HAPPY NEW YEAR 2018

Depending on our location and the proximity of family or friends, New Years Eve is one of those holidays that you either go all out celebrating or you sit quietly at home, reflecting on the past year and the joys, sorrows, laughter or trials it brought to you and humbly thank God that you were so very blessed to be a part of it. 

I ended the year of 2017 by getting a "New Do" on Saturday night.

Darryl ended 2017 by wearing one of his favorite ties to Church.

December 31, 2017 was a quiet Sunday evening for us. We read a little, watched a movie, and laughed at videos on our phones at the fun our children and grandchildren were having ringing in the New Year! I tried to stay awake but succumbed to sleep about 10:30 p.m. At the stroke of midnight Darryl came in to wish me a Happy New Year with a kiss and a glass of Sparkling cider and wishes for a wonderful 2018! 

New Years Day

January 1, 2018

A brand new year with brand new goals and adventures to look forward too.

Although much of the nation was in the single digits due to an arctic cold snap, here in Hillsboro, Oregon we were fairly warm at 27° F. and it warmed up into the 50°s. I woke up at 6:00 and started on my day. I fixed our "semi-traditional, almost legendary" breakfast of sausage, black eyed peas and cooked cabbage, all symbols of good luck, good health and prosperity for the New Year (not that I believe in it, but it's a fun tradition). I do throw in scrambled eggs so it resembles a breakfast. Then we packed some blankets and a picnic lunch and headed to Tillamook, Oregon.

As we drove through the Tillamook State Forest we had to stop and take pictures of the glorious trees wearing their beautiful coats of green moss.

It is such a mystical and otherworldly feeling when you see this forest with almost every tree trunk, branch, twig or sapling covered in a soft blanket of green. It's so quiet that it evokes a feeling of reverence. 

The feathery ferns grow right out of the moss on the trees and all over the ground.

This large fern leaf was nearly 4ft. tall as it snaked its way up the trunk of the tree.

As we left the sun came up over the neighboring mountain and peeked through the trees..

Darryl said he liked these pictures because they looked like my "Spring" painting. I liked it because it reminds me of this beautiful and glorious world God has given us to inhabit and take care of.

The highway through the forest.

 Our first selfie pictures of 2018!

Tillamook, Oregon is known for their cows and their cheese and ice cream. So much so that they had to build a visitor's center to accommodate all of their fans.

Darryl checking out the cheese samples. The answer to the question you are thinking is YES, We sampled them all.

We headed south out of Tillamook stopping to look out over the Pacific Ocean at the Winema Wayfinding Point just outside of Neskowin, Oregon.

From there we drove into Neskowin and walked to the beach for a picnic. There was a specific reason we did this.

New Years Day of both 2016 and 2017 found us on the Atlantic coast of Key West Florida.

What better way to ring in this New Year than going to the beach and seeing the ocean 3503 miles away on the opposite side of the nation.

As the sun crept across the sky we thought about all the blessing and adventures of the past year ....

And we look forward to all our Heavenly Father has in store for us in this New Year of 2018.

Sparkling Cider, the beach and the one I love. 

What a perfect way to start this year.

In 2018 - 

May God's blessings on you be many, may you be surrounded by family, delight in good health and have all that you need.