Saturday, January 5, 2019

Happy New Year 2019!



Happy 2019! 

This is who greeted us, as we turned from our driveway onto the main road on New Year's Day!  I hope he will be a good luck token for us for the year. We live in symbiosis with the deer in our community and see many of them daily going about their lives as we do ours, but as a former city girl, I never tire of seeing them.

The month of December was busy for us and so far January has taken twists and turns we did not anticipate...



I made our traditional lentil soup--click here for the recipe--for New Year's Eve, except this time I left out the sausage meat. My husband had a cardiac test in the hospital on New Year's Eve Day, which, thankfully, turned out well considering his stress test a week before didn't. Having a health scare made us realize all the more how important it is to eat less fat and carbs and more vegetables.


Our traditional Christmas Eve fish feast is now a memory...


...as well as most of the Christmas cookies I baked for dessert. 
 I think next year I will not be making quite as many of them, to keep our diets in check. Some of my favorite cookie recipes on this link.


Our Christmas decorations are down and put away, but I could not resist sharing this photo a neighbor took of the deer sitting among her outdoor decorations. They looked like the backup team for Santa's reindeers!


We finally had snow again this past week, which brought much-needed moisture to our foothills...


,,, although Colorado's Front Range's bright sunny days make it all melt quickly.  

This month I will be having some elective foot surgery to shave down a bunion and straighten out a hammer toe.  I have been finding it hard to find comfortable shoes because of both, and it will be nice to be able to wear sandals again in summer. I'll be in a boot cast for a week and then a boot shoe until I heal.  Once I am healed I hope to be able to begin hiking again. There are so many beautiful trails to hike, and places to visit in Colorado and the west. that are on my list this year.  Until that happens, I'll be sharing some places I visited in 2018 that I never had an opportunity to blog about, and I hope you'll join me again to see those posts.

I hope 2019 will bring good health, prosperity, and happiness to all!

You can also find me on 


I'm linking this post to the following blog events:

Amaze Me MondayMosaic Monday, All SeasonsBlue Monday,  Through My Lens MondayInspiration Monday, Blogging GrandmothersHearth, and Soul Link PartyYou Are the Star Blog HopGood Random FunNature NotesGrand SocialTravel Photos, Photo Tunes, Happiness Is HomemadeTuesday TreasuresPictorial TuesdayOur World TuesdayRuby TuesdayTuesdays With A TwistParty in Your PJ'sWordless WednesdayNanahood WWOh My Heartsie Girl's Wonderful WednesdayOutdoor Wednesday, Words On WednesdayWhimsical WednesdayYour Whims WednesdayWednesday Around the WorldWonderful Wednesday Little Things Thursday,Thankful ThursdayThursday Favorite ThingsThursday Traffic Jam Weekend LinkyPretty Pintastic PartyFriendship FridaysFriday Photo JournalSkywatch FridaySweet Inspiration, Pink SaturdaySaturday CrittersOver the MoonHappiness Is HomemadeWandering Camera (monthly-last Thursday of the month)


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46 comments:

Jeanie said...

Happy New Year, Pat. Best of luck on a successful surgery and speedy recovery, as speedy as foot surgery ever is. I know your foot pain. Mine is different but the frustration of not finding shoes that are right is a common thread.

Your photos are beautiful -- those cookies are a lovely selection and your fish supper took my breath away. As, too, did your snow. It's not my "think" but how I love it in other people's photos!

I will look forward to your posts which I always enjoy so very much and wish you a wonderful year filled with hikes and travels to come and more deer. (That center one almost looks like it's wearing a head dress!)

William Kendall said...

Happy New Year!

My parents lived in cottage country in Ontario for some years, so on visits I was quite used to seeing deer around. They got spoiled with the occasional carrot.

Carol @Comfort Spring Station said...

Wishing you great success in your surgeries and health and happiness in 2018~

~Lavender Dreamer~ said...

I hope your surgery goes well...I know how much you enjoy hiking! LOVE the deer photos...how funny to see the ones laying around with Santa! Happy New year sweet friend! Hugs, Diane

The Joy of Home with Martha Ellen said...

Pat, I'm sorry to hear you and your husband are having health issues. I'm glad your husband is okay now and that your surgery will allow you to enjoy your lovely hikes again. I bet in a few weeks you will be so much better and you can wear sandals again.
The photo of the deer in your neighbor's yard made me laugh!
Happy New Year! ♥

Linda W. said...

That soup looks yummy! Good luck with your foot surgery. I've had bunions removed on both feet, one in 2006 and the other in 2014. One thing about feet - they heal very slowly.

Tom said...

...WOW and I thought that you had a lot of deer in our yard! Happy New Year.

Ruth Hiebert said...

All the best to you with that surgery. I love the deer pictures. They do look right at home on the yard.

Lady Fi said...

Fabulous shot of the deer! And happy healing!

Anu said...

Happy New Year!

Irma said...

That soup looks good, I also make regular lentil soup, even without meat.
I'm sorry to hear that you and your husband have health problems.
Good luck with your foot operation.
Best regards, Irma

Penny from Enjoying The Simple Things said...

Happy New Year Pat! Best wishes on a quick recovery from your surgery. Love the deer pictures!

Vee said...

The whole lot of us are making better diet choices in the New Year. So glad that Mr. Mille’s second test was better than the first. All the best with your surgery...I remember Linda at Linda’s Life Journal having that surgery a few years ago. Love the back-up team for Santa’s Sleigh. How at home they look there.

Al said...

Happy New Year! That one with the Christmas decoration critters is classic Colorado. And yes, many people want to move to our beautiful state - the secret about my previously-little town is out.

Bill said...

Happy New Year! Hope the foot surgery goes well and heals fast for you. I hike too and wish you the best.

podso said...

Happy New Year, Pat. I hope your foot surgery goes very well and that you are soon hiking again!

A Colorful World said...

The snow photo was just delightful, and I absolutely loved seeing the deer sitting among the Christmas decorations! Hope you have a wonderful new year!

EricaSta said...

Happy MosaicMonday...

...Hope for springtime! Wish you a very good New Year with health and lucky moments.

Prunella Pepperpot said...

A Happy New Year to you too. Your soup looks scumptious!! Have a great week :)

rupam sarma said...

Happy New Year :)

ellen b. said...

Happy New Year, Pat. Love how you celebrate!

The Petersen Family said...

Visiting from #Randomosity. May you have a great year and good luck with the surgery.

Fun60 said...

I wish you well for your forthcoming op and hope you are able to get out and about walking those trails soon. The photos of the reindeer are very special.

Angie said...

Pat - I can't get over the antlers on your bucks. We see many does here, but not many bucks get to that size … hunting, I suppose! Your Christmas cookies have me drooling … but I can understand why you might want to make modifications to the family diet - life is a marathon, not a sprint! I am glad to hear that I am not the only one that is keeping ancient games for grandchildren - Go to the Head of the Class is just one of many that our children enjoyed and now they are waiting for the next generation! Good luck with your surgery, and thanks for sharing your holiday traditions with the Mosaic Monday crowd!

Su-sieee! Mac said...

Oh my gosh, I am drooling over your plate of cookies. I continued drooling while I read the recipes. Yummmm. I thought the deer looked lifelike at first glance. hahaha. I wonder if the deer knew how picturesque they looked. Best wishes on your upcoming surgery.

Lorrie said...

The snow photo is so pretty it could be printed for a Christmas card. I enjoyed the photo of the deer sitting in your yard with Santa in the background. The rack on the first deer walking along the street is quite something, isn't it? I hope your surgery and recovery go very well, and that your husband can manage his health concerns well. More vegetables is what we can all be working towards.

riitta k said...

Beautiful deer or reindeer, lovely photos all of them... Wishing happy 2019!

carol l mckenna said...

Happy New Year to you! Love those deer photos ~ amazing ^_^

Happy Day to you,
A ShutterBug Explores,
aka (A Creative Harbor)

Ciao Chow Linda said...

Well that soup looks pretty darn delicious, even without the meat. Nice and hearty for a winter's meal. I also made lentil soup for New Year's day, in hopes that it will lead to good fortune. Good luck with eating leaner - something I need to do as well. All those treats are so delicious looking though, and some of my cookies are lingering still, even though I did little cookie baking. My daughter in law and friends heap plates on cookies and candies on us! It's so hard to decline.

Linda said...

Great shots! As a veteran of foot surgery, my advice is don't try to rush your recovery. Heal thoroughly.

Sandra said...

Happy New Year. Hugs.

Sallie (FullTime-Life) said...

Oh hope the foot surgery goes well ...you deserve a rest break after the busy Christmas season, but that’s a hard way to get it! Hiking will be a joy after you fully recover. Happy your husband’s test was just a scare (and a reminder of the importance of diet etc....). I love your living ‘reindeer” ... wonderful. And as always your cooking inspires. And I think I’ll actually try the lentil soup!

Marie Smith said...

Good luck with the foot surgery.

My husband and I moved from our life long home to live near our grandchildren and daughter too. It’s been wonderful for us!

KB said...

The food pics are making me hungry

likeschocolate said...

The deer is incredible! And wow the food is incredible! Thank you for sharing. Happy New Year!

Lowcarb team member said...

Always nice to see your post and catch up on your news.
I love the deer photographs.
Wish you well for your up-coming foot surgery, and wish you a speedy recovery.

Happy New Year Wishes.

All the best Jan

Marilyn @ MountainTopSpice said...

What an incredible Christmas Eve fish feast you had, oh my, the food looks amazing! I'm sorry to hear about your husband's health scare, will pray that all turns out well for him! And it is no fun to have foot pain, especially when you like to get outdoors and hike! Great time of year to have the surgery done, and praying that it brings you relief! What a fun picture of the bucks in your neighbor's yard, how incredible that must have been to see! I still enjoy seeing the deer too. I saw several this morning as we walked, sometimes I think they like to walk with us, following us through the woods. Blessings and hugs :)

Nancy's Notes said...

So sorry you are both having health issues, tough with it being both of you. I know first hand! Oh my word, the deer greeting you photo is incredible and those precious deer sitting out with the decorations are awesome!

Take good care.

Nancy

diane b said...

I would love to be at your table on Christmas Eve. You are such a wonderful cook. The deer in the yard with Santa is a gem of a photo. I so do hope your surgery is successful and your planned hopes of hiking again come true. I'm afraid I have been a bit depressed wearing the moon boot which weighs a ton and Im not to put any weight on it for two weeks or take it off except for a shower which is difficult on one foot even though we have a seat in the shower. Getting around on crutches made my armpits hurt then changed to the elbow ones and they made my hands and shoulders hurt. Then we hired a knee walker which made things much easier except the air buttons on the boot were in the way and the boot kept inflating. OH dear I shouldn't have told you my tale of woes. I'm just moaning when I should keep my moth shut. However I go to the fracture clinic on Tuesday and hopefully the check up is good and I may be able to walk in the boot afterwards. I won't be hiking for a long time maybe up until six months even though the boot comes off after 6 weeks.

diane b said...

I'll be thinking of you keep us posted.

betty-NZ said...

Health scares are so stressful, glad your Hubby is ok. I pray all the best for you and your in the new year. Thanks so much for linking at My Corner of the World.

Rambling Woods said...

I hope your surgery goes well. This hasn't been a good time health wise for our family either...I hope you heal quickly....Michelle

eileeninmd said...

Hello Pat, I hope you are recovering well from the tow surgery. I had one similar years ago. The elk/deer sighting was a neat sight for the first of the year. Diets are no fun but it is a good idea too eat healthy. Great photos.
Happy New Year to you and yours. So sorry I am late commenting. I am just back from my trip away and catching up. Thank you for linking up and sharing your post. Enjoy your day and week ahead. I also appreciate your visit and comment.

Barb said...

You and Vinny are starting 2019 with some new resolutions! I also have a bunion and hammertoe and wonder if I'm too old for surgery. I hate to be laid up for a long time at my age. I'll be following your recovery, Pat and thinking of you. Yes, heart issues tend to give us a wakeup call! Bob and I have been mostly plant based for a couple years. This past year, we've added some fish. We're accustomed to a plant based diet now, but still I have to really think what I'm going to make for dinner that he'll like! Stay well both of you! Hugs from Breck.

Barb said...

Pat, I was trying to e-mail you but for some reason could not find your address. I want to let you know if Vinny needs any recommendations for cardiologists, I have some!

Karen (Back Road Journal) said...

I'm hoping that both of your health returns to normal and that the remainder of the year will be a healthy and happy one.