A Little Illinois Country Weekend

This weekend was the first clear, sunny, beautiful weekend we have had this year so we took full advantage of it. We started Saturday morning with coffee on the front porch. I love to share with everyone this beauty and serenity.

We decided to go down to the River to see if there were any Bald Eagles still here and take pictures of whatever we find. We didn't see any Bald Eagles but we watched the Pelicans, Herons, and a tug boat. 

Richard snuck a pic of me. Here I am guys, at the Mississippi River in Illinois. 

 Tug boat coming out of the Lock at the Dam

Heading down the Mississippi River

I have seen this building in town that I wanted to get pics of. This Anheuser Busch emblem reminds me of one of my best friends and I had to take a photo to share with her. Plus it's just really cool.

And, of course while we are cruising around town I am snapping pics of the coolest old cars and trucks... trains, buildings...

 Sometimes he can't stop for me to take the photo I want so I just shoot on the fly and take whatever I get. We went back later to try and get a good pic of this car but it was gone.

I just love this old truck. And the building. And the train. 

Since it was a clear day we were able to start putting up the fence around the backyard to keep our "kids" in. My "California Boys" don't understand living in the country. To them this is a dog park and they think they are supposed to go play with the neighbors. 

While we were putting up fence poles I thought I saw a Bald Eagle on the lake. Richard said "no way"...??? and then we saw this big bird flying overhead and we didn't know what it was. I tried to get pictures of it flying over us and couldn't but then it landed on the tower and I zoomed in on it. Low and behold it is an OSPREY!!! It had a fish that it had caught in the lake. I guess that's what I saw. 

We were soooooo excited to see this guy! An OSPREY in our 'hood.

We decided to end the day with a bonfire in the backyard since it was such a beautiful night.

On Sunday the Osprey came back around so Richard took this photo.

And this was flying over the house at the same time. How cool is that?

The gate we got turned out to be the wrong size and had to be returned, so I decided to chillax on the porch and take some photos of the birds while Richard took the gate back.

 I'm kinda lovin' this photo with the bird in mid-air up to the left.

 I love that the little one up on the branch to the right made it in the shot.

 And I like this one too with the birds in flight.

Wow! I was trying to get a photo of the birdhouse and a blackbird in the shot... I did it! I am amazed at how huge the blackbird looks. 

My Droo Bear chillin on the porch.

He's back with the right gate... Love the Subaroooooo! 

Oh... and Milo got to come out and play this weekend too.

He is such a sweet, good, handsome boy!

That's my Little Illinois Country Weekend... I hope you enjoyed it. All of my photos are on Facebook. A price list is on the cover photo. Please contact me in a message.

Patty Hagedorn Photography

https://www.facebook.com/pages/Patty-Hagedorn-Photography/629150070438274?ref=hl

And I have several on RedBubble.com

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My First Autumn in Illinois

Since I am a California Beach Girl I was thrilled to experience the changes of the seasons here in Illinois my first year. The Fall was amazing! I walked around the Lake and took in every little change of all the different trees and plants. We went for a drive through town so I could soak up all the colors. I experienced my first Country Wiener Roast! There was a Hayrack Ride too but I didn't go on it... Next time. These are just my favorite photos from my first Autumn in the Midwest.

 My first day of "Fall watching"... I saw these orange leaves and tried to capture the scene, looking through the leaves at the lake.

                   I love this scene... this is one of my favorite spots to photograph.

                                                On one of my evening walks.

This is my view from the front porch... I am in love! I love that the geese showed up in this photo too.

                                                    A perfectly still moment!

 This was the sunset at the Wiener Roast and Hayrack Ride. I was photographing the tree and the sunset showed up!

                        As the sun set the clouds came in and turned the sky pink and purple.

 I feel so lucky to have gotten this shot of the country road and the sunset together with the tree.

Richard was so excited when these trees turned to this flaming red and orange. He wanted me to see it and get photos of it! Isn't this just unreal? I was stunned by it! I didn't get pictures that do it justice. 

 I was surprised by the way the trees and plants changed. They don't all change at the same time or in the same way. Some were done changing as others were just starting to change. Some started dark then faded, others went from light to dark. I will be more prepared next year.

            This is our "Rainbow Tree"... 

the way it changed colors was just like a rainbow with the green on the inside going to purple out on the ends.

Then there is the cherry tree... 

                         the birdhouse in the cherry tree with the view of the beautiful trees. 

The lake... 

 I LOVE the lake!

These leaves were the last ones to change.   

This is a tree in our backyard also.

This red bush looked like a heart to me. 

A log cabin house with a heart-shaped red bush in front. For real.

Ahhhh... my bird feeder. I love my barn bird feeder and I love this picture. I sat on the grass under the tree and this is what I saw.

This is a real photograph! It is not a painting. I really did take this picture. 

I have put most of these photos on RedBubble to sell but some of them did not fit the "size requirements" so you can find them on my Facebook Gallery. 

To purchase cards or prints on RedBubble go to my Portfolio. 

http://www.redbubble.com/people/pattylhagedorn/portfolio

And please visit Patty Hagedorn Photography on Facebook. Contact me in a message if you would like anything.

 https://www.facebook.com/pages/Patty-Hagedorn-Photography/629150070438274?ref=hl

My Experience With Bald Eagles

Before I moved across the country Richard told me about things he knew I would love. He told me Bald Eagles came to the Mississippi River when it froze in the Winter. The first day I was here in Illinois (Dec 30, 2012) he took me to the river to see them. We only saw a few flying high overhead but it brought tears to my eyes because I was really seeing Bald Eagles in their natural habitat. This Winter, one year later, with a new camera, we went to see the eagles at the Dam and there were 100s!!!! The US Army Corps of Engineers counted over 650 Bald Eagles!!Wow!! After being on the brink of extinction! It still brings tears to my eyes to watch them.

 

The first weekend we were just in awe. We didn't want to leave. I wasn't able to get very good photos because they were flying so fast and were mostly across the river. I wasn't used to my new camera and didn't know what settings to use. We kept going back on the weekends when we could. We learned to recognize the Immature Bald Eagles in their different stages of maturity and watched as they learned their lessons in life skills.

 This one is close to being an adult with the white feathers coming in on the face.

 So many Bald Eagles ...

An adult and a youngster. The immature eagle looks bigger than the adult.

 A young immature Bald Eagle just chillin' on the frozen river.

 This immature eagle has caught a fish and brought it to the "table" to show dad.

Two immature eagles at different stages of maturity. They turn from mottled brown to the dark brown with white heads and tails.

 By the 3rd weekend they were so used to us being there that they were flying all around us just above our heads so close that we couldn't keep them in the viewfinder. One youngster landed in the tree we were parked next to and ate his fish right above us. What a sight! We were able to photograph this juvenile with his wings up while he ate his catch.

I swear they pray! I watched and photographed them over and over doing this. They bow their heads.

 One eagle has brought a fish and they all bow their heads.

Bowing his head after he has eaten his meal. :)

While Richard was perfecting his tracking skills and getting close-ups I got out my old Sony and watched the "kids" being taught and disciplined by the adults (I am talking about the eagles). We witnessed an adult with a fish being chased by 3 youngsters around and around us... so what did the adult eagle do?... went back to the river and dropped the fish back in the water! That is "Tough Love"!

This juvenile was really bold... trying to take the fish away from the adult.

 Around and around us they flew several times just above our heads...

 ...until the adult dropped it back in the river.

There was one eagle in particular that stole my heart. We saw it land in a tree on a low branch and we started to slowly walk toward it. He didn't seem to care that we were approaching. We crept up very slowly and I zoomed in on him. I could see that his right eye was not yellow. He turned to face us and we could see that his eyes were different. The right eye was not normal. He just looked at us. He didn't move. He seemed to know we were just concerned and he stayed right there letting us walk up as close as we felt was comfortable for him. He never moved. We were just feet away from him. I said a prayer and took his picture, thanking him for letting me.

Winter is coming to an end, the river has thawed and the Bald Eagles are moving on. I am sad that they are moving on but feel so blessed to have had the experience this Winter watching them. We saw a few still here that looked like they are pairs so we are hoping to see them over the Spring and Summer mating, nesting, bringing up babies.

We have 100s of photos of the Bald Eagles and I have many of them in Albums for viewing and purchasing on Facebook

https://www.facebook.com/pages/Patty-Hagedorn-Photography/629150070438274?ref=hl

I have created a Calendar. In honor of all Veterans I created a 12-month calendar of Bald Eagles on the Mississippi River in Illinois beginning in May 2014 for Memorial Day. You can start the calendar on any month so you can purchase it for gifts and have it start on the month you choose. You could give it to Dad for Father's Day and have it start in June. Or have it start in July for Independence Day. You could give it as a Birthday Gift having it start the month of the birthday. Click on the Redbubble link below and click on the image that says Calendar. In the drop menu to the right you can choose the month to start the calendar.

 

http://www.redbubble.com/people/pattylhagedorn

I appreciate feedback :)

The Story of "Droo"

In the divorce I got custody of Terra, my 8-year-old, 60-pound, blue-eyed, cinnamon-colored, Siberian Husky. She was the sweetest dog you’ve ever met. For 6 months she and I lived in Malibu, in a beach house on the sand, and life was good for Terra. We walked on the beach and relaxed on the balcony watching the waves and the dolphins and the sea lions and sea gulls and even a few whales. Terra was a healthy, happy, beautiful girl. Then we moved. Over the next year she had a run in with a skunk, jumped out of the truck and injured her knee, had an attack of flea infestation with a terrible allergic reaction, and almost went into a coma when the neighbors shot off fireworks into our yard. We moved again. And suddenly she was diabetic. Within a week, even with insulin injections, she lost all her strength. She collapsed in the yard and I had to call a friend to help me carry her up the stairs. The next day she couldn’t move at all and my daughter (Lindsey), came to help me carry her down the stairs and put her in the car to take her to the vet.  Lindsey went with me and I held my Terra in my lap, my 60-pound lapdog, the sweetest, most beautiful Siberian Husky there ever was, as she looked into my eyes and took her last breath.  

Lindsey took me out for a Margarita. Through tears she said to me “Mom, you need a puppy”. I told her I didn’t want to get a puppy.  She told me I needed to get a puppy. My daughter has always been my best friend and she knows me pretty well. She ordered me another Margarita. We cried, we drank Margaritas… maybe we ate something, I don’t remember. Then we got in her car to go home and she started driving toward Malibu. I didn’t live in Malibu anymore. She drove to the place where I got Buddy for her.  She said “Mom, we are getting you a puppy”. I was too weak to protest. We went in and looked around. They brought a puppy to me that was a crazy little wire-haired mix. She was adorable and we liked her, but…. I don’t know. Then they brought this tiny little blonde Cocker Spaniel to me. I took him and he put both paws on my cheeks and licked my face all over. He kissed away all my tears and started immediately healing my heart. Through tears streaming down her face Lindsey said “Mom, I think we just found your new baby”. There was no way he was letting go of me. I think he had been waiting for me for a long time. On the way home I had him snuggled on my lap in the car and we thought about names. Lindsey looked over and said “He looks so droopy” and we both said “that’s it!...... DROO!”

 

I didn’t notice at first the little patches of white on his shoulders. Droo had wings. He actually had 2 little white “wings” on his shoulders, and a heart-shaped nose.  My little Angel.  When his baby fur changed to his adult coat the wings disappeared.  About 6 months later we moved to Santa Paula. Droo had a big yard to run in. He ran laps around the outer perimeter of the yard creating a little race track. I was going to school and the neighbor told me one day that when I was gone Droo sat on the bottom step and howled the entire time.  So I left him in the house when I was gone, but that just made him more miserable. So I took him to school with me but that didn’t go over very well. He was not happy waiting for me in the truck or outside the classroom and not all the professors were fond of a dog in the classroom. I decided he needed a sister. I went to the animal shelter and found Cloe. The sweetest, cutest little Pekingese-mix ever! Cloe and I fell in love with each other instantly. And Droo hated her!  She had to break him down and it took a while, but he eventually loved her.  The 3 of us struggled through some hard times. There were times we lived on a loaf of bread and peanut butter for a week (yes, all 3 of us). And we didn’t have heat so when it got cold we all snuggled together in the bed with every blanket and even the towels on us. But we also went to the beach all the time and when I had gas money we drove! Droo has always been my copilot. He rides in the passenger seat and wears the seatbelt just like a human. He loves to go for drives.

We moved again and lived in an apartment. I was working 12-14 hours a day and Droo never peed in the house. He knew when it was time for me to be home and if I was late he let everyone know I was missing. When I got home and opened the door he shot down the stairs to the grass to relieve his bladder. But he never once had an accident inside. Poor Cloe couldn’t hold it near as long as Droo.  When I was having a bad flare and couldn’t get out of bed Droo layed with me and wouldn’t leave my side. He wouldn’t eat. My friends would come let them out for me and he would run down the stairs, pee, and run back up to be with me.

Over the years we have gone without food AND we have feasted on fresh lobster we found on the beach.  When the air conditioner quit on the hottest day of the year at the truckstop (120 degrees) we cooled off with the hose and layed on the tile floor. When we lived with Crazy Gina we were trapped in the bedroom all day, many days, with her Nazi dog lying right outside the door waiting to attack us. But whenever we could get out we went to the park or the beach. When we moved to the apartment in Reseda we had to go down the hall and down the stairs to go outside. I was on crutches and Droo would take himself down the stairs, wait patiently for me, do his business and go back up the stairs. A couple of times he got confused how many stairs to go up and went to the 3^rd floor but he just made friends with the neighbors and came back. It didn’t take long for everyone to know Droo. But that’s where he got bit for the first time. In the 3 months we lived there he was bit in the face 3 times by a nasty little dog.  Poor Droo was so good, just walking with me and this mean little thing just comes running out and bites him in the face! Droo was always on a leash! People who have nasty little dogs not on leashes are BAD!

Droo is 10-1/2 years old now. Through all the moves and all the craziness, good times and bad, Droo has been my copilot, my protector, my Angel boy.  He’s always loved beaches, parks and long drives, so driving across the country to live at a park on a lake is just about the best thing I could think of.  Even if he doesn’t get to sleep on the bed with me anymore.

 

 

 

Reality --- check!

In my 20s I thought life was about “family”…  NOT  the way I’d grown up, more like the Brady Bunch… No, that was a little too idealistic even, maybe… Bewitched was more of what I considered closer to normal, or Gilligan’s Island… Yes, that’s it… a group of “castaways” that are lost on an island and become a “family” of sorts. I wanted to get married, get the right job (we didn’t call it a career back then), buy a house, have a baby (or 3), and find the perfect place to settle down and raise my baby (or 3). But above all – Keep in shape and don’t let anything change! Keep dancing, playing softball, doing gymnastics, working out with weights at the gym, playing racquetball, tennis, going to the beach, hiking, riding bicycles, riding motorcycles, going 4-wheeling (as in 4-wheel-drive trucks, Jeeps, Blazers, Broncos), go camping, water skiing, snow skiing, keep dancing (I meant to repeat that one).. Keep Dancing!!! … And to the best of my ability… I did! At the risk of my body’s tolerance and my own personal health and well-being, I did it all! I was Wonder Woman/Supermom… and I got very sick!

In my 30s I started to see that I was different, and idealistic, and that being Wonder Woman/Supermom wasn’t working out for me. I began to see how I’d always been different and I thought I needed to change and learn to be like everyone else and get well and healthy again. I was still a little idealistic though and believed in those hidden powers that would reverse autoimmune disease/disorders – all 4 of the ones that had taken over my body! I thought if I just totally understood how the mind/body/emotions worked and the nature of all disorders, diseases, and dysfunctions, I could FIX IT ALL! I am naturally an extremely hard-working, diligent, perfectionist. I have always pushed the limits of my Self in every way… so why would this be any different? Figure out what went wrong and FIX IT! That has probably been my mindset since I was born… What’s wrong? How did it get that way? How do I fix it? I spent my 30s mastering this... “FIX IT!”

 But… not everything can be fixed!

Not all diseases can be healed and not all dysfunctions can be made functional and some autoimmune disorders cannot be reversed. Oh me oh my… what’s an idealistic, “goody two shoes”, Polly Anna, perfectionist, Wonder Woman/Supermom supposed to do???

In my 40s I learned that I am different… Wait, isn’t that what I’d already learned? Didn’t I learn that in my 30s? Well… Yes! But in my 40s I took it to another level – Like to the top of the Empire State Building!!! In their 40s, MEN have their “mid-life crisis”… So why did I have a complete crumbling of my own? I was a woman having a complete breakdown of faith and crises of Self, all my beliefs and hopes and dreams. The realities of life crashed in on me like a Tsunami and crushed my heart! I had lost my guidance (my grandparents) and my compass was broken and everything I thought I had known I realized was all not true! Well, that’s how it felt! My foundation was shattered and I was in quicksand. Every movement sucked me further down… but I couldn’t just do nothing! I am the girl who FIXES IT! I am Wonder Woman/Supermom and … Oh I forgot to mention I’m also “Darling Daughter”!

In my 40s I learned the truly hard lessons of life… Reality and Truth! And the truth hurts! Quicksand! No GPS! Broken Compass! Alone! Swim Patty Swim! No… Don’t Move! You’re in Quicksand!... I learned to just be still and breathe!

In my 40s (and the first year of my 50s because I am just that special) I moved 13 times! I had to start over 13 times! I learned the hard way. If your foundation is weak it will crumble and fall away and you will crash! Hard! In my 40s I learned the most valuable lesson of all – TRUST! When you trust the wrong people or trust in the wrong things you will get hurt! Really really hurt! Really really bad! Your world will come tumbling down and you will find yourself in a pile of rubble out in the middle of nowhere… or … in a “Shack on Jacks in the Sticks” (a dilapidated trailer outside of Ojai). That’s where I learned to be still and breathe.

I had always believed in God and I’ve always prayed and I’ve always felt like there were Angels around me – but… I broke! … I questioned God. I questioned Life. My reality was not the fairy tale people thought. My reality was an ugly, sad, painful, train wreck. And I had to dig deep… Walk! Breathe! I had the dogs. I had Droo and Cloe. They needed to be walked and fed. Thank God. They loved car rides and day trips to the beach. Thank God. And I often had Buddy too… 3 Angel babies to love me and need me. Thank God. Thank God. Thank God. In my 40s I learned all about TRUST! Trust only your tried and true lifelong friends, your daughter, and your dogs! And then… rebuild your foundation so you can find your faith again and trust in God… and then, yourself!

In my 50s… Well, since 50 is the New 30… I am coming full circle! Truth! Word! Everything I’ve ever been through in my life I am revisiting… Or should I say it is all catching up with me! Wonder Woman? Not so much! Acceptance without guilt or shame… not so easy… it is the goal. Forgiveness is a big word because it is a big thing! And I have now moved 14 times. But this time it is starting over with a foundation underneath me that I can trust!

TRUST is that double-edge sword that I’ve been wounded by over and over and must make peace with. You can’t beat yourself up for not knowing what you don’t know! I learned a valuable lesson from a shark… If you find yourself in the water with a shark… Float!... Don’t move or a make a sound! Be still! Just Float! It’s the same with Quicksand… Just be still! Eventually the shark swims away. Eventually someone throws you a life line. In my 50s I am being tested on all that I have learned. Reality – check! Truth – check! Faith – check! Who you can trust – check! What Love is – check! Who your “family” really is – check! Acceptance – yea that’s what the 50s is all about… now that you know… forgive, let go, accept, and don’t take any more shit! I’m still here for a reason. I get to start over and I am grateful. I appreciate everything. I love and feel with my whole being and if I’m different that is ok. Wonder Woman? Hah! There’s no such thing! We are all just human beings doing what we know and always changing, learning, growing. In my 50s I am GRATEFUL! In my 50s I am reconnecting with the things and people from my childhood that are putting me back together again! And it is good! I’ve learned that if you let the negative, sadness, of the past gently fall away… it does. If you keep acknowledging it and letting it flow through you and letting it go… it gets easier and easier. If you keep refocusing on the positive things in life and appreciation for good… it also gets easier and it builds upon itself. The sadness gets less and less being replaced with peace, then appreciation, then joy. It really does. It takes time and diligence but it really does get better.

My First Year as a Country Girl

On December 26, 2012 I packed up my Toyota rental car with my belongings. Droo, my Cocker Spaniel, rode shotgun buckled in with his Sherpa-lined winter harness. Buddy, my Chihuahua, rode in the backseat tucked into his bed and blankets all nice and cozy and we set out on our journey across the country. We left SUNNY Southern California to start a new life in the Midwest. I planned to drive straight through to Illinois with only quick stops along the way to take potty breaks and little naps. I love to drive and my "boys" love to ride in the car so it was not all that crazy for me to do. Just me and my dogs on an adventure across the country. But 3 days in the car did get to be a little too much and Droo got a "time-out" in the front seat for bad behavior. I was in Kansas and still several hours away from my destination on the 3rd night feeling very tired so I found a hotel that allowed dogs in the room and we spent the night. Buddy did not want to get back in the car the next morning so we had a little drama but I finally convinced him that getting his collar and leash back on was going to happen one way or another and we WERE getting back in the car. Once he was back in his cozy bed he was happy again and settled in for the last leg of the trip. Droo hates time-outs so he was on his best behavior. We arrived in Quincy, Illinois on December 29, 2012. I left a decade of overwhelming (and honestly quite unbelievable) traumas, losses and tragedies behind.

December 30, 2013... My first year in the Midwest. I have a very good sense of humor. My "brother" (well, we have adopted each other as siblings though we were not born into the same family) says I had to grow into my funny. Over the years I learned to make a joke out of everything that happened and see the humor in all things... I'm grateful for that. I laugh at myself all the time and that makes everyone around me laugh. That is a good thing because life in the Midwest is so completely different from Southern California living and I had absolutely no idea what I was getting into. It's not just "country living" that is different, oh no, it is a whole different way of thinking and feeling and doing and saying and EATING! I used to be considered a good cook. In fact, I was somewhat of a gourmet cook. In the Midwest that doesn't fly. I learned quickly that "gourmet" here means "not edible". The "meat and potatoes" diet is for real! I used to make mashed potatoes once a year, on Thanksgiving. I am now the Mashed Potatoes Queen! I didn't eat a lot of red meat in California and a good steak was a rare treat. Red meat makes up more than 50% of my diet now. I'm not complaining just stating facts. I have gained 10 lbs on this "meat and potatoes" diet! (Fortunately my guy likes my "curves"). I make a killer meatloaf now and this summer I made spaghetti sauce from our homegrown tomatoes!

We joke about my naivete of country living in the Midwest constantly. Every single day I learn something new and we call it my Midwest Country Lesson of the day. Yesterday I learned about decoys. A flock of geese in the cornfield... all decoys... to bring in the geese flying over so they will come in to eat. In California if you heard a gunshot you took cover and called the police. Here gunshots are such a normal sound no one even notices them, except me of course. You see, hunting here is not a seasonal thing... it is a way of life. You are either a hunter or you're not and a hunter is always thinking about it... I mean it is just part of your life and thinking about the way the wind is blowing, where the deer are or the turkeys or the geese, the ducks, the doves, the pheasant... thinking about it is as natural as breathing.

The other day I learned about "Sale Barns" and I was in hysterics... sleep deprivation did play a small part in that. Now if you say "sale" to a California Beach Girl she thinks racks and shelves of items with neon colored signs showing slashed prices... CLEARANCE 60-75% off. Now just imagine the vision I had of going to the "Sale Barn" to purchase calves on sale. And not just calves, there are all kinds of animals... pigs, cows, goats, llamas, horses, sheep, possibly a giraffe or a camel... Oh my! I was in hysterical tears. And my boyfriend, his mother and his brother were laughing at me! But, seriously... can't you just imagine a Clearance Sale on animals in a barn?

I should have kept a daily journal this year of all my Midwest Country Lessons. I really did learn at least one new thing every single day! And it made my new family laugh at me all the time :) ... I provide the entertainment just by being a silly girl from California. I learned about Hayrack Rides... I didn't even know what a Hayrack was! I learned about farming and farm equipment. I learned about weather patterns and when Midwesterners say it is going to get cold they mean single digits, oh and that means with the wind chill factor it "feels like" below zero. It's a different language. I learned about tornadoes and green skies and winds out of the North or South, or East or West. I learned that produce is not a natural commodity in abundance here like it is in So Cal. That was a hard lesson for me. I could not get it into my head that fresh produce is not always available here. What do you mean you don't know what shallots are? What do you mean apples are not in season? What the heck is going on here? I can't get fresh lettuce? LOL! Yep... I am that silly California girl!

But the sunsets are more beautiful than I could imagine. I thought I would miss my Cali sunsets but I do not! The sunsets here are gorgeous! And I LOVE the country! I can't imagine a more beautiful and serene place to live with a lake out the front door and a farm out the back door. I saw a skunk crossing the road the other night and I squealed with delight. I see deer almost every time we drive into town. Last winter there were Bald Eagles on the lake. Last week there were Swans on the lake! I love the snow and I was absolutely blown away by the fall colors! Rabbits live in our yard. The lake is full of turtles. There was a Great Blue Heron here all summer. There are 3 different kinds of geese but I can't identify them yet.

I am learning to cook in a whole new way. I feel like I am 18 again and starting all over with no experience. I let him do the frying because I am just not comfortable with hot oil but it's fun to be cooking together. We found The Pioneer Woman (Ree Drummond) on Food Network and now I have her latest cookbook. We try her recipes and follow her ways of cooking. She is an "accidental country girl" like me so I feel a kinship with her.

The "boys" are adjusting to life here. They love exploring the big backyard and chasing rabbits and squirrels. It's been a challenge to get them to understand boundaries. In California there are strict rules about leashes and the only time my dogs were free was at a dog park or certain beaches. Here there are no fences but they needed to learn to not be going off into the neighbors' yards They do not like the cold. Especially Buddy! He hates the snow and refuses to wear a jacket. Droo is getting used to it as long as he has a jacket on. Roxy, the sweet black lab that welcomed us into her life, loves the snow and the cold. She tolerates these silly California boys.

So it's been a year... of lessons learned and new experiences. Most of all it has been about love. I learned that being with the right person makes all the difference. There were traumas and losses but I am not going to write about any of that here. In life there are always going to be events that sadden us and challenge us to make us stronger and focus on what is important.

My photography is taking on a new life. I have set up a Gallery on Facebook... Patty Hagedorn Photography. Please Like the page and share this life with me. It makes me happy to share beauty and joy with others.


https://www.facebook.com/pages/Patty-Hagedorn-Photography/629150070438274?ref=hl

HAPPY NEW YEAR Y'ALL