Holiday Fun: Our Many Blessings

 

Wow! We have sure been on a whirlwind ride lately! Trips back and forth from home to Eugene, Springfield and of course to the beautiful Wolf Tree Ranch to gather with our family, babysit the new grand-dog, and of course, just to enjoy each other's company somewhere other than home. 

Our first trip after the Christmas tree lighting in Eugene consisted of the ranch, the gorgeous sunrises and sunsets, the chickens, the kitties, and of course the adorable grand-dog, Frankie. While there it snowed for a couple of days and blanketed the ranch grounds with its beauty. There is nothing better than waking up to a palette of colors in the sky and snow covering the trees and ground. The ranch is so peaceful that your heart sings with joy at the sight of snow, orange-pink skies and stunning mountain views. 

The fog rolled into the valley below, yet it remained clear on the hill.

The fog bank below us and the sun rising above us greeted the day with unbelievable beauty. 

This was during the first couple of days of being on the ranch. Later in the week snow covered the landscape, adding more beauty to the scene. 

As the snow came into the area, the morning brought about a less dramatic sunrise, but beautiful all the same. 

The following morning, this happened. I had a hard time taking it all in before the colors melted into the blue-gray skies.

During the daylight hours, the sun came out and began to give the yellowish trees a brighter look. The gray skies behind them made a perfect background for the artwork nature was providing. 

Then there was the joy of dog sitting the latest boy in the family, Franklin. He is a big, furry bundle of fun, complete with Rod Stewart hair. This "baby" is only four months old and already weighs a bit over 50 pounds. 

After working all day, I thought I would sit and watch some television. Franklin decided to join me in that activity. 

It has been very busy lately, not only with the holidays quickly approaching, but with a wedding and planning a second one in June. Terry and I have chosen June for our month to exchange our vows and I can't wait! But tomorrow (Saturday December 10, 2022), my granddaughter will be marrying her man. They are heading up into the mountains in Blue River to get married, complete with snow on the ground! We just received word snow is falling, and this will make the Christmas themed wedding even more beautiful. We cannot wait!

Terry and I will head out in the morning to join in on the celebration of their marriage. Staying a night at the ranch and then heading home again will round out our weekend. There is so much going on at this time of year, but add a wedding in the mix, and wow!

The family is gathering more this year than in the past couple of years. It's been such a blessing to have all of us together again. We have struggled, not unlike everyone else on the planet, with this COVID pandemic. While some people are thinking it's over, there are many still dying from the illness. The number of cases is on the rise again, so please be careful out there! 

Terry and I have discussed how blessed we both feel. Our relationship is blossoming into a stronger connection each day. We are engaged and will be getting married in a few months and that is an amazing blessing. Our family is gathering more. The holidays are here. We wake up each morning. We are breathing in life with each passing day, and I am grateful for that alone, much less all the other blessings I have in my life right now. Life is an amazing journey, filled with magic, joy, laughter, and love. We only need to see all that we are given.