Samuel Johnson once made a comment about the “triumph of hope over experience.” While he was supposedly referring to a second marriage, I think it’s an apt tag for a New Year’s post. This has been quite a year, with plenty of ups and downs on all fronts. I’m not much for personal New Year’s resolutions as my life is one long self-improvement project. I do think it’s helpful to take a look at where you’ve been periodically, as that often affects where you’re going and how you’re going to get there. With that in mind, here’s a Jefferson’s Daughters retrospective for 2016:
New camera; still hadn’t figured out how to take the dates off the pictures!
Despite considerable damage from fire blight, this tree went on to produce a bumper crop of pears.
Same branch as in the previous picture – fireblight? What fireblight?
BFFs.
Early garden – snow peas.
Calochortus – we don’t have the big Mariposa lilies at our elevation, but we have zillions of their smaller relatives in purple, white and yellow.
Celtuce, also known as Chinese Lettuce. It’s more of a green for cooking than for salads.
First baby of the year – Mama has her well hidden.
Younger but bigger brother, born 10 days later.
Supervising aunties…
A man and his machines…
Somehow the wild turkeys always seem to know when it’s not hunting season – that’s when they show up in droves.
Garden to dinner plate!
The house orchard isn’t normally a small lake, but after 5 hours of rain in 48 hours it was floating.
Potato harvest – lunkers and some for seed.
This is what you call wildlife habituated to humans; that swing is about 50 feet from the front door.
Last calf of the year; I don’t recommend December births but it was a great Christmas present. Violet is now doing very well after a rough start.
Snow on the way; if NOAA’s predictions are on target, we may be looking at over a foot.
Dawn and another beginning –
Happy New Year, everyone!
And a very happy new year to you, too. Thank you for all of your thoughtful musings this past year. I especially enjoyed the “to water-bath or not” canning perspective.
Health and happiness to you and yours.
Yep, that no water bath post has generated 10 times the comments of anything else! And you’re welcome!