Holidays at the farm

Christmas Eve and Christmas were spent at the farm... card games (hearts, spades) and a new game - Loaded Questions... which brought lots of laughs.  The traditional Julie French Christmas Eve supper with her clam chowder, cracked crab, pea salad, lefsa (!!), potato rolls... In lieu of gifts this year, we did a "gag gift" of sorts which brought more laughs (a common theme).  Christmas Day started with a wonderful breakfast followed by said games, movies with dinner of ham, sweet potatoes, deviled eggs (somehow forgotten on Christmas Eve - unclear how that occured the family's love of said eggs), green salad with spinach, mozarella and craisans.  Yum, yum.  Food and laughter - certainly worse things in the world.  Hope you all had a wonderful Christmas!

Joel, me, Gramps, Alison

The family (Molly, TJ were in Yakima)

Ski masks from Big R (I went retro with my gifts to the kids!).  The Magic 8 balls were a big hit as well.

Me, Alison, Mum (just before sitting for Christmas Eve supper)

Schweitzer ski day with the family

This was the day before Christmas Eve so the Eve of Christmas Eve I suppose... Dad and Grace, Preston and Keegan came to ski and see Santa on the Slopes. 

Additional renovation photos

Another look at the dining room and my office - fantastic view of the lake, marina and mountains every morning!  Hard not to be inspired when starting the work day at 430AM

Snow shoe trip to Picnic Point

Great exercise today ahead of the feasts on Christmas Eve, Christmas... stunning day at Schweitzer

Winter sunrise at Schweitzer

Mornings at the cabin are always awesome - waking up in the dark, working and watching the sunrise and the mountain slowly come alive. 

The WoW cabinet

The renovation / design of Camp Bunga Bunga has been an incredible ride so far... what has made it even "cooler" is working with local artists / craftspersons here in Sandpoint (buy local, stay local).  Such talent.  This WoW cabinet was done by Stillwater Woodwork - it is 22' tall and the sides are backlit onyx pieces.  Stillwater also made some of the furniture in the house - including the side tables for the master bedroom, the console table in the master bedroom and the dining room buffet table that sits under the Pyrene painting. 

Camp Bunga Bunga renovation

Phase I is almost complete ... this is so exciting - but admittedly, I have yet to sleep in my own bedroom.  It's just too pretty and I'm afraid I won't be able to re-make my bed as it is presently!  More photos to follow as made available. Phase II will be done Spring 2012 and include the Camp Bunga Bunga opium den / hide-away and the terrace. 

Lake Pend Orielle (winter)

Looks a bit different in the Winter than in the Summer.

Floating dock is floating on sand and snow.



I'm back....

It's not necessarily the BIG UNWIND ... but I am back in the US - and it is time to start tracking my "big events" in Sandpoint and the 2012 ski season, social season and the list goes on... stay tuned - as I am still needing to unpack (and that is where the camera is located).