Marley Bear...

 somebody took a little artistic license with the bear on the sign on  Rovers Run.  pretty funny i thought. 

 bought some super sized stuffed toys at the store...they were 70% off!  the pups love them, however, LS did mention that this will be a crap load of stuffing when the puppies do decide to demolish them.  had not really thought of that.  we shall see how it goes. so far only one ear has been destuffed so far.

 a few good walks the last few days.  been getting our 4 miles in each day.  the temps have dropped.  today some fog dropped in so frost is always cool.  should just get better and better...i'd be cool with some fresh snow too though.  they have forecast it for weeks but have been wrong really.  we did get a dusting but we are over due for a big dump.

 stopped for a few errands....Ivy frequently takes over the drivers seat when i leave them in the car.  she doesn't always give it up all that easily.  i don't always have treats on me....

 they are some cute pups though! 

 few days i did gasline/powerline/tank/stumphenge/field and then the other day we did a big loop  of Rovers, cross to homestead and then return via the airstrip. 

 i think we came back via the airstrip.  yes, we did.  amazing how quickly i drop details....i have always been like that though.

 some scattered frost shots.

 today, i took down Christmas.  it's always kind of a ceremony.  it just gets so cluttered with the extra Christmas stuff out, the tree takes up room.  so it's nice to get it taken down, cleared out.  needles swept up, tree on front deck...i'll do the annual dragging of the tree next week or so. 

 we laughed today because we can greet people with the standard Happy New Years without getting looks.  never mind that Happy Holidays was not unacceptable when i was a kid.  now the radical Christians have been convinced that being greeted by Happy Holidays is some sort of war on Christmas.  silly fools really...so we joked today that we would start a false war on New Years.  how dare everyone assume we would wish to be Happy for New years....perhaps we want to have a dull New Year or some other emotion.  who are they to decide. 

 they hate that they have been forced to become more politcally correct...some apparently  miss making fun of special needs people or folks of different religions or ethnicities...but how dare you say happy Holidays instead of Merry Christmas...or design a coffee cup that they become convinced is anti Christian.  being Christian correct is the same deal. 

 of course, the Religious Right has changed a great deal these past few years...now it means you are free to be a pedophile or racist and still be welcomed.  i suspect this will all come back to bite them all.  this POTUS, he is a disgrace, an embarrassment.  there is no agenda that is worth selling your soul for, but the GOP has done just that. 

 pretend all you want that Rus is a nothing burger...if it was they wouldn't be working so hard to squelch it.  they are pretty nervous.  they are going after Mueller, the FBI, anyone and everyone.  eventually, they will piss off the wrong person.  Put really must have something over a few of them.  sad that so many fellow citizens have been convinced that none of this would matter.  that any POTUS would have financial ties such as iitoo surely has, that this could not matter. of course, it matters. 

 part of the ice had water flow over so the other day i opted to not attempt to walk through the water that was on top of the ice....not keen on wet feet when it's near 0F. 

 the tennis ball freezes in the chuck it when we hit around 5.  the spit doesn't help.  so if i don't toss the ball quick enough...i end up tossing the chuck it along with the frozen tennis ball. 

 head back to work tomorrow for 4. i'll work over the New Year.  they called tonight.  i guess they had a no show. i was actually in my pj's pretty early, chilling, putting away Christmas.

 nice scarf action on Ivy Rose

 no moose sightings of late.  it's been a bit...odd really. usually see more and more moose as winter sinks in deeper.

 i have heard that there have been wolves spotted on the hillside.  i had heard howls one day when i was out walking.  enough to spook me and a few others on the trails.  wolves have been known to take dogs, or humans for that matter.  i guess someone saw wolves when they were out walking with their dogs.  they headed back only to be followed by the wolves.  no harm came to them but it's good to be aware.

 need to explore the creek...looks pretty right now.

 frost...so pretty.

 these are just on little side creeks

 made the pups new scarves.  hoping they would be less long.  they do stretch out over time.  no doubt because they get tugged on.

 they do look super cute with the scarves though.

 time to put away the more holiday themed scarves anyway. 

 i think this was a remnant.  perfect for puppy scarves.

 we were able to rise above the fog today for our walk.  always odd, you wake and look out to fog and then drive up the road a bit and it's gone.

 my pretty girl catches the light.

 frost on stems

 always love the light through the trees as well this time of year.

 fresh sheets and today new sheets.  my brother and his partner got me a new comforter cover and shams.  it's cool, denim.  super heavy.  bought some new sheets to match, so all are washed and on the bed.  i hear it's good to sleep under heavy covers....more restful.  will give it a go tonight.  like that it's a tough material for the dogs. 

 Tusker shows off his new scarf. 

 not much for this new year as far as Skelly.  figure i'll just do a winter sledding scene after i finish this stretch. 

 yes, it's time for a Skelly change.  lots to do in the next few months...plan summer and the kitchen.  get my crap together finally.

 nice beard going on Tusker

 frost in black and white

 does tend to come out a bit better that way. 

 really should switch to the macro lens for some really decent frost shots.

 the pups aren't always the best at not disturbing whatever my photo op is.  stomp, stomp. haha.

 more light through trees.

 frost coats all, every stem, leaf, branch.  looks pretty cool

 liked the light on this one here.

 just a few frost shots from stumphenge.

 guess i should turn in.  happy to have gotten some stuff done. need to get bills paid tomorrow.  always fun.

thankful for:  A.  frost and all the other wonders of winter  B. cold, clear, clean water to drink  c.  post holiday clean up

Merry Christmas....2017

 another Christmas is over.  it was generally a relaxing and enjoyable Holiday.  the New Years is yet to come.  I'll be working for that one.  my shifts were odd this week.  on call the first night then called in for a sitter job.  second night on call all night.  third i worked.  at first they had me slated for neuro. i don't work neuro.  yes, i do realize that i could probably swing most units in the hospital.  we have selected units we work, don't work in, so i don't work in all units.  my concern is if they start sticking me in these non-preferred units i will be sent there more and more and get less of the ICU shifts.  don't want that to happen....so i went in to the office and told them that i was not listed to work neuro.  that ended up switching me to another sitter night. 

 i whipped up a bunch of these silly scarves and some i took to the dog park for the dane group that we frequently walk with.  i think they all enjoyed their cute scarves. the rest i brought to a Christmas Eve gathering. 

 i had in my head that the eve gathering was at 4 or 5...happy i checked the time.  i was late and then needed to get my crap together to get over there.  silly girl.  i had this chill day planned, haha.  thankfully, the pups were able to come along to that gathering so they could play with their puppy friends...we missed the walk that day.

 up late most nights.  hopefully, i will crash soon tonight though.

 sunrise from my bedroom the other day. 

 had a bit of a headache the other day, i was sitting so i had some thinking time that first night sitting.  part of me started to worry myself that my Dad stopping by was some sort of sign i would die or something.  then, i decided I'd seen no white lights or anything like that.  hopefully, i shall live many more years.  easy to freak yourself out over things. 

 Danes in scarves.  so cute.

 tonight i met up with more friends for a Christmas meal.  relaxing.  they have a new puppy so it was fun to get some puppy time in.  he's really mellow.  they have chosen the name Scout.  their older dog, Leo, seems to be enjoying destroying the toys they get for the puppy.  he's a de-squeaker, haha.

 my pups and i did a nice rambling walk out in North Bivuoac today.  weather was nice.  kind of chilly.  some ice to navigate on the powerline section.

 several shots from the gathering Christmas Eve with friends.  these were all taken by Karen Rode.  hopefully, she doesn't mind me sharing the pics of me and my pups.  i had just stolen this pillow from her in the white elephant? i always forget.  i did end up with it.

 my girl, Ivy looking so pretty at the party.  she had been wearing a party sweater, but the dogs were all playing outside while we ate and when she came back inside, her sweater was pretty shredded....we shall have to buy a new one next season.  I'm surprised their sweaters last as long as they have. 

 you can see the tearing below.  Tusker kept his sweater intact.

 thought this was beautiful of Tusker below....thanks Karen!

 back home i wrapped all their gifts for them and the stockings got filled. 

 they are actually really good at unwrapping their gifts.  of course, my house is a bit dark and they like to carry them to an even darker area for the actual unwrapping.  i took some video's but the lighting wasn't good. 

 they got an added treat in their breakfast this morning.

 a few more at the gathering by Karen.

 may need to get a leather/pleather couch next time round.  this one is getting pretty old.  remodel kitchen first...then think about new couch.  hoping to be able to get better lighting in my main living area along with the kitchen remodel.  i need to actually start planning the whole thing.

 Tusker this morning enjoying the prezzies.

 lots of treats for both pups. Santa sure takes care of puppies in my house.

 stockings hung by the chimney with care...

 next 4 are last of the pics by Karen.  thanks for taking and sharing the pictures.

 Ivy is not the best at settling in...never has been.  she remains all legs and licks when she attempts to sit on my lap.

 this one is a bit calmer.

 another pretty one of the two of them

 so well behaved!!

 been watching season 2 of the crown.  those are long episodes, not overly fast moving but interesting.  not sure how much is based on actual history. I'll have to look it up.

 beautiful day out there, nice to have the time to walk and enjoy it.

 Ivy selects her next gift to open.  they got a lot of tennis balls.

 sun out strong

 the view as i left the parking area.

 all mixed up, but her is Tusker making his next gift selection

 one of those ice patches.  Stumphenge appears to have had water run over the top.  at one point i had to turn around because of water.  go back around the other day. i suspect with how cold it is tonight there may be some cool frost formation out there by tomorrow.

 not sure where I'll walk tomorrow. the tides aren't really where i like them. 

hope you all enjoyed the season.  had to laugh to myself about this made up War on Christmas...really it often seems like Christmas itself has become a war on Christianity.  so many have seemed to have forgotten what Christianity is, what Christ taught.  Santa, consumerism...none of this has anything to do with Christianity, with Christ....but there it is.  our nation is so about who you know, what you own...so odd the Christian values vs the Christlike life. Christ would have us live simple lives with much less by way of earthly pleasures but our culture rewards the rampant consumerism.  our nation applauds the wealthy and famous and seems to be shunning the less fortunate more and more....it's a sad state that we have all allowed to become normal by our own greed, our belief that we need more and more, and never finding satisfaction in what we have and who we are.