Out walking in the new year.
Long shadows cast in the piercing late morning light, vines and deciduous trees bare, a lovely wintery landscape in the mountains of Northern California.
Jeff , Emma & I are out greeting the new year with cheer, walking up and down watery rocky roads of the back country. Bare trees and fresh grass bursting out from last year’s growth, and water springing out of the ground . . .
Here Jeff watches a huge flock of doves explode noisily into the air. . .
(Seems to me dogs rarely look up into the sky, but always into the bush !)
Other things we saw :
lots of ice on the ground . . .
deeply grooved erosion from water, in the mossy banked soft rock along the country road.
( We’ve had torrential downpours in the last weeks.)
Whipping in the breeze, the colorful flags still flying in the meadow along the canyon precipice,
releasing prayers to the wind . . .
First blossoms of winter !
the manzanita’s pink heart-shaped buds . . .
A little bright wool resting on the grey bare vines !
This perhaps me knitting while hiking, satchels slung to each side, holding two colors being knit into another ( yes still another) pin-striped fingerless mitt. Even Jeff commented at the end of our hike how impressed he was that I was able to knit while walking over some of the terrain we just had. Well, I’ve had lots of practice in recent months !
Happy New Year All !!!
Jenjoyce Design 
I love this entry! The photographs are great, especially the flags, which remind me of our trip to Tibet.
Thanks Allen ! You’ve been to Tibet ?! I’d love to see those high mountain monastaries one day. ( I think I was a Tibetan monk in a past life … lol)
Happy New Year!
Our of our three dogs, only one looks up into the sky. He wants to fly after every bird he sees, and after every airplane. It’s so funny watching him, hop through the backyard in the hopes he could take off after them.
I wonder if your dog is a bird dog breed… Emma is of course , a shepherd (no sheep in the air!) 😉
You’re darling there. So you. I’m with Jeff, amazing how you do that…….
Well, the knitting is quite easy actually, once you get down walking 🙂
Very nice photos – that looked a fine walk. Our January 1st was similar, cold and sunny and we managed a nice walk, too – with my new hiking boots that Santa brought.
All I need to do is repeat the process every day – with sticks and string.
Today has dawned very wet and dark and murky – so maybe later…….
Oh Liz, Santa was kind, new boots ! Will you be knit-walking too? 🙂 I agree , a walk on the first of the year is mandatory to get it going in the right direction !
Happy New Year Jen!
Happy New Year to You and Yours Morrie !!! I super duper miss you , and hope that we can round up the three spinners to come up soon. How about Jan 9 or 10 ? 🙂
Is that the uva ursi blooming therem aka Kinnikinnick of the heath family?
Its manzanita… if you’re referring to the pink blossoms…. everywhere up here !
Oh, yes, manzanita!
Simply, Imagine, Appreciate and Shine. Four years and four words. The world has once again circled the sun. The clock has struck. It’s time for a new word. Nurture.
Sorry I have been missing in action. To this very minute, I am still trying to get some shop samples finished! Unexpected family illness had pushed my schedule out of control–Grandma Bessie went into a coma a week before Christmas and passed away peacefully last Thursday. There isn’t a day I didn’t think of you and wanted to write, Jen. Miss you lots and want to stop in to say Happy New Year, my dearest sista!
Sarah ! Thank you so much for your heart-felt note. I will email you and we’ll catch up xxx
Happy New Year! We have snow, lots of snow, and temperatures of 0. Its sunny out, so a walk WITH needles and yarn is in store! An new adventure for me. Hope your new year is filled with lots of knitting and plenty of love..
You Go Martha !!! Queen knit-walker east of the Great Divide ! 🙂 (strap on the snow shoes… Knit-Snow-Shoeing????
Oh my gosh, it looks gorgeous there. I woke up to 6 degrees this morning and felt bad about sending my grumpy middle schooler out into it at 7:15. Knitting and walking makes me think of the Norwegian knitters of yore who would knit a pair of mittens on the way to the market, hugely impressive.
Hello Misa, you know, once you have walking down, and knitting down, it’s suprising how easy it is to synchronise the two ! Try it ! ?
MAN!!! It’s sooo pretty there! I’m so glad you could get out in the new year and walk around! I’m so glad you took pictures!! Thank you!
Hi Rosanna, except for the countryside has a big hole in it, in the shape of you and Felix ! Thanks so much for peeking in !