I'm still constructing our new website,
On Bradstreet Farm, and I am wrapping up 2015 here. This blog is archived at our new site. This Yuletide post will be the final On Bradstreet blog post. I hope you will join us On Bradstreet Farm!
December found us in a celebratory mood and relishing in all our usual seasonal merry-making, though it was different not having Olivia home for most of the month. We also took on a small renovation project in our kitchen when we purchased a much needed larger fridge which meant a reconfigured layout. And while Olivia wasn't completely satisfied with the academic or social offerings at her college (and she was filling out transfer and scholarship applications in the midst of finals), she was wrapping up a successful semester. Meanwhile, Adam was putting in extra hours at his work during the busy holiday season. We sometimes felt our empty nest, but mostly we found our days full of ritual and activity.
December
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| dropping Olivia back at school for the last weeks of her first semester |
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| morning Max |
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| cutting snowflakes |
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| seasonal decorating begins |
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| snowflakes and candles |
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| We three went in search of a Yule tree, and Olivia would join us later in December for celebrations. |
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| The 16 1/2-year old, Adam. |
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| Alex and Amy, our 25 Yule |
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| an easy supper for an evening of tree decorating |
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| our Yule tree |
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| chicken coop wreath |
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| our newly spruced up chicken coop |
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| happy hens |
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| cranky Avis |
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| Blanche and Avis |
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| front of the house |
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| old skates and winterberry |
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| reindeer and Santa, a gift from Alex, Yule 2014, made by our friend Phoebe. |
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| moved and rewrapped the duck hut |
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| feeling the season |
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| you can tell this is Blanche, one of our two black Jersey Giants because of her white eyebrows |
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| peas, a favorite duck treat - sadly, we lost one of our ducks from reasons not quite known |
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| the chickens finally getting over their molt |
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| the newly configured kitchen layout- we moved the stove to the north wall and put the fridge where the stove used to live |
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| finally, a bigger fridge to accommodate fresh eggs and lots of produce |
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| Alex then extended the counter and upper shelves into the corner, which meant we gained a good amount of work space |
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| our garlic |
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| Olivia is home, done with her first semester of college (with a 4.0, thank you! And she was awarded a significant renewable art scholarship from UMaine!) and of course the first thing we do is don some closet cosplay for the Star Wars: Force Awakens opening night. |
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| the white t-shirt baking brigade |
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| solstice cake |
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| our holiday greeting photo |
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| our wispy solstice tree |
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| solstice night |
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| cherished tree ornaments |
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| Ginger hangs out with Wobbling Bob |
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| together again, decorating cookies- a rare moment considering Adam's long days at work |
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| the kids made a beautiful gingerbread house, Santa Eve |
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| Santa Day |
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| stockings and paperwhites |
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| gingerbread house |
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| shiny bright |
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| favorite Yuletide books |
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| welcoming the sun |
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| white pottery and a painting by Olivia |
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| sun catcher |
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| gingerbread animals for Yule |
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| a little kitschy cheer |
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| the sun returns |
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| light |
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| our Yuletide family room |
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| these two goobers |
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| wannabe bee man |
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| now just needs bees |
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| Cari flambes her uncle's traditional plum pudding |
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| oh yes, and I made about 90 English muffins Santa Eve so that all our friends and family could have egg and cheese sandwiches for breakfast |
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| so good, right? |
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| Boxing Day dinner with family |
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| creamy corn chowder, salad, baked ham, yeast rolls |
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| exchanging gifts |
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| Aunt Jane |
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| sunset stroll around the farm |
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| December sun |
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| a good day with family comes to an end |
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| celebrating New Year's Eve in beautiful Belfast |
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| midnight bonfire on the beach |
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| willing and wishing my children a happy new year |
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