Puzzling Pastimes

Winter came to the peninsula this week. Small amounts of snow on Sunday, led to larger amounts on Monday and into the week, leading to cancellations of virtually everything including schools, college, Bible studies, AWANA, band and on and on. Surrounded by burdensome boughs of snow in our winter wonderland like cocoon, we spent much time enjoying being at home, taking walks, playing games and catching up. We watched both Courageous and Dolphin Tales too. Both movies I would recommend wholeheartedly (as an aside).

The Graduate brought home from Turkey a lovely Ravensburger puzzle given to her for Christmas by her gracious hosts and cousins. Last night, given the fact that we had been basically snowed in for three days and her on-line school work was caught up, we enjoyed some famly time, playing games and starting the puzzle. First, we played Ratuki, our new favorite card game. Similar to Dutch Blitz, it has some interesting twists to it and involves speed and more speed (something I am generally lacking in....). Our other new favorite game is called Things and, although, we didn't play it last night, we did enjoy some time playing it this week with friends before the snowstorm hit on Tuesday. Similar to Balderdash, but different. :).

Toasty and warm from laughing and from our roaring woodstove inside, we enjoyed the time spent being, once again, together, all of us.



Our Winter Wonderland



My logically oriented puzzle makers were intent on doing the outside borders once all the pieces were laid out and set upright. Farmer Girl and I are not big puzzle fans and, once we helped set up the pices, grew quickly bored with the process although we had great fun getting in their way, taking pictures, and generally annoying them! :)

The puzzle is quite pretty with lovely, warm colors. The Grauate wants to frame it when finished. I love well made puzzles and have always been a fan of German made Ravensburger ones.

I got a new camera for Christmas, a Canon Rebel. Bob saved all year to buy it for me. Our faithful Minolta quit working this summer so I had been using a small camera or Farmer Girl's nice Nikon. I had been trying to save for awhile, but something more important always came up, like our trip to DC that needed more financing, or root canals for Bob......always something. More recently, I enrolled in a photography class given by a homeschooling dad who loves photography. Wanting to know how to use my new DSLR, I thought I should take advantage of the class. Last week, we learned some basic stuff and talked about depth of field, playing with the f-stops. THIS week, class was canceled like everything else. So, I spent the rest of our time, playing with f-stops........

A large depth of field with an f-stop of 30 something....

                               I especially like this one.



A very narrow depth of field.

 Farmer Girl facetiously pretending to have matched pieces..she wasn't trying very hard and wasn't fooling anyone with her interest. I was just having fun taking photos!

The Graduate lining up the border.

More puzzling puzzle pieces....I couldn't resister another one.

I promise the rest are more interesting!

I loved capturing their hands as they worked.
These are Bob's in case you can't tell :)

Attempting to find a piece or perhaps steal a piece?

A feigned look of suprise 

I like this one of Bob.

Our evening was full of fun and warm memories. Really, not very puzzling at all, aside from the puzzle of the puzzle.

Perhaps, most puzzling of all, is our dog, Griffin, who must think he is a mole! He loves to play in the snow. I took him on a long walk to deliver Farmer Girl to a friend's house for snowball fights and sledding. All the way home, he ran in the ditch along the road, burrowing his snout into the world below. It was so funny to watch him. We walked over two miles, there and back again, but I think he almost did double, running back and forth, around me and into the ditch! He was one wore out golden when we got home to our nice warm and cozy home. He had fun too today.

Trying to capture his burrowing.

Enjoy the weather in your corner of the world and enjoy time with your family. It is precious and fleeting.

God bless, Ellie~