A wintry scene on New Year's Eve

Hugh sends along this photo from Deep Creek Lake, Md. "A light snow is falling. The lake is freezing over, although there is still some open water. It is really a pretty winter scene."

A quick trip to watch a game - in Italy

Genevieve and John joined Genevieve's cousin Christie and Aunt Margaret on a mid-December visit to Rome to see cousin Nick, a professional rugby player for a team called SS Lazio. Here the gang poses at the site of his game.

They managed to squeeze in some sightseeing during the quick weekend trip. Genevieve writes:

"We also visited the Vatican, the Coliseum and the Forum (where this picture of me was taken)... "...and the Trevi fountain our last night so we could throw a coin in and wish to come back soon!


"And this is the coliseum with a Christmas tree outside, and us on a tour inside."

More scenes of Christmas: Yonkers

Patrick, Genevieve and Vivien were all home for Christmas with their mom, Kathy, along with John, CJ and the baby of the family, Leo.

On the night before Christmas, Pat and John ignored the falling temperatures to grill out!

It's Christmas! Let's be merry!

We hope everyone's having a very Merry Christmas. Please share your stories and photos!


In New Jersey, Dan, Julie, Christine and Andy enjoyed their traditional morning gift-opening, then were joined by Julie's parents, Hugh and Dolores, for another round of unwrapping.


Dan and Julie each received something to wear on their ears!

More scenes of Christmas

Dolores and Hugh are visiting daughter Julie, son-in-law Dan and grandchildren Christine and Andy in New Jersey this Christmas. They posed for this photo after attending the late Christmas Eve service at St. Paul's in Westfield.

Here at Birch Street HQ, we can't even fit all our ornaments on the tree anymore.

Meanwhile, there's this:

Courtney posted this photo of the tree at Rockefeller Center.

Hard to beat that! But still - Let's see your tree/decorations/holiday fun! Keep in touch!

Granddaddy of the 'Elf on the Shelf'?

Kathy writes: This was on the tree when I was little. Thanks to my cousin Tish, I now realize that he must be the granddaddy of the very popular "Elf on the Shelf." Unlike his descendants, he never has caused any mischief!"

Tish adds: "The Elf on the Shelf is a children's book written in 2005. I think a little elf like this one might have been the inspiration for the story!"

Tish took this photo of her elf friend, Noel, after an early-December snowfall.
 

Show us your Christmas scenes! (Updated 12/23)

As we go through this holiday season, please share your photos, video clips and stories of Christmas decorations, gatherings, celebrations and other fun stuff.


Kathy reports that Leo was a big help trimming her Christmas tree.


Above, via Facebook, is a look at Gerrit and Angela's Cape Cod house decked out in lights and snow.

A bit more abstract is this close-up of a bush - also covered with lights and snow - outside Dan and Julie's house in New Jersey.



Then there's this scene from outside Genevieve's workplace. Nothing like Christmas in New York!

Let's see yours! Share your pics and stories with our extended family on the Birch Street Web.

Lights on a cold winter night

Dan writes: Winter is not my favorite season, but it has its occasional charms.

Tonight I enjoyed a crisp moment outside our home. The temperature was just about freezing but the air was calm. Yesterday's snow still looked pretty, illuminated by our modest display of Christmas lights.

All was very quiet. Far above, the moon hung in a clear sky, more than half-full and waxing, and about half-way along on its nightly trip. In the silence, I looked up and took its picture. It didn't say a word.

Festivities continue on Thanksgiving weekend

"Black Friday" doesn't have to mean shopping. Doug and Lisa hosted their annual day-after-Thanksgiving gathering at their family homestead in Maryland. Dinner was followed by a very boisterous card game, and many of the guests continued playing late into the night.


The party continued Saturday with another round of food and games. Here's an album of Friday night photos...



...and a group photo from Saturday night.

Front: Chris, Dan, Lisa. 
2nd row: Rick, Doug, Julie, Stephanie, Liz, Dolores, Cathy. 
3rd row, standing: Andy, Hugh. 
3rd row, seated: Dan, Kathy, Dave, Susan, Christine.
See full-size version here - and the goofy version here.

Family members travel to Thanksgiving gatherings

Here's hoping everyone is having a fine and festive Thanksgiving weekend.

In Virginia, Marie, Brian and Xander welcomed Dan, Julie, Christine and Andy for Thanksgiving dinner in their new home.

Christine rode with her cousin Rebecca from Rochester to Maryland to meet her parents and brother coming down from New Jersey. They'll return to Maryland for more feasting before heading back north.

On Cape Cod, Angela and Gerrit hosted Thanksgiving for Gerrit's parents, Owen' and Tish, and sister Lizzie, who had flown up from Elon University in North Carolina.

Meanwhile, Courtney, whose birthday landed on Thanksgiving this year, flew up from Florida to visit her mom, Nanette, on Shelter Island.


Nanette's brothers Larry and Emory joined them for a holiday feast.

Larry and Nanette say cheese

Let us know how you spent Thanksgiving! We'll update this post with further developments.

Have a happy and safe Thanksgiving!

We wish everyone in our extended family a Happy Thanksgiving.

May all your travels be smooth and your feasts festive!

And please share your experiences by sending notes and/or photos to The Birch Street Web.

Keep in touch!

Welcome to Winter

Hugh writes: "Winter has come to Deep Creek Lake. Monday morning, the thermometer was near 10° F, there was a skim of ice on the lake and the deck was covered by what was left of the Saturday night 4" snow storm."

Hugh & Dolores are now back in Baltimore County for Thanksgiving. Here's hoping everyone gets where they're going for the holiday safely and with as little weather difficulty as possible!

Big finish to marching band season for Andy, Chris

Marching Band season wrapped up in recent weeks, with Andy completing his senior year of performing with the Scotch Plains-Fanwood High School Raiders band and Chris finishing his junior year with the Hilliard-Darby High School Pathers band.


The Raiders won the New Jersey State Championship in their large-band category, then placed third at the USSBA's "national" competition (which included bands from a few states) at MetLife Stadium on Nov. 9. At that event, SPFHS also won the coveted Cadets Award of Excellence. Here's a good action photo from that final competition, taken by another band parent from the stands.


A few weeks earlier, senior members of the band and their parents were honored in a pre-game ceremony on the SPFHS football field.



The Darby band also had a highly successful season.

At various competitions the Panthers earned numerous trophies, including Best Music, Drumline and Color Guard as well as Grand Champion. They finished up with a Superior rating at the State Marching Band finals for the 16th consecutive year.

Chris at top, center

Cathy writes: "We just concluded our season with our annual awards ceremony recognizing everyone's success, especially the seniors who were presented with their plumes. I expect to need many tissues for next year's ceremony!"

Oh no! Snow!

Some of our family members saw their first snowflakes of the season this morning. Tish sent along these photos from Cape Cod.


"This is more than the snow flurries that were predicted," Tish writes.

We hear that there was a dusting in Yonkers, while at Birch Street Headquarters in New Jersey there were flurries but nothing that stuck to the ground.

It's a safe bet there's more where that came from!

Halloween 2013 - collected photos - UPDATED

More photos added 11/10 - Cash and Brook

Where were you on Halloween? And who were you? Here are some photos of family members we've collected. The latest additions: Brienna's son Cash as a race car driver, and Brennan and Shauna Rae's daughter Brooklyn as a pirate. We'd like to add more - please send yours along!

A top-flight birthday celebration

To celebrate Dan's milestone birthday this year, he and Julie hosted a gathering of family and friends at the Empire State Building.

The group spent an hour or so taking in the sights from the Observatory on the 86th floor, in brisk but clear weather with good visibility. Then they returned to earth for an early dinner at the Heartland Brewery restaurant in the building's base.

Here are just a couple of Dan's photos from the observatory and snapshots of the gathering.



The location had a special meaning to Dan.

"Once on my birthday - and it may have been exactly 50 years ago - Nana took me on a birthday outing to Manhattan.

"The Empire State Building was the second of what she might have planned as several stops that day, but once I got a look at the city spread out below me, I was so fascinated that I didn't want to leave.

"I was completely absorbed in watching the buses and cabs moving through the streets, looking like a scale model in motion. Nana was so indulgent that day, I think we must have spent three hours on the observatory."

Vivien and CJ are engaged!

August file photo

There's big news about one of New York's most fabulous couples.

The Birch Street Web can report exclusively that Vivien and CJ are now engaged!

Celebrating with Kathy, Genevieve and John

"We are both soo happy," Vivien tells us. "We got engaged in the hammock outside our house in Noyac, and then had dinner at the American Hotel. I was so surprised!"



Both have recently made career moves, as well. CJ is now a district manager for real estate firm Related Management, overseeing four apartment properties in Manhattan. And Vivien will soon be starting a new job as a catering coordinator at the Waldorf Astoria Hotel.

We walk to end Alzheimer's

Our family was well represented at this year's Walk to End Alzheimer's, at New York's Riverside Park on Sunday.


Team leader Shanna reports that our team raised some $1,200 for this year's walk. And contributions can still be made toward our team's tally by visiting its web page.


Over six years, our team has now raised more than $5,000 to support the Alzheimer's Association's programs of support for patients and families and for research into combating the disease.


We fielded eight walkers this year - and as always, we walked to win!

This year's team: Dan, Kathy, Brien, Kathy, Kevin, Genevieve, Shanna, Rick