Hacienda in the Snow

Here it is...New Year's Eve....and it's snowed (lightly) all day.  Not that I was planning on going anywhere.  I gave that up years ago.  It's nearing dark but it looks like the snow has pretty much stopped for us, so I went out to take a few pictures.   Here's the hacienda (and the woods out back) in what little snow we've had.

I know it's not much snow....but we've had so little moisture the past couple of years, we're just happy to get ANYTHING!  BTW...if you click on that third photo, you can see my guy in the woods...big like a tree, dumb like a board as my sis would say.   Have a happy new year....and stay safe!!!  Count your blessings!

Christmas Eve...and Waiting........

Well...it's nearly time.  That jolly old fat man should be on his way.  Here I sit, eating fudge (and then I eat Ritz crackers to counteract the icky feeling from eating too much fudge)...and waiting...and waiting...and waiting.

I'm only writing this because I thought it was only fair to forewarn the world...should that jolly old fat guy show up here and happen to be that Santa guy on the Chevy commercials....well, he's gonna be runnin' a little late for the rest of the world.  WOOF!

Ok...well...back to waiting and watching.....  Merry Christmas to all and to all a good night!

Almost Christmas.....

Well...here it is...almost Christmas!  Hard to believe...and even somewhat hard to act like it's Christmas.  I'm curious about how people in warm climates "do" Christmas.  Most of our days have been in the 50's and 60's...that's not Christmas weather.  We're supposed to be cold and snowy by now!!!

Actually, we did get about an inch of snow this past Wednesday/Thursday. I went to Joplin to visit my sister on Wednesday and the roads were clear.  I came back on Thursday and there was a little snow here and there.  Between Potwin and Burrton there were beautiful big drifts in the ditches.  The old crops could still be seen with snow settled in the rows, but the wind had made huge drifts in the ditches.  I heard later that Newton (right in between Potwin and Burrton) had had 2" of snow...Hutchinson only had 1".   Hutchinson had 1" of snow...and about 6" of salt!  My car (black) was dirty from the trip...very dirty...so I went and washed it.  Tried to get home from the car wash place without getting dirty.  HA!!!  Wound up wiping it down again with wet towel and Windex and it now looks pretty smeared...and that's inside the garage.  Bet it'll be a mess when the sunshine hits it!  Hutchinson is well known for it's salt mines...and believe me, we SALT the streets!

Today is supposed to be back up in the 50's and then turn cold, so I really should try to get in another bicycle ride before year end.  I'm at 4,218 miles for 2012.  My friend/co-rider has nearly 7,000 miles!!!  I was so pleased with my total (the most I've done in several years)...but WOW!!!  Carol has truly "gone the extra mile."  She does things like heads to Partridge for coffee...then decides maybe Arlington for lunch instead!  That's about a 60-70 mile ride from her house.  Back in the old days we did that...but I haven't done it for a long time.  I admire her for her endurance!

I hope each of you have a great Christmas!  May all your Christmas wishes come true.  And God willing, I'll see you all after the holidays!  Count your blessings...say your prayers...and be a good little boy or girl.  Santa Claus is coming to town!