My Christmas tree

Yesterday I put up my tree, and the grandkids - mostly Aidan - decorated it. My tree is decorated with a collection of stars and snowflakes.

It really needs a bit of work - I like all my favourite stars to be shown at their best.....

For example, this very delicate one was purchased at the gift shop by the crypt in St. Paul's Cathedral, London.

This one I bought at the Christmas store in Rothenburg, Germany - a medieval city on the 'Romantic Road'.

And at the top, a star from China bought at the cloisonne factory near Beijing.

Outdoor Christmas Challenge

Well, it seems that I am the only one with the Christmas pics. You see, I am the sort of person who (almost) always follows the rules...... So here are a few assorted pictures from this week.

I really like the Cameron Island decorations. If I lived there I would decorate, too. Luckily, no one on my street puts up lights, so I don't have any guilt at all.

Every year I drive around McGirr Street. I don't think the decorations are quite as spectacular this year, but every year this house in a cul-de-sac off McGirr has the same six white boomers pulling Santa's sleigh.

This house on one of the north end streets (I was lost when I saw it) has very eclectic decorations. Something for everyone!

This snowman was at Russell's Market.

While driving around Victoria I spotted this decorated tree. Now these are perfect decorations for Christmas!

The Snow Challenge

Yuck! I hate snow. This isn't a mild dislike - I truly HATE it. You see, I lived for 30 years in northern BC where we had nine months winter and three months poor sledding - or, to put it another way - almost winter, winter, still winter and dust. When I moved south I swore I would go where people asked if the car was electric when they saw the cord and 3-prong plug out the front. When it snows on the Island I am very annoyed, even insulted.
So, when it snowed last week I wound up the furnace, put on the fireplace and didn't move out of the house until it rained and the snow was all gone. All the pictures below were taken through my windows, which accounts for some of the low quality!

The snow came down one afternoon as big as toonies - no, much bigger....

My flowers had been trying to keep blooming until this landed.

My computer desk is in front of the window, and just outside this window I have a bird feeder and a hummingbird feeder. There was lots of action on the snowy days! This is a finch, of course.

The juncos are cute little birds. They always look clean and tidy.

Some of the finches looked anything but tidy. They were all puffed up to keep warm.

The rufous-sided towhees are my favourite visitors, but they are difficult to photograph because they are always in motion. They have a sassy character.....

The hummers were very busy feeding on the snowy days. Funny - I just realized from the picture that I don't have the perches opposite the feeding places - the poor things have to keep flying to eat!

This hummer spent time sitting on the tree on my deck. This picture doesn't show how tiny he is.

Then I went to the back of my house. On the hill behind my fence there were two deer plowing through the snow. They have a path there, but I imagine it wasn't as easy for a few days. The second one is partly behind the tree - a little buck.

It is sad, but I guess it really is winter. I shall go to Victoria tomorrow and see how many flowers I can find blooming to make me feel better.

Go and see what Rain and Dilling and Krista have done.