Tuesday, January 1, 2013

The first day of a new year … and it was a mixed bag of weather … lovely when the grey clouds parted and we could see blue skies above!

Visited friends for tea on Salt Spring island … and lovely Gemma rested her head on my knee … what a dear little girl she is …

Hardly looks loved, does she?   She is a treasure to the family and loving to everyone …. I love you little Gemma!

Next there was Chico!  He loves jumping into the old-fashioned porcelain claw-foot tub and meowing for someone to turn on the cold water so he can have a drink!  Afterwards, a little rolling around on the gravel walkway!

Unbeknownst to me .. when I walked on to see the chickens .. Chico followed me ..like a little dog!

He stayed with me for quite a while … and had quite a vocal conversation going on .. so .. well .. I just chatted back with him.  Must have said something that he agreed with .. cause then he just stopped and sat back ..looking up at me!  He’d lost his little pal, Ziggy cat .. a raccoon altercation .. so I chatted with him about that .. missing Ziggy .. and we seemed to communicate about that for a time  ..

Ok .. I said .. let’s go and see the chicky-chick-chick-chicks!  So we did.

The chickens were quite excited to see us .. thinking that we were bringing them some food to eat .. sorry girls .. we just came for a little visit.

Well ..maybe someone else is bringing us some food to eat .. they seemed to say .. looking this way and that ….

I walked around .. enjoying the feeling of being in open spaces .. trees growing .. gardens set for the summer … would love to have some property like this.  Dream of planting fields of garlic .. gotta have a dream, right?

Lovely

A New Day in a New Year ..

Our friends gave us lovely homemade blackberry jelly, a dozen very fresh eggs and … most generously .. this magnificent homemade bottle of blackberry wine!  DH & I made a pact to share this bottle with them this summer!  Something to look forward to!!!

As we started the car and prepared to leave .. I happened to look over and saw little Chico looking at us …. asked DH to stop the car for a sec so I could take this photo … we’ll be back little guy .. no worries …

Then .. time to go .. so we drive to Fulford Harbour and join the lineup of cars to board the ferry.   While waiting, I took some time to look at a nearby crow .. busy calling out to his friends …

Onboard the ferry, sailing homewards .. when DH surprised me .. with a lovely dog .. Nico!   His doggy dad was right there though .. and let me hold little Nico for a while.  I fell in love with her.

Oh, just look at those eyes .. I’d just handed her back to her doggy daddy .. when really I just wanted to hold her some more .. but the ferry was getting ready to dock and everyone had to be back in their cars or their bikes or whatever.  What a darling little dog …

On the way home .. we stopped to visit friends .. who had a traditional New Years Day bonfire going  .. we caught the tail end of it … nice and cozy in the chilly weather!

Lichen covered trees nearby ..

And a rustic bench tucked away .

Not too long after .. we were at home, unpacking and putting our travel things back to their regular place.   I looked out the kitchen window and saw this sweet little Fox Sparrow … he was eying the bird feeder that was attached to the window …

He busied himself with a grooming session while waiting for his turn in the feeder.

So we had a lovely day, DH and I …the first day of the New Year .. and what adventures await us!

For now though .. time to relax a bit ..

🙂