Happy 2017!

I know unlike a lot of bloggers, I don't have hundreds of followers, and I have let this blog lie fallow for far too long. I hope to change the blogging frequency in this upcoming year! Retiring is good, but retiring and moving 1200 miles away to a home that has been occupied by a very messy man and a dog for almost two years takes some doing! Lots of time has been spent in organizing, but much remains to be done!

Our big dog went to heaven this year, and we got a tiny puppy a month later. Found her on Craigs' list as her former owner couldn't keep her. She was 12 weeks old, and her name is Baby. I'm in love, but I had forgotten after 13 years how much work a puppy really is! She's adorable though. A Maltese-Poodle mix, and at this writing about 7 1/2 pounds. She's about six months old, and will probably be less than 10 pounds at maturity. Here's a pic a few days after we got here. Who could resist?

I am settling in and adapting to a very different area, lifestyle, and climate. We've had our ups and downs over the last few months as we become accustomed to living together again after 1 3/4 years apart. I think it's getting better, but we still have our days where  our backs get up and it takes a bit to settle down. IMO, that's just marriage though. We have a great partnership with different sets of skills so we each bring something to the mix.

I lived in California for the first 69 1/2 years of my life and moving to Southwestern New Mexico has broadened my horizons quite a bit. For one thing, there are actually seasons here that are as distinct from one another as anywhere else, but are also very different from other areas. We are having a rainy New Year's day, which is much needed and wanted by all. Living in the desert, rain is always welcome, but you do have to adapt.

For 2017, we are hoping to do a lot of exploring of our new environs. There is a huge amount of history in the area, and many things to see and do. I will be having a few surgeries that I hope to be inconsequential other than to improve my life. One for cataracts which I have been told isn't bad at all, and another for a knee replacement which will require more recuperation time and more work, but that all promise to make my life much better.

In addition, I'm hoping to sew every day, (SWAP 2017 is underway) try to exercise more, eat better, and continue to eliminate the excess weight I've accumulated over the last ten years or so. Hope to make some new sewing friends in the area too.

We have 2 acres of mostly dirt and weeds right now, and the plan is to gradually grow at least most of our own food. I'll start with a plot between the fruit trees we planted last fall and the roses Dale brought with him to make me happy. Because I haven't been able to do much due to mobility issues, it looks pretty bad at the moment, with weeds everywhere.

Here's a mostly before pic of the front southeastern corner:

If you look closely, you may be able to see my fruit trees in the background. We planted two each of pear, apricot, and peach trees in September. We also planted four shade trees, but need many more before we're done. We have an existing fig tree we thought was dead that came back to life, a couple of pecans, one fig we brought from California, and a pomegranate we brought from California. Everything seems to be doing well. 

Once the chance of freezing is over, I'll be out on my "new to us" tractor and rototiller getting the garden beds ready for the first plantings. I want to grow everything! LOL Dale is still fighting me over getting chickens, but I think (or hope) that they are eventually going to arrive too.

I've started my SWAP with a very old pattern for a baseball jacket that I'd made back in the 90's and loved. I still have it and another 10 pounds or so and it will become a regular part of my rotation. In the meantime, I've learned a bit more about fitting, and have done a narrow shoulder alteration and a FBA, which will make a big difference. I have a navy with a teal polka dot corduroy fabric and I'm hoping for a great jacket when this one is done. Here's a picture of the pattern. I'm doing View C. 

Well, once again, I'm wishing you all a fabulous 2017 filled with fun, joy, health and prosperity!