Reflections ~

Wintertime~

The view out the window of the Cottage was white, cold & crisp.  Today it's gray, mild & wet!  What a difference a year makes!  Reaching the end of a year seems the time to reflect on the trail that wove it's way through the past twelve-months.  Making mental notes of the parts I enjoyed most, places I'd like to avoid, many to improve & some to visit again etc. 

Then!  The FUN part!  Welcoming in MMVII with hopeful hearts & new goals!  Or maybe "resolutions"?   A New Year!  Fresh starts to old projects, new projects & the never-ending "To Do" list!  :-)   Famous for a while now, 2012 is prominently featured in the Mesoamerican Long Count Calendar.  The History Channel has an interesting series;  Ancient Aliens, fun watching on dark winter nights!  

MERRY CHRISTMAS!

Poinsettia Tree - Molbacks Nursery, Woodinville, WA

Spirits are high!  Christmas Eve Day is here!  Christmas music, candles burning, good smells coming from the kitchen - family on the way tomorrow!  

Our Very Best Wishes from the Homestead to all of our blogger friends & family!

Here's hoping that your holiday will be Merry & Bright!

My "Seasonal" Employment~

My view from "work"~

I think this is my third year of watching the farm while the Doctor & his wife are away visiting their home in Mexico.  This picture was taken yesterday afternoon.  The first day of Winter was a beauty here in Western, WA.  Sunshine, clouds floating around, brisk temperatures & a view like this!  You can see the Eagles nest to the far left of the photo.  

The Eagle by his nest~

 I was thrilled to see Mr. Eagle visit toward the end of the day - admiring the sunset on the mountains!  This gives you an idea of just how Big the nest is!  Many generations of young eagles have been born & raised in this nest along the Stillaquamish River.  Protected from the hustle & bustle of the "modern" world by it's location on a private farm - these Eagles know when they have it made.

Day's End - Winter Arrives~

 The sky turned pink - the Mountain was purple - last of the daylight brought with it the cold! 

A cold, hard, wearing trip~

Cottonwoods - Along the River

Funny how you can be going along just fine, doing your daily stuff, making plans & then things change...  I'm back from a quick trip to Colorado.  After hearing about issues with my father's health, I flew out to see for myself.  Without the details - I can say it was a very stressful trip, wherein I was only able to spend a short private minute with Dad.  

All I can hope is that it was enough to express to him all he has meant to me.  I've always felt so lucky to have both my parents in my life.  I expected that to be the case forever.  Sometimes forever isn't as long as you hope.

Driven away from the drama, I used the same escape I have since childhood.  I decided to walk to find private space.  In the middle of Winter, in a small town on the Great Plains - it can be a cold walk & was in more ways than one.  I did find natures beauty - I wasn't let down there. 
Being the oldest & always close to my Dad - I expected to help, but have been shut-out.  

A word to the wise, no matter how much you think you can trust someone - even family - be sure you Never sign a power-of-attorney naming only one person!  Also check to see if other documents have already been filed you know nothing about - such as a living will, etc.  I feel like I've done what I can & my father seems content with that~

A Classic! :-)

Farah waits :-)

It was only about 30 degrees when I headed out to meet Saddle-up riders at Bracken Rd.  Our early sunshine, degraded to cloud cover & some fog, but we weren't dissuaded from a Great First of December ride!  We had a young filly, first time on the trails, another rider who was ponying her young QH, our group sponsor on a beautiful gray, Farah & me :-)

All the horses got on well, we ended up doing a trail that was a bit more "technical" that we'd planned - but making it through safe/sound made for a feeling of accomplishment!  Tamera did a super job of keeping us on dry trails & out of most of the mud!  Always a challenge here in Western, WA!  A good time was had by all!