Buche de Noel

No El? Why don't you take the streetcar instead?

That joke never stops being funny. 

This is 2014's effort, and it went easier than ever before. 

Ever try making meringue mushrooms when it has been pouring rain for days? Yeah, not good. So instead of making meringues that would require a trip through the dehydrator, I went for buttercream instead. I have to say, I'm pleased with how they look, and unlike meringues they shouldn't go soggy by serving time. 

Speaking of trees, I saw the most heartbreaking thing this morning. Blondin the squirrel has been hiding food in our tree for months now, and yesterday we saw a flock of large crows discover his hiding place. I tried shooing them off, but you know birds, and I couldn't watch the tree all day. Today, poor Blondin sat on that branch ducking his head repeatedly in the hole looking upset. The crows must have cleared him out. Poor little squirrel had this awful look of disbelief as he kept looking, and looking. Of course I offered him some bread, but he seems so sad.
"I've been robbed!" he seems to be wailing. Poor thing. I never thought I could feel sorry for a squirrel, but that was just heart wrenching to watch. We'll have to leave him a nice Christmas breakfast of dried corn and stollen.