Oregon City, Oregon, Week 50- December 14 - December 20, 2020

Yep - this was definitely the last week to clear out the woods.....except on Monday which was a perfectly sunny day and warm (for December) day.  I'd had my eye on several patches of holly which were in mostly in Sectors 3 and 4.  They were probably the remnants of where a holly tree had been but had been cut down.  In these cases, the lower branches usually droop down and the tips  root where the touch the soil.  They are miserable spots.  But I took up to the burn pile about six or seven bundles.  And I also drug up some long branches that I'd been collecting over the last nine month.  Then on Monday, it rained -  a hard rain - and we were done burning.  I was free.  But surprisingly I felt I had lost my sense of purpose.  There's still tons to do in the woods.  I need to build some bridges in several places so the creeks can be crossed without ripping up the banks or walking in the water.  I have set out three circular trails that crisscross the woods, and I'll use the bridges for those trails.

This was the last week of school before the Christmas Break...I think we all need a break.

Ruby and Jane checked on their plants - they are still growing.

Ruby wondered why she couldn't be the one to write on the white board, so I gave her a chance.

In 2nd Grade Science we learned about Polar Bears and other Artic animals and that they have a layer of blubber to help the withstand the freezing weather.  Our lab was sticking our hands into a disposable glove covered in shortening and then plunging the gloved hand into a bowl of ice water.  Did that hand feel less cold than a bare hand stuck into the bowl - - yes!  Ah science!

We started a new Readers Theater called The Bakers Dozen, and included Clara and Logan.  We practiced during the week; Clara and Logan really didn't need anything except to know when it was their time to say their parts.

Their performance on Sunday was stellar.  It was a brilliant idea to include Logan, as he became our best advocate instead of an annoying member of the audience.  All four children will be in future performances,  and Dad and I will be minor players...maybe sound effects or animals.  Logan even made a bakers hat as a prop.

Jude, Abby, and I made St Nicholas Day Cookies (yes, they are a thing), and I used a genuine Dutch recipe which, in my opinion, made only a marginally good cookie.  But we had fun and celebrated Christmas a bit.  Logan, the Baker, served the cookies to our audience.

This week was a week of anniversaries and a birthday.  Jessica's birthday was on the 15th (47).  We went to The Hive Restaurant, got take out, and then sat in the car, just parked outside on the street, and had a lovely brunch.  It was soooo..... 2020.

On the 18th, it was our anniversary - 53 years!  And it was Jessica and Ryan's (27 years).  Also Warren and Whitney's on the 20th - seven years.

Bjorn went to the Temple in Orem for his Endowments.  We wanted to go, but we took to heart all of the warnings about Covid....and stayed home.  

I've started a new quilt - for the next grandchild who gets married.  It is just in the very beginning stages.

Another project in the barn is in the works.  The southwest corner of the barn has a huge gap between the bottom of the sides and the ground.  It's been that way since it was constructed - maybe 40 years ago.  We were so ignorant at the time and didn't even consider that, perhaps, the ground should have been leveled before the barn was built.  Of course, the Pole Barn guys didn't suggest it to us either (or maybe they did, and we ignored it or didn't have enough money) and since then the corner has been covered up by pallets  on blocks - or whatever.  I'm going to install two treated 4 x 4 posts, attach a       2 x 12 treated plank to them, and fill in the gap so we can have a level floor.

Dad is so lucky - I have a project for him too!  Back in 1987, when Dad's dad's shop was cleaned out, this piece of Gravely equipment came to reside in our barn.  It is a VERY HEAVY filbert thrasher that runs on the power take off of a Gravely tractor.  We've never used it nor has Dad ever see it in action.  He's going to try to get the parts moving and try to fid a Gravely aficionado who will give it a new home.

Saturday night Jude "claimed" his Christmas Activity which was a Movie Night at the Manor.  After a lot of searching we watched some Christmas themed movie and then The Last of The Airbenders.  Before this movie I knew nothing about airbenders or waterbenders or firebenders or earthbenders.  But now, with the patient coaching by Jude, I an almost an expert.  We had pizza, popcorn and ice-cream which made Jude happy.

Christmas is coming!