Ice ice baby

Yesterday we visited a collegiate level ice sculpting competition with a friend.  It was amazing to see what these artists could do with a block of ice and various power tools.

Most competitors relied on their trusty chainsaw to create figures from ice.

Here, two teammates work together to join two forms.

The cold temperatures prevented us from staying for the entire event.  However, we were able to see several smaller already completed works.

Ice horse head

Ice ram

Ice fish

And our favorite, the ice-burger

Can you see where we took a bite?

It's the most de-li-cious...

time of the year...

One certainly cannot celebrate the holidays without feasting!  Below are some highlights from our aunt's holiday meal:

VIEWER BEWARE:  Looking at these photos will cause your salivary glands to become overly excited.  Drooling will probably occur.    

Welcome to the holiday table!

Let's take a closer look at some dishes:

Shrimp baked in butter and garlic, then sprinkled with salty parmigiano reggiano

Roasted prime rib covered in a delicious coating of garlic cloves, mustard, and crushed black pepper

Apple, walnut, and craisen salad with mustard and maple dressing:  a wonderful mixture of textures 

Evolution of a bird feeder

As many of you already know from my "flighty visitors" post, we've recently put up a bird feeder.

Here, I hung the feeder on a random nail.

Worried that our birds didn't have enough space to stand, hubby created this contraption to encourage maximum feeding:

 

The "trapeze" feeder

Then, reading somewhere that bird feeders should be about 4 feet off the ground, hubby reworked the contraption to look like this:

The "damsel tied to the railroad tracks" feeder

Are we encouraging more birds to visit our feeder?   Unsure.
Do I smile at hubby's ingenuity?  You betcha.

Flighty Visitors

A couple days ago we had some unexpected guests.

Sadly, they didn't stay very long.  Hoping to attract more feathered friends, we put out some delicious treats.
    

Our bountiful bird buffet

Soon enough, our guests returned.  Unaccustomed to my presence, many took off before I could take their photos.  Here's one guest that wasn't quite so camera shy.

Is it me or is he posing?

Cat huts

A cat colony lives in the empty lot adjacent to our apartment complex.  With the recent snowy weather, hubby and I worry about these feral felines' fate. 

How will they stay warm in this weather?

Luckily for the cats, many kindhearted neighbors have reached out to help.  Some constantly put out tasty treats.

Monday's Special:  Stinky sardines

Those who are a bit more crafty designed and assembled small "cat huts."  Built out of old pet carriers and cardboard boxes these units are insulated with straw and old blankets.

One hut in the cat complex

We're all hoping that they'll stay warm this winter.

Welcome, December!

Today, Charlie and I were greeted by a wintry surprise.

The cold and snowy weather came at a perfect time.  Our fridge has been on the fritz and now stores everything at an ultra-mild 70º. While that temperature is great for humans and dogs, it's not so good for milk or meat.  So now we're storing our food "Little House on the Prairie" style until the fridge gets fixed.

Doesn't this remind you of an image from an airport scanner?  I can already spot three deadly weapons:  salami, margarine, and cheese.

And now, we finally get to wear our boots.  Ta da!

This picture was obviously not taken today.

 Big, clunky, and ugly, these babies are going to get us through the winter.

Beauty in the details

This weekend my hubby and I visited Saugatuck.  This town is so cute and I really love all the charming details.

"Come inside," beckon the beautifully crafted door handles.

American Spoon

 

Wicks Park Bar and Grille

"Return back to yesteryears" chime the double letters and extra "e." 

Hope you had a wonderful weekend too,

Ye Olde Pink Stripey Sockkes 

   

Letter from a reader

I recently received a letter from one of my many squirrel readers.  It just made my day.  Here's what the letter said:

****************************************
Dear Ms. Pink Stripey Socks,

My wife and I thoroughly appreciated your "Treasure Map" post.  During this terrible recession we've struggled to take care of our large family.  With eight mouths to feed, we're constantly searching for food.  Your map has greatly helped us.  Now we hope to make it through this winter.

Thanks very kindly,
Mr. Harold T. Squirrel

PS:  I've included a picture of my youngest daughter Matilda enjoying a recent treasure map find.