Making Room For Retirement

Wow, it's been a week since I last posted on my blog.   We have been very, very busy.  We have moved into our new place and are enjoying it so, so much.  The view (the main reason we bought the place) has not disappointed us.  It changes hourly if not minute by minute.  

Here are some pics taken from our back porch.   


At night the lights from across the lake are reflected in the calm waters of the lake.  

Then after a week of foggy mornings we had a clear morning, and I finally got to see the sunrise.  I wasn't quite sure where it was going to come up, but wonders never cease we get a view of the sunrise.  

The next morning there was a light mist over the lake and I was able to take this pic.  Doesn't quite capture the magic of the early morning but you get the idea.  










We also have a lot of wildlife (besides Alf).  The other night we were sitting out on the porch at dusk, eating our dinner, when a fox went strolling by, just 30 feet away, along the shoreline.  We had our back floodlight on, so he was in the spotlight - he stopped and took a good look at us, (as if to say, where did you come from?) and then went on his way.  Apparently he has a den just up the way and makes a nightly journey along the lake.   I didn't have my camera handy so I do not have a pic.  But I am going to get in the habit of keeping it close at hand   because we never know when the next opportunity for a good shot will occur.  

I happened to look out the window yesterday and thought "now that is a different bird." From a distance it looked a lot like a swan but then it turned and I saw the great big beak and I thought, "it's a pelican, naw, can't be".  But it was, it spent quite a long time swimming from one end of the lake to the other, and then back again.  And indeed, Alf confirmed it - it was a pelican.  I didn't know they came inland, must have been lost. 




We really need to get a bird identification book because we just make up names for them - this one we call the Lake Dell monster.  It swims along with just its neck and head visible - dives under the water and then comes up 50 feet away.  The first time I saw it I thought it was some kind of water snake.  But no, it is a bird.  I haven't been able to get a good pic of it swimming but here it is sitting on a post. 



And another view.  He makes all kinds of contortions with his neck.  If you look carefully at his neck, you can see the fish making its way down.  It is quite interesting to watch.  


 Lots of places are all decorated for Christmas in our park - just thought I would post this pic for my brother and sister-in-law, Larry and Lynne.    


Santa's sleigh and his six  tiny flamingo deer.  

 
  






And now something totally different, while cleaning out the utility shed, Alf came across what he thought was a gallon of paint and he asked me "who would call paint 'cheddar cheese'.  When we looked at it more carefully it was a gallon can of cheddar cheese sauce - It had only been sitting there for at least a year - yummy - anybody want mac and cheese?  

My next posting will have pics of some before and afters of our place.  
Most of the work is just about finished and soon we can sit back and enjoy.  

Merry Christmas everyone and talk to you soon!