The lions were active and alert the last time we went to the Wild Animal Sanctuary, as were a lot of the other big cats. Some were still napping, others were on watch, and one royal couple were having a royal row. The queen was definitely giving the king a piece of her mind.

We brought a picnic lunch and decided to eat by these lions. All of a sudden they started roaring loudly at each other. The queen was definitely mad about something and the king was trying to defend himself.

Click onto the photo to hear the lions arguing back and forth with each other.

When we first passed by these two, the other one was up while the white one was napping. On our second pass, going back to the exit, they switched. It was the changing of the guards.

These two are quite comfortable taking a quite break from the girls.

Have a great day and make everyday great. Happy New Year.

We finally got some snow. It’s about time! We did not have a white Christmas, but we did get a good snow a couple of days after. For a little while, everything was blanketed in fresh snow. But per our wacky weather, it melted as soon as the sun started shining. At least we had some for a little while though. We need it, and we need the moisture. I still have some snow in my backyard too. My backyard is north facing, which means the snow lasts longer than in the south facing areas.

The cold weather means it is also time for some hot soup to warm us up from the inside out. I made a big pot of chicken soup. Chicken Soup Weather I told Larry to pick whatever pasta he wanted and he chose penne. Penne pasta would not have been my first choice, but it worked out fine. The soup just hit the spot too.

Chicken Soup

This soup was just a basic chicken soup. Nothing fancy, just pure, simple goodness.

I cooked my carrots, celery and onions for about 5 minutes in hot oil and butter.

Then I added my cubed chicken, peas, seasonings, and chicken stock.

Once the soup was boiling, I added the pasta, and let it cook until the pasta was cooked, about 8 minutes.

When everything was done, it was time to serve it up and enjoy. Eat it while the soup is still hot. 🙂

Have a great day and make everyday great. Stay safe and stay well. Happy New Year. May 2026 be filled with health, happiness and prosperity for all.

Larry had a long weekend for the Christmas holidays, and we have been taking advantage of his time off. We decided to do a little mountain drive, and went to Georgetown. It was a beautiful day, with bright blue skies, but NOT much snow, even at Christmas, though we did see patches of snow. This is a rarity. We walked around and enjoyed the scenery all the same.

Georgetown is a little town nestled into our local mountains. It was once known as the Silver Queen of the Rockies. It was founded during the days of Colorado’s silver boom and is one of the state’s four original mining towns. It has a lot of Victorian styled homes and old buildings that were built in the late 1800’s too.

These are the Flatirons. We live at the base of the Flatirons, on the way to Boulder. We were taking the backroads up to Georgetown.

Quite a few movies have been filmed in Georgetown, using this scene as their backdrop.

Here are some of the old historical homes. This one was built in 1885.

The old schoolhouse building, also built around 1885.

The original St. James Hotel, built in 1875. It proudly states it was built before Colorado became a state, in 1876.

Looking back into town from above. We were hoping to find snow, and more than just patches here and there, but no snow this time. We still had a nice drive though.

Coming back down the mountain, we drove through Evergreen. We saw a big herd of elk, with about 30 in the group and a couple of big bulls. They were pretty far away from us, so my pictures are pretty blurry, but at least we got to see them. These were the only critters we saw the whole trip, but it made our day.

Once we came back down the hill, and were back in civilization, we decided to run some errands as well, then stopped for a late lunch/early dinner along the way. We stopped at a Chinese Restaurant called Empress.

Neither one of us ordered lobster or crab, but if we did, we could have chosen our own.

We didn’t order duck either, but it was there if we wanted it.

Instead Larry ordered the mixed seafood platter and I ordered the happy family.

Both were very good. We had a nice little day drive and adventure; something we enjoying doing on a regular basis.

Enjoy the rest of the holiday season. Happy New Year. May 2026 bring you good health, prosperity and happiness. Stay well and stay safe. ‘Til next time.

The day after Christmas, Larry and I made another trek to our new favorite local place, the Wild Animal Sanctuary. Every time we go we always experience something different, and different animals put on different shows. The weather was perfect, or should I say Purrfect. We couldn’t ask for a better, more beautiful day. The tigers were the stars this time, although all the animals were talking to us and many were quite active as well. I love the big cats. I always have. 🙂

Have a great day and make everyday great. Stay safe and stay well. ‘Til next time.

2025 had one more Christmas dinner in store for us before calling it for the season. I cooked Christmas dinner for 10 of us “orphans” on Christmas Day. It was just a simple meal this time, with ham, and lamb, mashed maple sweet potatoes and vegetables, and flan for dessert. Lauren and Wendy both brought some goodies to share, as did our neighbors Les and Sher. So even though I did not prepare a feast, a feast was indeed what we all shared. We all had a great time, filled with lots of food and lots of laughs, and making new friends and/or strengthening the bonds of family and friendship we already had. 🙂

The table is set, just waiting for the guests to arrive.

Our Christmas 2025 feast.

Yet another successful Christmas Holiday season is now winding down. It was a busy season, filled with all kinds of seasonal festivities and fun. Soon, a new year will be here. It will be a new beginning with new adventures just waiting for us to start.

Have a very Happy, Healthy New Year. May 2026 be a good year for all. Stay healthy and stay well. ‘Til next time.

Larry and I decided to have something fairly simple for our Christmas Eve dinner since it was just for the two of us. But I still wanted something nice and special too. I prepared a mussel and shrimp ragout in a white sauce, inspired by the cookbook I purchased on our Canadian trip, French Taste in Atlantic Canada 1604-1758, or Le gout francais au Canada atlantique 1604-1758, by Anne Marie Lane Jonah and Chantal Vechambre. (I say inspired by, because you all know I made it my own). This cookbook is great. It’s filled with all kinds of traditional meals from the French Canadian beginnings, and it is written in both French and English. So not only can I cook some delicious traditional meals from the early French Canadian settlers, but I can work on my French too. C’est si bon! 🙂

Because the French Canadian regions, like most of Quebec and the surrounding islands, are on the water, seafood plays an integral role in the menu planning, both from the early days up to the present.

Mussels & Shrimp Ragout in White Sauce

A ragout (or ragoût) is a rich, slow-cooked French stew featuring meat, fish, or vegetables braised in broth until tender, often served alone or over starches, differing from Italian ragù which is typically a meat-based pasta sauce. Key ingredients often include aromatic vegetables (mirepoix like onion, carrot, celery), herbs (thyme, bay leaf), wine, stock.

The original recipe only called for mussels. I added mussels, but I also added shrimp and vegetables, and then I served it all over rice to make it a heartier meal. I also got to use up some of my leftovers, which always makes me a happy camper. I used some of my new salt too. I added garlic blend infused salt for this dish. Infused Salt Box 🙂 The vegetables I added were my leftover asparagus topped with garlic, red and yellow bell peppers and onions. Adding vegetables is optional, but I like adding vegetables to my dishes, especially to my soups and stews. It always makes it more of a complete meal.

1 1/2 lbs mussels

1-1 1/2 lbs large shrimp, peeled and deveined

cool water

1/2 cup white wine

1 large shallot, diced

2 egg yolks

1 TBSP lemon juice

1-2 TBSP butter

2 TBSP parsley, chopped fine

salt & pepper to taste

1/4 cup green onions or chives

I used a combination of both frozen mussels and some of Cole’s Tinned Mussles. Boil the frozen mussels and onions in water and wine until they open, then remove them from the shells. Strain the mussel water and set aside.

Get a large skillet very hot, then add the butter and the shrimp. Cook the shrimp until they are completely cooked and pink. When the shrimp are cooked, add the mussels. I added the tinned mussels at this point too. Cook until the mussels are lightly browned.

Mix the egg yolks and the lemon juice together. Add the strained water and mix in the seasonings, bring to a boil, then remove from the heat and add the lemon juice and egg yolk mixture. Mix everything together thoroughly.

Put the mixture back on the heat for about 2 minutes to heat, but do NOT bring to a boil. Allowing the mixture to boil will cause the egg yolks to separate. Add the green onions or chives.

I served mine in a bowl over rice, then topped with with the vegetable medley. I added some of the mussel shells on top for decoration and added some warm bread on the side. Serve with the same white wine used for the sauce. This is a simple, yet elegant meal good for anytime.

Have a great day and make everyday great. May 2026 treat you well and keep you healthy and happy. Happy New Year. ‘Til next time.

I have lots to share about all kinds of things, but today, the day after Christmas, Larry had the day off, and we decided to got to one of our favorite places, the Wild Animal Sanctuary again. It was a beautiful day, and the animals were thoroughly enjoying themselves too. I just finished editing all my pictures. We played all day, now I have to do a little work for dinner. I just wanted to say hi though. I’ll start my regular schedules again tomorrow.

Have a great day and make everyday great. Stay safe and stay well. Happy New Year!

It’s Christmas Day in my part of the world. It’s boxing Day in other parts of the world. I hope both are great days that you spend with your family, friends and loved ones. Christmas is many thing to many people, but traditionally it is about sharing blessings, remembering others, and keeping the spirit alive all year. It is also about sending love, laughter, and blessings for a wonderful season, and of course celebrating the birth of Jesus, who is the Reason for the season.

It’s a Christmas classic. It’s just not Christmas without it. Classics are classics because they are well loved and have become part of our beloved traditions. ‘Twas The Night Before Christmas is one of those beloved Christmas classics that I love to revisit every year.

One of the most beloved Christmas stories is ‘Twas the Night Before Christmas. While almost everyone is familiar with the sweet holiday rhyming tale, the story behind the story is one that is largely untold and unknown.

The poem, originally titled A Visit or A Visit From St. Nicholas, was first published anonymously on Dec. 23, 1823, in a Troy, New York newspaper called The Sentinel.

It wasn’t until 1837 that Clement Clarke Moore accepted credit for writing A Visit. He reportedly wanted to keep his authorship secret initially because he was a professor and the piece wasn’t considered a scholarly work at the time of its initial writing. Moore is said to have based his vision of Santa Claus on both St. Nicholas and a local Dutch handyman where he lived in New York. Legend has it that the handyman operated the sleigh that took Moore home.

A Visit from St. Nicholas

BY CLEMENT CLARKE MOORE

‘Twas the night before Christmas, when all through the house
not a creature was stirring, not even a mouse.

The stockings were hung by the chimney with care,
in hopes that St. Nicholas soon would be there.

The children were nestled all snug in their beds,
while visions of sugar plums danced in their heads.

And Mama in her ‘kerchief, and I in my cap,
had just settled our brains for a long winter’s nap.

When out on the roof there arose such a clatter,
I sprang from my bed to see what was the matter.

Away to the window I flew like a flash,
tore open the shutter, and threw up the sash.

The moon on the breast of the new-fallen snow
gave the lustre of midday to objects below,

when, what to my wondering eyes should appear,
but a miniature sleigh and eight tiny reindeer.

With a little old driver, so lively and quick,
I knew in a moment it must be St. Nick.

More rapid than eagles, his coursers they came,
and he whistled and shouted and called them by name:
“Now Dasher! Now Dancer!
Now, Prancer and Vixen!
On, Comet! On, Cupid!
On, Donner and Blitzen!
To the top of the porch!
To the top of the wall!

Now dash away! Dash away!
Dash away all!”

As dry leaves that before the wild hurricane fly,
when they meet with an obstacle, mount to the sky
so up to the house-top the coursers they flew,
with the sleigh full of toys, and St. Nicholas too.

And then, in a twinkling, I heard on the roof
the prancing and pawing of each little hoof.

As I drew in my head and was turning around,
down the chimney St. Nicholas came with a bound.

He was dressed all in fur, from his head to his foot,
and his clothes were all tarnished with ashes and soot.

A bundle of toys he had flung on his back,
and he looked like a peddler just opening his pack.

His eyes–how they twinkled! His dimples, how merry!
His cheeks were like roses, his nose like a cherry!

His droll little mouth was drawn up like a bow,
and the beard on his chin was as white as the snow.

The stump of a pipe he held tight in his teeth,
and the smoke it encircled his head like a wreath.

He had a broad face and a little round belly,
that shook when he laughed, like a bowl full of jelly.

He was chubby and plump, a right jolly old elf,
and I laughed when I saw him, in spite of myself.

A wink of his eye and a twist of his head
soon gave me to know I had nothing to dread.

He spoke not a word, but went straight to his work,
and filled all the stockings, then turned with a jerk.

And laying his finger aside of his nose,
and giving a nod, up the chimney he rose.

He sprang to his sleigh, to his team gave a whistle,
And away they all flew like the down of a thistle.

But I heard him exclaim, ‘ere he drove out of sight,
“Happy Christmas to all, and to all a good night!”

Merry Christmas, Happy Hanukkah, and Happy Holidays to all. Make your holidays merry and bright and stay safe and well. ‘Til next time.

I love Christmas and all its traditions. I love everything about them. I love the lights, the Christmas trees, all the decorations, and of course all the Christmas ornaments on the trees. But there is a new trend that is starting up, especially with the Hollywood elites and celebrities. Many people today are putting up trees, with next to nothing on them as far as decorations and ornaments go. They are called no-ornament or nearly naked trees — they are bare evergreens with nothing on them but white lights or sometimes zero decorations at all. They have their own reasons I suppose and everyone is entitled to their own beliefs. But I find this new trend very sad. This new trend is taking away the personal experiences, the joy and memories of Christmas and unwrapping all the ornaments that we have cherished over the years.

My Christmas trees are filled with so many eclectic ornaments, and I wouldn’t have it any other way. They represent our travels, our hobbies and interests. Some are old and were my parents’ ornaments. Many represent our past and present beloved pets, or our four-legged kids as we call them. Every ornament has its own story and lots of memories attached to it. Our Christmas trees tell the story of our life. “Our ornaments are more than decorations; they are an annual reminder of lives well lived.”

Decorating Christmas trees is a tradition that started in the 16th century in Germany, when people started decorating trees with fruits, nuts and candles. In 1847, a German immigrant named Hans Greiner started making glass bulbs as ornaments to go on the trees. He started crafting glass balls, or baubles, to replace expensive real fruits, creating the first manufactured ornaments. These early glass ornaments, called “Kugels,” were silvered inside and came in various shapes, including fruits and different religious figures. F.W. Woolworth brought these German glass ornaments to America in the 1880s, selling millions and sparking a new craze that is still going strong today.  In the late 19th century a picture of Queen Victoria with a decorated Christmas tree made the tradition fashionable in both Britain and America. Ornaments evolved from religious symbols and fruits and nuts to a vast commercial market, with traditions incorporating local cultures (like Ukrainian spiderwebs or Australian kangaroos) and countless other themes.

Decorating the Christmas tree is one of the most cherished holiday traditions around the world. Families gather together each year, pull out boxes of beloved Christmas ornaments, and make memories new together while sharing old memories. Many of these memories form the basis for the traditions that are passed down from generation to generation. Even before Christmas lights were invented, we loved the idea of lighting up a tree. Bits of foil were often added to reflect the light in the room and make the tree glisten!

Many Christmas trees in many households are topped with a star. The star that we use to decorate our trees today is representative of the original Star of Bethlehem. When Jesus was born in Bethlehem, there were three magi (or wise men) who saw an unusual star in the sky and knew that it would lead them to baby Jesus. They followed that star all the way to the stable where Jesus lay in a manger, and brought gifts of gold, incense, and myrrh.

Candy canes were another fun German accent used to decorate trees. The candy cane originated around 1670. Designed to help children sit still during Christmas services, the candy was shaped like a “J” to represent crooks of the shepherds that visited baby Jesus. Around 1900, the red stripes and peppermint flavoring were added. Christians believe that the red stripes represent the blood that Jesus shed on the cross and the peppermint flavoring represents the hyssop plant that was used for Biblical purification. The original candy canes had no flavoring or color and were essentially just “sugar sticks.” Today, candy canes come in all colors and many flavors.

Angels are also found all over Christmas trees and are often at the top as well. They can represent the angel that appeared in Bethlehem to announce the birth of Jesus, the angel Gabriel who told Mary she would give birth to Jesus, or even the idea of angels watching over us and protecting us. Soon after Christmas trees became popular, parents would decorate trees with streamers, telling their children that the streamers were pieces of angel hair that had been caught in the branches. We too have various angels adorning our trees. They are are from all over.

The Christmas pickle is definitely one of the weirdest Christmas ornament traditions to evolve over time! It emerged in the late 19th century as a game that parents created for their children. We have our Christmas pickle ornament too. The Christmas pickle is a fun American Christmas tradition (despite its supposed German roots) where a glass pickle ornament is hidden in a Christmas tree on Christmas Eve; the first child to find it on Christmas morning receives a reward like opening the first gift or an extra present, symbolizing luck and patience, though many Germans have never heard of it. We have now made it part of our Christmas party tradition, and whoever finds it gets a bottle of wine.

However you decorate your Christmas trees, the most important part is always the love shared by all who help with the decorating. It’s about spending time together, making new memories and reliving old, cherished ones. Start your own traditions to pass down through your own generations. These traditions are part of what makes Christmas and the Christmas season so merry.

Merry Christmas and Happy Holidays to all. However you celebrate, celebrate the season with family, friends and loved ones. Stay safe and stay well. ‘Til next time.