Happy 2020!

Happy New Year!

 

New Year's Eve sunset

We slept it in and it was peaceful. No fireworks, no gunshots...peaceful. 





This first week I have started two yarn projects. A yellow baby blanket for a gift. And I splurged on two skeins of a superwash merino/silk blend yarn from one of my favorite Indy yarn dyers! I'm making myself a scarf with this one! The yarn is pricey but so, so decadent compared to my usual acrylic yarns. Soft and the silk makes it shine.
 

First of year, first SOLD!

I've also been painting! I love painting hearts, not entirely abstract...maybe impressionistic...I don't know what it's called...but I'm having fun playing with color, depth and motion! 

Different view

I've been sharing them on my Facebook page and get this!!!! I SOLD MY FIRST EVER PAINTING!! I am now a professional!!!  Hahahaha. My first painting of the year caught a client/friends eye....sold. It's always been my intention to sell my art, so I'm on my way...just gotta get painting!!!!

Second painting, on way to U.K. A gift.

 I love doing so many things! Taking photos to share!  Painting!  Knitting and crochet! Writing!  Doing this Blog!  Giving Intuitive readings with one or more of the many card decks in my collection!!!!  This is the year to get a plan, organize and make more sales so I can support my creativity and share MORE!!!!

We had a couple of beautiful days to start the year off with. Hardly any wind and at least on the front porch, sheltered and warm enough to actually sit out there for a half hour!

Then back to cold, windy, snow, sunshine...it's all over the board here....but the sunshine over 90% of the days....makes all the rest okay!!!

My bulb bowl

The first weekend I got a few red bumps on my back and bra area that I thought were clogged pores or blemishes.....well, after a day or so I had a stinking feeling it was shingles. Well, it was and is. BUT, only a MILD case...thank God! About 8 spots is all, but damn....that shooting nerve pain, which makes the underlying muscles sore...the burning...ack!!! Then my body overall feels poopy because it's doing it's job battling the virus! Only mild itching.

Jan 1st sunset!

It all peaked the end of this week...I whined a bit on my Facebook and a group I'm in, and all the prayers and support helped. I've turned the corner as of today. Bumps drying up and all of the above discomforts have dropped a couple levels. I see why people almost lose their minds when they have a severe case....it's a brutal, nasty little virus. (yes I'm contemplating the vaccine, but I don't like those either)

Onto our animal news! There have been one and sometimes two Great Horned Owls, hooting away when Gracie and I go out for her evening before dark potty run. About 5 p.m. and before dark.  Have heard coyote a couple times.  

snow sparkles

About a week ago, from our dining table, Larry spotted elk on the other side of the back fence. It was getting dark, but there were at least four bull Elk...they haven't shed their antlers yet. Then, yesterday, Larry had left here in the truck and at the bottom dip where the terrain opens up to a big "meadow" area past our property line there was a big herd of elk cows and big calves crossing the road. He said about 35. He had called me on the radio....he thought they might have come my way, but no...only one cow and calf...they probably got separated when the rest went over the fence below.

maybe pack rat tracks

OH!!!! I must share our most alarming wildlife experience that we've ever had in winter! I didn't share it because it was the last day of last year...hadn't gotten anything uploaded...who knows. It was sunny, still not up to freezing but the sun made it pleasant and we decided to take a walk...we hadn't been able to do that for several days.  We were looking at the various animal tracks in the snow. We love trying to figure out what made them.   

 


We looked to the left and spotted this big squiggle in the snow. Wow...what could have dragged something to make that?  Snake would be our first thought in the summer...but everyone knows they don't survive in cold and hibernate!  



I was taking these pictures....Larry was following the track and went around the tree and was carefully coming around...when I hear...SHIT, there it is!  What?????  Snake! It was sticking about a foot out of a small hole in the grasses and hissing like we've never heard! I thought it was rattling...I couldn't see it and terrible photographer that I am...I didn't go around to get a picture...I had Gracie.  

Well, if that wasn't an unpleasant lesson!!! Larry is 95% sure it wasn't a rattlesnake...didn't have the triangle head or the dullness to its skin. Probably a bull snake, of the gopher snake family I believe.  We figure the sun must have warmed that area just enough that Crazy Snake decided to make a little loop to see if it could catch a winter snack!!!  Lucky for us, we got to learn something new!  Hahaha.  I learned that it is extremely rare for a snake to be out in winter! Rare. Dang. 

I haven't offloaded the camera or phone since the sixth, so those pics will be in next post! I just had to get this done today....time slips away so fast!

Snow sparkles, weed sparkles too

Larry has been busy battling mice...they've been getting in our car! Not just the engine compartment...INSIDE the interior!!! He's spraying both of the vehicles every night with peppermint oil, there's mothballs...irish spring soap...light on...light off, hood up, hood down...he's tried it all.....now it's traps and a bucket of water in the car.  He found a hole along some wiring he plugged, but he's not sure if it's trapped inside now...or it's just coming in and out.... We can't see under the seats or in the dash too well..... I'm going to lose my shit if a mouse runs across my lap while traveling down the road!  A fly in the car is irritating enough! Hahahahaha! Well, this isn't the only thing he's been busy with...but it occupies a lot of his brain box when he's home!


For us here in our little paradise, pretty eventful so far!  Hahaha!