This photo was taken one year ago, on February 2, 2021. Those yew bushes are all gone now, the front lights shown here have been replaced, and this photo does not show the new red storm doors added this past fall. Incrementally, slowly, we are making changes, fixes and improvements. And slowly the cold winter trudges on. Last year, as this photo shows, we had lots of snow…this year, we have had far less flakes, but much more bitter cold. I like documenting some of the changes and differences here, so that over the many years we will be able to look back and recall what remained the same versus what changed. The other big thing we did not have last year at this time … was this guy:

…who has been with us now almost 5 months and will turn 8 months next week. We have made changes to the landscape and physical components around the homestead, but nothing has altered the flow of daily life around here more than welcoming Spruce into our lives. We have enjoyed inviting family and friends to visit over the past year (not as many as we would have liked do to Covid…and…unfinished house projects) but adopting Spruce has certainly changed our day-to-day lives much more dramatically. And his presence is dictating the priority order of house projects for the coming months. The list of to-do’s for any old home is basically endless, but adding fencing and other elements that will improve his life, as well as ours, have moved to the top of the list. I have a zillon photos of him, but this one was snapped just a few moments ago, a tired sweet Spruce — resting — which is what all of us should be doing as best we can on these short, dark, cold winter nights.

This is the house from a few nights ago, glowing with ice all around…thankfully we are blessed with a cozy hearth inside, where we try to rest with hearts full of hope for warmer days to come. Stay warm!