10 Things I Love About Winter

1.  It stays dark longer in the morning.  I love getting to sleep in until 7:30 a.m.

2.  The quiet of the snow.  All the traffic sounds are absorbed in the snow, and it is QUIET.

3.  To see wildlife in the snow.  Nature doesn't stop, not even if it is dark or cold.

4.  The world slows down.  People hibernate and there is less traffic. 

5.  To stay home and bake.  The house smells good.  The oven helps to warm the house.

6.  Everyday is different.  Fog, freezing, thawing, snowing, cloudy, crisp clean air.  A variety!

7.  The early sunsets give us extra time in the evenings to put on jammie's and watch movies.

8.  Inviting friends and family over for dinner.  Playing games and snacking.

9.  It isn't dark at night.  The snow reflects the city lights and the light of a full moon.

10.  Time slows down.  There are extra hours to read, relax, have a nap.

Yes, I am loving winter.  Everything about it.  To wear warm sweat pants and hoodies everyday.  Eating soup for dinner twice a week.  Hot bread from the oven twice a week and sharing it with neighbors and friends and family.  The crunch of snow under my feet.

And it is great having an extra fridge.....ie: the garage!
Sodas are cold.  Apple juice is cold.  Left overs are cold.

Yep, I love winter.

Next year I hope to join DH as we take a run down the ski ski hill....................for old times sake.

Yep, I love winter.

More Deer Sightings

It has become a bit of a tradition for DH and I to go "sight seeing" after my Physical Therapy.  Although, we prefer sunshine and clear skies, we will go most any time.

A couple of days ago we had the perfect clear skies and sunshine so we trudged across the snowy roads in hopes of seeing some deer again.

I will let the pictures speak for themselves.....ENJOY!

There are many more photos, but that is all for today.

I could show you 100 more, but let's try to break that compulsive behavior okay?

As the sun set the sky turned orange and the sage brush was breath taking with the snow and ice sparkling in the setting sun.

Then the most fabulous Full Moon came up, over the foothills......photos of that later, as well.

Love to you all.......

Let's Get Physical

I am not sharing any photos today.

If I did you would vomit on your keyboard.

But I want  to tell you about my "wound".

It is gross!

If have wrinkles in my knee where the staples were removed. 

The swollen skin is tight and an ugly red.

And now it is starting to itch.

I am not having much fun!

And now I have started "out patient physical therapy".
Varce is related to my PT.
He is a great guy.
He talks to me about the relatives, while he brings tears to my eyes.
I even hollered "Uncle" one day, and he didn't care. He just kept talking.
He is such a strong nice man. But he has no regard for my pain.
I haven't had a straight leg in 3 or 4 years, but he thinks he can get it straight in 3 or 4 minutes.
I honestly have to tell you........If he wasn't so nice I would take him brownies with x-lax in them.
The guy is great!  He is getting my knee to bend!  He is working miracles.

I HOPE I LIVE THROUGH IT!

No Pheasant Under Glass

I have eaten Pheasant Under Glass.  It was very good.

My mom used to have earrings made with Pheasant feathers.  I would cut off my new surgically replaced right knee to have some of those earrings now.

My dad let me drive his car in the fall when I was still too young to drive, while we hunted for Pheasants.

My eye was trained at a young age to look for the dark spot in a field.  Dark spots mean Pheasants (sometimes).  That training has never left me.  Every time I get in the car or truck I look for dark spots.  They can be in ripe grain fields, or frozen snow covered fields.....I always look.

It pays off.





A couple of days ago my DH and I went for a drive up north.  We saw such sights......

As we got back into the "big city" where we live, I was still sight seeing.

I screamed, "Stop, there is a Pheasant".  DH didn't hardly move a muscle.  He slowed down, made a u-turn and took me back to where I had spotted the pheasant.

We pulled off the road into a shopping parking lot.  It was quite a distance from where I wanted to be, but we didn't want to scare them off.

We cut the motor and watched.

I said a thankful prayer for my zoom lens and my camera.

The rooster was still leery of us, even though we were a field away from him.  He must have heard the camera click, or something, because he headed for his "little lady" and to protect her.

She didn't move.  She didn't ruffle a feather.  She knew what it meant to stay put, and let her "man" protect her.  She did good.  He did really good.  What a team they made.

Can you see them hiding?

We drove away and left them alone.  We prayed they were making babies in their little nest.  So we can see more next year.

Them's Buffalo / Bison

We took a drive again today.
I just love having my DH all to myself and talk. 
This retirement thing is wonderful!
The winter landscape is always changing and to be in it and part of it is HEAVEN.

 Well, if you think heaven isn't going to have this kind of scenery, you might not be in the same heaven as me.
I find these majestic creatures stunning, powerful and breath taking. I want them in my heaven.  I want to pet them when they are in heaven and tame.

However, it is a little odd seeing them on the old highway going to Ucon, Idaho.  The little town where I grew up.  It is out in rural, rural, rural, Idaho.  Farmers, farmers, and a couple of school teachers and a few site workers lived there.  And the neatest teenagers that ever walked on the dirt of Idaho!

Way back then we went to church 3 times on a Sunday.  Priesthood in the early morning for the men.  Then Sunday School for all the families.  Then we went home, ate our dinner, and was back to church at 5:00 pm for Sacrament Meeting. 

After Sacrament Meeting all the teenagers would hurry home and change our clothes, and gather at the baseball diamond.  We only got to play about an hour, but when you are a teenager, an hour is all the time you need to do a little flirting.  Especially when you are 13 years old and haven't got a clue how to flirt.

But it is those few stolen hours during a week that teenagers could "practice" on our friends and not be laughed at.  We looked out for each other.  We knew we were just "practicing" and it was safe.

We all had moms looking out for us.  Even our friends moms looked out for us.  Sometimes, the moms of our friends knew more than we thought they did.

We were young and little and very inexperienced.  We didn't shave under our arms yet.  But we were shaving our fuzzy legs.  We were trying mascara, blush, and maybe a little blue eyeshadow.

In those days the girls wore dresses or skirts to school.  And they couldn't be higher than the top of your knee.  Even in the winter we wore dresses.  I was so glad when I was old enough to were panty hose to school.  It wasn't much, but helped keep my legs a little warmer.

But moms were always watching.

Marsha's mom.
Myrtle's mom.
Bonnie's mom.
Bill's mom.
Don's mom.
Spencer's mom.
Gary's mom.

Lots of moms knew what we were all doing.  We were always together.  And we were safe in numbers.

Some one was always watching, and caring, and loving, and encouraging, and supporting, and THERE.

So, just because the eyes weren't our own mom's, we were watched, and loved, and protected.

I am so filled with gratitude of all the mom's who kept on eye on me.

Thanks to all of you.

Your example has helped me be more aware of the friends of my kids.  And I watched them.
I loved them, I helped them, I encouraged them.
And just because I am not 13 anymore, and none of my kids are 13, I have a grandson who is. 
I hope his mom is watching, and when she isn't, I pray someone is.
Our dear kids need all the help they can get these days.

So, keep your eyes open.  Keep your kids' safe, and keep a few more with them safe.

I love you 13 year olds, and 16 year olds and 5 month olds.
May someone always be watching out for you.

And remember:  Mom's have eyes in the back of their heads.
If you don't believe me, just ask my kids........

DH Loves Snow Days

DH has access to our friends toys.  Therefore, DH loves Snow Days.

He loves to put on his fur lined warm gloves. 
He loves to wear his Carhart Coat, which, according to DH, is the best coat in the world for cold weather.
He adores his stylish hat....enough said.

He feels like "a man" with the keys to everyones garages in our cul-de-sac.  Especially since nearly every man is out of town.  And while they are "out of town" DH has full control of our "said friends" environment.

Now, if you have a conversation with DH regarding these "said friends" you might be surprised with the language he uses. 

For instance.
Yesterday, DH doned all the cold weather clothing he owns, except his winter boots and insulated coveralls.
He spent the better part of several hours outside, doing the "man thing".
He shoveled, by hand 7 driveways.  They are big sucker driveways, too.  I give him high 5's for that!

Then he gets out the "keys" and legally breaks and enters said friends premises, where he also has the keys for motorized toys.  He starts the engine.  He reves the engine.  No, not really.  He starts the 4 wheeler with the bad ____ plow on the front and pulls out of said friends garage.

Now, these friends.  They really are great friends.  They share everything they own with us.  They feed us, they go out to dinner with us, they celebrate birthdays with us, they give us their house keys.  They are great friends.....except.....they leave town when the tempuratures drop and the snow falls.  They are sissy frieinds.  I called them poopy friends.  DH said to blog about that name, and he agreed with me....they are poopy friends.

Our friends went to Arizona!  That is our "other home", and they left us here.  Alone.  On our first winter.  With record cold and record snow fall. With their keys and responsiblities of their homes.  We are incharge of watching for leeking basement windows, and frozen water pipes, and furnaces, and AND shoveling their driveways!  Aurgh!  And we love every minute of it!!!!

And what are they doing.....golfing.....decorating houses......going to Hobby Lobby with out ME!  Those poor friends of ours are suffering in polution, traffic, sunshine and heat....64 degree heat.  Those poor darlings.  They have it rough.  So we will continue to watch their belongings, and play on their toys, and shovel their snow. 

Cuz, that is just the kind of friends we are!  Have fun you guys!!!  All is well at home!!!

The January Diet

We tried not to put on any extra pounds during December around here.
We all succeeded.  I am very proud of us all.

It wasn't easy.  Unless you have no food in the house.
We found ourselves eating like birds.....

As products of our genes, we all have round middles.  That is just how the apple falls from the tree, given our heritage.  We have short legs, too.  Something we wish we could change that fault.  But, I would bet there are a lot people who wish they could change something about their bodies.

Some don't like the color of their hair, and some do something about the color of their hair.

In our house, we do something about it.

That is what makes us feel better about ourselves.



So, I guess we will just have to be happy with who we are, or "fly the coop".

The end.

ps.  In case you are wondering about these birds...I took the pictures from my dining room window. 

pss.  These partridge come and visit us everyday.  There are 7 some times, but on this day only 4 came.

pss.  We threw wheat (yep, from our food storage) out side to them.  About every 3rd day we feed them.

psss.  I think they rival the mouse for the wheat.

psss.  I like the birds, but not the mouse so much.

The end, again.