A Christmas to remember

I hope everyone reading this has had the opportunity to share time with their family this Christmas.  While I have missed my immediate family, I have really enjoyed the opportunity to be surrounded by my extended family.  I've missed my boxing day filled with great food, great laughs and games with Marjorie but this year brought nothing less with my Aunt, Uncle and cousins.

My cousin Brenda is truly an artist.  She made a Christmas cake and honoured me with a cardinal on top.  As many of you know, since my father's passing in 2004 Cardinals have become very symbolic to me.  They were one of his favourite birds and every time I see one they remind me of him and his love for us.  Here in England they do not know the beauty in a Cardinal, the birds are never seen here.  But for me I saw them in Christmas cards, Trinket boxes, and cakes.  I feel very loved.

Any similarity to Angry Birds is purely coincidental.

Isn't he cute?

This is Lake Buttermere.  On Boxing Day, we walked around the lake.  It took us about two hours and it was four and a half miles.

There was some sun but only on that hill, the fact that it quit raining for half a day was amazing.  We have been having the same severe storm that swept across Ontario this past week.  Many areas of England have been badly flooded.

One of the sites from around the lake.

I loved the clouds covering the mountain tops in this picture.

Holly is everywhere.

I hope you have had a great Christmas.  Happy New Year!