I wonder if Mr. Groundhog saw his shadow today.  I bet:  NOT.  It is cold and cloudy everywhere.  So, according to the legend;  if he doesn't see his shadow, winter will end, and spring should arrive in 6 weeks.  Which it will do anyway.  So.......

 

Violet sent me this picture that she took of a finch just outside her window.  Winter moves into spring:  we get it when we get it.  

 

HAPPY FEBRUARY!!!

 

 

This is our beautiful landscape, (ie. our driveway.)  It was WAY too cold to go out today, but we did manage a couple ventures.  Of course, Jon had to fill the bird feeders.  And I took a couple pix, but 12 degrees is just a little too cold for sledding, or anything else.  So we just stayed inside.

 

 

HAPPY WINTER!!!

 

 

 

And Gizmo helped.  He hung out by the fireplace all day.  Better than underfoot, right?

 

 

HAPPY WINTER!!!

 

 

 

 

The Ice Storm flew right by us;  all we got was cold and rain.  But Sunday was definitely an inside day around here.

 

So we made our own fun.  We took tomatoes that we froze last summer and made a big pot of tomato sauce.  I thought it was about 3 or 4 quarts worth, so we got busy canning it.  It was a fun project for a wintery day.  

 

Turns out we had 16 pints!!!  We had to set up the canner twice, as it only holds 9 pint jars.  That's OK, it was nice to work in a warm kitchen.  And we have lots of lovely seasoned tomato sauce.  We added garlic, oregano, thyme, basil, pink celery leaves, and peppers that we grew last summer in the garden.  

 

I hope you did something fun.

 

 

HAPPY WINTER!!!

 

The Big Storm of 2026 missed us.  There was a lot of build up, and predictions for a real mess;  but we live in a "bowl" here in the mountains, and the storm slid right past us.

 

This is what we got this morning:  a little snow.  It is cold, though.  Not supposed to get up to freezing today.  So I guess it will be another inside day for us.  That's OK, we love it.

 

 

HAPPY WINTER!!!

 

It was kinda warm on Wednesday, so we walked the loop.  As we were getting down to the creek, I couldn't believe how beautiful these trees looked against the winter blue sky.  

 

I hope you are getting out when it's warm, because it appears that this weekend is going to be back to cold.  I'm hoping for snow, myself, but not holding my breath.

 

 

HAPPY WINTER!!!

 

We were out for a walk on Monday, and saw Tom and Sky out on their golf cart.  Jon noticed how gray her muzzle is getting and Tom told us that she will soon be ready for "senior food."  Wow, where did the time go?

 

I just looked it up in the archives, and I introduced y'all to Sky back in April, 2019.  She was just a puppy then.  Here is her picture to refresh your memory.  Or you can go back and read the entry for April 24, 2019.

 

 

It is so fun seeing the kids grow up.  

 

HAPPY 2026!!!

 

HAPPY 2026!!!  

 

Yikes!!!  It was cold yesterday.  Look at that wind chill:  8 degrees.  But also look at the future forecast:  snow!!!

 

It probably won't snow, but it's fun to think about.  I mean, if it's going to be cold, we could at least get snow.  I am not trying to tell Mother Nature how to do her job;  I'm just asking for a bit of the fun stuff.  

 

Anyway, it's supposed to be warmer today.  We will take it.  ;)

 

 

HAPPY WINTER!!!

 

Yep, this is the trail.  Now you see why we needed resting rocks along the way.

 

Blood Mountain is a beautiful section on the Appalachian Trail.  In fact, it is the highest point on the Appalachian Trail in Georgia.   The Appalachian Trail begins at Springer Mountain, Georgia, about 30 miles from this section.  We often meet through hikers in the spring on their way to Mount Katahdin, Maine.  That is the end of the 2,200 mile trail. 

 

Of course, we have no intention of through hiking, but it is always a happy day to hike this little bit of the Appalachian Trail.

 

 

HAPPY DECEMBER!!!