HaPPy NeW YeAr

So happy to wish you all a very Happy New Year full of love, faith, inspiration and laughter! Where would we all be without some of these things in our lives? I know I would be lost without my family, unconditional love, trust, faith, hope and creativity. We had so much of all of these things over the holidays! I feel very blessed and am so grateful!

I had a birthday, my 60th and it was the best. All my children, grandchildren, spouses, spouses to be were up. All except the Arizona kids but we had just spent some lovely time with them.
For my birthday my husband planned a dinner, in a private room, at a lovely restaurant, for all of us. It was so enjoyable. The company, food and conversations were the best. Everyone said something funny, loving, and typical of mom,  I just howled the whole time, mixed with a happy tear or two. My granddaughters even chimed in.....it was a glorious night and day.

We had a wonderful time in Arizona, the weather was in the 60's, much better than Vermont. We had so many great meals out, our B&B was so lovely and the inn keeper was so fun and talkative. (maybe too much, shhhhhh) Breakfast could last forever if she had her way, but boy did she know her history of Tucson. We visited  "The Sonora Desert Museum", saw owls, falcons, hawks and all birds of prey, Bobcats, prairie dogs, mountain lion up close, grey fox, Javelina (ugly gray/brown pig type animal) and so much more.
Here are a few photos

 Mountain Lion, right up against the glass  (this is not a cage but a habitat made like home)

 My favorite photo, can you see the little girl's reflection on the lion's head and then the tongue, yummy! (scary thought)

                                                   Prairie Dog, they are so cute

                                                   Standing up, looks like he/she is praying

                                                   Grey Fox, amazing to see

                                                    Barn Owl

                                          In flight





Another day we visited the Mission San Xavier in Tucson. The first Mission to spread religion to the Indians. It was a beautiful building, made of lime, sand, rock, clay and wood. It is still a working parish and school, 1st through 8th. You are allowed inside, everything is original from 1750's. It is considered to be America's finest surviving example of Spanish Colonial architecture. Statues dating 1750's, vivid late baroque altars, and original paintings adorn the interior. It is like walking into the 18th century.

                                                    Love this statue

                                                    Impressive and beautiful

                                                    Surrounding Mission

                                         They write messages with rocks in the valley

                                                    One of the many cactus



Well, that's just a few photo, hope you enjoyed them.




Our Bed and Breakfast in historic Tucson was so quaint, homey and floral, just the perfect spot to stay. We were so lucky because I only had a few to choose from, we were so happy with our choice.

                                                    B&B

                                                    Our room entrance

                                                    Gardens

                                                   Another view

                                          Room decorations, so unique to the area


Well, this has certainly turning out to be a long post. We did much more, we visited an archeological sight and found many pieces of old pottery, with designs and paint. It was so much fun to explore and pretend to be explorers!!!!

Thanks for bearing with me, hope you found some things interesting. Many thanks for popping in to visit and thanks so much for making another year of blogging so enjoyable for me💕
                                                               "HAPPY NEW YEAR"



xoRobin

Grinding holes made from the archeological sight from repeated grinding of stone, tools etc.

The Culpit

The mystery has been solved!!! But only by chance. I was looking out the window and heard some wild chirping! Some robin birds were flying around and darting here and there. Then they zoomed down onto the wood pile and this is what I saw!!!!!!!!!

I was stunned and blown away......I have never seen anything like this. The birds at one point knock the squirrel off balance and he/she went into the woodpile for a second.

                                        I actually think the (red) squirrel lives in the woodpile

AND the REMAINS

OKAY, enough of that, I just had to share this with you all. Survival of the fittest, I guess.
Oh, one last thing, I'm 100% sure those were eggs from another nest, not the original, they have been looong gone.


OK, now, that's move on. I have half a Ta-Dahhhhh. No hurray,"Robin", at this rate I will have a pair of socks to wear by Christmas! BUT I am proud to model my first "finished sock" (singular sock)  to all of you.

                                     Yes, I can raise my leg all the way up to the tabletop!

                                         The heel right where it should be.....I'm so amazed

AND it fits all around. I'm so happy with the results. Just one more to go   : o   Hope I can do it!


So I started these July 2011 in a class, while on vacation in Martha's Vineyard. The course wasn't long enough because by the time I got to the hard gusset part the course was over, so yes, you guessed it, it sat and sat until I told myself if I don't finish these I can't go to the Vineyard on July 4th. So I have a dead line and I'm on a mission. Do you ever give yourself these cruel deadlines? So keep an eye on me to finish these socks!

Well, that's all for today, be back soon. Thanks so much for stopping in, I love your visits and comments.

xoRobin❤




                                                              And Jack too    xoxoxo