And the quilt top is done!  It needs two borders added, but the blocks are done and put together!!  (Borders are easy, and it will be too big to put up on the wall for a picture...)

 

And this is why Luna cannot play with the cat toys......

 

Another quiet Christmas has come and gone.  I kept busy in the kitchen and at the sewing machine, but everyone else (aka Ralph) spent the day napping.  We finally got some rain in, so it was a good day to bake bread - rolls for Christmas dinner.  They didn't turn out as I wanted, but they tasted good.  They went quite nicely with the ham and fixings.....

Everyone was happy with their presents, except Luna.  Here she is, surrounded by new toys, and what does she do?

 

She steals the new cat toys.....

I finally got a video from the Redding Garden of Lights up - this was just one small section.  

Alex and I joined the Fisher clan for Redding's Garden of Lights last weekend.  Beautiful!  I admit, I had fairly low expectations, but they did a great job!  (and even better - masks were on everyone!!)  It was so fun to walk through the Arboretum all done up in lights (and I mean ALL done up in lights....)

 

My 2021 calendar has been ordered....here's what's in it this year:

 

Saturday, I went for a walk with Chris and Meredith by Clear Creek.  We walked down to the old highway and old bridge (built in the late 20's???)  Here's a view of the bridge from the "new" highway.

And the "new" highway from the "old" bridge:

The old highway is still walkable, and a nice walk!

 

The Day Program that Alli was attending pre-COVID brings us weekly projects to do.  This week, we received the makings for cinnamon ornaments, and I put Alli to work!  (Okay - I put her to work for a few seconds here and there.....)

Here are a couple of videos showing her 'real' work...

 

 

And the leaves will never end!!!  This week, while I'm on vacation and before it rains, I'm on a mission to get the majority of the leaves out of the yard.  Mainly because it is sooooo much easier to move them before the get wet!  I got the koi pond corner cleaned out - here's what the pond looked like after I blew the leaves out from behind it:

And after:

We had to vacuum out the leaves that had fallen to the bottom of the pond - and Alex was a huge help.  Koori, on the other hand, not so much....

 

My Christmas decorations are up, and I'm on vacation for a week!  Woohoo!  I made one new decoration this year - a large vase with lights and ornaments.  That's about as creative as I feel this year.  I've done very little in the way of crafting this year, unfortunately.  (Masks don't really count as creative - after you made more than a dozen, it's just routine.  I'm close to 200 of them now...)

 

Indy found a sunny spot....

 

Alli and I went on walk-about Saturday through the neighborhood.  One thing about walking with Alli - the pace is slow enough I can take pictures.  (The dogs don't want to stop for a photo-ap.)

 

Another beautiful fall day in the valley - and more leaves!  

This guy seems to be confused about the time of year....parts of the Lantana bush that he is on are already frost-bitten - it's partially sheltered by the guesthouse.  I don't think he's going to make it....

And did I mention more leaves?  Alex and I took one load to the green waste facility (where I managed to back the trailer right where I wanted it!  Woohoo!!) and then I blew/raked up another load.  This one will go next weekend - and I'm sure I'll have another yard-full to rake up.

 

Happy belated Thanksgiving!  As usual I was busy in the kitchen on Thursday, but on a much smaller scale.  It was just us - no family this year, but I still made turkey and all the fixings - dressing, potatoes, gravy, etc.  But before I could start all that - look at what the wind blew in....leaves, leaves, and more leaves.

Ralph cooked the turkey this year - it turned out quite tasty!

And I made cranberry parfaits (and a pumpkin cheesecake) for dessert.  I put the parfaits in sealable containers this year - hopefully they keep for a while, since it looks like I'll be the only one munching on them...

More pretty leaves pictures!  I do love my tress - while the leaves are still on them....my view of the front yard.

And my neighbor's tree from one of my many walks