Happy New Year!

Happy New Year everyone! I guess New Year's Eve is really the designated time to review all that happened over the past year, and New Year's Day should be the time to look ahead...but it seems I'm doing both today. As is fitting, this has been a year unlike any other. It was my second year "home" after having semi-retired and I feel so blessed to have been able to spend this time doing what I love. I've been able to spend so much more time with my animals, and also with the grandbabies, who are my light and my joy! I've also branched out with my spinning, learning how to love the mohair (what an experience!) and becoming more adventurous with my dyeing and my art yarns. I found Etsy, which has been such a great learning experience, not to mention Mary Jane's Farmgirls where I feel so welcomed and so at home. I'm slowly learning how to "blog"...that's still a pretty intimidating venue for me! And in conjunction with blogging, I'm having a lot of fun taking pictures and journaling, neither of which have ever been my strong suit!

My husband joined me for my second season at the Rogue Valley Growers and Crafters Markets in Ashland and in Medford, Oregon. I brought my yarns and fibers and he brought his metal art. It was something of a learning experience and took some adjustment on my part, since I was used to "going it alone", but we didn't get a divorce or tear each other's hair out, or even our own...and we made a little money, so all in all I've got to call it a success!

The holidays were wonderful. We were so lucky to spend them with Les' parents, our two sons and my son's extended family, including my two grandaughters (shown here in their finery!) Bailie and Shyla. What would the holidays be without the little ones!? We made gingerbread men and decorated them on Christmas Eve, then had a wonderful dinner before Santa Claus came! Also, my Auntie June was able to come and stay with us, and we had such a good visit, which included a little too much wine and way too many giggles! I must say that a very good time was had by all!

It has been a challenging year financially, but I think we are lucky to be staying afloat with construction being what it is right now...so many of our friends and family are much worse off. Everytime I think of how much worse it could be, I am grateful. I'm convinced that it is doing us all good to be having to tighten our belts a bit. Both of the boys had to go find other employment when our business slowed up, but I am so thankful that they have both found jobs that they enjoy, and that can support them. I am a great believer in that good old Silver Lining!

Today, my husband and I built our brand new Goat Feeder! I told him that was absolutely the best New Years Present Ever! Yesterday we put the poles in the ground and today we designed and built it from just scrap wood and fencing. The picture is of Aspen and Laurel enjoying their new feeder but all of them were really quite excited! We had been feeding them out of troughs on the ground and it makes for a lot of waste. For some reason, every day at least one goat thinks that they have to be IN the trough in order to eat FROM the trough. Being in the trough, leads to pooping in the trough...which leads to peeing in the trough...which leads to a whole bunch of hay that isn't worth a hill of beans! Soooo....hopefully this will make for a more pleasant dining experience for all! Happy New Year to all the critters, and of course to you also!