Commercials Aren't All Bad

This is one commercial I don't mind watching:

Kitten Update

The other day I posted photos of four tiny kittens that showed up at our door about ten days ago. With our weather due to drop to something around ten below zero I was very concerned about them being outdoors.  So last Saturday, while it was still relatively warm, we went out and fortified their shelters with extra straw.  We also created a few additional shelters and placed them under the deck where they would be protected from the worst of the weather.

For the last two nights I've been lying awake worrying about them as I heard the wind howling outside.  I knew my two next door ladies were worrying about them too, as well as some of my kind-hearted blog readers.  I am happy to report the kitties were out and about this morning in the sunshine, romping and playing and eating like crazy.  I wish I had taken some photos this morning, but I was too busy just watching them, I guess.

It appears they are doing fine, and thank goodness it's supposed to warm up now.

Undoing Christmas

I have been putting my Christmas decorations away… a little at a time.  I love my Christmas decorations.  It makes me sad to put them away for another year.

Of course, my kitties are always there to help and provide morale support.  That's a photo of Tiger watching over the stockings and the lights.

Here is the Christmas tree…

and here is Tiger, sitting under it, pretending to be a gift.  Or is he waiting for Santa?

I have a collection of Santas.  I like to put them on top of the fireplace, with pine boughs and twinkly lights.

I like to place them among reindeer and cottages, creating the feel of a little Christmas village.

The tiniest Santa, busy in his workshop:

Santa on the clock:

Santa sitting by the fireplace:

A rustic looking old Santa on one side…

and a more elfin Santa on the other side. 

Santa on the china hutch in the dining room…

along with all the other little colorful "Christmas critters" I have collected over the years.

I have the nativity scene that my mom gave to me so I could carry on the tradition:

I remember these figures from my childhood.  I found the rustic, handmade stable on eBay.

My mom added wise men and shepherds over the years.  The shepherds and their sheep are from Italy. The ceramic angel was made by my great aunt

I especially love all the little animals.  The goats came from a goat farm shop near Mom's house.

Among my favorites are my old-fashioned Gurley candles.

The jaunty snowmen are whimsical and cheerful.  There is something Bob Fosse-like about their body language.

I love the little Rudolph candles the most, with their perky stance and tiny red nose:

I make little scenes for them, with tree candles, snowmen and more twinkly lights.

All the Gurley candles are old-fashioned and sweet.  There are angels, madonna and child and little babies on moons.

(I am a moon child myself!)

Of course, my love of Hawaii shows up in the decorations, too:

I began this post with a picture of Tiger sleeping on some Christmas stockings.  I will end it with Tinkerbell cuddling with another little Christmas critter.

So now I am putting all the decorations away for another year.  I'm sorry to see them go.

Preparing for the Arctic Blast

Today is sunny and slightly above zero.  Tomorrow we are forecast to get subzero temperatures, sleet, snow and gusty winds.

So we spent the morning outdoors preparing our "kitty world" in the back yard.  We have a small colony of feral kitties that we have had spayed and neutered.  We feed them and provide shelter.

About a week ago, a new foursome appeared at our door… tiny kittens.  We have no ideas where they came from as all of our regulars have been "fixed".

We decided the unusually frigid weather on the way calls for upgrading the shelters and protecting the food and water dishes.  We went to the local farm supply and got a bale of straw to line the shelters.  We got an extra heated water dish for the new little kitties.  We added extra shelters to the area beneath our deck, hoping they would be somewhat out of the wind.

I hope they all do well.

P.S.  Two of my favorite blogs:  29 Black Street and Textilosophy Oz have been deleted, according to Blogger.  Does anyone know why this happened?  They are both based outside the United States; could that have something to do with it?

Christmas

Here are some photos I took on Christmas day: