Horsepower Haven: Merry Christmas!

Merry Christmas to all my Family and Friends that are following my blog.
We had our first family Christmas at HP Haven this year. What a wonderful Christmas! I feel so blessed with the abundance of love, food and festivities.

Here is our family picture in front of the tree for 2012.

I think my nieces and I have started a new family tradition of riding on Christmas day!

My Dad's plan for Christmas day to get out of the house and out of all the activities inside was to go clean up the back bush line. Apparently, it looks great now with all the brush and old trees the previous owners dumped all cleared up. I haven't been back there since Christmas Eve day when DH and I went for a walk with Molly. She was exhausted afterwards...it was likely a good 3-4km on her less than 4 month old system.

Here she is having fun.

Daddy carried her through the bog in the woods.

Molly's pal Dora was over on Christmas day. The 2 of them are like village idiots roughing each other up, growling, barking and just plain having fun. Here they are together during a much appreciated break in the chaos!

Molly is growing so fast...it sometimes seems like from morning to night she has grown! She got to meet a new dog friend since the last post...Lucy and her parents, Sharon and Rob dropped in to visit. Sadly, I was out that morning trying to get the last of my Christmas shopping completed and missed them. Thank you for stopping in and meeting Molly and for the lovely gift.

Lots to update around the farm.
Hydro Update -
The trenching is D-O-N-E!!! Thanks to my Dad and DH who spent a cold Saturday before Christmas outside getting the final line into the ground and buried. Just the open ends need to be inspected and then we can get the hook ups completed and the new panels installed. I know that only sounds like a couple small things but once again those are big jobs to complete. Haldimand Hydro has indicated that we will be without hydro for 6-8 hours on the day they transfer our service from the old pole/transformer to the new central metering pole. Thank goodness we have the wood fireplace to keep the house at least somewhat warm on the transition day. This is a big project that we will be glad to have behind us. It will open up opportunities in the months and years to come to make improvements that the system currently is not able to handle. Thank you DH for preserving on this thankless project for the betterment of our future...I owe you one! (Well, likely more than one by now!)

Drop in Update -
We have had several drop ins for the holidays. Special thanks to Bill and Reta for stopping on trenching day and leaving behind 2 beautiful pieces of metal artwork for the new house and shop. I just love the trees as they have so much meaning to me on so many levels. Trees will forever remind me of you...especially trees that have expression...I know you know what ones I mean! :-) PS the Clod Hoppers are gone!

Also, a big thanks to Rob and Tracy for stopping in and then going for dinner on a spontaneous invite. What a lovely evening (as normal) and such thoughtful, personal gifts. Molly absolutely loves her new orthopaedic pet bed!

The birds here are fantastic. We always have had feeders but tended to only get sparrows and finches at the old house. This house with the river and the trees has an abundance of colourful birds to enjoy. I have seen Blue Jays, a Red Headed Woodpecker, Cardinals, and Bluebirds in the last few days.

I purchased a peanut ring for the Jays. Here they are enjoying it. What fun to watch these noisy creatures.

Trail Cam Update -
My cousin Alan has set up 3 trail cameras in various points throughout the bush lines. Some interesting photos to share. A big buck, a blurry coyote, squirrels and several does.