A New Year

Four days into January, and already the month is true to form - a mixed bag of everything, that makes one question why one would live in the Northeast.  January tends to throw everything it has at us - snow, rain, sleet, ice, and wind.  And seemingly, just to keep us from hibernating our way through,  it throws in a few hours of sunshine for sanity - but only on occasion. 

 And yet, I cannot imagine winter any other way.  It is all I know, so there is comfort in the blanket of grey that has settled upon my world.

I'll trust you had a good New Year's Day.  If you're like me, you didn't care enough for 2020 to spend those last few hours with it.  No, I blissfully spent the transition from old to new sound asleep.  After all, morning chores need to be done whether one stays up past midnight or not.  And "not" staying up makes those chores so much easier to face.

We did have a visit from the farrier on New Year's Eve, so all of the equines are starting their year in good shape.

 Moonie was fully cooperative, given his new outlook on life.

Griz was self-proclaimed equipment manager.

I did reflect a little upon 2020.  Even though it ranks as the worst year ever, there was much good to be had.  It helps to concentrate on the positive, for Time gives us no refunds.  We can, however, turn the page to a new chapter and look forward with hope (and reasonable expectations).  We now have a fresh canvas in front of us... lots of blank pages to fill with 2021.

We spent our New Year's Day at home (because, although it is 2021 now, Covid won't stay back in 2020 where it belongs!) and had our traditional pork and sauerkraut dinner.  We took down the Christmas decorations and put everything back in order. 

 For me, starting a new year in this manner feels like hitting the "re-set" button. 

I spent some time making lists... things that need tending to during January.

I baked bread.

I finished the last project of 2020- my Farmhouse Cardigan (pattern found on Ravelry) - and started dreaming of new projects to start this year.

Saturday morning, we awoke to an ice-tipped world.  Rain had frozen on everything,

and dragon's breath hung low in the valley.

Icy tendrils hung from the wisteria,

and purple beauty berry popsicles decorated the garden.

We've been paying particularly close attention to the erratic weather conditions these past days because of Moonbeam.  When it is not precipitating, we allow him out in the dry lot with his family.

However, with the rain and ice and sleet, we bring him back into his stall so that his eye incision does not get wet.  

In case you are interested, here is what it looks like now.  It is healing well, but there is still a little bloody drainage from the inner corner of his incision, so we are keeping him on his antibiotics just a little longer.  It will look so much better when his fur grows back.

All in all, he is doing well... not missing an opportunity to roll in the mud when he has access to the (muddy) dry lot.  He's a constant work-in-progress!

Liberal treats help make everything ok!

It is my hope that you'll join us as we make this next trip around the sun.  I cannot promise you that our world will return to normal, but, here on the farm we will stay committed to counting our blessings, finding the magic in each day, and sharing it here with you.  Thank you from the bottom of our hearts for sharing yourselves with us through your comments and emails!! 

 I've said this before... life is so much better when shared!

Happy New Year!