1/4/26    Epiphany Sunday

     Sun and clouds, a nnw breeze, high 15,  Clear tonight,-4.  Partly cloudy tomorrow, a NNW breeze, high 15, low 5.  Mostly cloudy Tuesday, a gentle NE breeze, high 24, low 18.  1-3 inches of snow Tuesday night.  1-3 inches of snow Wednesday, a NNE breeze, high 33.  Snow showers Wednesday night, low 25.  Sunshine Thursday, a NW breeze, high 36, low 22.  Rain and freezing rain Friday morning, rain showers in the afternoon.  A SSW breeze, high 40, low 32.  A light rain Saturday, snow showers Saturday night. A NE breeze, high 38, low 2.The week of the 11th will be dry, highs around 30, lows in the teens.


    Epiphany Sunday celebrates the revelation of Jesus Christ to the world, primarily through the visit of the Magi (Wise Men) who followed a star to find the infant Jesus, presenting gifts and acknowledging him as King. This event  signifies that Christ's message is for all people, not just the Jews, revealing him as a light for all nations. 
   That means John 14:2-3 is for each of us.  My Father’s house has many rooms; if that were not so, would I have told you that I am going there to prepare a place for you?  And if I go and prepare a place for you, I will come back and take you to be with me so that you also may be where I am.

    May your day be blessed, Sally

 1/3/26  Just when you feel you have no time to relax, know that this is the moment you most need to make time to relax.

 Sunshine today with a stiff WNW breeze, high 16, low-3. Partly cloudy tomorrow morning, afternoon sunshine,  a NNW breeze, high 15, low -3.  Sunshine Monday, a WNW breeze, high 14, low 0.  Sunshine Tuesday, a gentle NNNE breeze, high 21, low 13.  Snow showers Tuesday night.  1-3 inches of snow Wednesday, snow showers Wednesday night.  A NE breeze with a high of 28, low 25.  Partly cloudy Thursday with a NNW breeze, high 33, low 23.  Snow to rain Friday,wintery mix Friday night. A SSW breeze, High 38, low 30.  Light rain to ice next Saturday morning,, a wintery mix Saturday night.  A west breeze, high 39, low 29.  Rain/Snow next Sunday morning, a west breeze, high 35, low 20. Partly cloudy the week of the 12th, highs in the twenties, lows in the teens. Morning snow showers on the 16th.

    I just got a text from Gayle.  Andrew is sipping broth, they'll be moving him out of ICU later today.  Doug  and Nicole me  in to visit Andrew again yesterday.  He was much better than the day before.

    Sometimes UPS delivers very late, after we are in bed.  I woke at three and remembered I hadn't checked to see when the lemon juice and vanilla extract was coming.  Sure enough there were packages on the step.  The vanilla was fine, the lemon juice was starting to freeze but I think it will be fine.  I was chilled and didn't go right back to sleep.  I slept late which is why the loop is late.

    It isn't the twelfth day of Christmas yet but the tree is coming down.  It is starting to dry out.

    Today is Maicy's birthday party.  Tomorrow is Epiphany Sunday.not quite the 12th Day yet but Epiphany Sunday always seems to end Christmas for us.  Next week we'll be back on a normal schedule.  The kids go back to school Monday.

    May your day be Blessed, Sally

Don't look back!  Look ahead!  A new day, a new year!

The National weather service just posted January's forecast, below average temperatures.  Sunshine today, a strong west breeze, high15, low 1. Sunshine tomorrow, a stiff WNW breeze, high 14, low -2.  Morning clouds/afternoon sun Sunday, a light NNW breeze, high 16, low -5.  Sunshine Monday, a light WNW breeze, high 14, low 1.  A warm up Tuesday, some snow Wednesday followed by several days of warmer temperatures.

    Good news this morning.  During the night Andrew's breathing tube was removed. He is breathing on his own with no problems.  He has a long road ahead of him but he has turned the corner.   Doug took me in to visit him yesterday afternoon.  He still didn't have his voice back but it was a good visit.

    Sister Donna's immediate family will have a day of remembrance at one of Donna's favorite spots in Georgia.  There will be a celebration of her life this summer.  Some pictures have been posted on my FB page.

     I got to visit with Tiffany, Evan and Eilana yesterday.  They are going to stop by this morning before they head home to Rhode Island.

     The next few days we'll be concentrating on keeping warm.  We'll be making sure the animals are comfortable and have plenty of fresh water.

Bekah will be getting grow lights set up.  In ten days it will be time to start seeds.

     May your day be blessed, Sally

 1/1/25  In the New Year may we do as Jesus said,“Love the Lord your God with all your heart, soul, and mind, and your neighbor as yourself.”

An inch or so of snow overnight, clouds, 18 degrees. Forecasts do not agree on snow totals.  Amounts from an inch to six.  They agree on strong

gusty north later today with a high of 25.  Winds will decrease some tonight with clearing skis, low -2.  Mostly sunny tomorrow and Friday with stiff WNW breezes  Highs 15, lows 2 and -2.  Morning clouds, afternoon sun Sunday, a NW breeze, high 15, low -5.  Mostly sunny Monday, a WNW breeze, high 13, low 2.  The next ten days are warmer, several highs in the thirties.

   My sister cooked a lovely New Year's Eve dinner for some friends and I.  We enjoyed visiting even though there were some clouds over us.  Son Andrew had a second surgery yesterday, he is scheduled for a third this morning.  The first surgery Tuesday part of his colon was removed,  Yesterday more bad tissue was removed and more cleaning.  The doctors hope yesterday's operation was successful.  This morning they would like to install a colostomy bag and close him up.  He is sedated.  Prayers for a successful surgery this morning are appreciated.

   We got a call last night that our sister Donna had fainted twice, fallen and was in ICU with breathing problems.  Her daughter called this morning.  We are reminded each other that not only does she love Jesus but He loves her and has a room prepared for her in Heaven.  In my email from her yesterday morning she wrote that she had finished Granddaughter Maggie's nightgown and was going to start on a shirt next.

   Prayers for comfort for Donna and prayers for her family, especially her daughter Carole who is with her.

   May your day be blessed, Sally

 12/31/25 What the new year brings us depends a great deal on what we bring to the new year!

A few thin clouds, calm, 5 degrees.  Sunshine this morning, few clouds this afternoon, 2-3 inches of snow after midnight.  A brisk SW breeze today, high 21,  Tonight's low 27.  1-3 inches of snow tomorrow, a strong north wind lasting through the night.  A high of 25, low 0. Partly cloudy Friday with a strong west breeze, a high of 15, a low of 1.  Partly cloudy Saturday, a stiff WNW breeze, high 17, low -3.  Partly cloudy Sunday and Monday, light NW breezes, highs 14, lows -6 and 7.  Partly cloudy Tuesday, a gentle north breeze, 24, low 17.  1-3 inches of snow Tuesday night.  Snow showers next Wednesday, a SE breeze, high 34, low 22.  Partly cloudy next Thursday, a west breeze, high 32, low 22.  Snow showers Friday the 9th and Saturday the 10th, WSW breezes, highs in the mid thirties, lows 21 and 24.  Snow showers the next three days, 1-3 inches each day, west breezes,  Sunday's high 35, low 19,  Monday's high 34, low 18.  Tuesday's high 28, low 14.

   Yesterday started with a text from Andrew that he was going back to the doctors again, that he was getting sicker not better.  He had been going back to the doctor every 5 or 6 days since he'd had pneumonia 6 weeks ago.  Lots of tests and bloodwork, still no answers.

    Jay made  an ash path to the horse barn. It was so cold the ashes didn't stick well, the strong winds weren't any help. Jay told me walking was so rough and icy I should stay in the house.  It didn't improve any as the day went on, the girls collected the eggs and Jay fed the birds.  Bekah collected eggs this morning and says it isn't any better.  At least the wind isn't blowing.

    Gilbert, Tiffany, Evan and Eliana  visited in the afternoon.  I got lots of cuddle time with Great Grandbaby Eliana while Tiffany set up a picture frame that pictures of my family scrolls through. Gilbert had been to rehab in the morning.  Time will tell how much use he will get of his hand but so far it is healing much better than the doctor expected.  I'm going up to Gilbert and Barbie's tomorrow to spend more time with Tiffany and Evan  before they go back to Rhode Island Friday.  As Gilbert walked out the door he told me to let him know when I heard from Andrew.

    About a half hour later I got a call from lil Andrew.  The doctor had e-rays taken of Andrew.  He immediately sent him to Eastern Maine for an emergency  exploratory surgery.  The doctor didn't tell them much.  He had a hole in his digestive track, he was septic.  As of eight last night they were cleaning him up, he would be sedated overnight and they would go back in this morning.  No overnight updates means no change.  Prayers are appreciated.

   May your day be blessed, Sally

 12/30/25  As the days lengthen, the cold strengthens.

21 degrees, cloudy, calm.  21 is the high for today, 10 this afternoon, 4 tonight.  West wind today, a stiff WSW breeze tonight.  Partly cloudy tomorrow, a brisk SW breeze, high 21, low 9.  Snow showers tomorrow night and Thursday morning.  A stiff NW breeze Thursday, high 23, low-2. Partly cloudy Friday, a west breeze, high 17, low 3.  Partly cloudy Saturday, a brisk WNW breeze, high 17, low-8.   Sunshine Sunday, a WNW breeze, high 10, low -7.  Partly cloudy Monday, a light NW breeze, high15, low 7.  Snow showers Monday night.  A north breeze next Tuesday, cloudy, high 21, low 7.  Partly cloudy next Wednesday and Thursday, NNW breezes, highs in the low twenties, lows 10 and 14. Snow showers Thursday night.  3-5 inches of snow Friday the 9th, a NW breeze, high 30, low 18.  Snow shower Friday night. A west breeze Saturday the 10th and Sunday the 11th, highs about 33, lows 18 and 14.  1-3 inches of snow showers Saturday night and Sunday morning  Partly cloudy the 12th and 13th, WNW breezes, highs 28, lows 11. 

      Yesterday was an unpleasant day weatherwise.  My weather station said 1.17 inches of rain.  Likely there was snow/ice buildup before the rain started.  The sump pump has come on a few times.  The snowpack is now an ice pack.  I'll make an ash path as I go out to care for the hens.  I have buckets of sand by the back door and front door.

    Yesterday I printed several pages of instructions from my using milk class.  How to make our own cultures, cheeses and other things we might want to refer too.  Today we are going to start the cultures.  We've been using Stonyfield plain yogurt as a culture to make yogurt.   I need to decide which class I want to take next.

    Andrew and Gayle live off grid.  The temperature has dropped to 16 but the sun is shining, charging their solar batteries.  When the sun shines their Christmas lights stay bright well into the night.  They have a backup propane generator but even in the winter their solar generator produces most of their power.

    May your day be blessed, Sally

 12/29/25  Life isn’t about getting and having, it’s about giving and being.

Some snow, 20 degrees.  A wintery mix today, some rain as the temperature climbs into the high thirties this afternoon.  It starts dropping with tomorrow's high of 21 in the very early morning hours.  A brisk ESE breeze today.  Partly cloudy tomorrow with a west wind, an afternoon high of 17.  The temperature will drop to a low of 5 overnight with a stiff WSW breeze.  Partly cloudy Wednesday with a SW breeze, a high of 22, low of 8.  Snow showers at night.  Partly cloudy and cold through Sunday.

Lots of snow showers starting Monday the 5th through Monday the 12th will slowly increase to a good snow pack. Highs will be in the twenties, lows in the teens.

    A busy weekend.  Doug's family Christmas was Saturday.  Yesterday was the celebration of Joyce Boone's life. Joyce was described as caring, always kind.  There was standing room only so many were there.  That' a lot of caring and kindness!  I once heard a teenage boy say, "that's what a Christian lady is."

   When I got home I went up to Barbie and Gilbert's.  Tiffany and Evan are here from Rhode Island with Eilania, a great grand daughter born in September.  They are coming down today but I didn't want to wait another day to meet her.

  Even though twelve days of Christmas last until Epiphany, January 6th, we will be busy.  Bekah has some orders to do.  We are going to make cheese.  I have some berries in the freezer.  We're running low on jam, I'll use them to make more.

   The birds are thankful for all the people who have feeders.  Everyone who feeds the birds says they have lots of birds at their feeders.  We set up a heated water dish for the barn cats. And the neighboring cats. They were all drinking from the birds' water dish.  No cats allowed in the kitchen garden with the birds.

   May your day be blessed, Sally