{Turkey Vultures (Cathartes aura) & Brave Furbabies}

We went to midnight Mass on Christmas Eve and the weather was perfect after 5 days of heavy rain. So glad that we completed early this year all the Water Control Projects; what a blessing for never having to worry again! 

Christmas day was so LOVELY and SUNNY that we went for a walk!

Coming back we spotted about NINE Turkey Vultures, up in tall trees near the creek across from our property. So I investigated and found an entire RACK OF RIBS alongside the road across from our home. Did the neighbors drop it from their shopping bag? But it was naked...

So those huge Turkey Vultures were having a yummy Christmas Dinner!

So quickly Pieter grabbed our Nikon camera and attached the 200 mm lens to capture these images for you...

Turkey Vultures (Cathartes aura)

Size: Length: 64 - 81 cm according to the website's link above (just click it).

Or for US standard: 2 1/2 feet length with a 6 foot wingspan or 1.83 m!
Mockingly they are also called here: CONFEDERATE CONDOR!

Photos are heavily cropped and Pieter zoomed in from our driveway, without tripod...

How in the world could an entire rack of ribs end up alongside the road?

This Turkey Vulture LOVES it!

Our Furbaby, Spunky-girl is being brave...
All her hair upright and a very bushy tail! All her hair spiked up to look BIGGER!
 Looking at me like asking: Mom do I have your back?!
Sure you do Spunky-girl!

Okay Mami; I will attack!

She scared me, as I feared for her getting pecked at by those long and sharp beaks!

Her tiny sister, our 6-pound Tiggy-Tiger is all 'bushy-tailed' with hair spiked out and ready to join Spunky!

Look at Tiggy-Tiger as she too tries hard to look impressive with all her hair up; doubling her size...

That upright bushy tail!
Good for not having ANY traffic on Christmas Day in the afternoon...

Our cat-boy Spooky joins in now!
He too walks across the street towards those Turkey Vultures...

Watch him act BRAVE! With his arched back...
Both of us never have seen Turkey Vultures (Cathartes aura) from that close!

They stayed high up in the trees near the creek's edge of our neighbor's property.

Waiting for their turn to dive...

Impossible to capture all nine of them by zooming in from across the road.
But this was quite a Christmas Adventure!
I've learned that our Furbabies understood far better than their human parents that these mighty birds ONLY attack carion and not live animals.
I thought they acted very BRAVE!

That was our unusual Christmas afternoon adventure with the Furbabies after we got home from a walk...

Next morning, the entire rack of ribs was gone!

We did not let our Furbabies eat from the greasy meat and luckily they stayed inside with us.

December 25, 2014 Our Brave Cat–Boy Spooky Chasing Off Turkey Vultures ←click short video

{SHOPSTYLE - Decor Silver Ball Ornament}

Showing you our present wreath with Silver Ball Ornaments.

Angels, Cherubs and Candles are sheer magic don't you agree?

This was my inspiration from Italy...

Giovanni Raspini from the heart of Tuscany, creates these Heirloom Silver Balls, filled with red satin.

I've opted for this Silver Trio!

There is only ONE left of this beauty!

Click:→ Spectrenoir for going to my  online Boutique.

Got one out in the mail today, for a client in Germany.

Sold out...

The red satin is so perfect with the silver!

Lucky for having some natural light today, as the sun is out and shining bright!

This is the other, larger Decor Silver Ball Ornament in our wreath...

Cherub Angels!

Sold out...

Each Decor Silver Ball Ornament arrives in such a signature red box from Giovanni Raspini, Italy.

This Decor Silver Ball shows TOYS

From the trio being shown here, I have only the two on the left, inside our wreath.

From each of these three is only ONE still available... #1859

At ShopStyle  you could have bought some very plain ones.

When you select: Decor and put Silver Ball Ornament in the search box you can further select from the drop down menu: Seasonal Decor and Store. All is marked yellow.

Neiman Marcus did sell out completely!

Are you also having any special Silver Ball Ornament

{Merry Christmas 2014}

Finally it is again December 24, and Christmas Eve... Soon to be Christmas Day!

Wishing you all, the world over, a Merry Christmas 2014!

Always tricky for having pure white (without rain...) Camellias for Christmas, from our garden!

Shown here with my sewing creation of a Christmas placemat and napkin in a tiny white vase...

Merry Christmas

Feliz Navidad

Joyeux Noël

Frohe Weihnachten

Buon Natale

Silver Gifts from Tuscany, Italy from Giovanni Raspini, via my on line Boutique: Mariette's Back to Basics...

Merry Christmas, with our fragrant Paperwhite flowers in a vase and Point A La Ligne candle...

Our hand carved wooden Nativity Scene and Cherubs - Angels from South Tyrol, Italy.

Handblown Glass Nativity Scene; a gift from a dear FRIEND!

Nativity Scene with fragrant Paperwhite flowers and Cherub Angels...

Christ Episcopal Church
Dublin, Georgia
1899
A Christmas ornament that we gifted Mom & Dad...

Merry Christmas!

Related links:
{Blogger I Admire | Christmas Angel & Sentiments} | previous post by me
Angels | Wood Carved Putto, Cherubs and Angels from Italy on my website Mariette's Back to Basics
Angels | More Angels on my website Mariette's Back to Basics

{Christmas in Magical Ortisei, Italy}

Of course, having lived and worked in Italy in the Venice area for about one year, around Christmas, I do MISS Italy! 

Virtual friend Loredana Stasi, the artist from the blog: Il filo del cuore Ricami The thread of the heart... Embroideries, did grant me permission to use some of her photos, to show you Christmas in Magical Ortisei, Italy.

La magia dell'Alpe di Siusi or The Magic of the Dolomites is the title of her original post!

Just click the pink hyperlink above...

The area of South Tyrol, northern Italy has such charm!

The Val Gardena, a mountain chain within the Dolomites is part of the Alps.

Look at such a DREAM!

 Family Spa Grand Hotel - Family Hotel Cavallino Bianco in English, just click it.

Cavallino Bianco family spa Grand Hotel on FB

Loredana went skying with her husband and son...

My comment for Lory on her post.
Yes, we always drove through this region of the Dolomites when going from Cornuda, Italy home via Innsbruck, Austria to The Netherlands to visit my Parents...

South Tyrol, is also the area for the famous hand carved wood, like this gorgeous outdoor nativity!
Thanks Lory for granting me permission to use your beautiful photos.
Below you find two posts, about this very talented artist Lory, she inherited her incredible skills from her dear Grandma Nonna Elisa!

Related links:

Mercatino della Creatività... | post showing Lory's fabulous Christmas embroidery work!

Un Ricordo Dolcissimo...Nonna Elisa! | Lory with her artist Grandmother Elisa, on her 100th Birthday. That remarkable lady designed embroidery kits when she was young, she dreamed about them and created them... A must read story and no wonder Lory is so talented herself!

{Fourth Week of Advent 2014}

Our fourth and final week of Advent for 2014!

Wishing you all a meaningful time of the final days before CHRISTMAS!

Our hand carved wooden Cherub Angels from Italy are all lined up...

The singing angel to the left is a ceramic one from Italy, gift from a dear friend!

Also French Porcelain Lampe Berger Angelot Cherub Cameo is lined up.

Click above link, to my on line Boutique; only ONE  still available.

Little golden candles with spriral brass candle holders on a Mason Mandalay Chartreuse plate.

Wishing you all a very Happy 4th Advent!

{The Birth of Santa Claus}

We are nearing Christmas, so this story about the Birth of Santa Claus is interesting...

English speaking readers can read the text below:

The American Santa Claus has developed strictly on his own to the point where he is now stationed on the North Pole and drives a team of reindeer. 

All that remains of his Dutch phase is his name: Santa Claus is a direct derivation of Sinterklaas.

Popular Dutch folk song...

For the Dutch Sinterklaas Eve...
Large chocolate initials serve as place settings along with the so-called 'lovers', tall men and women of speculaas, a crisp and dark brown pastry rather like ginger bread.

From De Nederlandse COURANT

The mailing of St. Nicholas cards was in the beginning of the 20th century a tradition in the better circles.

Related links:

{Of Sint and Santa} | previous post by me
{How the Dutch Brought Us Santa, Presents, and Treats} | previous post by me