Standing at the Trailhead of Winter

The weather has been quite beautiful the last couple of days. Today especially. I got up early and set out on a long walk. I wandered down to a creek not far past the village limits. When I looked to the left, I saw this:  I've seen several eagles over the past few months, and I never tire of getting a glimpse of one. I took a path into the field, with the intention of getting closer for another shot. I tried hiding behind the big oak trees and took my time going from one tree to the next, but this beauty took flight before I could get the camera up and ready.  Because it was early and the stars had shed their little glitters all over us during the night, the grass was sparkling like gems had been scattered. I wasn't sure my camera would be able to pick up the colors, but I had to try. This is what I got for my effort: Hopefully you can see all the different colored dots in the grass. The one thing about photography is sometimes what I see isn't what the camera sees. It...

Today marks the one-year anniversary of my dad's death. I'm sitting here shaking my head. Already a year has passed.  In a conversation with a sibling, it was suggested the family lost three people a year ago. Dad to cancer, and two of our siblings to . . . I don't even know how to word it . . . bad behavior? misguided thinking? selfishness? disconnectedness? all of the above? Here we are now, a year later, and the silence has only deepened, at least between me and the two siblings. I won't speak for my other siblings who have been disappointed by these two. At this point, I keep returning to the "it is what it is" catch-all for difficult situations, and I find other things, pleasant and happy things, to focus on. Like the time Dad set the oven on fire (well, he didn't really do it; the turkey did it) while preparing our Thanksgiving feast. Lovely Beautiful Daughter was around 8 years old and walked into the kitchen, loudly exclaiming, "Papaw! The ove...

So, I had (still have) a post about the furnace having a gas leak and the gas company coming out, shutting it off, and my little house getting a bit cold for a day. That same post then goes into my fridge gasping its last breath and me venturing out to find a new one to replace it. There was also the fiasco with a large box store that kept pushing back the delivery of my fencing supplies. Yeah, I have that post ready to publish. But then Funny Delightful Son messaged all of us (we have family channel in Discord) that he tested positive for COVID. Of my three kids, I've been most worried about Funny Delightful Son getting the virus. He's the one who spent four days in the hospital when he was just nine months old. Pneumonia. He's also the one who had mono when he was 14. Then again when he was 17. We hear all the time that a person can't get mono twice. Not true. And each time, Funny Delightful Son was really down and out.  When we went on lockdown back in March, Funny D...

Move over Instant Pot. I have a new love. The Air Fryer. Actually, I love you both equally because you each bring such joy to my life. At this moment, I'm happily munching on crispy seasoned tofu. The crispiest tofu I've ever been able to make thanks to the Air Fryer. Yesterday, I swooned over the Japanese sweet potato that came out hot and creamy from the Instant Pot. Yes, life is good. Since going completely vegan (whole foods plant based), I've lost eight pounds. I'm just one pound from my goal. And I did nothing other than change what I eat. I didn't increase my exercise; I'm still just doing the three to four walks a day with Ado, which ends up being anywhere from 3-4 miles for the day. I haven't starved at all, either. I've simply been eating whole foods that are plant based.  Funny Delightful Son came to visit for the weekend. I talked with him about the changes I've made and how it's such a simple thing to do and such a healthy thing to d...