Christmas 08.......warm and wonderful

Morgen and Sarah joined us in Manassas for a wonderful Christmas...albiet interrupted by Suzies nine hour stint at Prince William Hospital on Christmas Day. Evidently people need the ER on Christmas

Cutie................

US Post Office, Casanova, VA.

It's for real!!

Maybe the Mance Post Office has a future as well.

Holiday Party

Suzy and I hosted our annual Christmas gathering Sunday evening. Suz cooked and cooked and prepared and presented. I tested. Tululah lurked...............waiting under the table for "drops"

ICE MAN cometh.........

ICE near Mance, PA was minor compared to Delmar and Kennebunk. To me it was beauty, to Robin and Laura it was the BEAST!!

Warm Thoughts...

...from Suzy and the sheep that gave up their winter coats to make it possible

GREAT FALLS....good golly!

It was a beautiful December 3, 2008, and Suzy had the day off from Prince William Hospital.

Grasping the moment, we journeyed to Great Falls, where the Potomac river drops 74 feet through some spectuclar rapids among the rocks.

"Can't get me....."

This doe knew what the sign meant. I was but 15' away. She finally walked away showing disinterest in Humans!

THANKSGIVING: November 27, 2008

We all gave thanks in Becket, MA at George & Sandy's mountain top retreat. The next day we celebrated George's 67th. Wonderful gatherings. Memorable!

Cookie Cutters.......fait accompli!

Little by little the cookies crumbled....now all is well

Winds of November................

..........came early. Suzy enjoys a glass of wine before dinner; albiet at the blustery summit of Smith Hill at Mance, PA. Back in the cozy confines of our "camp" the gloves came off, however snow dusted the pinnacle by dawn. (11-15-08)

"HouseHusband"

Dave's 1st presentation to Suzanne as she started her 10:30a - 7:00pm hours at Prince William Hospital. It's REAL mac n cheeze, carefully whisked, spooned, diced and sliced with only the additions our mother (Grace) could create. There was no Kraft in it, but boy was it good! FOUR meals worth. Suzy is now saying she won't mind hospital food from time to time

WOOD "COOKIES"

Roger found us some wood "free for the taking". Now we know how wood warms many times by the time it is burned in the stove! Suzie and I have our work cut out for us. Lots of cookies to split. The warmth they provide will be enjoyed with a cup of hot cocoa.

DEMISE !.........de MICE

...was a strong probability when the field mice sought protection from the cold in the Mance Post Office. Little did they know the Ghosts of Halloweens Past surrounded the house.

Tululah !!

Demise was a strong possibility when Tululah decided to get the last of the mixed nuts. Thankfully mouth to snout CPR was unecessary

Rhinbeck, NY......SHEEP & WOOL

On the way home we spent half a day at the NYState Sheep & Wool festival at the Dutchess County Fairgrounds where Suzy and I enjoyed all the trappings of spinners, knitters, cheeze makers, bakers, and many quality crafts and demonstrations.

Northern Trek

On October 16-18 Suzy and I ventured north to Delmar via Pennsylvania back roads. It was like a box of crayons; green in Virginia, increasing color as we went north; peaking in southern New York, than waning as we approached Albany. Glorious.

Dr. Mike was immersed at the ER and in conference in the "City" (NYNY) but we enjoyed his brief returns home, and also we visited him on the front page of the Albany Times Union. Robin took us all to a orchard farm nearby where we enjoyed seeing Patrick's interaction with the myriad of interesting sights, sounds, and smells. On the way we stopped at the railroad crossing and within five minutes, two trains met and passed at 50mph. Patrick was impressed!

Sheep and Wool....my little spinner

Circa 1991...Suzy demonstrates at a fall festival deep in the Virginia hills only a click away from the West Virginia border

Fall is in the air..............at 2000' elevation

A little nip in the air. Suzy and I enjoyed three days at Mance October 6-8. Nips were not confined to the air; as Jim Beam warmed the innards.

A BIRD ON THE HEAD/SHOULDER IS WORTH TWO IN THE BUSH

Sunday morning coming down.........A small bird joined us as we sorted Suzy's "stuff" in the driveway at Manassas. It flew from head to shoulder to head to finger to roof.

TIKI TORCH DINNER

The days are getting shorter. Our Friday night dinner was assisted now by tiki torches to add ambiance to the work-light strung from the umbrella. TGIF

The bear licked me clean !!

I have never had a beard, and after the Snyder reunion I just let er grow. All grey, made me look too old. Now it's gone.

BEAR bait

The corn was being destroyed across the tracks from the Post Office.
The game warden set a trap and see what he got!. We later found a "game camera" attached to a tree behind the trap. I wonder what the warden will see!!! ..............HE SAW

PS: warden saw me on the recorded images....and wanted to fine me for whatever reason. Impersonating a bear????

911 Poignancy

The thoughts came flooding back as Suzy and I visited the hill-top destruction of flight 93. Shanksville, PA, 9-11-08.

BACON BEAST

George samples the beginning of nine pounds of Hog Heaven. Sandy just shakes her head. YOU Snyders!