Owl hunting

 R just loves great horned owls and so we’ve spent a bit of time over the past couple of years searching for nests, and trying to get a glimpse of owls. Last year we were fortunate enough to find an active nest that was close enough that we could see the babies. It was high in a tree along the route we drive into town, and we loved watching the babies grow and eventually fledge. 

This afternoon we decided to make a trip out to Flying B Park, which is known for having great horned  owls, to look for nests. 

It was a lovely day for a walk… just a bit of snow on the ground but still warm enough to be perfect weather for walking. 

We didn’t see any owls (although I’m sure they were there) but did find quite a few nests that we’ll check from time to time to see if there is any activity. 

The park is located where there once was a small farm. The farmhouse is still there, but we’ve never been inside… we also found this little root cellar? storm shelter? built into a hill. 

There is also a lovely little pond and dock… we’re already planning some picnics here when it’s a bit warmer. 

And of course, it’s always good to spend some time with my favorite trees… 

It was a perfect way to spend a couple of hours on a mild winter day…

Finn update…

Things have changed a bit since I first posted about Finn, the dog B adopted from the shelter who turned out to hate cats. Finn came here a few weeks ago so B could study for finals without the chaos of cat hating dog plus cat in 700 sq ft condo! 

It’s looking now like Finn is here to stay. I definitely fell in love with him, despite him biting me a couple of times when he first came. (Luckily he has only a few teeth!) And Christmas morning I opened a tiny gift from B and this is what it was…

She gave me Finn. It was such a completely unselfish gift, motivated by her knowing it would be so hard on him to go back and forth (after being abandoned, then moving back and forth from short term home to shelter a few times), and knowing that I had fallen in love with him. 

So, here he is! It’s been kind of a bumpy ride so far… He’s definitely a “good dog”, he’s house trained, doesn’t dig or tear up the yard, and isn’t nearly as barky as Piper… but does hate chickens as well as cats. So far, this week, he’s jumped into the clean-out door on the side of the coop while I was cleaning (I had no idea he’d fit, or could jump that high!), and I had to climb partway into the dirty coop to drag him out! 🤢 And… M let him out while I was feeding the chickens, he got into the chicken yard, chased one hen out into the yard and chased her around while she screamed bloody murder and I ran around behind trying to catch one or the other of them. He finally cornered her, and had her in his mouth when I caught him. She wasn’t hurt (luckily he has only a few teeth!) and we are now working hard on teaching him it’s not ok to try to eat my chickens. 

Mostly he’s a good dog though and fun to have around. He still bites once in a while… only M 😂… but never hurts him. (Luckily he has only a few teeth… Notice a theme here?)

Doesn’t he have the sweetest face? 

I think it’s pretty cool that I actually got a dog for Christmas. Maybe I should rename him something Christmas -y?

Brrr…

 It’s been cold the past few mornings!

Finn

 B’s dog Finn, a senior rescue, is staying with us for awhile (he and B’s cat don’t get along!). 

He was so traumatized… being abandoned at a gas station, then several weeks in the shelter where he was neutered and had to have most of his teeth removed due to them being so rotten (many had already fallen out!). He was terribly scared when we brought him home from B’s, wouldn’t leave the crate, or eat, and was quick to bite if he felt threatened. 

He’s doing so much better now though…  Here he is after his first bath 

And trying to get up a tree he’d just chased a squirrel into…

He’s a really good dog… B was lucky to find him. He’ll be a good addition to our little family “pack”.

Christmas Lights

 One of our set-in-granite Christmas traditions is driving around, drinking hot chocolate, looking at Christmas lights. 

We have a few favorites that we visit each year, like this one in E’s old neighborhood that has light synced to music and a sign that tells you what FM station to tune your radio to. This year, just after we pulled up, an antique fire engine, all decked out in lights, pulled in front of us. M had to get closer to see, of course, and ended up knowing both “Santa” who was sitting in the back, and the driver, an old friend of E and J’s. I love living in a smaller community where we so often run into people we know. So different from Denver…

And a few more of our favorites, including one decorated almost entirely with Christmas dogs! (Rhianna loves this one!)

Isn’t this a pretty street?

The countdown is on… only a couple more weeks til Christmas!  😱

Rainbow

 We had a lovely snow this morning early…

It was supposed to be terribly windy, but instead we had a light, beautiful snow. 

It was a rainbow to me, recognized and deeply appreciated.

🎄 Tree’s up 🎄