According to one definition, shenanigans can be a high-spirited or mischievous activity. Here the elf is pushing Bumble in a pint sized shopping cart.
What shenanigans are you up to? With all the Covid, flu, and other viruses being passed around, I hope all are healthy. Have a fabulous Friday!
Planning some Elf on the Shelf Ideas for the future? Here are two more.
Having the Yeti/ Abominable Snowman along with Rudolph can make the set up more interesting. For this one I made pirate patches for their eyes and covered the elves head with cloth to make it look like a pirate. The treasure chest I believe I got at Hobby Lobby and the gold coins (Chocolate) are sold at many places before the holidays.
I had this larger tub already to hold washcloths in my bathroom. It was a good size for an elf. This one is larger than soap size. These bathtubs are popular in soap size, so even a good size for some smaller elves or other characters. Merry Christmas!
Some signs of autumn include the changing colours of the leaves, cooler temperatures, and birds flying south for the winter. In Saugerties, N.Y. another sign of autumn includes the Rimington’s new Minions Hay Bale display presented during the start of the Garlic Festival.
This year I finally got to meet the couple behind this display. This is my fourth year documenting it. The Rimingtons told me this is their sixth year putting it up. This year’s theme is hip hop music. This year they incorporated some artwork in the form of banners as well as a few skeletons. RIMS Driving School is their business.
As I was talking to the Rimingtons, people were showing their appreciation by yelling thank you for the display from their passing cars.
This display is across from Dunkin Donuts as you are heading into the village from the Thruway exit. It is on 127 Ulster Avenue. I recommend pulling into the shopping area across the street and parking. You can view it from that side of the street or cross over. Ulster Avenue in Saugerties is a very busy road and there is no parking street side in that area.
If you are leaf peeping in the Catskills and in the area of Saugerties head into town. Besides this display there are a variety of businesses in the village to stop for a bite, go antiquing, or walk to the Lighthouse from the parking area on Lighthouse Drive.
What a fun way to celebrate the start of autumn and Halloween. Thank you to the Rimington Family!
To all those celebrating in the U.S., Happy Independence Day! In my area people have been celebrating since July 1st with nightly fireworks. No, they were not celebrating Canada Day. Enjoy your day!
Run, run as fast as you can… you can’t catch me I’m the Gingerbread Man.
from The Gingerbread Man
I found a cute product in a local shop after Thanksgiving. I always like to find unique objects. This is a Gingerbread Mug Topper. It is made by Rustic Bakery in Petaluma, California. (I do not get paid for this blog post).
What makes these stand out is they are made to hang on paper cups or thin mugs. I found a thicker mug will not take the arm. Above it goes down part of the way on the cup.
On the picture above I used a paper cup. It seemed to work well on the paper cup. The arm goes further down the cup to hold it in place.
I don’t consider gingerbread men to be just a Christmas thing. I associate it with winter. I think it goes well with hot chocolate. Are you a fan of the Gingerbread Man?
I hope everyone is fairing well with the recent cold weather and in some cases blizzard conditions experienced in the US and Canada. I hope all those without electricity or heat get it restored soon.
I decided to try to make some fun images. The above is one of them. I will make two separate posts tonight. Merry Christmas! Happy Hanukkah! Happy Kwanza! Happy New Year!
I love old doors with character. This one definitely is interesting. I saw this one in Rhinebeck, NY. They must not use this entrance to the house as the wreath covers both halves of the door.
Get out and enjoy the decorations in your area this time of year. To me the most interesting ones involve the old and the new. Do you agree?
What is a delicious dessert that comes from Sri Lanka that is gluten-free and dairy-free? It’s Mung Kavum.
What is Mung Kavum? It is a dessert usually made around the Sinhala Tamil New Year and other special occasions. Sinhala Tamil New Year is in April, but the owner’s of Red Pepper Diner shared it with me after the American New Year.
What are the ingredients? Some of the ingredients include: Mung Bean flour, rice flour, sugar, coconut milk and spices. It is deep fried. It is slightly sweet, but not overly sweet. It is very delicious. How it is made may vary between recipes and restaurants of course.
Where can you get this? One location is Red Pepper Diner on Route 9D in Wappingers very close to Beacon. It is worth a visit if you are travelling on I-84 near Beacon or visiting Beacon for the many shops and galleries or for DIA Beacon.
Which owl is a year round NY resident is tiny, and it is well camouflaged and hard to spot in the wild? It’s the Eastern Screech Owl.
This is one owl I have yet to come across in the woods and would like to see. However, I know it will be difficult, so when given the opportunity to see one up close I jumped on it.
These owls are short and stocky with almost no neck. They can be mostly gray or mostly a reddish brown colour. Notice the one above is about the size of a pine cone.
They camouflage well against tree bark. Their size and colouring make them difficult to spot. People have been able to sight them at the hole in the tree they reside in. They tend to block the tree hole and blend in well with the bark.
According to Birdfeederhub.com their diet includes songbirds, mice, rats, moles, squirrels, insects, earthworms, and lizards. The ability to take down a squirrel or rat surprised me given their size.
I viewed this owl at the Greenburgh Nature Center. This nature center has a variety of trails, programs, and events on a 33 acre nature preserve. They take care of some birds of prey. They currently have eagles, hawks, a screech owl, and a great horned owl. These birds cannot be released into the wild due to an event such as a collision with a car. Sites such as the Greenburgh Nature Center receive birds determined to be non-releasable from wildlife rehabbers who cared for them right after the event in which they were injured.
The Greenburgh Nature Center is located at 99 Dromore Road in Scarsdale, NY. It is a short drive north of New York City in Westchester County. To learn more click on the link below:
It is the season of giving. Support your local wildlife rehabbers and places like the Greenburgh Nature Center. These places help us learn more about wildlife, provide us an opportunity in some cases to see wildlife up close, and help animals in need. Happy holidays!
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