Phil has arrived - and so has the snow.

There is seasonal and then there is a bit of overkill.  The forecasters have had a dickens of a time this week.  Weather has not co-operated with their thought processes, models, computers and prognostications.  Snow was forecast - there was none.  No snow was forecast and Our Ken is muttering about snow blowers.  The puppies are filled with shock and awe.  Their world is white.  Even the world's birds are late to the restaurant.  There are hundreds of birds now dining at the several feeders.  The colour is impressive with blues vying with yellows for pre-eminence.  Not to be outdone, the two pair of woodpeckers proudly offer their contrasting black and white with the bright red of the heads of the males adding contrast.  And Our Ken made the major announcement - it is the day of Phil's arrival.  Yes, the pheasant return is now complete; Phil and the Philomenas are in residence for the duration at Regalridge and all is right with the world. 

The kennel ticks along.  Barrett has arrived and Trebia is thrilled to death.  He is telling her all about his plaque - not seeing any evidence of this exalted award of which he seems so proud, Trebia remains unconvinced.  The two Airedales are kicking up their heels and having extensive spins around every area they determine needs their vigilant attention. 

The house crew thrives.  Piper had company.  The truth is, a visitor came to see the dogs and to get a sense of the Welsh.  The facts of the visit eluded Piper.  There was company for lunch as well and Lily spent the entire afternoon counting her puppies, certain that thievery is rampant.  Chantelle arrived for a quick visit at dinnertime.  Virginia and Alex had just barrelled in for dinner.  Looking up over the Dutch door, 'starnger danger' warnings were issued only to change to embarrassed silence when the stranger knew their names.  Rocky just shook his head.  He would never make a mistake like that. 

Dinner was shepherd's pie - and that will be the last we see of that particular dish for a while.  Having hoped that the speed at which the dish had to be eaten on its debut, Lee presented it a second time - in different dishes and with different condiments including the addition of a lovely garlic bread (what more can be done with shepherd's pie!).   Our Ken does not do meals more than once, sighed and settled in for the rerun,  a major concession and one not likely to be repeated without pushback. 

The market, the Cohn and seasonal weather

While the weather is more seasonal, the skies did not support the forecast messy day.  The calendar was full and roller blades were on.  Chantelle's market was in Windsor so the Regalridgemobile was readied, June arrived and it was the trek across the county.  Houses are decorated for Christmas, the roads are bare and it is still a breathtaking view as a vehicle crests Courthouse Hill and the valley spreads out below.  Vendors were in a Christmas mood, the baking was impressive and those great cranberries were on offer.  Our Ken found his favourite cinnamon treats from Doris' Avon Emporium.  And it was on to Windsor's most excellent English pub for lunch. The return trip was uneventful, dinner was made and eaten without ceremony, clothes were upgraded and the little car was off to the city.  Now, a night out in the city is not an every day occurrence so is cause for minor celebration.  However, not being an every day occurrence apparently leaves less of a hologram than it might.  Parking at the Cohn is impossible.  University is in, the Arts Center has no parking itself and the streets are full of cars.  Thousands had arrived before the folks from Belnan.  As a space was finally decided upon, Lee queried Ken on the availability of his cell phone.  The request was to call a cab.  After the concert, there was the usual crowd walking to vehicles.  The crowd thinned as cars were reached.  Lee and Ken had a lovely solitary stroll for the last several blocks . . .  The concert was a Christmas event - Rita MacNeil (a favourite of Our Ken) and Frank Mills.  Tickets had been a birthday gift that was much appreciated.  Frank Mills was fabulous.  His version of 'Piano Man' had the audience almost frantic - not a mean feat given the average age of the audience.   

The kennel is doing well, the visitors are happy with the good weather and access to the big exercise yards.  June's little crew departed, after a warm welcome for their owner.  That is a happy little gang. 

The house crew are not amused by the comings and goings of their people and are protesting.  So used to having someone at their beck and call, the absence of Lee and Ken does not amuse Piper, Dolly and Marilla.  Charlotte found her way to the kennel on the early trip, refusing to come to the house when she was called - rest assured that did not repeat in the evening.  As Lee left the house, Charlotte was ensconced on her favourite new dog bed, rumbling at little Abigail who was lobbying to be allowed to join.  The babies are growing and Lily is spending some time out in the house now.  She enjoys her breaks, her food and the babies - all in equal measure.  The little ones now have open eyes and are getting up on their legs to try their luck at lurching from one side of the area to the other.  Some are steady, others not so much. 

Dinner was shepherd's pie (a quickly eaten meal) and on the return from the city, the cinnamon treats appear to have been broken in to.  The rest of the week is fully scheduled. 

Lots to keep everyone amused in late November

Life is ticking along at Regalridge with little Airedales keeping everyone busy.  Adding to  the baby enjoyment was the annual age update for Lee.  Alicia came to keep a lid on all concerned and the regalridgemobile departed, finding its way to the Wolfville market and some city shopping.  The market is a great one, a real farm market with high quality produce, excellent bread, local specialty meats and some artisan work.  The great find was a wood turner who specializes in cutting boards.  Lee has been pining for a bread board and a board to cover the griddle on the stove top.  Both were commissioned from this enterprising young man whose specialty woods and skills are impressive.  Costco was pillaged (new dog beds were on the list and Charlotte is relieved).  Costco is always interesting and never more so on this day.  Lee turned a corner with  her cart as a rousing rendition of  Happy Birthday started.  Her look of amazement equalled the look of total mortification on the face of a young woman who was being serenaded.  Her brothers had found her shopping in Costco, it seemed.  Lee leaned over and shared the coincidence.  The mortification turned to a huge smile and left both with a story to remember for years to come.  The trip home was followed by a jaunt to Chantelle's for a great party.  That girl can make appetizers that would make a chef envious.  Alicia, armed with her excellent equipment,  found time to shoot some images of the puppies so blog updates are imminent.  The weather has remained warm, even though there was a little rain interspersed with sunny periods.   A change is coming, however, with colder weather to arrive overnight.  The birds are plentiful and numbers are climbing.  Bird seed will be the requested Christmas gift, we fear. 

The kennel is busy with the pre-holiday crews.  June's little characters are in residence and are in charge - of what we aren't completely certain.  Talea is rolling along and pointing her little paw, assuming others are following her rules.  London shakes her head and knows perfectly well that it is she who is in charge.  Morgan doesn't care.  Lola and Kaleigh are delighted to be on vacation, are enjoying the big yard with Trebia and are playing Airedale games that only sisters know. 

The house crew enjoy Alicia's visits so all is well in their world.  Charlotte will eventually get up from her new bed, we are quite certain.  To this point, however, the head is slightly raised and a 'look' is given any who come near.  Piper sang the annual song to Lee early in the morning and the youngsters joyously joined in with their best voice.  Not having the words down pat, the song was practised a couple more times through the evening.  Our Ken is always slightly less amused than Lee at these excellent renditions. 

Dinner was annual meal fare with fabulous cupcakes to top it off.  Life is good.

All is well at Regalridge

Spring cleaning is complete.  Our Ken finished the walls of the great room and all vestiges of soot have been removed.  The area is certainly ready for the increased light presence that is the holiday season.  Earlier in the week, there was a card meltdown at Home Hardware.  Flustered and out of sorts does not begin to describe the alpha male's state of mind on his return.  Resetting the number and activating the card would be, of course, Lee's role so off it was to the local machine.  Mission accomplished with time added to admire the updated and spiffy new Superstore in the community.  With a village numbering less than 10,000, the area is very well served by two excellent grocery stores.  High quality produce, good meats and a large selection of counter items is surprising given the area's proximity to the city.  Daily specials are in evidence in both stores and on this day it was back ribs - almost at give away prices.  Of course a rack came home.  Christmas was in evidence but not in an overwhelming way.  Alll in all, a pleasant little outing.  As an antidote to polishing and washing, Our Ken diligently fed birds.  There were 16 doves in the cold morning branches, urging their food purveyor to greater speed.  The blue jays were busy and the one window interloper peered into the kitchen on a regular basis.  A chickadee finally joined his big friend and it was a race for the special food in that feeder.   There are now three pair of chickadees, perhaps more than any other year.  The day warmed slowly so the air sparkled with an ice frost all morning - an unusual event. 

The canine crew managed the cleaning process.  Billy actively participated, staying well underfoot as a reminder that he was in charge and well involved.  Piper maintained a presence in the kitchen, assisting Lee with every move made.  Dolly landed on Lee's feet every time a noise was made by the wall crew (Our Ken and Billy alternated between sighs and banging buckets).  Marilla maintained an outdoor presence with Rocky.  Charlotte slept through the whole exercise.  With the ins and outs of the vehicles, by mid-afternoon Alex and Virginia were ushered into number one run for the first time.  The wails and hooting that followed were sounds that Steven King would hear only in his dreams.  Lily and her family are thriving.  The babies are becoming puppies, still lined up with military precision and managed in a similar manner by their exacting mother.  Growth is almost able to be watched. 

Dinner was a favourite - pan fried haddock with fresh asparagus and roast potatoes.  Life unfolds. 

The first heavy frost of the season

There is frost in the air - actual ice crystals with no place to go after having coated all of the trees and the ground.  Early morning is the most beautiful time of day in November in Nova Scotia.  The day was dedicated to the ubiquitous soot.  Our Ken pitched in and spent hours on one side of the space, scrubbing, polishing and muttering in equal measure.  Lee confined herself to the many kitchen surfaces.  The room will be well prepared to accept the Christmas additions soon to come.  The birds are busy as colder weather begins to be a regular occurrence.  Weekly runs to Costco bring large sacks of seed to be distributed under the chestnut tree and among the feeders.  The littlest characters now benefit from the globe feeder and are subsisting on a diet of fruit and nut seed that would be equally interesting in a Christmas cake.  They eat well.   The pheasants are yet to surface but the end of November should turn up those who made it through the preceding seasons.  Gardens have been put to bed, lawn furniture stowed and the glass bird bath emptied.  The November greys are broken only by the occasional rose still bravely blooming next to the kennel and the berries on the holly bushes, red and cheery until the robins find them in February. 

All is well with the Regalridge crew.  Piper and Dolly parked in the kitchen and supervised the cleaning, each with one eye partially open.  No intent expressions - those are kept for important work like dinner preparation.  Dolly was singularly unimpressed by Our Ken's noise level.  He does not clean quietly into the day. She mentioned, repeatedly that any pleasure gained by having him in the house during the day was far outweighed by his noise nuisance factor.   Lily continues to thrive and enjoy her family.  The puppies are growing - in equal proportions wide and long.  Well fed puppies are happy puppies according to Ms Lil.  All have again had their collars enlarged.  The young Airedale girls are having a great first year.  Their ears have been up and are looking lovely, the expressions are delightful and their enthusiasm for life is infectious.  Both have outstanding heads and there is little doubt they will be filled with some vestige of common sense at some point in the future.  Until then, they tear around the big yards, carry whatever they can find to places they are sure only they know and jump for joy when the rumour starts that it is time for a meal. 

Dinner was prime rib revisited.  Not at all a bad thing.   

November and the blog

Yes, it is understood that the blog has been in hiatus.   The pilgrimage to Virginia was true to form and Billy had a wonderful vacation.  The dog with the miles under his paws charmed the South yet again, winning friends and influencing local dogs.  Remus, the little Welsh, welcomed the Regalridgemobile and wagged for a solid three weeks.  There was  the requisite shopping, punctuated with coffee at the 7/11 as votes were cast for our presidential candidate.  Now, that was interesting.  The height of the piles of available red or blue containers depended entirely on the area of the convenience store  - the one located next to the hut advertising Thursday night "Bullets and Beer" had a smaller assortment than most.  It was time to buy Remus' dog license - and in this gated community in which we spend a considerable amount of time annually, the place to buy your license is, of course, at Bill's Gun Shop.  Yes, as odd as it seems to Canadians, they sell fishing, hunting and dog licenses next to high powered rifles and a plethora of handguns and ammunition.  Only in the south.  Sunday at the Jefferson was a weekly ritual, with our regular server offering up endless good champagne to accompany that outstanding afternoon of over-eating.  Our Ken's seven desserts was slightly under his high of nine achieved in the spring.  Linda had three crystal cups of chocolate mousse and was replete.   This year Regalridge was managed by a fabulous young woman.  Alisha has a dog 'outreach' business that includes training, exercise and house sitting.  She is reliable, responsible, and thoroughly delightful, capable of managing the Regalridge crew and assorted additions with ease.  What a terrific addition to our lives and a person highly recommended should such services be needed. 

Settled back into the daily routine, Lily arrived and offered a family of Airedale puppies.  All are well, fat and happy.  Lily is very, very proud.  Logan is the father and the puppies have the potential to be stunners given the parents' pedigrees and great looks.  The weather is finally becoming seasonal and the first hard frost was experienced this week.  Prior to that, the days had been early September-like, with warm to hot afternoons.  Still, the time has changed, daylight is shorter and evenings seem the longest period of each 24 hour cycle.  Some of the winter birds have arrived and Our Ken is handing out seed by the bucketful.  There is a new feeder for small birds and special fruit and nut seed is included in the daily menu.  Chantelle added a window feeder, supposedly for small feathered friends.  The Blue Jays did not get that memo.  One has become very, taken with the kitchen goings on, peering through the window while sitting on this exalted perch and is likely to move in at the first opportunity.   And there are adventures.  On this day, it was the appearance of  a pervasive black covering.  During the early morning stampede, Lee noticed the floor's call for a cleaning.  Somewhat surprised since it had not rained the day before, the mop was brought out for a little early morning exercise.  Three buckets later, and with a dent made in the film, there was a realization that 'something happened'.  On Our Ken's arrival two hours later, a bemused expression crossed that otherwise benign countenance.  The engineer among us had cleaned the oil stove the evening before - with a vacuum cleaner.  In went the soot and out it spewed, apparently.  There is no better avenue for spreading a full oily covering through a very large room than a powerful vacuum - words to live by.  So, hours of cleaning later, a start has been made.  There is no worry about filling time for the coming week.

The kennel is quiet and that is a good thing.

The house crew are well and impressed by Our Ken's prowess in motivating all of this great room activity.  Their paltry attempts of tearing apart the orthopedic bed and working as a team to spread chips of memory foam through the entire area look pitiful by comparison. 

Dinner has ranged from pan fried haddock to chicken wings with the lovely blue cheese dip; sirloin from the favourite butcher across the road to pot roast (first of the season); burger night to prime rib.  There have been multi-tiered carrot cakes (Our Ken had an annual celebration) and pumpkin pies, cranberry muffins and banana breads.  Cream of onion and tomato-basil soup have graced the table.   Apple crisp from brother Reg's apples and homemade bread have made appearances on Regalridge plates and platters.  And there is a strong rumour circulating that Christmas is coming.