The New Year Dawns

Today was a gorgeous sunrise.  I watched the glow fill the sky and the sun, behind some clouds, looked like a big shiny puddle in the sky - sort of liquid and molten.

I have a sun catcher given to me by a friend, hanging in my window.  To me, it is a representation of Mother Earth embracing the sky.  I had to take a picture as the sun was rising beside that sun catcher.  To me it seemed to embody the hope and promise of a new year.

It is going to be a tough year.  I have a very heavy course schedule for the entire year, including the summer, and it begins on January 17.  I will face it, I will conquer it, and I will be very happy to have it finished.  This should be my last full year working as a patent agent, because next year, part-way through, I hope to pass the bar exam and become a patent attorney.  But that's next year, so I have to focus on this one first.

It is going to be an exciting year.  We have 14 ewes that are (we think) bred and 4 goats as well.  There will be a lot of new lives here between February 16 and May 20 (or so).  I can't wait to welcome them, and if I have to skip class to help with lamb births, I will be ready and willing!  Here are four of last year's ewe lambs having their morning grain.

We might show sheep for the first time this year at the Wisconsin Sheep & Wool Festival, if we can work with them enough to get them arena-ready.  I'm also excited about a visit from a dear friend of mine from home - she's coming for my birthday!  In addition, my parents will visit again sometime in late spring.  I'm excited to spend time with those I love.

It is going to be a year of change.  My wonderful assistant at work was promoted into a new position and I am thrilled for her because she deserves to be recognized for all that she does.  However, that means that I'm presently involved in the search for a new assistant, and I spent several hours on the phone yesterday (and even a bit today) doing interviews with selected candidates.  Even though there is much potential, it will be a big change for me to work with someone new after almost 8 years, and I hope it will go smoothly.  I admit that I do have my doubts.

It is going to be a year of building.  We are still working on building our new (to us) barn that we bought on Craig's List.  We have decided to hire someone to do the roof and siding.  Once that is complete, we will build some framing inside it and build new pens, a little room for us to sleep in if we need to do so while lambing or kidding is occurring, and also some hay storage.  We are building a new chicken coop and new sheep shelter.  We have a huge fence project to be done this spring.  I do hope it all gets done!

Hopefully, it will be a year of new firsts.  And here is a new bird on the suet feeder today, to start the list!  It's a red-bellied woodpecker.  We have seen them before in the woods, but not on our feeders. As you can see, the blue jay was also visiting.  A handsome and well behaved line-up at the feeder today!

Best wishes to all my blog readers for the new year - I hope it will hold much happiness and promise for all of you.