Dropping the potato

Happy New Year, everyone! How many people plan to (or watched, depending on when you see this blog post) the ball drop in Times Square?

We sure didn't. It's almost physically impossible for me to stay up until midnight (though as an early bird, it's not unusual for me to get up around 3:30 am to 4 am in the morning), so I don't even try.

Besides, it's not like there's a lot going on in our rural neck of the woods on New Year's Eve. We might hear a few gunshots at midnight as someone sends a blast skywards, but that's it. That's fine with me. There are few things I'd want to do less than cram myself into such a crowded place as Times Square, especially at the turn of the year.

But just today in church, our pastor mentioned something in passing that somehow – despite living in Idaho for 20 years – we'd never heard about: the Idaho Potato Drop.

Yes, Idaho has a modest New Year's Eve celebration of its own at the state capital in which an 18-foot potato with wings is "dropped" from a crane, because ... of course it is.

"The Idaho Potato Drop, it's Idaho's signature holiday event that has been happening for 11 years," says this article. "We celebrate New Year's Eve and ring in the New Year together with the dropping of a giant Idaho potato, a great firework show, lots of live entertainment, VIP experiences, and a ski and snowboard exhibition right on the Capitol grounds at Cecil D Andrus Park."

Well, why the heck not. 

I doubt I'll ever see the Idaho Potato Drop for the simple reason it's at the other end of the state (and would also require venturing into dense crowds), but I'm pleased to live in a place with such a goofy and fun tradition.

Happy New Year, dear readers. Let's pray 2024 is not a dumpster fire, but instead is full of fun and silly things such as winged potatoes.

What are your goals for 2023?

Happy New Year, dear readers!

I won't ask about New Year's resolutions, since I think they're kinda dumb. However what I'd like to know is, what are your goals for 2023?

Don and I have been talking about projects we want to accomplish in the upcoming year. The biggest one is getting the garden installed. An advantage of waiting two years (since we moved here) is we have a better understanding of the "traffic patterns" on our land and where we want to put things.

Initially we figured the only place we could put the garden is in the driveway, since it's the widest and flattest spot on our weird pie-wedge-shaped property. In fact, that's where we already put our (nuclear) strawberry beds.

But now we're reconsidering putting the rest of the garden there and instead will be fencing a spot above the yard and putting the garden there. It's on a shallow slope, but it has easy access from the yard and is nearby not just one, but two existing water taps.

We also want to hold a massive yard sale and offload a lot of things we no longer need (another advantage of our two-year moving anniversary; we've sorted what we need vs. what is superfluous).

Once we have the yard sale, that will clear the barn enough that we can construct cattle infrastructure (feed boxes, calf pen, milking stall, etc.) and consider getting a couple of Jerseys.

And of course, there's the chicken coop and yard. So much to do!

So here's where I'd like to open things up for discussion. What are your goals for 2023? What do you hope to accomplish (as the saying goes) "God willing and the creek don't rise"? What ambitions do you have for the new year?

Meanwhile, I wish everything the very happiest New Year!

Happy New Year!

Happy New Year, dear readers!

We woke up to a whole bunch of fresh new snow on the last day of 2021.

It was very much a winter wonderland.

The rails on the porch, which are covered by the porch roof, got about three inches (elsewhere, we got about six).

I liked how the Christmas lights glowed through the snow.

The bird feeder was unbelievably popular. I think I've created a monster situation with these birds.

Lots of juncos.

And a few fat quail.

While Don pushed snow with the tractor...

...I leashed up Mr. Darcy and took him on his morning walk.

As I stopped talk with a neighbor, a bald eagle landed on a tree behind her.

It's always a privilege to see these birds. (And another reason I try to never leave home without my camera.)

The sun was kinda bleary.

This morning – New Year's Day – we woke up to a decidedly brisk 2F.

Even Mr. Darcy didn't seem too inclined to leave his bed.

He did, however, condescend to go on a morning walk. We saw lots of deer trails across the way.

If the forecast is accurate, we could see another 11 inches or so of snow this upcoming week.

Such is winter.

Let's pray that 2022 is an improvement over 2020 and 2021!

Happy New Year!

On this, the last day of 2019, we woke up to a heavy snowfall.

It was indescribably beautiful.

Coming from four years in New Jersey, Older Daughter has decided that only coniferous trees "do" snow well, LOL.

We had "snowflakes" inside as well, which Older Daughter made before Christmas.

The tire garden wore a mantle of white.

Mr. Darcy also left dribbles of yellow.

Needless to say, Darcy thought all this snow was just the Best Thing Ever.

As we all circled the pasture...

...Darcy ran and sniffed and dug and romped.

The snow lasted until mid-morning, then transitioned into rain.

We're also expecting some wind tonight.

But that's okay. It's the start of a new year. May we all have a blessed 2020!

Farewell 2018

Here it is, the last day of 2018. I thought a photo essay of our day might be in order.

It started with a subtle but pretty sunrise.

The weather was mostly clear and chilly, about 19F. Early morning shadows of the pines stretched a quarter-mile across the fields.

The day's chores included burning some trash in the burn barrel...

...and taking down the Christmas tree and decorations.

In the afternoon we took Mr. Darcy on his walk. Here he is posing with his latest favorite toy, a tire cut-out.

The partial cloudiness hinted at the possibility of a pretty sunset.

Not that Darcy was impressed. He just wanted to run.

And play with his tire cut-out.

The groundwater seeping across the pasture was iced over in most places...

...which was actually very artistic.

The lower part of our pasture has a shallow, icy flood.

The last sunset of the year broke through the clouds...

...and illuminated a corner of our house.

It also put some trees in shadow, and some in sunshine.

As hinted, the sunset was very pretty. The "column" effect is something we rarely see, and it always impresses us.

Tonight, as with every New Year's Eve, I'll be in bed by 9 pm. And as with every New Year's Eve, I'll be awakened at midnight by a happy neighbor shooting off his gun in celebration.

Happy New Year, everyone! May your upcoming year be blessed.