Outdoor Adventures with Gary Lee - Vol. 291
Now we got through the third January thaw and it is not yet January with most of the snow completely gone. I came home from my Sister Wendy’s in Clifton Park last night 12/30 and had clear sailing until I hit Warrensburg, temperature 39 degrees and light rain. As I went further north on Route 28, the temperature went down. At Indian Lake it was thirty-five and snowing very heavily, but not sticking to the highway. From there to home in Inlet, it was thirty-four and snowing most of the way. I never saw any big brown bunnies, which was good, but you could not see very far ahead of you. I only met six cars from Indian Lake to Inlet and let one pass me in the snowstorm by Golden Beach.
For Christmas I traveled to the Rochester area to visit all my family in two days and return. The first stop was at son Mitch and Jessie’s and their two children in Williamson for Christmas eve and Christmas morning. As per normal there were still some presents that needed assembly before Santa arrived and my third hand helped with a few as I remember that process well. At the Forest Ranger Headquarters there was no place to hide anything, so we put everything down at our neighbors Gladys and Ernie Cartier’s down the road. Karen would go down and wrap things there while the children were in school. Ernie was handy, and he would put some stuff together that needed it. At Mitch’s I ate a couple of Santa’s cookies, and the squirrels got the carrots left for the reindeer. I left a note from Santa, and we went to bed. It was around four thirty and Jax was shaking me saying that Santa had come and left lots of presents. By the time I got down to the tree several presents had been opened with many more to go. Sloan was passing them out as she found them and Jax was doing his best to open them and play with some before the next one came. He got a big log truck with a loading grapple that he mastered quickly. The two battery operated tractors with trailers had been moved to the back porch to make room for a small play area. Jax got a couple more trailer trucks, a tanker, and a Coke truck. Sloan and Jax both got big tablets to draw on which would erase with a swipe. There was a foot operated rocket launcher that I saw fly to the ceiling a few times. A truck hood that needed to be put together and Jax soon had that mostly mastered, then he got an engine with all the parts that he needed some help with. Sloan got some pretty clothes, a jewelry cabinet, and some nice dolls. Jax got a horse stable with several horses that he liked now that they are both taking horse riding lessons. After a good early turkey dinner, I said my goodbyes and traveled eleven miles down the road to Jason and Kelly’s home in Webster.
Son Nathan and Kelly’s mother Nancy were there. Nathan quickly had my new I-phone and put in a few more things that he thought I needed. Soon after they linked up with Kelly’s Brother Jimmy and his family in Malta via the internet and they opened presents together. We watched the Kansas Chiefs Game together and then I went over to the Bills family Christmas in Dave’s sister’s home in Irondequoit. All of Erin and Dave’s expanded families and two grandchildren were there. Some gifts were opened as I gave Rachel and Chris a framed Loon and chick photo, Emily and Kris a framed Cat painting that Karen had promised her. There was another great meal, but I only had a little. After a little wine, Emily had wigs for everyone which were put on and many photos taken. I got to hold both great grandchildren Milly and Zenon who were having a fun time with all the family. I got a ride from Granddaughter Rachel back to Jason’s for the rest of the evening. They were playing a board game before going to bed. In the morning, I watched Jason’s bird feeder and got to see a few of his Cardinals and other birds. I traveled back to Inlet by two with a couple wrong turns along the way where I used a phone correction to get me back on the right path.
Getting back home I opened a couple gifts from friends. One from Mary Ann and Stu Nelson was a pretty glass tree ornament, a red Cardinal which I put on the tree. A written statement came with it stating "The Legend of the Cardinal - It has been said that when a Cardinal appears, it is a gentle reminder of a loved one who has passed. Although they are no longer with us, they remain forever cherished in our hearts. The fond memories we shared, the love that filled our lives with them will never part.”
More Loon rescues before Christmas, but that’s another story. See ya.
Photo Above: Christmas Tree and gifts after Santa left
