Into the New Year

Here we are, almost two weeks into the new year. Finally have the Christmas decorations packed away and the house reorganized (more or less) back to the usual everyday routine. Since the holidays we've had all kinds of weather extremes, heavy snow, cold, then a move to milder days and drenching rain and winds. My mailbox was a casualty of the heavy snow or the plow, not sure which, but one morning the poor thing was desperately lopsided. Have it sort of anchored now, but really hope we don't get any wild winds or it may go over completely.

Chickadees, a nuthatch, and a red squirrel are all enjoying the black oil sunflower seeds I've been filling the feeder with, and a pileated woodpecker has been hanging around too. Coming home late the other night, a damp and foggy evening, and the headlights picked up a young white-tailed deer standing very still just off the road by the woods. He turned and ran when we slowed down, appeared to be a young buck with antler buds just starting to show.

Our local power company is celebrating the new year by hiking the energy rate, bills out for year's end are horrendously high. I know people all over are getting hit with increases and it's hard when you're just making ends meet. Makes one thankful for the mild break we're getting in the temperatures. Today alone we've had a bit of freezing rain, pouring rain, and a little hail early in the day, weird weather, and the mercury is hovering around or above zero.

Noted the passing of Sir Edmund Hillary yesterday, an impressive gentleman. I admire people who use their fame and accomplishments to to do some good in this world. Such a lot of history goes with them as they pass on.