This is what we awoke to find on Christmas morning. Not a whole lot considering the standards set by the rest of the country, but enough to convince John's family NOT to risk the roads. We were having his sisters here for dinner. They decided to stay home where it was safe. A neighbor was planning on a trip to Nebraska for the holiday but the weather kept them home and since the worst they'd have to do is drive across the road to our house, they came to dinner with John and me. We spent a lovely several hours with our friends...couldn't ask for a nicer holiday than to be safe and warm and with friends, now could we?




Yesterday, John called me into the morning room to look out the back. Way back toward our grove of trees, there was a lone hawk up in the high branches. I got the best shot possible with my little digital camera...he looked so cold up there in the branches. Poor little hawk!


Today is laundry day at Pieceful Harbor, as it is every Sunday...the first load was in the dryer and there were several left to do. Evidently today is the day the dryer decided to die - again! Mr. Wonderful is taking the carcass apart again to decide if he can repair it - again. Hopefully he can. I simply do NOT want to buy another appliance right now. Of course, we have a practically brand new gas dryer in the barn that we bought just before we left California. But it would need to be re-worked for propane gas if we decided to use it. No, let's just hope John can get this thing working again. Until he does, I've got to finish 2 more loads of laundry and then haul all 5 loads to the laundromat in town....yeah (said with a weak voice!)

One very cool thing we got this year for Christmas - a webcam. Now we can call the Utah Knotwells and see them all...and I called my Mom in northern Arizona and we got to visit for almost an hour. That's not to say that we don't call regularly anyway...only now we can see each other, too. If any of you have webcams, send me a private email with your skype address and we can talk in person!

Thanks for stopping by.

ETA: Dryer fixed...that's why I call him Mr. Wonderful!!!!!

Major Stop on the Starling Express

Yesterday, while baking the rest of the sugar cookie dough, I heard a strange noise from outside...kind of a fluttering noise. My mind immediately went to the movie "The Birds" - it was that kind of noise. I looked out the back window to the field behind the dog run...this is what I saw. Thousands of starlings. Maybe millions. This is only a small portion of the field...you can't see them all. I kid you not...there were so many that I had a momentary fear for the cows out there! Evidently, they're are migrating and Pieceful Harbor is one of the stops on the Starling Express!

We had a dusting of snow yesterday. Nothing that stuck, nothing that inhibited traffic in town. Just slight flurries. Peaceful flurries that didn't make me nervous at all. It's hard to believe that I've been here 6 years and when we first came here even flurries would make me nervous! Maybe I AM growing up a bit.

Thanks for stopping by.

Only One Week

Oh, my goodness....where did the time go? There is only one week till Christmas. Are you ready? I did all the Christmas cards last night...they went in the mail today. All the gifts that needed to be mailed are already posted and some have even been received. The tree is up - lights but no decorations. (We're letting the cat get used to having the tree up before we commit to decorations). I've got all the rest of the gifts purchased - not wrapped yet. And this weekend I plan to finish making those gifts that need construction and making some more Christmas cookies. When we girls did our Annual Cookie Day right after Thanksgiving, we made a batch of dough, divided it 4 ways, and each took some home to freeze. I'm taking mine out of the freezer tonight and finishing the cookies tomorrow. I think if Christmas were to come today, I'd be ready! Bring it on!

Hoping you and yours have a Blessed Holiday Season. We really miss all our friends and wish we could see you more often.

Thanks for stopping by.

Pink Glove Dance - Breast Cancer Awareness

A friend of mine sent me the link to this vidoe...it is guaranteed to make you smile.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=OEdVfyt-mLw

Please enjoy!

Have a great weekend.