Christmas!

Dennis and I sat with our son Joe waiting for his three kids to wake up. The house was dark except for the light of the Christmas tree. It brought back many memorys of our six kids and the fun of this special day. Pierce was the first to come down then Kyle Joe and lastly Meranda Rose. What excitement! They ran to get their Mom and started looking for their names on the gifts. The older two looked for Mirandas gifts. Ann, Rich, Becca, Sarah and Terse Rose were coming shortly. Dennis, Jen and Matt will be a close 2nd and Jim, Kelly, Celeste and Dylan make the whole family all togethar. Mike and Tom still live here and their friends joined us later. Brandon, Scott, and Tom B. are just part of our family too. The laughter and good spirits filled the house again. It is not the gifts but the people that really give us joy. Dennis and I sat back and watched, enjoying the warmth and happiness they all give us. We are truely rich! Merry Christmas and God Bless, Barb

Sarahs Confirmation

Today is Sarahs Confirmation. We did not get to see her make it but our hearts were there. Congradulations Sarah! We love you!

Out and About

Today is a cloudy day with the waves breaking over the ice mounds. The birds are flocking to the feeders. Yesterday we had about 5 to 6 inches of fresh snow. Everything got a new coat and the result was beautiful. Dad, Sandy and I took a ride to Mackinac and looked around in the stores. This was the second day of looking for Sandy and I as we were in the Soo the day before. There were supposed to be good sales in Mackinac but I was dissappointed. It was fun to see the different stores. I want to go in the spring when all of them are opened. We got some fresh fish and found a new wine from Michigan for Ann to try when she comes up. It was a good day.

snow country

What a couple of beautiful days. Yesterday, Sandy came and picked me up and we went to the Soo. We shopped and had a real nice day. This morning we woke up to 5 or 6 inches of new snow and last night we watched the ships anchored out in the bay sometimes like ghosts and sometimes lite with bright lights out in the night. We went to Mackinac and shopped in some little stores that were supposed to have big sales. What a disappointment. We had a lot of fun though and the weather seemed to co-operate for us. Sandy is looking forward to Norms return as well as everyone else. Mikes friends are supposed to arrive here late tonight and stay before they return downstate for the holiday We saw a icebreaker going toward the bridge as we were crossing. It was just moving the ice that was starting to clump togethar. Shipping season will be over shortly and I will miss the lights of the big ships at night for 3 months. One thing good about seeing them come back is that spring is in the air and new life is breathed back into the cold upper. It is new beginning for many things--Young animals and birds and new hope and anticipation for all of us. Have a good night.

Coyote on the Ice

I was talking to Kelly this morning and spotted a coyote out on the ice checking out the snow mounds. He was moving at a good pace with a crow pestering him. I called down to Norms house and alerted Terrie to watch for him. Sure enough, He was in front of their place--5 miles away in no time flat. She saw 3 crows making his life miserable. Where was my camera? It was hidden under some papers I was working on. I'm putting it right by the window so I can maybe get a picture of him. It is a cloudy dreary day but I wouldn't trade it for anything. I love the animals and the birds. Dad has given me two beautiful places to live. Davisburg is the place in the woods--with lots of deer, turkeys and birds right outside my door. Paradise is the place on the water--with bear, bobcats, grouse, coyotes, wolves and many varietys of birds. How spoiled have I been!! Thanks Dennis, We all love you, me the most.

quiet!!!!

There is not any wind. It is quiet. You can hear your heart beat! What a wonderful thing. You can think about what ever you want with no outside noise. The beauty of the quiet makes you think you are in a sacred place. What is important? It comes very clear. LIFE!! We are so hurried that we don't realize that this is the time and place to love our familys, say we appreciate our better halfs and just live the best we can. Money and things we own don't make any mark on our life unless people we love know how important they are. Live like it is your last day. Hug your kids, tell them how much you love them. What is Christmas? Things? NO! It is the love of FAMILY! Have a good night.

Dinner!

This woodpecker has been chasing the other birds away from this feeder all afternoon. It is a large one and lets the other birds know he claims this one for himself. The weather has been nice and it feels warmer that it has been. We are supposed to get from 4 to 7 inches of snow overnight--we shall see.

Lull in Weather

It has been a very pretty day. We actually saw the sun. The water was a shade of blue instead of a cold grey. Dad did some cleaning up of the snow banks and worked on the snowmobiles. The birds are taking advantage of the nice weather to gobble up seed as fast as they can. The woodpeckers are taking over the suet blocks. My grouse came by today, haven't seen her in awhile. The fox have tracks all over the yard.

Blow Hole

It is getting very windy. We were looking at the lake and saw the waves had made a blow hole in the ice mound and the water was shooting up through it. We saw them in Hawaii but they were in the rock. I tried to get a picture of the water shooting through but I was to slow.