An Uncle Tractor Christmas

Our family tradition is to put up our Christmas tree over Thanksgiving weekend.  We don't decorate our entire house (a wreath on the door, some white candles in the windows, a little greenery on the porch).  But we really go all out on the tree.

We decorate our tree in glass ornaments.  The wife and I have been collecting them over the years.  We have old family ornaments, those we have found at antique shops and auctions, ones we get get from various shops, and those we pick up from the places we travel.  In total, we have well over 400 glass ornaments on our tree.

In keeping with the theme of 'The Barn Board', we have barns.  Traditional barns like ours . . .

. . . and classic Shaker round barns!

There are little snow-covered houses . . .

. . . snow covered cottages . . .

. . . churches . . .

. . . fanciful buildings . . .

. . . quaint cottages . . .

. . .  and even fine hotels!

I need to find a few more buildings.  Maybe an outhouse!

Lacking Motivation

Usually this time of year I find myself indoors on the rowing machine working on rowing 200K meters as part of the Concept2 Holiday Challenge.

Well . . .

I just can't do it this year!  No, it's not lack of time.  No, it isn't desire to exercise.

It's just that I don't want to be inside.

I'll go to the gym, but the weather is still good enough to be outside.  Today is was in the 40s (degF).  I was cycling outside.  It snowed earlier this week, but the roads are dry.

The views of the mountains are beautiful, even on a gray November day.

The water is is gray, like the sky.

Dead Creek is still.  There is ice in a few spots.  Soon it will be frozen.  In time, the river and lake will then freeze.

I hope the roads keep dry through the winter to allow me to ride into Spring!

Happy Thanksgiving!

Hoping you are all well and are finding time to be thankful!

~ Uncle Tractor

November

The still of winter is not far away.

The varmints are busy getting food . . .

The morning frost has finally knocked back the knotweed for the season . . .

The raking is done.  The compost bins are full . . .

I installed snow guards on the new roof.

I hope they will stop all the snow from collecting on the porch roof!

I got a new snowblower.  I call it an early Christmas gift.

The snow geese are about.  Winter is soon to come.

No Snow,
No Sun,
No Color,
November!