Looking Back-Some More

Continuing from yesterday...

Summer! 

Or almost!

Summer was about birds, the ocean, the lake, the garden, the sun, the warmth...

And travel.

To the Pacific Northwest.

Mt. Ranier

Mt. St. Helen's.

Seattle.

The Northern Cascades.

The Columbia River Gorge and Oregon.

Off to the Oregon coast- one more place to cross off on my bucket list!

Here's the hubby and I at Cannon Beach.

And we checked out a ship wreck too.

And visited the hometown of my husband's grandfather.

Plus this cool art!

Oh yes, and lots of hiking and walking.

Excellent garden harvests and beautiful blooms.

And more water. Fishing.  Got to love summer when it isn't too hot or too humid.

And the rhythm of the seasons, fall arrives with back to school, and turning leaves and more adventures.

Fall arrived. beach walking not boating.

Making pickles and zucchini bread and cooking in general.

And meet my daughters new puppy Pete.

And our new dog Maddie. She was a lot of work- consuming much of my free time. My fall project.

But worth it now that she is really settling in.

Always entertaining us.  Ha-ha.

My 2 favorite (and last 2 living) uncles died this year.  Very very sad. We took a weekend trip deep into Down East, Maine for one funeral and the morning sunrise was gorgeous.

On a happier note- there was knitting.

And art classes

And my Mom's 85th birthday and all the signs of dementia getting so obvious.

Very sad, and very hard. I thought I could handle it better than I did. But I am adjusting and accepting. 

Sometimes.

 A couple of more trips to Maine.

 Including a trip to my alma mater and the start of hockey season.

Not a very good season so far unfortunately, but still it is fun.

And colored leaves-a pretty time of year.

A lot of walking with the new dog.

And then some raking too.

 I got to hear one of my favorite biologists speak. A fun night out. A little break in the midst of dealing with Mom and working with a new dog.

And we had a snowy November. A white Thanksgiving.

But it was a pretty warm December so not a white Christmas.

 Maddie LOVED the snow. We had a HUGE storm the day before Thanksgiving.

 We had no power for over 48 hours during Thanksgiving.

And snowman took a road trip on November 2 as we trekked home from Bangor, Maine through some terrible weather.Love this photo, but the drive was terrible.  Never saw more cars off the road.

And a few more little road trips. With the hubby. For hockey. For fun.

 And spending time with my daughter.

And the holiday was wonderful.

 And my vacation has been going too fast but has been fun and productive and al those things a vacation should be.

 And it is almost a new year,

 Which I hope will be as rich and happy and healthy and full as 2014 was.  For you too!