Seasons Greetings

This is such a wonderful time of year, we are almost ready to greet our Christmas guests, and yesterday the snow fell, soft and thick, around the house, blanketing the world in its magical cloak. When evening came, the clouds drew back, revealing a sky of sparkling stars.

The Foxton family came by to pay us a visit and brought a bottle of homemade plum wine. They were on their way to visit their family for the holidays, and the children were so excited.

Today we have been keeping busy in the kitchen, and I've found some intriguing recipes for pies and cakes that I can't wait to try. I'm not sure how many friends will make it all the way up here to join us, but our doors are always open, and I sense fine times are afoot.

I'll pass you over to Quentin and Robin, but first, here is a little picture I painted of Wild Bill and Oleg sharing a drink by the fire.

Hello,
The world is very, very exciting right now, don't you think...I've never seen so much dried fruit ever before. As soon as my eyes open in the morning, I go straight to the kitchen. Yesterday I was the first there, and I took a little nip of all candid cherries just to make sure they were good...they were, so now Jayne can bake them up in a fruit cake, and that's how I help. Dried fruit is like candy, but it's not so bad for your beak, so I can eat lots and lots of it.
Did you know there are presents in the Study under the tree? I read all the labels, and four of them said Robin, and that's me, so I made a little hole in the paper so I could look inside, it was just brown cardboard boxes in there, but I'm still excited to rip off the paper.
I made Quentin a globe from an old wooden ball. I painted on some land and lots of sea with some sea monsters swimming in it. I think he will like it because it was the very best work I have ever done so far. I didn't make any mistakes, and I thought of him while I made it, which means it came with love from the heart.

Yours truly
Robin

Dear Friends, welcome to our holiday newsletter.
Last year was my first Christmas inside a house, and I can tell you that it is a great deal better than trying to celebrate under a rosebush in the snow. Rookscroft is beautiful but frightfully cold right now, Jayne has stacked the fires with logs, and we have plenty of wood to get us through, but we are waiting until Christmas week before heating the whole house. For now, we are tucked up in the kitchen with enough baking planned to feed the entire island come Christmas. I tell you that oven will get no rest until Boxing day is upon us, and neither will we.

I've noticed that Robin has been acting strangely, slipping out into the study several times a day. I'm not sure what he's up to, but I have noticed that he has taken to spending quite a bit of time under the tree "admiring the Christmas wrapping paper."
I'm doing my level best to keep my beak out of the boxes and although I know it runs against my character, I feel a warm fuzzy glow right now...Tell anyone, and I will swear it's the mulled wine, but between you and me, I think it's the magic of the holidays working its spell.

Wishing you all the best and don't spare the mice pies.

~Quentin

The little tea room is finally lit for Christmas, I can't wait to share it with you next year, until then here is a little peek...

I hope you enjoyed this letter from the island.

Have a wonderful Holiday Season. Thank you so much for your support and all the lovely messages I have recieved from you this year, they mean so much.

Your friend

Jayne