to find plenty of fresh powder for sledding and snowball fights.

Sarah hosted the Lawson twins for winter sports and hot cocoa.

Here is Sarah, all bundled up.  We had to return early Sunday to avoid another 7″-12″ of snow.

We had a long weekend for Martin Luther King, Jr. Day, but spent half of it in New York so that Sarah could attend a Bat Mitzvah and we could attend The Book of Mormon.

We drove up Sunday morning to find an icy, but not frozen, pond.

I hate these birds deeply (since one of them is destroying my porch), but they are photogenic.

We rode out the end of the year at the farm.  While we didn’t have a white Christmas, the holiday was bookended by dustings that produced a little more snow than advertised.  Pictured is “less than an inch.”

We had a fine tree with many presents beneath it.

Sarah performed her customary ceremonial duties as elf.

Jen’s entire family came for the festivities.

Erica presented this award to Jen.

Even Daisy received a gift.

After Christmas we had a beautiful sunset.

And then another “dusting.”

Fortunately, there was just enough snow for sledding in the back yard.  Daisy was an enthusiastic participant.

We cooked up a storm for Thanksgiving.  Here is Jen making three pies simultaneously.

We got a monster turkey from Frank Vosburgh at Kesicke Farm — 25.75 pounds.  It was the smallest one he had.

Julie and Stacey came in uniform.

Sarah danced whenever not organizing or playing board games.

Her grandfather looked on bemusedly.

Daisy is patiently waiting for Thanksgiving, when she hopes many items will fall off the dining table.

We had a surprise dusting of snow overnight.  We hope it won’t interfere with anyone’s holiday travel plans!

… is absolutely destroying our porch.

Grrr.

We had fine weather today for a walk up Burger Hill.

Daisy and Ringo, who were married last year in an informal ceremony officiated by Sarah and her friend Sophie, came along for the walk.

Jen harvested our two pumpkins, just in time for Halloween.