HAPPY NEW YEAR!

We ended 2015 by going to St. Augustine, the oldest US city, with relatives. We took the tour, walked through the narrow streets filled with small stores and generally enjoyed ourselves. We've been before but playing tourist is always more fun with people you enjoy, isn't it?

This is the oldest schoolhouse in the US. You can barely see it, but the guy on the right is leaning against a huge anchor. A chain comes from it, goes up to the schoolhouse corner and wraps around the structure, which is slightly leaning forward. Maybe the chain is to keep it standing. I must admit, I felt uneasy standing in front of it.

And this is looking down one of the streets with the shops on either side. There were blocks like this!

Can't go to St. Augustine without going to the fort! Especially on a day just right for strolling and sightseeing! Isn't the view from the top marvelous?

Here's one of the rangers giving some kind of demonstration. They had one making a fire with flint, one telling about what the garrison soldiers ate (hardtack, dried beans, etc.) and some doing other stuff.

Overall, a lovely way to say goodbye to 2015! Here's hoping 2016 will be a great year for everyone!

FOWL

We've been lazy over the holidays, not doing too much. We have been on some walks though. This morning, we saw these ducks in the neighborhood pond. One white one and three wild ones. Oops, four. I didn't see the little one till the group realized he was missing and headed back to pick him up!

And these blackbirds were down by the pier. Perched on the wires, they almost looked like a tree!

Tomorrow it will be 2015 so I'll wish everyone a happy new year today. I hope 2015 will be better for everyone whose 2014 wasn't so great. I can't complain about last year, so if  my 2015 is as good or better, I'll be happy!

HAPPY NEW YEAR AND THE EARRING WINNER IS...

Happy New Year, everyone! I hope next year will be wonderful!

We celebrated with the crud -- for a week now -- but are nearly well. The cats celebrated a little too much. They hid under the bed during the fireworks, but the boy-cat came out to get in the bed with us later. He was so groggy -- I don't think he was inebriated, but who knows what they were doing under there? -- he couldn't quite make the jump and woke me up, hanging on by his claws. To the comforter and not me, thank goodness.

After I reached down and pulled him onto the bed, he conked out.

Hmm. He does look a little hungover today.

AND:

The earring winner for December is Kairbear 2468. Kairbear, if you'll email me at cherylbdale@hotmail.com with your mailing address, I'll have the earrings sent to you.

For anyone who's interested, another pair will go up soon for January's giveaway.

Happy 2013!