Welcome 2017!

Tim and I are celebrating ten years together today.  We met briefly in Denver at the start of our journey to Antarctica for work.  We bonded in Christchurch, New Zealand and became good friends amongst a group of terrific, silly, intelligent, witty, hard working people on the ice.  We fell in love at the Geographic South Pole, and we've been together since (even if we haven't always lived in the same state or even the same country).  Good gravy, those ten years went by fast!

Christmas at the South Pole, 2008
  

Kodachrome State Park, UT

Florence, OR

playing Twister at Four Corners - UT, CO, AZ, NM

Capitol Reef NP

Zion NP

Ireland

Czech Republic

We went for a walk yesterday morning after a night of freezing fog.  Beautiful rime ice covered everything.  Cold temps have maintained the new snow we received on Christmas Eve.  The whole area is just lovely. 

mouse tracks in the community garden

Tim pretending to power walk

birds and crafts

a European starling, part of a murmuration that passed through this afternoon

So far today I've decorated a wreath and made bunting from old Christmas cards.  Some of the bits and pieces above will be sewn onto fabric tree ornaments I'm making for my niece.  The creative bug has come a bit late this year, but at last it's arrived.

it's beginning to look a lot like Christmas

While Tim went home to Pennsylvania for Thanksgiving, I stayed in Utah.  I read a lot, did some baking, cuddled with our kitten, went for long walks, and broke out the Christmas decorations.  After buying a new tree at Target for a ridiculous $16.00 (no kidding), I put on the holiday music and went to work.  Here are a few photos:

A Belleek Pottery ornament Tim and I bought while in Ireland a few years ago.  It is so gorgeous and simple.  

A few Big Sky ornaments from my collection.  These make me smile every time I look at them.

A greeting card I picked up at Trader Joe's and decided to frame.  They have the cutest cards, Christmas or any time.  Who wouldn't love to receive this fox with his adorable scarf and warm hat?  The artist is Rebecca Jones.

I have so many memories attached to this time of year, and it's always fun to relive them while decorating.  This little heart ornament came from a Christmas market in Vienna, Austria.  The woman behind the booth was very fun and creative.  The next photo shows her wares.

With a kitten in the house, I decided to display these on a pretty platter rather than risk putting them on the tree.  These were gifted to me by a very kind and generous woman having a garage sale a few years back.  She was so happy to pass them on to someone who would appreciate them.

Most of these ornaments were gifts, as are many others on our tree.  The tartan Scottie dog is a new addition this year, thanks to Tim's auntie, uncle and cousins.

That little stocking is for Miss Penny.  Santa never forgets the kitty in our house.

My mom gave these stained-glass ornaments to me  last year.  They were part of her holiday decorating for decades so they're quite meaningful to me.

Nothing so darling as a chubby moose on skis

UK candy booty Tim brought home - gifts from his family from Scotland who were also visiting his parents.  It may take us a bit to get through all of this!