Another year down...

"If you don't like something, change it; if you can't change it, change the way you think about it."

--Mary Engelbreit

Happy New Year!  I'm a few days late, but welcome to 2012 :)

It seems like at the end of every year, I say something like, "2011 just flew by!!"  Since I say that every year, that must just be how every year feels.  Fast.  So, 2011 just went by like another year :)

I am very optimistic for 2012.  I'm not making any "resolutions".  But I am going to make a conscious and genuine effort to stay optimistic, and always think positive.  I've learned over the last couple of years just how much power there really is in positive thought.  I believe that my positive thoughts and positive energy can also affect people around me.  I know it sound cheesy but if everyone made an effort to think an act more positive, it really can make a difference.  Maybe I can bring a little extra sunshine to Penrose :)

It's still the beginning of winter and there is snow on the ground of our house, but I already find myself looking forward to the Spring.  I'm already anxious to get out and work in the garden.  I signed up for the Colorado Master Gardening program, and class starts this Wednesday.  I'm stoked!  I decided not to do the volunteer route, so I will just go through the classes, and then have a certificate at the end of it.  (I won't be an official Master Gardener).  We talked about it, and my main focus is going to be our garden.  I don't know how much of my time it is going to occupy, so I wasn't prepared to commit to the hours.  BUT, if I choose to, I could volunteer another year, as long as it is within the next 3 years.  I signed up to take the classes in Fremont County, but I ended up being the only person, so they are sending me to classes in El Paso County.  I think it actually turned out better this way.  The classes in El Paso are actually taught by live instructors, rather than watching on video feed.  The class is also bigger (last year I think Fremont County had 4 people, this year there are about 40 in El Paso - also including the 2 people who signed up in Pueblo).  I haven't sat for a full day in class, or even at a desk, for awhile, so I think having more people around will help.  I'm hoping there are some other like-minded people in the class that I will get along with.  I am sure everyone will have something to learn from each other.

We also decided to get our field leveled and seeded this year.  If we can get it growing well this year, we will hopefully (crossing my fingers!) be able to get goats within the year!  I am very excited for that.

While I am looking on the bright side of things.... we had really strong winds about a week ago.  I was slightly afraid one of the chickens was going to blow away, maybe even Daisy.  BUT.  We had this ugly, dead tree on one side of the garden.  I'm guessing the previous owner didn't pull that wire thing off the root ball when he planted the tree... (like we found on another dead tree we pulled out a little while ago).  Anyway, the day after the storm, we noticed that the wind blew this dead tree clean over.  Which, really, helps us quite a bit.  Thank you Nature!!

Our 6 chickens are doing awesome.  We get 4 to 6 eggs per day now, and they are a variety of colors, making for a very pretty egg basket :)  There's something so cool about pulling an egg out of the nest when it is still warm.... you can practically feel the life inside.  It may be silly, but sometimes I'll hold the egg out and say to the chickens "good chickens -- thank you!".  Go ahead and laugh.  When I go outside, they all run over to check me out.  A lot of the time they squat down and let me pet them for a few seconds.  We've handled them quite a bit while they are young so they don't just run away.  They aren't really like my pets.  They still don't have names.  But they are each a little different, I can tell them - and their eggs - apart.  They aren't pets, but they aren't food either.

Enjoying a nice dust bath

So for now I will enjoy the nice days when they come.  I don't mind the snow at all -- the more snow we get, the more water we get next year!  Our first year in Penrose was a drought year, and it still had it's beautiful moments.  I'm sending out the positive vibes for a lush, green 2012 in Penrose :)