Hello Dear Reader! Happy 2024!

It is full winter: ice and frost and snow. The most beautiful time of the season. The birds and animals flit cheerily about before being chased of by the clap of our hands – a dog interaction is imminent! Save yourselves! Then Juniper joyfully romps and gathers every scent she can muster into her sniffer catalog. A fine howdy-do!

We’ve been treated to many frosty Pike’s Peak days, as beautiful as ever.

This little hawk, fluffed against the cold, was none too pleased with me disturbing his or her breakfast lookabout. Humans…

Greg took a few days off for Christmas and New Year’s, making each a gloriously long weekend. This was New Year’s lunch, with a decidedly happy hubster getting one of his most favorite treats: DUCK! It was wonderful and delicious and I got to use Grandpa’s jazzy metal dishes for serving, which always makes my heart happy.

In between our holidays, my cousin Stephanie came for a wee visit, which was lots of fun. We ate at one of our favorite downtown places and puzzled, too – a very difficult painting of very cool cars. No photo of her, as she hates having it taken, or the puzzle. It’s all good.

I made pizza for Christmas, but the picture is on Greg’s phone, and I am too lazy to get it at the moment. Fear not! Imagine a most symmetrical pizza, kind of like a kaleidoscope of mushrooms dancing about in a circle, and you’ve got it! It was also delicious.

Perfectly balanced.

Of course, there was puzzling, this one a dandy from Galison, and jewelry from New Mexico, which pleased me so.

Oatmeal scone and a nearly scalding latte. I decided I don’t care about latte art because I can’t make my coffee hot enough with it. So, boring tan foam it is.

Also, Katie, are you there? I bought the mug with you from the man whose adobe house you helped build. Dancing about on it are horses and space ships. I still LOVE it!

Our final puzzle of 2023. So very tall and fun from Genuine Fred (temporarily sold out, methinks). We have been to every place on it! Where have you been? Here or there or anywhere? Hopefully on happy journeys with those you love, especially as of late. A very merry new year to you and yours. Thank you for stopping by…