Auld Lang Syne

Times gone by (translation of auld lang syne).  Something I do going into every new year is sit down with the old calendar to enter birthdays, anniversaries, etc., in the new calendar.  That, in itself, is an exercise in futility because odds are I won't look in time and am perpetually late in sending good wishes and cards, but it's important to make the effort.  More importantly, I use the calendar as a sort of date book, noting who came up on any occasion, so turning the pages from one month to another is a trip down memory lane.  It makes me smile to think of happy times with my Kids and friends, and friends of friends.  I also write in major occurrences on the farm (falling trees, etc.) and when anyone or animal dies.  At year's end, it is good to pay my respects again.

A new, blank calendar is a symbol of hope to me, waiting to be filled with - who knows what.  That's what makes a new calendar exciting and unpredictable.

The cranky computer relented and let me pull up yesterday's photo of Celeste and Babe in a quiet moment.  She's been having such a good time tossing the piglet that I haven't been able to make myself take it away from her.  Celeste must have taken lessons from Ralph.  She's even started making the brrrp-brrrp sounds for which he's famous.  Her personality has certainly undergone a change.

Acorns continue to pour out when I open the door every morning.  I've just pushed them to the side as I stumbled in to get birdseed.  Yesterday I was amazed to find not one single acorn outside.  Evidently the grey squirrels are gorging somewhere in the trees.  Happy happy!

There was a stranger in our midst in the mists of morning yesterday.  A blue heron had been at the goat trough and took off flying in its peculiar Z-shape when I approached.  It was a rare and special sight.

I hope everyone has some wonderful memories of auld lang syne and a calendar waiting to be filled with exciting events in the New Year.