Happy...

We are the fur Bradys, RB brought the girls, Gracie and Bob, and the boys came with me, Henry and Einstein. Gracie is the dog, the others are cats. And we are all getting along and enjoying our lives.

Our yard is wonderful...sometimes I lay in the grass - Henry lays down near my head, Gracie on me or next to me...it's such a wonderful thing. The woods are so full of life. The rabbits are the most noticeable, but we've caught turkeys, raccoons, porcupines, skunks, deer, fox and coyotes on our game camera. So very cool, well except for the skunk, because Henry hasn't learned anything and has managed to get the house skunked and himself 3 times this summer.

RB built a bird feeder that is a very busy place. The birds seem to love it. Blue birds, cat birds, robins, Blue Jays, chickadees, and so many more come to visit. The squirrels are only in the woods so far - and I think that the cats are a good deterrent. Henry has been a killing machine, we shouldn't have a mouse or vole problem this year.

I've become very good friends with my neighbor across the street. She's an 82 year old fireball! Mrs. M - and I really enjoy her company and the stories she tells. This winter we'll be playing scrabble. She likes Gracie and has allowed her in the house.

Henry likes to join Grace and I on our walks, usually at night and sometimes rides on my shoulder as I'm walking - it's rather comical. And when Einstein joins us - I begin to feel like I'm the pied piper of animals.

I'm really happy....the move from living alone to being part of a family has been joyful. "we" is a beautiful word....

Morning walks

I think these are my favorite.
The world is slowly waking up - well, except for the birds...
The birds are flying all over and chirping, cheeping, tweeting, singing, whistling
One bird did a whistle that was so similar to RB's whistle I whipped my head around thinking it was him.

The deer were down the road - slowly walking across ahead of us.
Our neighbor hadn't come out yet to get his paper - so they were still close.
The rabbits saw us coming and booked into the bushes.
Gracie saw them and stopped to watch them and sniff the air
Her nose hit the ground and I could hear her snuffling...as we walked along

Glad to be able to see the sun rise through the woods and fields....

God is good.

Walking

Gracie and I have been walking.
First we started out 1000 steps, or so, each time
Three times a day

Smelling new smells
Hearing new sounds
Seeing new things

Bluebirds, Robins, Blue Jays, noisy chickadees, sparrows....and so many more
Smelling fireplace wood smoke, cow manure, snow, freshly mowed grass, freshly cut wood
A marten was our first wild animal we saw up close

Deer, Raccoons, Foxes, Loud male Turkeys, very cool to catch on the camp camera
Hearing the Pileated Woodpecker beating on old trees
Hearing the male Turkey calling all ladies, hearing their much lighter response
Hearing the cows, from down the road, mooing in the morning and evening
Hearing the bees, buzzing in the apple trees
Hearing the wind blow through the firs and trees - very different sounds

Watching the clouds scurry across the sky
Watching the Robins hunt for their worms
Watching other birds flitting from limb to limb, tree to tree
Watching the limbs and now leaves dance in the wind
Watching the landscape come to life as spring breathes new life into the land

Grace and I now walk 1-2 miles per walk...
loving everything we see and experience
The new people and dogs we meet
loving our new home...

We are settling in nicely. We've been here for 6 months, still trying to find stuff that we packed and put 'away', realizing that we have way too much, but trying to figure out what to do with all of it. We are moving stuff out of RB's house still but again, we'll get there.

The animals are getting along pretty well. Henry likes to walk with Gracie and I, early in the morning. Bob, the girl cat, joins us in the living room every day. And Einstein is the cool cat...loving his new home. We are the fur "Brady's", RB brought the girls and I brought the boys.

We have apple trees, red maples, asparagus, two very cool little 'houses' out back, a pear tree and so many things we have yet to discover. We aren't planting anything this year until we figure out what we have. There is some work to be done on the front and back decks but again - we will get to it.

All in all, we are very happy here and thankful for this space - it's beautiful and peaceful.

Our neighborhood bluebird...his lady showed up too.

Einstein, soaking up the sun.

Gracie on the hunt for anything that smells good...

Just one of the flowers that the lady who used to live here planted. It's an adventure to see what will come up next.

Henry, learning that it's hard to be a city cat in the country. But I think he's getting the hang of it finally.

The woodpecker tree out back...they must be practicing on it - or it's a lovely bug smorgasbord for them.

My absolutely favorite sunset picture so far. I zoomed in and the color was incredible.

Heaven

We are in our new home, with Gracie, Einstein, Henry and Bob (Roberta) - that's one dog and three cats. egads....the house is small, a little bigger than my old house, but with all these animals and cold weather - well let's just say it's interesting.

the trees were a little cold this morning...it was -3 at this time. 

Everything looked cold - this is the new backyard...I love it. 

beautiful trees out front - they were cold too.

Close up of the icy branches...

Blue skies coming out  - still -2 degrees. 

 The property is wonderful, Gracie and I love walking all over it. We've done lots of work in the house and more to come.