The sun has just sunk down behind the trees after a glow-y, dazzling display of light shimmering through trees and illuminating the newly sprouted grass that arrived yesterday after bounteous rain.

Our lambs are particularly frisky tonight, leaping and bouncing madly into trailers, over logs, and down the grassy hill. They make me laugh.

I’m wrapped up in flannels and a blanket on the veranda, luxuriating in deliciously cool night air and the cackle of kookaburras, so glad to be home again.

Bear and I are back after a rather wonderful little getaway. We decided that this holiday season, instead of presents and festive hoopla, we wanted rest more than anything. Rest and air-conditioning. And someone else cooking. And no chores or projects. Just pure relaxation to restore ourselves in body and spirit.

So we did just that. We booked into a little country motel, cranked up the AC, ordered in food, and spent three days reading books, taking naps, and watching movies. It was exquisitely good and we loved it. We kept looking at each other with the biggest smiles saying, “We have got to do this more often.” We returned home rested, truly rested, and excited to dive back into life again.

Today we welcomed dear friends from the city, Sue and her granddaughter Charlotte. We went hiking in our woods and collected wildflowers for our hair, piled onto the tractor for rides, made bread and potato soup, visited on the veranda, fed animals, and generally had a jolly old time. It’s so good to have them here, starting this new year with love and companionship and the hope of many more such days to come.

What are you looking forward to most this year? xo