Thursday, February 1, 2018

January Memories

Though it has been a month of many social interactions (special times spent with friends and family) the pictures in my January file are mostly of the scenic variety.  So let me share a few January sunsets and snow pic's and I'll fill in the rest with words.


Oh...and here's a photo of the two eagles that have spent many hours keeping watch from a tree on our 'back forty' this month. They have been dubbed Peter and Paul...though maybe they are Peter and Pauline.


We started the month with a lot of snow and ice. First the ice.  Then lots of snow and wind.  Then more ice.


Our city keeps priority roads and walkways cleared.  Clearly, getting into the local leisure centre is not a priority.  The ice coated the branches for days and was really quite pretty.


Sunsets reflected off the ice-coated snow were amazing!


For the record...I have a photo of one of the January gatherings around a table!  We helped a friend ease into old-age by celebrating her milestone birthday with brunch at a lovely little bistro.  We have shared many meaningful times together (some happy and some sad) as part of the same 'life group'.  But when there is a reason to celebrate...we do that well!


I also have a good reason to celebrate in January, though this year it did not feel so much like a 'happy' birthday. Who has the flu on their birthday? I slept most of the day away...and was good to go the next day. I am now travelling down 'Highway 66' as my BIL reminded me. I look forward to what the new year has in store for me.  I enjoyed several birthday lunches and dinners, flowers, cards and well-wishes. Maggie and Lucy even prepared a scavenger hunt for me.  I had my cake and ate it too!


The snow slowly disappeared...revealing bright green fields beneath.


Because of all the snow and ice events over Christmas and New Years, we postponed a family Christmas gathering for a few weeks.  That turned out to be a good thing, as my brother and sister-in-law from Iowa, my sister from Texas and two of my nephew were able to join us for our re-scheduled Christmas party in January. We met in the party room on the 18th floor of the apartment where Dad and Marge live and enjoyed a great view of Abbotsford from there.


We had a lovely time together...nieces, nephews, uncles and aunts, cousins and grandparents. It's good to gather!  And the sunset that night was amazing!


The Vedder River...a great place to walk whatever the season.  And to fish (apparently)!

We have had a whole lot of rain here these past few days. The ditches are overflowing and the fields are full of ponds.


The ducks are happy! They are having a party out in our fields these days and not in any hurry to be moving along.



I, on the other hand, am quite ready to see if the sun is shining brighter somewhere else. We'll see.

9 comments:

  1. The only thing that prevented that month from being decidedly bleak was the many times you gathered and the home you created. Yes! The sun is shining brightly elsewhere; I just know it. Hopefully, a meandering river runs through it, too.

    ReplyDelete
  2. Who knew January could offer up so many beautiful colors and landscapes! Those red hats add some fun color, too. A great month especially since it's your birthday month!

    ReplyDelete
  3. I can see why you are ready to see the sunshine. Although, I must say your nature photography throughout the snow, ice and rain is so interesting and beautiful. I was trying to figure out what kind of birds were visiting in such abundance. Ducks! Wow... I'm sure I've never seen so many in one place at one time.
    Belated birthday greetings to you, Judy. May your trip down Highway 66 be a wonderful ride.

    ReplyDelete
  4. Your photos are gorgeous, as always. Belated Happy Birthday to you!

    ReplyDelete
  5. I love your view even in the rain! I love the photo of the ducks and am happy they are not in our field. They are not given much of a welcome on a chicken farm. Enjoy the music, the conversations and the story listening as you go down the highway!

    ReplyDelete
  6. Maybe January birthdays are a blessing just for the joy of celebrating in a dreary month. Even so, your photos do give a beautiful glimpse of life in winter. I hope you are being warmed by the sun elsewhere right now.

    ReplyDelete
  7. Beautiful pictures and words - celebrating January! Love the red hat picture and yes, you do know how to celebrate well. I have joined you, fellow January gal, on that highway - eek! We too will soon be seeking that southern sunshine.

    ReplyDelete
  8. I love your monthly posts and see I'm a week late to this one! What a beautiful area you live in! Love all the photos and the highlights of your month. Happy belated birthday and I'm glad the flu didn't get you down for long. Louis Dean and I have escaped and I'm so grateful. May your February be chock full of blessings!

    ReplyDelete
  9. So sorry to learn you've had the flu. It has hit our home hard this winter, as well. Belated Happy Birthday wishes to you!
    Blessings!

    ReplyDelete

'The ornament of a house is the friends who frequent it.'
~ Ralph Waldo Emerson