Together Again!~

I was up early & on the road to the farm.  I even found my way!  Farah was already being brushed out.  She was scheduled for a session with the trainer in the arena.  I was looking forward to seeing what training Farah had received since her arrival last September.  Kissing her on the nose & taking in her smell was sublime.

Carrie on Farah~

Farah has settled in to her new home.  She was relaxed & used to the new routines of the farm.  As the trainer rode, it was interesting to see Farah's responsiveness to cues.  It's still hard for me to watch others handling Farah...  We spent so much time on our own, alone, doing things our way over the years...  But - the mare seems happy & is getting ridden.

You Tube no longer has a mute or delete audio option - I added the tune.  Next - we changed to my saddle. I'd finally shipped out my saddle pad too. My suitcase was 2.5 lbs. over Alaska's limit in Omaha. After removing a small bag, it passed - loaded with the rest of the tack I use. With the mare here, my tack might as well be too.

Back on the gold girl~  The phone's wide-angle distorted us a bit :-)

Swinging a leg over, as usual, felt as natural to me as breathing.  This private arena is so beautiful, light & bright!  A very pleasant place to ride on such a gray, cold morning.

Farah in frame~

I was asked to ride like we were on a trail, so we did.  I could feel Farah's relaxation & the stretch she has in her neck flowing on through her back.

Mary's turn~

 As the morning turned to afternoon, the temperature dropped, wind came up & we went from removing jackets to putting them back on! Lunch was sounding better & better!

Lunch was at Fred's Rivertown Ale House in Snohomish. The lobster bisque soup & sweet potato fries hit the spot!

35th Annual St.Cecilia Flower Festival~

After  a week of light snow, cold & cloudy gray days, it was a beautiful sunny morning with temperatures in the mid-20's.  Laura & I met in town.  We waited a few minutes to see if anyone else from our Garden Club would appear to car pool, but today we were on our own.  Several members had mentioned that this was something the club had attended before.  My response was;  "Where else can we go the end of January, to see amazing fresh flower arrangements, staged in the most beautiful Cathedral in Omaha?"

What's become my annual visit to St. Cecilia's Cathedral, for the flower festival, didn't disappoint.  A trip to this event has been on our Garden Club calendar for several years now.  My first visit was in January of 2017. 

Each year - the theme changes - too.  This year;  "For Everything a Season", set the stage for the arrangements incorporated into a variety of design elements.  The Cathedral Arts Project receives no funding from the Cathedral or the Archdiocese.  All events are free to the public & underwritten by the patrons & free-will gifts.

The displays are a testimony to the hours of volunteer time involved.  

Partridge in a Pear Tree~

I'm always so busy admiring all the fresh flowers, I don't take photos of the informational placards.

One of rooms to the side of the nave, held three displays of decorated Christmas trees, each more unusual than the last.

Christmas~

The theme here, was obvious! So beautifully done!

A time to marry~

The dress below was stunning & gorgeous enough to wear!

Evergreen ball gown~

I didn't bring my camera. Instead I was trying out the camera on my new phone.

Spectacular arrangement~

Below - another holiday that we all know well! Laura calls it; "Single person appreciation day!" Several ladies who overheard - laughed out loud!

Flowers & Candy!

The Whitman's box of candies would last me a year!

Magnificent blooms~

How all of these plants & arrangements are transported without damaging the leaves, blooms etc., is a mystery to me. Especially in temperatures close to freezing, even at the warmest time of day. There wasn't a wilted bloom or crushed leaf anywhere.

Laura ~

The above display took a large section of the isle.

The Chinese New Year has been so in the news this year, with the virus outbreak & resulting media attention. Here - it was all about the beauty of the celebration.

My favorite colors~

All of the displays assaulted your senses with their vibrancy! A children's choir was singing in the nave & almost all the pews occupied. We'd arrived early, just ahead of the rush, which gave us time to take photos without blocking the flow of visitors.

Green Gladiolas~

We walked over to the Cultural Center & Art Gallery building for lunch, with the catering provided by Wheatfields.  It's always hard to walk away without buying something sweet!  We shared a Kolache, making me determined to pull out Grandma's recipe & make a batch!

We cruised through the gift shop - where Laura bought a beautiful Cyclamen.  I came home with a bunch of green blooming Gladiola's - adding a bright spot to the dining room.   Both of us returned to Glenwood, very happy to have had such a colorful break from winter gray!  It wasn't long, until the morning sun was replaced by the cloud cover that's been sticking with us for a few days now. 

Beauty & the Beast~

It's COLD!  Our weather turned bitter cold in just a couple days time.  With highs in the single digits, lows approaching negative numbers & a nice breeze, it's cold!  It only takes minutes outside, until you can't feel your fingers, or lips either :-) 

East from Tabor~

The major highways are clear, we decided on a late lunch/early dinner at our favorite little place in Tabor, Yeya's. Such a pretty day, if you're in a nice warm vehicle. Butch took me on a country jaunt, I had to ask him to stop several times, for a few photos.

Abandoned Barn~

This old farm, with outbuildings long forgotten, as has happened with so many of the family farms. The land, still being cultivated, while the buildings crumble in disrepair.

Beautiful Barn Quilt!

The shape of the barn above reminded me of Grandpa's. In beautiful condition showing off a spectacular barn quilt. The lady of the farm came out to visit, we exchanged pleasantries, before retreating from the wind. This farm will be honored as a century farm in two-years.

Another beautiful farm~

One of Butch's favorites, I can see why. You don't often see brick & there's amazing detail on the wood posts in back. I didn't have the zoom & didn't want to intrude.

Better Days~

The farmhouse above has seen way better days... Furniture was tossed outside, the front door hung open... Such a shame, it must have been a proud home at one time. The faded blue shutters against the weathered gray siding gives just a glimpse - of the aura it once had.

Locals will recognize the tree below! The town of Malvern, one of our favorites, has been active in applying for grants to enhance & beautify the town . With Wabash Trace Trail access, they hope to bring bicycle enthusiasts from all over not only the state, but the country. (I did notice that the Wabash Trail web page has been updated since my last visit. It now includes more information on equestrian use of the trail. Riders are required to carry a trail pass openly displayed, for the six-miles open for riding. I'll go out on a limb here & assume other users are required to do the same.)

The tree~

A local artist was commissioned to do not only this amazing tree, at the turn off Hwy 34, but also many works of art around town. I didn't include the new town sign in the photo. It's a rectangle with the town name in nice large letters, but in my opinion, doesn't add to the tree's vision.

Resident bird~

I hiked up through the frozen snow & ice for a close up. From a distance, in the bright sun, you can't really see the beautiful colors of the leaves.  At night, a light reflects off the metal & it can be seen for quite a distance.

Our street & sidewalk~

As with all good things, there's usually a down side...  The Beast of this weather, is the layer of ice most surfaces are covered with.  Snow, about three inches, was plowed & shoveled.  Then, a tiny thaw, just enough to liquefy the thin layer of snow & turn it to treacherous ice.  With temperatures so low & forecast to remain that way for several days, it'll take a while to go away...
Traction boots recommended!  :-)

Why I Love Iowa~

We woke this morning to a wonderland of white!  It is just a tiny bit cold though - at a whopping eight degrees, now warming to 15!  It was warm enough, with the south sun hitting the back deck full force, we sat out.  A hot latte helped keep us warm~

Prism~

Yesterday's blow~

Only maybe 3" of the white stuff, with the wind turning the surface into a light frozen crust.  The weatherman says we'll be turning cold.  More snow is on the way next week & much lower temperatures than those we've been enjoying up to now.

Nika - Buhund Heaven :-)

Nika absolutely loves the snow! She made her daily run at the mailman as fast as she could go, intentionally flinging snow into the air with her hind paws :-) No problems with cold! Little did we know - when deciding on this breed - what a wise choice it would turn out to be.

The Timber~

With the honeysuckle cut, I love the wide-open look of the timber. It'll be fun to see what the spring season brings, now I can see the entire area. Still, there's plenty of work to keep me busy, especially when things start growing again.

Another resident~

The above dragonfly, was made by a teenager in Greenfield. Very inventive - to use a railroad spike for the body - the wings are beautifully cut.

An old friend~

This one, flew all the way from WA - where he'd spent years in the woods.

Up by the Cabin~

By the time I was done with my walk, my hands were frozen.  A good weekend for inside projects!

Winter Walk~

It's been so Sunny!  So very nice!  We've been experiencing a streak of seven consecutive days of temperatures above 40 this month!  Today, though - it cooled down into the 30's.  With the wind gusting to 20+mph, the feels like temperature was in the teens.

The water tower we see from home~

Nika has been wanting to get out for a walk.  Today, I decided to walk to my friend Doris's house.  She has kindly agreed to watch Nika while Butch & I are away in June.  Nika was also invited to spend some evenings & days while I'm gone this summer & Butch is working.

I was surprised how at ease Nika was, she laid down & yawned while we were there.  Of course Doris had to show her where the cookies were kept too!  Her big immaculate & well fenced backyard will be perfect!

On the way back, we took the big hill!  It's quite a climb to one of the highest points around town.  I still can't get over how huge the deciduous trees grow here.  I think these are Oaks, but I'm not yet familiar enough with them to know for sure.

View to the east~

The hill drops off on all sides. In days of old - there are stories of the speeds kids with sleds or bikes, reached on the way down!

The way we'd come up~

I'd been to the Y earlier in the day. I've been dedicated to three-days a week for almost a year now. Two plus miles on the Elliptical in 30 minutes, with half of that time at a 30% grade.  Now, the hill I used to feel on the way up, was much easier!

We start down Elm~

At the bottom of this very long hill, is the Home Place. There's yet another drop in our backyard to the creek. I was walking in my riding boots, thinking since I used to do all my walking along side Farah, I might as well keep wearing them.

Back home~

The sun was just ready to set over the ridge behind us when we reached home.  Once the sun is down, it doesn't take long for the temperatures to drop!   Our nighttime lows have been running temperatures that are usually daytime highs this time of year!  The weatherman tells us that we have one more day to enjoy before the bottom drops out.  The last weeks of the month we drop back to our average, with nights in the teens...

Now, can I influence the Washington weather out of the rain & into the sun?!

Welcome 2020 ~

Last night was stellar!  A coal black sky, filled with the sparkle of a zillion stars!  Orion's Belt was hanging right over our backyard!  We lasted till midnight - bringing in the new year with our usual toast!  The fireworks didn't make Nika happy, but they didn't last long.

Sunrise~

 As I let Nika out this morning, I couldn't help but notice the blazing ball of golden light rising from the east! Framed in the middle of the horseshoe wind-chime - a gift from Granddaughter Cassidy.  A auspicious beginning to the New Year!

Nika in the middle of the view~

 It's still such a change to see how open things are now.  I can't wait until the piles gone!  At least they seem to be shrinking as they dry out.  It was beautiful, watching as the rays of light spread across the landscape.

Frosty a.m.

With a light frost & what's left of our light snow from last week, the view was nothing like the snows of this time last year. I had just enough time to plant a few small tree starts, a friend gave me a few weeks ago.  Hopefully the deer & rabbits won't eat them.

Marsh - west~

 As we sat out with our latte's, the tree tops quickly filled with a flock of birds.  They were too high to identify.  When they started chirping at once - we looked up as a huge hawk flew over!  I'm sure he's the same one I've seen each year about this time. 

Marsh - east~

With so much less moisture than last year, the marsh is staying dry, except for the small spring.  I still have a pile of concrete chunks to move.  The big stumps will stay where they are :-)

Foxy~

The fox, was the first concrete animal we bought for the Homestead & of course he came with us.  This wind-chime, spent many years hanging from a huge Hemlock & now rings from the Walnut.  Winter weather hasn't been this nice since the first year we were here.

January is coming in mild & forecast to stay that way.  I doubt you'll hear complaints from anyone in SW Iowa.  It's easy to take advantage of days like these.  We joined the LeFever's for chili & cornbread - yum!  Butch won again at Farkle?!

It's going to be a busy year!  I'll be leaving the end of this month for my usual winter R&R in WA.  Grandson Mason will graduate in June.  With the support of my husband, family & friends, may Blessings abound~