Click here for a few Christmas, and a lot of snow, pics. :)
The snow was gorgeous this morning. Everyone at the stable had brought their cameras, and we were all playing photographer, snapping artsy pictures of the icy woods and snow-covered gates. ;) It was snowy, sunny, and not too cold…an absolutely perfect morning. Except for the Boxing Day shoot on the farm, of course. :( The perfect morning was shattered by gunfire, but I suppose everything can’t be perfect. I just don’t think guns and horses mix, and they shoot too close to the arena.
Anyway, we had a wonderful Christmas, and I hope all of you did, as well. Christmas Day we opened our presents, then went to Phil’s parents’ house for Christmas dinner. His grandparents were there, and his sister and her family. The most touching gift that I got was a British passport cover, for when I have my British passport. It was a very perceptive and touching gift. Driving home we were VERY thankful for the new 4×4, as the roads over the hills were very snowy and icy.
Today we’re just taking it easy. I rode in the morning, and when I got back we let the weasels out to run and play in the snow. I love the way ferrets look in the winter, all fat and furry, with soft dense coats. They’re so lovely. Baby is the hunter, always on the lookout for something to eat or kill (watching her eat a snail is a decidedly unlovely sight). Trouble is true to his name, a fat, non-too-bright guy with a sweet disposition who always does stupid things. Beanie is our favourite, the best little fur-person I know. He really, really wants to be a house-weasel…I feel worse for him than any of the others, having to live outside. They’re warm, of course, and they have a large run, but he’s lived inside before and he misses being part of the family.
Anyway, back to my warm chair, with the new reading light and the stack of new books (thank you, babe). Spirits in the Wires by Charles de Lint and Seduced By Moonlight, the new Merry Gentry by Laurell Hamilton. Happy Christmas.
ferret fun! I’ve never had mine outside long enough to find out if they eat snails… I think that’s something I’m happy to not watch. Eep. Even my coddled indoor ones pack on the pounds (well, pound) for winter. Stirling quite literally doubles in size (1 pound to 2 pounds, both of mine are wee-mini ferrets) and with his mostly-white coat he does a very good polar bear impression. He sounds like a combination of your Trouble and Baby :) I think he’d love the outdoors the most, but Eva is very much a people-cuddler and wouldn’t take to such a change. Ah well, just as well the laws here don’t give me a choice :P
Very lovely photos and always love to hear about your fuzzies, of all sorts. Although that hand looks…. well, there’s always a downside to fuzzies w/ teeth/claws/etc :)
That picture with the back of the school, you could make that a post card! It is Beautiful! And Kip is looking very dashing as well! ;-)
I had ferrets for years when I lived in Los Angeles, and we had to be so careful. My daughter had to tell her friends to keep “the secret,” and we obviously couldn’t take them out anywhere. A lot of people use them as working animals here. They’re also quite inexpensive, in comparison with the States – we got ours for about £5 each.
The rats just panic a bit when you try to hold them. I got scratched quite deeply, and all the cuts infected. :( We haven’t really been bitten yet, which I was worried about; these rats can give you terrible bites, down to the bone. But ours have been very good so far, luckily.
It’s so beautiful out there; I feel very thankful that we were able to find a place at this stable. The school is so old, and the farm has been a working farm for many hundreds of years. I love it.
Great pics!
Any chance of a larger version of that bottom pasture pic?
http://www.cheshirestudios.com/journal/bottom_pasture.jpg
:)
Ta hon, new desktop wallpaper:)