Merry Christmas 2017

 

Happy holidays to you all! We hope you have had a wonderful year and a warm holiday season. We have missed giving you updates on the blog this year, so here are a few highlights.  

A walk to celebrate the new year in the mountains yielded a big snowman surprise!

Although our little brown dog (Semilla) is no longer hiking with us on earth, we have found some furry substitutes. This little animal doesn't run after wild animals or chase balls, but occasionally needs to go in the washing machine.

Paloma entered her second science fair. Here she is, taking photos of the algae that she had grown (three different treatments plus a control; four replicates of each).

The girls thought they were brave enough to camp out in the back yard by themselves. They lasted less time than it took to set up the tent.

 

 

Aussie Grandma and Grandpa came to visit - we toured the Four Corners, including a visit to Mesa Verde (petroglyphs behind us!).

Thinking thoughts....

This little ballerina performed for the last time with her daycare buddies - Imogen started elementary school this year!

Big sister supervises the boat inflation. We now have two canoes!

Paloma instructs Mama how to paddle (we're learning together).

For Howard's birthday, we headed to Laguna Larga for a couple of nights camping.

Laguna Larga was full! What a great opportunity for a lesson on benthic macroinvertebrates and community ecology!

We made it to The Box! During our annual Brandenburg family vacation to Corkin's Lodge, Howard and Ayesha left the kids behind and hiked up the Rio Brazos to The Box. We were pretty pleased with ourselves.

Another annual trip: to Bear Wallow Ridge (near Taos) to hunt grouse (Howard, in front) and fairy toadstools (the rest of us).

Imogen: carrying her babies (Penny and Dime) and eating (this time a Taos apple).

For Paloma's birthday, we spent the day on the steam train from Chama with Grandmommy and Granddaddy.

We like going on adventures, but most of the time we're just hanging out at home with Lego...

The girls take every opportunity they can to get muddy!

Our last camping trip of the year was to the base of the San Mateo Mountains.

Rock on Imogen!

Imogen nervously tried out roped climbing for the first time.

Paloma scuttled up the rock face.

Every Saturday morning, you'll find us at piano practice and swimming lessons.

Happy Thanksgiving from the Brandenburdetts!

Paloma siezed a few quiet moments in the pre-Christmas rush to learn how to use the knitting nancy.

And Imogen tried her hand at embroidery.

Wishing you all the best for the coming year - happy, healthy, and full of good news and good thoughts. 

Love, 
the Brandenburdetts
xxxx

Australia #3

Wildlife viewing

While we were in Australia, we tried to find an echidna. Unfortunately, we had no luck with that (I did find a couple of porcupines in a tree last week though). But we did spot some other animals.

Of course, Howard went looking for fish. He checked minnow traps in the Hopkins River every single day.

The girls were roped in to hunting for fish.

And we found gudgeon!

Lots of gudgeon!

Lots and lots of gudgeon!

Big gudgeon...

And little gudgeon too. 

 

On the last day, he pickled one. 

In the meantime, I was distracted by smaller creatures....

We tried to find a few quintessential Aussie animals too.

We found a koala in the Framlingham forest! I think there's a joey there. When Imogen and I spotted it, we called out to Paloma and Howard to hurry hurry run run run come and see the koala! I don't know what the rush was... it's obviously not going anywhere any time soon...

On our way up to the Grampians, some emus wandered by...

And then there were a couple of lizardy visitors. 

Oh, and did we mention that we caught a freshwater eel in the Hopkins? Yep, you read that right - an EEL!!!! I don't know if I've ever seen one there before (although Grandpa reports seeing them migrating in herds). 

Paloma was rather smitten...

She even gave the eel a quick little hug. 

As you can imagine, Howard was rather pleased too. 

Paloma didn't like the idea of eating it. 

So our eel friend went back to nature...

Boo!

The beasts of all hallows eve....

Born from the bones of a rotting bird corpse, and from the ashes of a fallen unicorn, the spirits rise for Halloween....

Bwa ha ha haaaaaaa.....

The Bird Skeleton hits the trick or treat trail.

The Ghost Unicorn needed a little help navigating the trick or treat trail. 

Thanks for the pumpkin, Auntie Cathy!