Happy New Year, a bit late...

The New Year's Eve came in frigid and the winds were wicked. The house rattled and I swear it shook.

I stayed pretty much inside and for doing chores we wore our ski goggles.  They sure help from keeping the eyes from tearing up and feeling burnt after being outside.

The sudden deep freeze caused portions of the creek to go into quick 'freeze'.  In places it looks as if this portion of the creek froze in middle of running!

New Year's Day consisted of taking down the Christmas Chair and putting Morris's crate back in its proper place.

Then the two of us went for a walk.  The temps were mild!  It was nearly 30 degrees.

The ice in the creek bed was a startling contrast to the greens and browns surrounding it.

Last year the snow was quite deep and I could only get around with snowshoes.

Morris was extremely active and really about the only interesting thing I could seem to find.  The sun went under the clouds and everything seemed pretty dreary.

One of his more fun looks....and then this one when he gets bored...

The ice formations in unexpected places though were pretty neat.

It was very wet for about a week before we hit the first hard and sudden freeze, so as moisture slowly seeps from the moss and rocks, it creates this beautiful ice formation.

Starting tonight we are to get freezing drizzle/snow/wintery mix which will change over to snow later.

Then the Artic temperatures come in.  
According to the NOAA forecast, the temps will drop from 32 to -8 in 24 hours.

I guess I am ready for it, hard to adjust to these wild up and down temperatures though.

I've said goodbye to 2014 and remembered to change my calendar to 2015.

As for Morris?  He is starting to show a bit of his age.
Yesterday he was a wild child in the Merry Meadow, he ran and ran like a crazy fool looking for mouse nests in the grasses.

This morning he is acting like a bit of an elderly dog as if he aches.

I suppose he does.  He turns 11 years old in July.  Hard to believe that isn't it?