February

Ice storm results

February has been filled with lots of time at home and enjoying our time too.  We also enjoyed an evening out to celebrate a certain daughter's birthday, some time out volunteering for MMRG, some family game nights in and plenty of time at our jobs.  The construction field has been up and down for our youngest and our middle son is also on his off season so "side hustle" has been the name of the game for February.  Still, it's been nice to have more time with these young men when they were available!!  We've certainly had projects that they could help us out with AS some of their side hustles.  They each have talents to share.

The beginning of the month had a few really hairy commutes with strange weather but by the end of the month is was difficult to remember that it was February and not the end of March or mid April as it got warm and we have not had the typical volume of snow.  I've completely enjoyed walks with Millie nearly every day as very few were simply too nasty to walk.  I even got the trailer out and managed that one spring ride.  I'm not sure that will happen again soon as the roads are certainly feeling the effects of this roller coaster weather.  The warmups and deep freezes back and forth have really brought out the frost heaves.  This will probably be good for business at my day job...

February has also been a time for me to really get into podcasts.  Who knew?  LOVE them.  So many of them really.  I cancelled my audible subscription last fall and this has been an awesome thing for my commutes and I must admit to listening to podcasts pretty endlessly now.  New obsession!

Chores to do with snow...

"So Ben, what's your rate as a logger?"

John enjoying splitting up that old dead cherry tree.

My projects are more of an indoor affair sometimes.

Finally a chance to get some saddle time in!

A super rare sight.  Open bay doors in February!

The beauty of spending time out of doors.  Hi Doe!

A beach opportunity provided by a friend.  Thanks!  So.  Much.  Fun!

Local color.  True thing though!

Summer dreaming in winter...

January

Frost feathers

January is that quiet time to prepare for the coming year.  Ours has been snowy and quiet and enjoyable and a time to prepare for sure.  I've enjoyed the daily walks with Millie which take me out to see the beauty of the winter.  No bugs!!  The snow has only been deep enough for snowshoes for a short time--and that youngest boy did make some nice snowmobile tracks in the yard to ease the daily walk for us as well as to ease the pasture wandering on the old horse.  

2020 finds us nearly empty nesting.  The children are all out of school now and gainfully employed.  We are finding ourselves enjoying some time figuring out who we are now that the kids are grown and we are talking a lot about the future. a lot about how we will spend our time and the things that are important to us.  Preparing.  

peacefulness on Stone Bridge Farm

checking in on the neighbor's donkey

enjoying the new snow

riding on the local trail system

Testing, testing, 2020...

It's a new decade!

I've got a new computer and now that I've gone to a Mac it would appear I can figure out how to upload photos to the blog again!  At least that's what I think I can do. Testing, testing.  Is this photo coming through?

Stuff happened in 2018 and 2019.  2019 was the worst year in my life since 1988.  Notable bad years.  SO I'm wicked cool with NOT blogging about them and simply moving forward!  Here we are at Christmas with all of us in one place.  This simply doesn't happen often with 7 out of nine of the people in the picture on different work schedules (rarely anything resembling a 9-5) and 2 grand kiddos with their own schedules of Kindergarten and daycare.  So blessed to find time to gather together this Christmas.

Graduation

Graduate!!

BA in 3 years, President's List every semester, President of Medieval Society, Student representing the Library (where he was a working student in the Archives), Major in History, Minor in Art History.  Switzer Excellence History Award winner.  This kid knocked our socks off with his accomplishments.

Commencement Day

Award Winners

There was an awards ceremony the night before commencement in which he and one other student were awarded the Switzer Excellence in History Awards.  Here he is with the history department heads.

Celebrating at the Tamworth Distillery

For the time being he's moved back home and is an apprentice to a Clock Maker.  He particularly enjoys the historical pieces they work with and doing research on old clocks.  I can see the wheels spinning in his head about where his future will lead him.  It's still unknown to any of us but with what he is capable of--the sky is the limit for sure!

Followed by some food at Hobbs Tavern

 After classes had ended and he had some time in his life again he finally got a haircut! and is enjoying family life here at home.  It's nice to have another man in the house as this is how John & I have been able to travel this year.  With Andrew in charge we have been free to enjoy a little R&R.

Father's Day cigars 

Celebrating Father's Day together.

Some of us feeling mighty on top of the world

July - Acadia

Enjoying a walk on the trails

The fawn we saw several times as we drove into or out of Wildwood Stables

In July we took a short vacation and headed up to Acadia National Park in Maine.  We stayed at a campsite at Wildwood Stables.  2 of my equestrian friends brought their horses along and camped too.  We enjoyed the carriage roads for trail riding.  And John enjoyed them for biking.  One of the best parts of the trip is that we were out of cell phone service most of the time we were there.  This year has seen us feeling quite tied to the devices.  Actually John was on the phone with work as we drove out of range and then it just got sooo quiet.  Peaceful.  Relaxing.  Great weather.  A needed vacation.

This is where my horse got to live while vacationing there.

This is where we got to camp.

The bridges out there are like something out of fairy tales.  So beautiful!

Enjoying a ride/bike with John one morning.  Lots of bikes out on the carriage roads.

Leaving the stables for another ride.

John on our way up Day Mountain.

A sunset dinner outside in Bar Harbor.  Live music, great weather and good food at the Irish Pub.

The view part way up Day Mountain

Our big boys abroad

Andrew on the glacier

Beautiful door in Iceland

For a little over a week in July our older boys went on a trip.  They went to Iceland on a 3 day adventure tour which included ice climbing on a glacier, white water rafting, seeing many waterfalls and thermal areas with gysers and hot spring and whale watching.  It was quite a tour!!  They stayed in a hostel in reykjavik.  It was amazing and wonderful and exciting and they were very hungry.  The food there was quite expensive as it turns out...

Andrew and crowd at a small waterfall

Brian beginning his glacier climb

A slightly bigger glacial waterfall

Whale watching (mostly dolphins)

Backpacking in Edinburgh

But then they hopped a flight and landed in Edinburgh, Scotland and then they ATE.  Good food cheap is what we first heard from the boys.  Our oldest was a very happy man indeed.  He loved the culture, the humor of the people, the whiskey, the landscape, the buildings and did I say the food?  Even the haggis.  Our middle son really appreciated the same things but also the history, having just completed his BA in history this year...it was amazing to go to the museums, ruins, lochs, distillery, islands and the different hostels on their bus trip around Scotland.

Andrew enjoying the history 

Brian enjoying the museum (you can tell he's an engineer)

Brian selecting a good year at the distillery

Neolithic stone formation

Magic wishing stump- those are coins hammered in there with a rock

They never replace bridges.  Beautiful.

Isle of Skye - their favorite place

Scottish humor - truthful sign.  The boys loved this sort of humor.