Cold storage

This is the first year our bird feeder has seen any serious traffic and I am very entertained by them. We've seen a lot of evening grosbeaks and some smaller birds - sometimes up to 5 on the feeder at once.

We've been trying to keep it filled with black sunflower seeds, but they are eating it as quickly as we can refill.

Keith enjoyed his first installment of his xmas gift from my sister, 3 months of IPA-of-the-month.

It's December and they're still digging in the field - no snow has lasted. On our past couple of trips to the river Lazlo's gone in wading. Climate change doesn't seem so bad at this point?

 

Keith dug out this old explosives box to keep our "refrigerated" items in a contained space instead of precariously lined up on the skinny table. It's super cute and works great - not that it has any insulating properties, but it's winter - nature's doing the work.

A six pack carrier makes a good condiment carrier.

After a failed relationship with a hand pump on our water bottles, we decided to go with a gravity-fed dispenser and couldn't be happier with the new "technology." Sub-freezing temps usually cause it to ice up so we schlep the water into the bathroom (where a small ceramic heater runs most of the day right now) or into the house to de-ice.

It's a new year so we're, again, attempting to say hello to good habits and goodbye to the not-so-good. Part of my good habit routine is trying to eat more oatmeal. I used to be an oatmeal hater - until I figured out I just needed to use less water. That was an epiphany I am embarrassed to admit. So I am gingerly wading into instant oatmeal which is not as good as the real thing, but a step in the right direction. I also flirted with the idea of joining the local gym, but at $40+/mo. I can't justify it since I would primarily just be using the treadmill. So instead I ordered a couple of long fleece active wear shirts during an Old Navy sale and will hit the road/trail. Just trying to make good choices every day - here's to health and wellness in 2013!