Staying home

Oddly enough, my New Year has been full of activity so far. Yesterday morning was so foggy one couldn't see beyond a 1/4 mile.

Pictured is my 'desk' where I do all the icky paperwork. Sorting, filing, bill planning, and more sorting. I set this spot up after Christmas so I didn't have to do it on the kitchen table. For my amusement, I purchased a 'Lava Lamp'. I loved the one we had as a kid and when I want to take a moment to stare at nothing and clear my head.

The lamp is there with its colors and blobs floating up and down.

I can daydream while watching the blobs of wax drift up, cool off and then drift back down in various shapes.

But the desk isn't for daydreaming [which I excel at]. 

The first order of business after chores with ice cleats was to get the previous day's mail on the ridge and get started on the 'homey' chores I'd ignored for the past few days.

Below was the surprise of bits of frost that the fog left on the plants on the ridge.

Unfortunately I had to go back and do those chores I dislike. 

Laundry, vacuuming, cleaning stuff. My House Cleaning Fairie has been rather lax in showing up so it seems I have to do it myself. I even washed windows! 

I set Pandora to Neil Diamond, Electric Light Orchestra, and Harry Chapin music and ripped up my chores.

The music really really got me into the groove. In fact I finished in record time and even started to work on the old Christmas chair to paint.

The sun came out. Charlie sat on the porch.

When I watched the news from MN a bit later, I was in shock at what happened. There are laws governing Lethal Force. Putting a gun to a woman's head who is unarmed and trying to flee is not covered under legal Lethal Force. The protocol is to take her license plate and arrest her for obstruction later.
Any officer who carries a weapon and goes through weapon training and qualification EACH year as I had done for 10 years knows this. It is drilled into our heads. 

That officer should be arrested by MN and charged under state laws which are unpardonable by the president. 

Federal Law regarding Lethal/Deadly Force:

From the Department of Justice: 

1. Deadly force may not be used solely to prevent the escape of a fleeing suspect.
2. Firearms may not be discharged solely to disable moving vehicles. Specifically, firearms may not be discharged at a moving vehicle unless: (1) a person in the vehicle is threatening the officer or another person with deadly force by means other than the vehicle; or (2) the vehicle is operated in a manner that threatens to cause death or serious physical injury to the officer or others, and no other objectively reasonable means of defense appear to exist, which includes moving out of the path of the vehicle. Firearms may not be discharged from a moving vehicle except in exigent circumstances. In these situations, an officer must have an articulable reason for this use of deadly force.

Body shops and caves

 

So I finally got a carwash and took my car in to see if they could buff out the scratches on the right rear side where that lady hit me two weeks ago. The damage was more than I thought it was, however, it is cosmetic. That said, I'm pretty particular about my 10 week old car.

Talk about sticker shock. Think of your modern cars as Lego cars. If a part gets damaged, they have to take the bumper covers off and repaint it. They can't buff those parts out, they are not metal. 

Okay. That was enough bad news for Monday morning. So instead of doing my paperwork, I took a drive while the body shop worked up an estimate.

I ended up at Wildcat Mountain State Park to visit the very large Ice Cave. It is a short walk and is very popular on the winter weekends so I figured Monday was a good day to go.

It was amazing as usual. Below is a tree root that got ripped off one of the rock bluffs with the last big rain and washed into the picnic area. I didn't have anyone to stand in front of it for size.

Evidence of family fun in the picnic area:

The trail was straight forward and very level. I'd say it is only a quarter mile long to the rock shelter, but once there your jaw drops.

The scale doesn't look that imposing. So I set up my bendy tripod and did a selfie. 

I'm still not next to the rock wall which drops about 6 feet down behind me. But I did walk around the ice curtain and take shots. The piles are where the ice melts and drops and then forms again.

Below.
10 years ago with my stepdaughter in blue and grand daughter in the middle. Me in the skunk hat. By March, the ice curtain is massive if there is a good winter of thaw and freeze.

This is why I find winter so amazing and exciting here where I live and why I learned to dress for the weather and enjoy winter hiking more than summer hiking.

The water comes off the rocks and eventually runs along the rock wall and into a small creek which empties into Billings Creek.

The colors were beautiful.

To get around all of the ice, cleats are recommended.

I left there and took another drive to see Warner Creek. I walked around the rock bluffs and explored some of the rock formations that are so unique.

Charlie wasn't really with me, but I had his Mini in my pocket so I could take a shot at the unusual rock structure.

I am never short of amazed at these rocks. The details almost look hand carved and are so tiny that if you don't look close you'd miss it.

When I got home from my drive and exploring, I felt calm and collected. I was able to sort paperwork and text the lady that hit me.

To my utter surprise, when I sent her the estimate she replied that she would contact the body shop and pay for it.

This indeed has been a very auspicious beginning to 2026.

Interesting start to the new year

Essentials in life.
Quiet time.
Puzzles.
Reflection on self.
Movement.

Nature's healing atmosphere.

Play.

I have a lot on my plate to get done now that it is the first of the year. But a friend of mine suggested I come over to her house Friday. 
We chatted and worked on a puzzle. Well, she worked on it, I watched. 

She invited Charlie over too. He was a complete gentleman with their toy dogs and her kids. He even went downstairs to visit with Kristi's elderly mom.

I have taxes to sort you know, paperwork to file. Calls to try and straighten out an auto deposit, and things to gather for our income taxes and changes for the past year. None of that sounds even remotely fun.

But it is the first days of the new year. And it is the weekend. So I decided to work on my Speed Champions set I'd picked up for when I had company who enjoyed building Legos.

I don't normally like working on Lego vehicles. The last cool one Rich and I built together was a mess and not designed well. 

This set has a great design and is challenging. The box says it is for 10+ years old. Parts of the build really took amazing brain power.

I found it peaceful to work on in the evenings. AND I really dig the sports car. It seems my Monsters do too.

Let's go get pizza!!!!!

Kristi asked what I was doing Saturday. I said that Charlie and I were probably going to take a hike. The weather looked better for the afternoon.

She said she'd like to go too. I cocked an eye and said "It's a 5 mile hike, you in?" 

"Sure." 

Aside from friend Bill, I've not really had any of my gym or other friends actually want to go with me on long hikes. 

I am super blessed to have young and adventurous friend[s]. 

I packed my YakTraks [the trails would be icy and packed] and brought a pair for her. 

Of course, the Master Hiker led the way and kept us on track.

We stopped at 'his' stump so he could pose for us.

The weather was perfect about 18 degrees F [-7.7 C] with a whisper of a breeze. 

The conversation was all over the place and quiet while we climbed hills and navigated tree roots buried under snow and ice.

We both felt very peaceful hiking together. I don't have to worry about Kristi's keeping up. She is more than 20 yrs younger than I am and is an exceptional athlete. She is getting ready to do a competition next month and she felt that some difficult hikes with me would be good for her stamina. 

That made me chuckle. Her friendship has opened up social activities for me that are fun. We even discussed plans to go Kayaking this summer on the Kickapoo River together with her family.

Maybe the new year may not be as bad as I thought.

...and I am almost ready for Monday and all the crappy paperwork I have to do.

Time

Time stops for no one

The year closes like a gate behind me,
its rusted hinges shrieking the last of their weight.

Ahead, a path of frost begins to shimmer,
each step melting a small circle of dawn.

Hope timidly rises there,
partly lifting a burden I’d been carrying,
the sky grows brighter with each step towards the sunrise.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

I realize that I cannot stay in the past and hover there. However I will also hold tight to each and every memory I possibly can. My heart demands it.

Charlie and I decided to brave the twisted sand/salt/slush/ and ice caked roads to go out to Duck Egg and blow off a week's worth of misery and illness.

Charlie knows the drill, he bounds away to look back at me as if to say "Ma, we have the whole place to ourselves." His eyes sparkle and he bounces as he runs. 

He runs up to the water crossing and leaps over it. 

[this is not supposed to be on the trail, but it seems the Springville creek had some help with water rerouting from some beavers]

The sky is gun metal grey, the winds are blowing on the ridge and all I hear is the water rushing under the footbridge ahead. Charlie waits on the bridge.

His joy is infectious.

The world drops away as the dog and I explore. He stuffs his head into clumps of grass and from the tail action, I can tell he is hunting vicious voles or mice.

His look tells me that IF he were not there to protect me, I'd be overrun by voles of the most frightening kind.

And this is how our quiet walk in the steep valley proceeds. My dog and protector saving me with every action he takes. [4 seconds]

He makes sure that every footbridge is safe for his lady. He surveys that area to make sure there are no giant Voles or Mice lying in wait.

This is his duty and he takes it seriously. 

We arrive at the ponds and marvel at the winter world of Duck Egg. We listen to the Springville creek roar behind us and rain begins to fall.

We've gone a mile on a rather flat trail and I motion that it is time to turn around. We hike back and I realize that I am not out of breath, and I feel good. The dry hack still shows up. But. But.

We are back.

When I get to the car and plop Charlie in his car seat he curls up his wet body on his blanket.

Before I pull out of the parking area, I realize that I've missed Charlie's birthday. My little champion is beginning his 8th year of exploration with me.

I'm grateful. 

Here is to more wonderous adventures with my finest sidekick.

Trying more things...

I had an idea that it would be fun to try and photograph food dye as it drops through a glass receptacle.

I watched a video and then another one and another one. Then I decided to try it anyway. I used an old vase with defects that showed up, but still enjoyed the process. If nothing else, it was a great use of time to NOT sit on the couch and watch the boob Tube [as Dad used to call it].

I did this on the kitchen counter and all the lighting is off and not great. The first photo is with my cellphone.

Then I decided to do a mini video.
15 seconds.

I decided then that what I really really would love to love to have is a good ol' Lava Lamp.

After deciding that I'd go ahead and try this in a better spot and with better lighting, I ended up with this below.

 

Well, it didn't come out very well. I need to study it better and figure out why everything is so bleh. I'll pass on it for right now. I moved on.

I got out a white mixing bowl and thought I'd try some paint swirls. The red wasn't happy and dropped to the bottom and the glittery blue metallic blue did some interesting things. I dropped in some dish soap drops and everything moved all over. 

Fun, interesting, and interesting. But not worth more of my time.

I wanted to try a high key shot in the bowl of a tiny tiny pink flower.

I had a trick up my sleeve that involved water, playdoh, and a tiny bit of milk.

The playdoh held up the tiny flower in the water. The milk added white to the scene. I added lights from a desk lamp and a cube light.

Cha-Ching! I liked the feel of it. I know I could do better, but instead of starting all over, I thought I'd toss in some food dye.

So I added some drops of red. WHOA! 

Then some drops of blue.

I finally took a toothpick and pushed the mixture around a bit and settled on this as my final, though I actually like them all.

By now it was getting late and Charlie was groaning and complaining on the couch about not having his 'cuddle' time. I explained to him that this was much better than staring at a screen and that I was using my brain and making a huge mess.

He gave me his big Googlie eyes and I did relent after cleaning up my mess. 

No big celebrations here. Today is a day. Tomorrow is a day.

Do Bluebirds mean something?

Every day since December 11th, at least one bluebird is showing up every day at the heated bird bath.

I am always surprised at it of course. Bluebirds don't normally spend winters in our area. There must be enough 'berries' around of some sort for them to eat. But I cannot recall seeing them often even during a good summer.

They come when I am not paying attention and hang around sometimes long enough for me to grab a shot out the window.

Every once in a while. I swear the one that sits on the right stares at me for a while through the window.
 

...and then in a blink of an eye.

It is gone, leaving me to wonder if I'd really seen it at all.

I have proof. That Bluebird is watching me.

That's my story and I'm sticking to it.

Rich's favorite bird was the bluebird. They hung around while he was here in Hospice. 

Did he send them to keep an eye on me?

Hmmm.

Is it done yet?

Is the Christmas music off the radios and commercials yet? I don't really want to peek out and check. But that is futile.

Next is all of the New Year's stuff. What's your word for the new Year? Out with the old year. Get ready for weight loss ads, exercise ads, ads that make you think that by changing a date will make this suddenly all better and move forward?

I'm not ready for a change into 2026. I'm not letting go of 2025 yet. There are my reasons. I'm just not ready to say goodbye to 2025. There is so much of this year I still want to hold close.

The Flu A robbed me. I'll never forgive it for wasting so many days for me. I did spend some time watching photography 'how to's' out of sheer boredom. 

I turned off social media because. Well, that is a no brainer.

All those wonderful gatherings of happy families around huge trees with multiples of family gathering all looking happy.

I put on my Grinch heart and shut off my phone. I watched Die Hard.

I put on my favorite music.

I decided to experiment and make experiments in between naps and uncontrolled hacking.

I found beauty in a missed focus
and decided I did an intentional

abstract.

I studied pretty dried flowers
under different colors

and light.

I dumped out my lake glass jar
and found fossils I'd forgotten

I had.

The smallness of the shell intrigued me. So tiny, so exquisite. 

I'd found these so many years ago 

when I lived near Lake Michigan.

How have I kept these all these years?

 

Such beautiful little mysteries at my finger tips 

waiting to be seen.

No 2025, I am not done with you yet. We haven't settled our differences. I still need to talk to you 
about it 

and ask if you could give me just one more moment from earlier this summer.

I know you can't, no one can. 
Silly me.

Instead, I will keep learning and discovering little things for right now.

And still be surprised by the beautify of things on foggy dull days.

Carry on.