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~