Christmas, Trapp Family Lodge, Shutt Cats,

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This Christmas morning the cats woke me up at 6:30 a.m. for breakfast. Out the kitchen window I noticed this huge flock of egrets dotting the mass of trees across the lake. Terrible picture, but you can get an idea...

Makes me want to set up the real camera and big lens some morning this week to see how the pictures would come out.
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Outside I found a few trees blooming:





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Since I was up so early this morning, I looked around at vacation spots that I might want to visit for my birthday. I do this every year and I never actually go to any of these places, but it is fun to search around.

If you could think of one place you would like to go in the USA for a four night trip, where would it be?

I think the perfect trip for me would be to the Trapp Family Lodge in Vermont.


(yes, The Sound of Music)

2,400-acre mountain resort in the European tradition by the family that inspired "The Sound of Music." Accommodations with Austrian decor and spectacular mountain views. European-style cuisine and New England specialties in 3 restaurants with nightly entertainment. Year-round recreational activities including hiking, biking, garden tours, cross-country skiing, snowshoeing, fitness center with indoor pool, 2 outdoor pools, & tennis. 5 minutes from downhill skiing at Stowe Mountain Resort. Afternoon tea, family sing-alongs, garden/floral workshops, Mountain Kids Club, horse-drawn sleigh/carriage rides and more. Special packages available year-round.

The real Maria von Trapp and family:










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Click HERE to read about Maria von Trapp's gardens and the Self Guided Tour.

Click HERE for a little photo gallery.

Check out the entire site here:
Trapp Family Lodge
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And...a little SHUTT FAMILY CAT UPDATE:

Pearl, who is the resident Desk Cat (always on the desk...always in the way..on top of important papers or attacking the printer), has a little competition on the way for this Desk Cat title:

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There is Cleo, who has been exploring this room more, and seems particularly fond of the desk this week, although not 100% comfortable with perching on top of it completely:

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Then there is Minou who, because of Cleo's interest, has become "interested" with the desk top also (but we all know she just doesn't want Cleo up there):

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And a Happy Christmas to those of you who do the Christmas bit! :)

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