No, we didn’t get a puppy when we moved into our new house.
But my sister-in-law’s dog gave birth to seven puppies and they are too cute! I couldn’t resist sharing her cute puppy photos.
They are a mix of Golden Lab and Golden Doodle. They were born on November 16, 2024.
Maybe it’s a good thing she and her husband and their puppies live on a farm in Pennsylvania (although I just found out the puppies can be shipped anywhere!)
May the God of hope fill you with all joy and peace as you trust in him, so that you may overflow with hope by the power of the Holy Spirit.
Romans 15:13
Happy New Year!
As the fog of the past few days slowly lifts, I think of it as a symbol of the old year fading away into a bright new year.
In looking back at 2024, I marvel at how fast it went. And so much happened. We had a fun, month-long road trip traveling many miles and visiting several friends in the southeastern part of the states. A precious, baby grand-daughter was born in the spring. We went camping with two of the grandkids, agonized over a family member’s health diagnosis, and had visitors from Norway in the summer.
And then…we started the process of building a house in the fall. It was very stressful and fun, exhausting and exciting, all at the same time, and it changed the tempo of our lives the second half of 2024.
Now that we’ve settled some (and really are happy in our new home) I hope we can start up some of our old routines, yet create new ones too. I hope to get back to walking daily, reading and writing, going out for coffee/lunch/dinner, traveling, feeding the animals at the farm, blogging more…things I enjoy doing, along with continuing to decorate and “de-box” (new word???) our new space.
The word hope has been so much of this past year’s prayers and dreams that I am bringing it along into the new year as my word for the year. I will continue to hope and pray for healing for others and for continued good health and new growth for myself.
My new year’s resolution is to try a new style of journaling. Tomorrow, January 1, 2025 I plan to print the word HOPE in large letters in my new journal, as we begin another year, in all its uncertainties and wonder.
That night there were shepherds staying in the fields nearby, guarding their flocks of sheep. Suddenly, an angel of the Lord appeared among them, and the radiance of the Lord’s glory surrounded them. They were terrified, but the angel reassured them. “Don’t be afraid!” he said. “I bring you good news that will bring great joy to all people. The Savior—yes, the Messiah, the Lord—has been born today in Bethlehem, the city of David! (Luke 2:8-12)
We woke up to six inches of snow Thursday morning. It’s been a while since that has happened. Last winter Minnesota was practically snowless. The fresh, white snow was pretty lying over the harvested cornfield outside the windows of our new sunroom.
It was cloudy when the full moon rose on December 15th, but I can imagine the scene; moonlight on the field of freshly fallen snow. It reminded me of a poem I read recently:
December Moon
Before going to bed,
after a fall of snow,
I look out on the field shining
there in the moonlight.
So calm,
untouched and white.
Snow silence
fills my head after I leave
the window.
Hours later, near dawn, when I look down again,
the whole landscape has changed.
The perfect surface gone, criss-crossed and written on
where the wild creatures ranged
while the moon rose and shone.
How much can come,
how much can go when
the December moon is bright.
What worlds of play
we’ll never know
sleeping away
the cold, white night
after a fall of snow.
~Author unknown
(This poems seems to be a rework of May Sarton’s December Moon poem: here is a link to May’s original poem. I cannot find any information on who wrote the words above.)
I like the image of animals leaving their tracks in the snow, as evidence of their nightly esapades. And, I’ve always be attracted to the moon and its tales and lores.
A lot is happening during this season of change…the full moon, the fresh snow, the winter solstice (December 21), which marks the longest night of the year. After Christmas with its many variations of light, after the New Year’s celebrations, after we settle into the new year, the days start getting longer in our corner of the world, and we will be gifted with more light, and that is very good.
I love sitting and looking at a 180-degree view of the field outside our sun room windows.
We have been working hard to fit in all the furniture and house accessories from our other house where we lived in for 30 years, to a new, one-level modern twin-home. It’s challenging and exhausting, but exhilarating at the same time. We’re excited for this change and already enjoy living in this new space.
The last month has been a blurr and it’s hard to believe Christmas is next week. In my mind it’s still October. We put up a small artificial tree with lights we’ve used in a small space in the other house, put out Christmas placemats, made a Christmas porch pot, and set an olive-wood sculpture of Joseph, Mary and baby Jesus on the mantle,
and set a German wooden pyramid (mini) on our dining room table.
Christmas cards will not be mailed this year, and there will be no home-made cookies or gingerbread houses, but Christmas will come no matter what, and we will celebrate the birth of Jesus. It will be joyful, even without more preparations and decorations.
Last Friday morning the moving van arrived in the driveway of our old house. The four movers packed up all our heavy furniture and moved it a mile south to our new house. It took about six hours. We set up the beds and slept in our new place for the first time Friday night, and slept well. It was an exhausting day.
We woke up to a beautiful sunrise Saturday morning, over the field and bluff out our back windows.
And saw the beautiful sunset that evening.
We’ve been unpacking for almost a week and we’re making progress.
We’re celebrating the next chapter in our lives.
As we continue our preparations to move, I brought to light a couple of old dresses I had tucked into the back of our closet. It was fun to think back on their stories.
In junior high I learned to sew and continued sewing a lot of my clothes through high school (and a few years beyond)…including prom dresses. I liked a lot of the clothes I made…I guess that’s the beauty of making your own clothes…picking out the right fabric, adding details to make them your own, and they fit well. Of all the clothes I made, there are only two dresses, from the 1960’s and 70’s, that I kept.
This red/white dress I made in high school…the hem length was short, as was the style back then!
I loved adding detail to my dresses. The flared-cuff and the lace trim around the neckline, wrists and small waist, made this dress unique. It used to fit!
The cranberry color dress has interesting details; front pleats, a peter pan collar with a knot, and a belt I made.
I did not make the black and blue party dress, but I fell in love with it when I first saw it. I wish it still fit! I felt really good in it and it was a pleasure to wear. I remember finding it at an extremely low price on a clearance sale. There was a time when Gary worked for a company that threw elaborate Christmas parties (in the 80’s) and they were dress-up events. It does have shoulder pads which definitely dates it, but I couldn’t part with it, so it hangs in my closet.
The cream color peasant dress was another dressy-dress I wore for special occasions, including wedding soirées. I’ll wash it up and give it to a thrift store. I can imagine a young woman wearing it today…maybe I’m wrong…
My delicate baptism gown – I have pictures of me in this dress at my baptism, but obviously I do not remember wearing it…but it does have special meaning and I’ll keep it.
As I thought about my sewing days, I envisioned the basement in the house where I grew up. I realized between practicing on the upright piano and sewing with a Singer sewing machine, I spent a lot of time down in that finished-off basement. I enjoyed it. I pondered whether to bring my sewing machine (bought in 1978) with me to our new house, and decided I will take it with me – just in case I get inspired to sew something!
From our home to yours.
We are moving one mile south of where we currently live. When we moved to Northfield in 1994, we moved into a house on the edge of town, with a cornfield in the backyard. The community grew and houses were built up all around us. Thirty years later we decided it was time to downsize and move into a smaller place. We are having a twin home built one mile south of us, and the backyard is the same cornfield view that was behind us 30 years ago. Only smaller.
So, moving into a smaller, one level space is exciting, but challenging. It is bittersweet to be leaving this beautiful green house on the corner, which I love. We have so many wonderful memories here. We were a happy family in this house. But now it’s time for a change, and to downsize.
In doing so there are many decisions to be made. It was easy to sell some stuff, donate some stuff, toss some stuff, but what about family heirlooms? Thankfully, family members wanted them. I cherish these items, but have no room for them in our new house. That they remain in the family brings me comfort!
My grandma’s desk: When my mother was given this wooden drop-front desk, she painted it. When she handed down the desk to me years later, I stripped off the paint and brought it back to its natural wood beauty (that was many years ago).
My grandmother’s china: My grandma’s beautiful, Noritake china set included more pieces than the average china set. The dishes were given to me by my beloved aunt because she knew I loved dishes. I thought of keeping part of the set, but when I knew it was to stay in the family, I gave it all away.
A military flag: The Department of Veterans Affairs provides a US flag to honor a deceased veteran’s military service. We framed this military flag that was given to my mother at my father’s funeral.
A cedar chest: My mother bought this cedar chest in 1947, the year she and my father were married. It cost $54.95 and included a 2-year moth insurance policy! Imagine that. It’s all recorded on papers inside the sweet-smelling chest.
A Norwegian painting: A 28”X38” print of the famous Bridal Procession on the Hardangerfjord is a framed print that my mother and father brought home from their trip to Norway in 1969. My mother had it hanging in her house for many years. It’s beautiful, but it’s large and we have no place for it.
A roasting pan: My mother made the best roast ever! Of course, when I asked for the recipe, she told me how she made it without any measurements. I tried to recreate it, but never got it right. So, when I brought her roasting pan home after her funeral, I thought roasting in that pan would be the secret…but it was not. My roast never did turn out the way hers did.
It would have been hard to part with these items, but it was made much easier to keep them all in the family. I am grateful.