I Know the Holidays Are Just About Over

because the cookie containers are down to crumbs and Bart is balking at turkey for breakfast.  But it was a lovely holiday - friends, family and food - all good.   We're looking forward to tonight's celebration to end the old and start the new year.  

Did most of the Christmas decorating I had planned.  Didn't get to the containers, but used the greenery on the table and in an arrangement by the front door.  Here's the start of the table.  Each year I begin with my gold shazam fabric from the '80s.

Made tourtiere - back to my Quebec roots.   It's a very mild flavoured meat pie (cloves and celery salt) made with pork, beef and a little onion.  Nothing is wasted - the fat is absorbed by breadcrumbs that you add to the cooling meat mixture.  It's baked in a lard crust and served with ketchup - absolutely delicious and guaranteed to harden arteries in mere minutes.  The bread to the right is my new favourite bread - a French loaf that is made without kneading.  You put the water, flour, yeast and salt in a bowl - let sit for 12 - 24 hours - dump it on the counter - push it into a rectangle - fold it  - let it rise for 2 hours and then dump it into a preheated covered enamel casserole at 450 for 30 minutes - 10 uncovered and you have a loaf of the most delicious French style bread.

My friend Debbie came by for a cup of tea and a very special present for Bart - look how thrilled he is.

Table finished all that was left to do was the food and wait for the guests arrival.

My marvellous nephews Ian and Andrew pointing to the road-kill turkey (flattened turkey).

The butcher removed the hip bones, back bones, rib cage, but left legs and wings - so easy to carve.  It took 1 hour 45 minutes to cook this 17lb+ bird.

We had just a dusting of snow for Christmas, but on the evening of the 26th we got 20cm (8").

The next day the sun came out and it just looked like a postcard:

So pretty, I could point my camera anywhere for a lovely winter shot.

Even though these folks have professional gardeners, so glad they didn't cut off the seed heads like so many of them do.  They left the grasses to do what grasses do best in the winter.

You'd swear we lived in the country when you look at this.

More pretty pines and snow:

First car on my walk - looks like he didn't get a brush for his windows for Christmas....

Thank you for not burlapping this bush.

Bart's friends were out and about.

Today the light wasn't as bright and clear, but certainly interesting.

Still coldish -5C (24F).  We haven't had a melt, the banks are about Bart height.

I like ornaments in deciduous trees.

And one last photo to say goodbye to the year and wish you all an excellent 2013.

May health and happiness be yours throughout the year.
Barbarapc