Now is the time to pop corn, drink hot cocoa (or beverage of your choice), play favorite music, read a good book — and fall asleep — at least that’s what happens here.
And if you watch television, you’ll awake to the end of a mystery and never know who the bad man was.
Looking back
Every month, Farm and Dairy mails me a list of the columns I have written, identifying them by the headlines used when published. It is fun at the end of the year to look back to see what unimportant thing I was writing about.
The first one for March was, “I’m not back in the saddle again, but I’m back.” I well remember writing that one, the first since being ill.
In April it was a tribute to dear old Apache, who went to green pastures. July’s was “Hey summer, where are you going so fast?” and on to October with “Fall leaves ready to take the stage.”
So the year went — and good riddance with hopes for a better 2012.
No rabbits?
Here, I am amazed: Not a single rabbit track in the snow, and come to think of it, there were only few bunnies over the summer. No doubt hawks and foxes have dwindled the population.
The bird population is also diminished. Only two juncos visit the buffet. Woodpeckers are very much present, from the tiny downies to the spectacular red-bellies.
A seed wreath given for Christmas was a big hit until I dropped it and it broke in three pieces. But I put the pieces on the window feeder, where it continued to be an attraction.
Nature’s bounty on the crabapple trees is long gone but the deer are enjoying the ivy going up the maple tree.
The afternoon of the most recent earthquake, I was taking a break on the couch and was startled by a loud noise I thought was thunder and didn’t give it any more notice.
Discovery
Not until a week later did I have occasion to go to the freezer in the tack room, and I discovered that lampshades were cockeyed, as were many other items. I realized the noise I heard was not thunder but a ripple effect of the earthquake. Scary.
I’ve kept a clipping from the daily paper. The headline reads “Former L.B. dead at 42.” I wonder who he was before he passed away!
One of my helpers has said goodbye so my schedule is being adjusted. Fortunately, the one who does all the heavy lifting, etc. remains steadfast.
