Surprise

 First egg of 2026

 

 

Tuesday Read

 

Library Audiobook

 

What If?

 

 

Sunday Sky

 

4:49 pm

 

4:51 pm 

 

Saturday Sky

 

7:16 am

 

 5:29 pm

 

Friday Read

 

Library Audiobook

 

 

Cortney's Calendar 2026

Phew. Now that the Fridge Fiasco has been taken care of I can finally put my new calendar on the fridge.

 

 

 

I was fortunate to get a Cortney Spillane calendar again this year. This will be calendar #4 for me. (Cortney Calendar 2025, and Calendars 2024 and 2023.)

In order to purchase a calendar I started stalking checking her website several days before Thanksgiving. In previous years Cortney's calendar has sold out in just a few hours. I didn't have to worry this year - she printed extra calendars - and it looks like she still has a few left on her website.

The calendars and the envelopes are beautiful. Cortney hand-paints a design on each envelope. This year it is an Amaryllis flower, amazing work of art.

 

  

  Floral stamps.

 

 

She even included a handwritten note.

 

 

Receiving Cortney's calendar is such a gift and a wonderful way to start the New Year. I think I am finally ready to begin anew.

Cortney's Instagram: Hand-painting the Amaryllis Bloom

Craft, Cook, Read, Repeat Podcast with Monica and Cortney 

 

New Fridge

Our new refrigerator was delivered last week.

 

 

 The Man had the old fridge ready to go.

 

 

I hope the new fridge lasts for a long, long time. It is very nice.

 

Tuesday's Box

 

Monday Read

 

Library Audiobook

 

Say's Phoebe

December 28, 2025 6:51 am

"First Thing: Out the door at first light in my PJ's with Mattie and cats. A band of orange on the horizon."

 

 

7:24 am

"Second Thing: Walking to Pen - a bird the size of a robin but a different call, red rumped. Used Merlin to ID Sound: "Say's Phoebe", It flew ~ 10 ft ahead of me each time as I walked to Pen."

 

 

 (I had mentioned to The Man that I had not seen the wee bird since it stopped raining.)

January 11, 2026 7:16 am

"First thing: Saw/heard Say's Phoebe. Maybe it's an early bird." 

 

 

  

California Cold

Twenty-nine degrees this morning

 

Frost on the fields

 

 

Frozen water

 

 

Early Birds

 

 

 

Thursday Read

 

Library Audiobook

It's a Vibe

 Into the Whirled December 2025 Club Colorway "It's a Vibe" Cheviot sheep wool.

 

 

At first I thought the colors seemed too moody, too dark.

But then the sun came out.

 

 

\

 

Beautiful.

 

Good Day

Clear skies - it looks dry - gonna be a good one.

 

  

No Bells and Whistles

We're looking for a "simple" French-door refrigerator, well-made, and with good materials. We're hoping it will last longer than 13.5 years. 

 

Clean Out

Drats, our refrigerator died, it was only 13.5 years old. Fortunately we have a Fridge and a Freezer in the garage and The Man put a few things in the Camper's fridge, but we also threw a lot of food away. Too warm, too unsafe to keep.

 

 

Cranberry sauce in the freezer had thawed and leaked. It was a mess.

 

 

The Man used an air compressor and vacuum cleaner to thoroughly clean the refrigerator base and coils. He used a Code reader and other Whatchamacallit tools to troubleshoot but it doesn't look good. The fridge is on but it's not cooling.

 

 

I managed to save the original yogurt starter from Mary and Jon that I received in 2019 as a retirement gift. I kept it in the freezer, I think it is still okay.

 

 

Clear Out

This morning the goats started their Saturday morning with breakfast in bed. I like to keep them in the pen if it's raining.

 

 

By the afternoon the skies cleared out but Jack and Boots were not in a hurry to leave the pen.

 

Goat Training

We bought a large dog house for Jack that he never uses. Instead he'll stand next to the dog house in a sprinkling rain. 

I placed a small pan with goat treats inside the dog house to coax Jack in. We did it several times today.

 

  

 

Jack and I will keep at it and work on it, we're halfway there.

 

First First

Today I took my new Clemes and Clemes Mini Drum Carder for a test drive. Yup, another Fiber tool. I ordered the wee thing in August and was hopeful for a February delivery (there is a long backorder list). Instead I received the Mini just before Christmas. Hohoho.

 

12/25/2025

 

The Mini's carding cloth is only 4" wide instead of the usual 8" width. It weighs a mere 16 lbs, I can carry it with one hand. The small size is wonderful.

Today I tested it with Jacob wool locks that I had scoured (washed) over two years ago.

 

 

First I opened up the locks with the Lock Pop, another Clemes and Clemes fiber tool.

  

 

Just a little bit of fiber was carded, just enough to make a wee bit of roving.

 

 

Wonderful. Happy New Year Everyone!