Tuesday, January 2nd ~ Arrowbear Lake, California
Perhaps a bit of a stretch – “White” picket (or rail) fence
Our last post was filled with reminiscing about the incredible travel year we just wrapped up. But being home for the holidays is always a special blessing.
Our long-time friends, Laura and Michael spent the extended weekend with us at our tiny cabin in the mountains and helped us ring in the New Year, something we have done together for the majority of the past 27+ years.
Our tradition includes sitting in front of the fireplace, recanting what we are grateful for, sharing special memories and/or events from the year about to close, and then stating our wishes or goals for the coming year.
Sitting in front of the fire, toasting to the future.
Speaking of traditions, we decided to start a new one. We will be joining several friends this year and putting a small note in a jar each week. We are planning on picking up a pretty jar, box or vase from Home Goods, Tuesday Morning or similar. I’ll also get two different colors of post-it notes – one for me and one for Tim. Every Sunday we will each drop one in. We also plan on dating the outside so that next New Years we can read them to each other.
Anyone else care to join us? Perfect time to start one!
Over the past several days we’ve watched six movies, eaten our way through enough food choices to open an International themed food truck and played card games. I’ve laughed until my sides hurt and once ventured outside long enough to walk the few blocks to our only neighborhood restaurant for breakfast.
The excuse for getting outside was to take some pictures of our winter wonderland while it was still white with snow.
Just a block from our cabin is the corner of Fox and Cougar…
We decided that Laura (left) is the Fox and I am the Cougar 🙂
Here is a glimpse into how gorgeous our mountain is with a fresh coat of white:
We are right on the edge of a National Forest
White branches against a brilliant blue sky
Our neighbors basketball hoop waiting for spring
Our tiny cabin peaking through the trees
And just in case you are curious to know what movies we watched, they included:
Miss Peregrine’s Home for Peculiar Children
As you can see, we have VERY eclectic taste in movies. Sully was our favorite of this batch, and if you have not already seen it, I believe well worth the time. Tom Hanks never fails me as a top-notch actor and learning about all that this hero was put through was both interesting and at times heartbreaking.
Both Frozen and Zootopia deserve a positive mention, whether or not you have kids/grandkids to watch with you.
Miss Peregrine’s was strange, Star Trek formulated, and Tarzan just OK.
Tim and I wish you a very happy New Year!
We have our travel planning thinking caps on and are waiting for the weather to improve a tab bit before hitting the road in our RV.
GRATITUDE MOMENT: Today I am grateful that we were able to start off 2017 with dear friends. Praying for peace for our troubled world.
A Note From Abroad 
Happy New Year, and may your jars be filled with many wonderful “good things”!!
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Thank you Paul. I have a feeling it will be overflowing 😃
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I love the idea of the jar of ‘good things’; I may follow your lead on this one. Your winter wonderland looks amazing; we are promised snow next week but I very much doubt it will look like yours!
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Please do join us with your own jar. I’m already looking forward to reading our notes at the end of the year. Seeing the trees all draped in snow is always magical for me.
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Best wishes for a year filled with good things and experiences! Happy New Year!
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And all the BEST wishes for you as well!
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Thank you!
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I love the idea of a “Good Things” jar! Happy New Year!
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Doesn’t that look like fun? Join us!
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A perfect start to a new year. Great photographs.
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Thank you very much. I hope yours is off to a fabulous start as well!
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Great photos. The notes in the jar is a good idea! 🙂
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Thanks Kathy.
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Beautiful, Happy New Year to you and Tim. I love your Blog.
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Thank you so much. Tim and I also send love and best wishes to you and Chuck.
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Every time I visit your blog, I re-read your leading statement and it brings me joy! Blessings! 🍓
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Explore, dream, discover – pretty fun and rewarding words of encouragement.
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Words of Wisdom to live by. 🍓
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I laughed when I saw you movie list, Joanne. We also watched the first three. We watched Sully in preparation for a trip to the Charlotte, NC Aviation Museum that features the actual plane that Sully flew. (We are here visiting with our daughter and our family. I’ll do a blog on the visit sometime over the next couple of months. –Curt
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Enjoy your time with your daughter and family. I’ll look forward to reading about your museum visit.
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We had a great time, Joanne, and are now in Boston on our way home. There is a couple of feet of snow at our place, which also backs up to national forest land. –Curt
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Sounds like a wonderful time. What could be better snow, friends, roaring fire, movies and good eats. You two have a great New Year and I can not wait to read of your adventures for this year. I hope you share some of the snippets you both write each week during this year.
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Terry, it was the perfect way to bring 2016 to a close and welcome this new year. I’m betting that many of our best/favorite moments will show up on these pages 🤓
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Glad you had such a great vacation with friends. The snow is gorgeous. I love it when it lays on the tree limbs like that. I have not seen Sully yet, but it is on my list. Happy New Year!!!!
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When the branches are heavy with snow, it always reminds me of a fairy winter wonderland. Hope you enjoy Sully as much as we did when you see it!
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We had a wonderful relaxing time with you both. We started out jar already and can’t wait until next New Years to read them all!
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Being with great friends is truly a blessing! Thank you for all the laughter. ❤
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The temperature in my car was 95 this afternoon. it was great to see cold scenes. We have experienced our day of winter and summer is here again in sunny Florida. Have a wonderful and healthy year.
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We are thankfully getting some long overdue rain and snow which I’m hoping will help our drought. Still, I am a bit jealous of your beautiful weather at the moment 😃
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Phenomenal pics
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Thank you!
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Happy new year….i wish to fill up mh jars with wonderful memories too…
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We picked up a pretty and inexpensive glass container at Home Goods yesterday and have our “jar” started. Hope you will join in…
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I will…thanks for that..
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Hi, You two.
So glad you are home for awhile., Enjoying all your blogs of your trips. Rod & I are fine..Our Panama cruise was cancelled by Princess and our money returned.. Othe wise we would be o the cruise ths Friday. So we are home for awhile.
Alice
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So sorry to hear that your cruise was cancelled. That is always a disappointment. I just sent you an email to see if we can arrange a time to get together for a dinner date. Would love to see both of you. ❤
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Sounds like a perfect way to celebrate the New Year! I know we are enjoying our time in our cabin in the woods relaxing, reading, watching movies, drinking wine & enjoying too much delicious food! Happy 2017!
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Amy, I think we must enjoy be kindred spirits!
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Majestic photos! And love the idea of the jar. Imagine what you’ll be reading that you forgot a year from now?
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Kim, I think those little, often forgotten memories are the icing on the cake.
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what lovely photos! Happy 2017 to you & yours 🙂
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Thank you and best wishes for 2017 to you as well.
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Wonderful post and a very happy new year to you both. What a wonderful idea and intention behind your jar of hope. Love it.
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Thank you Miriam. Tim and I have each put two notes inside. It will be fun to watch it grow.
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It will indeed. Enjoy!
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I love the snowy pictures ! I haven’t seen any snow this year yet so it’s quite nice to see them 🙂 I think the idea with the jar is a fabulous one !
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I just read that every state in the USA except Florida currently has snow. I think we may be breaking some records this winter. I think we will have a very special time reading our notes at the end of the year.
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There is a lot of snow in Belgium as well, my friends can’t stop sending snowy pictures 🙂
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It is sure beautiful to look at – especially when you are inside, curled up next to a roaring fire with a warm beverage in your hand.
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Great post 🙂 What a fantastic idea about the notes in the jar 🙂
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Such an interesting town and history. You should consider sharing your posts at the Senior Salon on Wednesdays.
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Bernadette, I’m not familiar with the Senior Salon. What is it?
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It is a feature I write on my blog on Wednesdays where people who are retired can share their writing or any other creative outlet they enjoy. It is very simple to participate in. Just go to the post Senior Salon 17 and tap on the frog. You will be asked a few simple questions and then post whatever you want. You don’t need to write anything special for it and you don’t have to mention my blog.
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Can I visit your tiny mountain cabin?The pictures are what paradise made of.You two look so adorable together.so much love to you.
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Thanks for the love! We too think our mountain hide-a-way is pretty close to paradise .
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It is paradise in itself.I can’t stop looking at it,it is gorgeous
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