Advent Garden: Light of Joy and Animals

 

 I'm a little late, but here is our Advent garden for this week. This is the week of Joy. " Behold I bring you glad tidings of great Joy which shall be to all people." This is also the week of animals. We added a hedgehog, a fox, a wolf, a trumpeter swan, a chickadee, a cardinal, and a blue jay to our advent garden.

 Then we set out to Swan Park. This park is the home to approximately 1500 trumpeter swans ever year between November and March. The sight and the noise can only be described as incredible!

 

Then it was off to the Feed Store from my youth to pick up some corn for the ducks. This feed store has oh  so many varieties of chickens (oh how I wish we could have chickens).

The ducks flock by the thousands to the Mississippi and Rum every winter because they rarely freeze over. It is an annual tradition of ours to go and feed them every winter, but this year we had to hunt for them because BOTH rivers FROZE OVER! We found them near the waterfall (dam) and were able to feed them down below from an observation deck. Not quite the same as having them mill around your feet, but as close as we could get.

 I think Panda has really been enjoying this week. All children are incredibly attuned to the animal kingdom. We've put out several treats for the rabbits, deer, squirrels, and birds, and a few trips to the dog park are in order, but this quiet slower way to celebrate seems to be just our speed. Have a blessed day wherever you are and whatever season you are in, be well. 

 P.S. Don't forget my giveaway. You Have till New Years Eve to enter for a chance to adopt these three birds. Click on the picture for more details. 

P.P.S. Here is a short clip of Swan Park. Enjoy!