I'm sitting here this morning with my cup of coffee looking out the front windows watching the finches and sparrows fight for the last 1/3 of the food in the feeders.   I really am amazed at our animals and how they can cope with this fridigness we call winter.   I filled the feeders yesterday morning but since we only made it to -8F they are going quickly.   I noticed this morning that the downy woodpecker is coming and visiting early to have some peace while he eats.  Notice the tree branch behind the feeders!   Even the Christmas lights are used as perches.

As you can see we also got serious snow.  I got about 8" and then Friday got big wind which blew much of it away or into drifts.    I think I shoveled out the drift on the front of the house about 20 times on Friday trying to keep the sidewalk clear and the deck free of snow as it blew up under the roof.   On the bright side, it eliminated having the continue to shovel the dog yard out back!  LOL   Wednesday I left for the office at -18F when I got up Saturday morning and finally checked the temp outside about 9 a.m. it was -28F.  YUCK   Good news is they are predicting almost 40 above by the middle of the week and this morning we are already warmer than it got yesterday.

Being Montanans it doesn't keep us from much.  I had girls coming over for brunch and a cookie decorating party Saturday morning and although we had one that couldn't make it up the driveway we still got her up here!    One other had to cancel because her rented home had frozen pipes and she had to stick around for the landlord to come.   I do NOT understand rentals (she's quite a ways out of town too) that still have plumbing that isn't winterized properly.   It isn't like this is a new phenomenon to have this kind of cold and often we have it for a week or more at a time.   No fear, we boxed up leftover brunch and cookies to get to her!   It was a fun time and my dogs did really well.  We did put the poodles in their crates while we did cookies so that there was no counter cruising.  I was especially proud of Tinkerbell when she actually solicited attention from lap level.  She will often come want to get petted but then will run off.  This was progress and I am thrilled.

Quite an artistic bunch of ladies as you can see (and yes the mimosas helped)!  Each one took cookies home and the remainder will go with Sterling and me today to the ladies and staff at the assisted care facility we do therapy at. 

 Notice the supervisor back there in front of the fire!

I am happy to report that my cards and mailed gifts all arrived where they were supposed to (so glad I mailed early since I'm not going to town but a few times a weed right now).   I have only 1 left to deliver and it should go this week.

...and the stockings are hung (okay rather "laundry is done").

I have been very blessed to be able to work from home especially when the roads are crappy and it is really cold.   I allows me to keep the wood stove going, even if it means getting up every 3 hours during the night.  When it is -20 or better the furnace has a really hard time keeping up but the wood stove keeps us very toasty warm.  Sometimes the back of the house is a bit too toasty but the poodles and I just escape to the front living room. I do find that I really like the warmth of the stove vs the electric forced air furnace.  Really dries out the skin though so the pot on the stove is kept full of water.   So glad I have a large stock of wood as well.

 This poodle LOVES the snow and before it got too cold to be out we did get a very short stint of fun in out front with the purple ball.

Busy week ahead at work (no surprise we are overwhelmed right now with the work from the people that are leaving) but I'd much rather be busy than not.   It will quiet down after Christmas as MANY take that week off.   I am hoping that means I can catch up on some tasks that I haven't been able to get cleaned up.  We shall see.

Hope all your holiday preparations are going smoothly and everyone is staying warm.