I know Rachael wanted to make sure I was OK over Christmas so, a long time ago, she booked herself for Christmas Eve. With friends like her, you just have to smile and go with it....
Since she's now a vegan, she had to make and bring our dinner, a lovely and spicy veggie soup. The drink is one of those pro-biotic ones that I never tried before.
We stayed in for most of the day, but Rachael wanted to go to the Buddhist place so we drove over there. A cold wind was blowing, so we didn't stay long.
Rachael was amazed at all the mudslide damage in the canyon and it's true, the damage is everywhere around here. The views are beautiful though.
The promise (by TV weather people) of a white Christmas came true and the next morning found us with a couple of inches of snow on the ground. The dogs were delighted. This was Faith's first "real" snow. Snow that she could roll around in, jump and run in.
She was so happy! I think she's the happiest dog I have ever known, actually. She's so full of joy, she sometimes just doesn't know what to do with herself.
Later that morning, I went to Mary's house for Christmas lunch. Her son was there, a very nice man, and I had a lovely time with the two of them, Mary's cat and her two dogs.
You drive up a steep mountain road to get to her house. No one else had driven there after the snowfall. I appreciated the Jeep and how great it is in snow and mud.
Mary has a panoramic views of the back end of our canyon. I wonder what it would feel like to live with these spectacular views every day of your life. I can't capture their splendour with my camera. On my way home, I stopped by my friend Lisa's house, where I just said hello to everyone and then spent a few moments with Lisa's mother-in-law, a wonderful woman, 88 years old, someone I would like to see again.
The day after Christmas, the dogs and I went hiking in the hills, checking out animal tracks, finding some unusual ones, and sniffing, sniffing, checking them out under the junipers. The dogs did the sniffing,
while I got busy snapping a shadow selfie, and
tracks of rabbit and quail and, finally, trying to
capture a snow clad Sugarloaf mountain. You can see a little of it in the middle of the picture. To get a full view of this guardian of the canyon, I have to go down the road a ways or climb up a hill, something I wasn't up to then.
So, A wonderful Christmas, celebrating life, friends, pets and nature.
Now, in case I don't post again, let me wish you all a very
HA PPY NEW YEAR!
AND THANK YOU ALL SO VERY MUCH FOR YOUR FRIENDSHIP AND SUPPORT DURING THE WORST YEAR OF MY LIFE. YOU HAVE TOUCHED MY HEART AND I WILL NEVER FORGET YOUR KINDNESS.
I'm glad you had such a good Christmas & I hope Faith continues to share her joy with you for years & years!!
ReplyDeleteHappy New Year to you too!!! Keeper would LOVE all that snow. He is such a different dog when we see temps around freezing or below. He is so full of energy and so playful he is a handful LOL... Sounds as if you had a wonderful Christmas with wonderful friends :O)...
ReplyDeletefaith should have been named joy. ;) so sweet. always good to see rachel and love that you have friends in the canyon.
ReplyDeleteI'm so glad Rachael spent Christmas with you. What a sweetheart of a friend she is. You look so well and comfy in your beautiful home, with wholesome veggie soup. and a healthy drink and a walk to complete healthy living.
ReplyDeleteThe canyon and the mountains looks so beautiful with the fresh coat of snow for Christmas. Love those tracks in the snow. The dogs are in heaven...We had a green Christmas but we made up the day after with a major snow storm.
Today I made a pot of soup for lunch. It just hits the spot in cold weather.
I hope that you have a great beginning to the New Year.Sending you God's Choicest Blessings.
Hugs,
JB
Friends at Christmas, so special, throughout the year, equally so, and when times are tough, the true ones that are diamonds stay with you through the thick and the thin, arriving together where it is smoother sailing. New Year greetings to you Inger, Faith, and Samson, enjoy that snow, those views, your nearby friends, and all of us out here, so far away in reality, but close in heart and mind.
ReplyDeleteIt's so great to see a photo of you and know that you've had friends to spend time with over the holidays. The mountains look amazing with the snow! Have a good week sweet friend. Happy New Year! Hugs, Diane
ReplyDeleteSounds like you enjoyed lots of good company over the Christmas holidays. So glad! The snow is lovely and so are the pictures of the beautiful canyon.
ReplyDeleteIngar, it sounds like you had an absolutely wonderful Christmas. Celebrating life, friends, pets and nature. As the Ozzies say, "good on'ya, mate!"
ReplyDelete-Otto and Lisa
Great pictures! Looks like a wonderful, snowy Christmas with good friends! I hope we will hear from you again soon. I do enjoy your blog! Happy New Year. God bless you!
ReplyDeleteGreat pictures! Looks like a wonderful, snowy Christmas with good friends! I hope we will hear from you again soon. I do enjoy your blog! Happy New Year. God bless you!
ReplyDeleteGreat pictures! Looks like a wonderful, snowy Christmas with good friends! I hope we will hear from you again soon. I do enjoy your blog! Happy New Year. God bless you!
ReplyDeleteHappy New Year my friend! Wishing you a much better 2016. We got snow here as well on Christmas.
ReplyDeleteHi Inger - lovely photos and news re your Christmas Eve - the soup looks delicious ... and you look happy - that's the main thing. Then the dogs and the snow - what fun - thank goodness for new windows etc ... I'm so pleased you were able to share Christmas Day with Mary and her son, the cat and the dogs .. and that view - as you say - incredibly beautiful. Love the colours of the hills and the sky - gorgeous ...
ReplyDeleteI hope you can get to meet Lisa's MIL again soon ... and spend time with Lisa and her family ...
Happy New Year and lots of thoughts to you too ... all the very best for 2016 - big hugs - Hilary
Wonderful dogs, a few good friends and a beautiful place to live. What could be better! Happy New Year and a good 2016
ReplyDeleteAbsolutely beautiful! A White Christmas? *sigh* Ours was warm (70's...very different for East Tn.!) and rainy.
ReplyDeleteHappy New Year!
Happy New Year Inger I am so happy to see this post and see that smile on your face. Keep enjoying your life and friends. HUGS HUGS B
ReplyDeleteI am so happy that you had such a nice Christmas. You sound happy. : )
ReplyDeleteRachael sounds like a beautiful person and wonderful friend. Faith's joy looks contagious. How did that pro-biotic drink taste? I am afraid to find out!! Sorry you couldn't post on my blog. I do not know what could be the problem. Others have commented. You're right: it must be trolls, cyber trolls! :-) One of those tracks was little Hibbs sneaking a peek in your window to make sure you were all right. :-) Happy New Year to you, too.
ReplyDeleteHappy New Year to you. We're getting snow as well.
ReplyDeleteNice to hear that you had such a great Christmas! You are looking quite well, good to see that too! Lovely pictures of your area, I love it there. Snow - such fun for the dogs and so right for a northern hemisphere Christmas.
ReplyDeleteBlessings for the coming new year, Inger!
I am so happy that you had a nice Christmas. Rachel seems like a very nice friend. I am glad that you have her among your good friends and of course Samson and Faith. Happy New Year.
ReplyDeleteInger, I am so glad to see your friends wrapped you in their loving kindness during this Christmas season! Happy New Year to you!
ReplyDeleteHappy to see that your Christmas was filled with friends, animals and good food, Inger.
ReplyDeleteYour photos are great and give us a feeling of just what it is like there in the canyon.
Now are you quite sure it was just the dogs sniffing? lol
Happy New Year.
Nice to see you out there, living life and breathing in the fresh air. Sounds like the perfect Xmas, with Warm and wonderful people and dogs around you.
ReplyDeleteBeautiful pictures.
Have a blessed 2016.
I'm so glad you had a wonderful Christmas surrounded by those who love you. The photos from your friend's house are outstanding! Happy New Year to you from the Lays in Oklahoma! I look forward to reading more of your adventures throughout 2016. Take care! ~Jeff
ReplyDeletelove the pics and glad u had such a good friend spending Christmas with you. All the best to u in 2016
ReplyDeleteWhat Happy Puppies!!! Thank you for sharing your adventures . .
ReplyDeletea shadow selfie . . why didn't i think of that???
love & love,
-g-
Lovely photos Inger and good you had company at Christmas. Happy new yer!
ReplyDeleteHope you had a great holiday season. Love your dog.
ReplyDeleteR
Even if you weren't a good writer (which you are) I'd come here to look at the pictures. Sometimes I feel jealous. The Blue Ridge is beautiful, but there's something about your long range views we just can't match.
ReplyDeleteHello Inger. Glad you had a nice Christmas. I hope this new year proves to be so much better. Happy New Year to you, Samson and Faith. We send our love...
ReplyDeleteInger, I was watching the weather channel this morning and I see where more big rains are heading your way this weekend. I sure hope you and the dogs are ok and not suffering any inconvenience from this new wave of storms.
ReplyDeleteOh IngerDoodle ~ such JOY in your messages today ~ this year was such a difficult ~ sometimes you jusst wonder how anyone could endure and get through this kind of sadness ~ your face gives me joy so much joy Inger.
ReplyDeleteThe pictures of Faith twirling around in the snow is magic!! Just plain magic!
Rachel's touch really is so healing. May I ask what were the ingredients i the pro-biotic drink? We are open to this world!
The landscape photos are just perfect because the difference between our worlds has a common theme ~ snow!!
Do take care of yourself and Faith and Samson ~ Sophie mentions them often!
Ron
A lovely photo, Inger. You look healthy, happy and beautiful. Wishing you a very good 2016!
ReplyDeleteHappy New Year, 2016, Inger.
ReplyDeleteDear Inger, I'm so glad you had such a nive Christmas! It is so precious to have a friend like Rachael!
ReplyDeleteThe spicy veggie soup looks delicious.
Love all photos and the snow on the ground is beaufiful and I can see that Samson and Faith were delighted.
Wishing you and yours adorable Samson and Faith a very good New Year!
A Good New Year to your friends Rachael too.
Lots of hugs and much Love!