Suddenly, It Is February

 Time marches on whether I am paying attention or not. The last of our light snowfall disappeared this morning. All that was left for days has been Johnny's snow person, built on January 27. Here it is newly built:

The snow left but pretty mornings remained...

We have worked hard at clearing out the berries and dead trees along the little creek by the barn. My first reason was to open up the view to a nest box high on a tree on the far side of the creek. But plans expanded to make it possible to get to the creek, see the ferns and the water. Many loads of wood later, it is much cleared and we much tired.

Most of January, though, I cleared new trails in an overgrown portion of our woods. Many years ago, we planted various evergreen trees in that lowland, mostly alder, area, but they had been overgrown with blackberries, gooseberries and much more. We thought most of the trees had died. Much to my surprise one day while I was lost in the area, trying to make a trail, I discovered many redwoods, cedars, and spruce very much alive and finally tall enough to make a break for sunlight. I was so excited I made trails through head high blackberry tangles to access the trees. Someday I'll get photos of the beautiful evergreens newly discovered.

When not clearing brush one place or another, I worked on converting our Christmas llama to a llama-of-the-month. This month is Valentine's Day so here is our Valentine llama, decorated with help from friends. Carol made the knit hearts and Claudia sewed the blanket. Johnny built the stand to keep the llama out of reach of the puppy who nearly destroyed the Christmas llama. On the day we put up the Valentine's Day llama (Feburary 1st... today!), this was all that was left of the snow person: one tiny mound of snow and his hat.

 

And here is the Valentine llama, on its perch in front of the chicken house, in view of visitors driving up and also in view from the kitchen window.:

This llama will be transformed in March into a St. Patrick's Day llama. His new outfit is ready and waiting for him. Rainy days have become days to plan future llama months... much more fun than sorting and cleaning!