Christmas and the New Year have come and gone and we are no worse for the wear. Gifts were opened in record time with unwavering enthusiasm this year as Henry served as full-time package distributor and opener. Once the paper was off, it was on to the next gift.
Chip found a prime seat on top of me from which to observe the chaos. Needless to say, I ended up with an obstructed view of the festivities.
Chip made use of the holiday dinners to teach the man cubs how to properly use their eating utensils.
Chip has also been teaching the man cubs how to pounce like a cat. Here, OG demonstrates his form...
All of which left Chip and the man cubs exhausted and Mommy and Daddy in search of another bed.
One highlight of the holiday season was Crystal's first-ever attempt at homemade eggnog. Suffice it say... we no longer have a need for store-bought eggnog. It's amazing how well her eggnog mixes with a little 12 year-old rum. And yes, the peanut butter balls were as good as ever.
A few quick bird outings around the Keys have yielded a pedestrian 59 species with 0 lifers. I have no particular goal in mind this year beyond tallying more species in Monroe County, FL than son Matthew. We have a gentlemen's bet which basically means anything goes.
Matthew was recently distinguished by having his photo of a Pearly-eyed Thrasher published in North American Birds magazine. He was one of two individuals to successfully photograph the first ever observed visit of this species to North America in 2024.
