January has been very warm and sunny with very little snow.  The pursuit of pleasure has triumphed over working on the house – including two concerts, a presentation and two interviews on Canada-Saudi Arabia relations, long walks with the dog, and a spectacular lunar eclipse (blood wolf moon – worth googling images)

We enjoyed several dinners during the local “dine around” period – this is a poster in the men’s bathroom at Quail’s Gate Winery.

We collected these arrows over 9 years of New Years Eves at Zojoji temple in Tokyo. One is supposed to consign last year’s arrow to the New Year’s Eve’s bonfire each year but we collected them and have finally burned them in our own bonfire.

Mizuho sent an abaya (Saudi black cloak) to her friend in Japan and she in turn sent some sweets wrapped as only the Japanese can.

Taisho continues to be a delight.  He enjoys surveying his kingdom from the back lawn.

Made some sausage with our neighbor Klaus, a man of many talents who has been making a winery and vineyard for the past 7 years.  We made fresh bratwurst and Italian sausage using only pork and seasoning, no nitrates.  Had some with his cider and also had the first taste of last year’s chardonnay and pinor noir – very promising.

And started on the front hall closet.  These are the doors – a solid Baltic birch panel painted white and oiled fir with lapped fir slats.  Next need to complete the cabinet and make the top/bottom rails.