HAPPY NEW YEAR!

 S Novym Godom, Gutes Neues Jahr, Boldog új évet, Priecigus ziemassvetkus Szczesliwego Nowego roku, Monono ilo raaneoan Nejin  and HAPPY NEW YEAR to you in Russia, Latvia ,Western Europe,The Marshal Islands, North America and right here in Iowa. 

Here at Bckrvue we've been blessed with another great year of Friendship, Projects, Travel, Gardens, Nature and Family.  We're anticipating more of the same for  2014.

THE OVERLAND ROUTE TO COLORADO

 After Thursdays ice storm, school was canceled for Friday, which gave me the opportunity to get the car packed up for our Christmas adventure.


With another storm predicted to hit on Saturday, we wasted no time getting on the road. 

 Running just to the North and West of the storm our first stop was to visit my Aunt Virginia in Waterloo.  At 98 years old she is an inspiration to all of us.


"My eyes and ears aren't as good as they use to be but the mouth is the last thing to go on a Becker."

  Another four plus hours on the road finds us on the West coast of Iowa, in Sioux City.  Bo and I made a run to check out a VW bus while Susie and Cynthia caught up on girl stuff.

The bus deal never clicked but we'll see what 2014 brings.

 Jason, Rick, Frank and Ron joined us for a wonderful dinner which included Bo's great popovers.  Needless to say I was very impressed.

 

We couldn't have been happier with our night with our friends.













After leaving Sioux City we followed the overland route along the Platte river choosing to stay off of I 80 while enjoying the view.

 The first European Americans to explore the potential for the Road was in the 1810s.

In the years of 1849, 1850 and 1852 traffic was so heavy along the Road that virtually all feed was stripped from both sides of the river.


 We reached Denver Sunday evening and set Beau's Charlie Brown Christmas tree up and celebrated our family Christmas and the joy of being united again after several months.



Our family tradition has always been to do a Christmas Eve hike in the woods near our home before opening any gifts but the times have changed.



This year we hiked the Cherry Creek trail to the confluence of the Platte river for several hours before head to Susie's cousin Shilia's house for
 another Christmas celebration.

We actually did get a chance to see some interesting wild life on our urban hike.


 Along with all the Canadian geese and mallards, we saw several hooded mergansers diving for small fish.








And a pair of coyotes walked along the Platte looking for an inattentive duck or goose.

Susie photo  bombed this shot I was taking of a guy on his SUP board.


I must say we had a wonderful time visiting fiends and family in the on our Denver trip.  But, spending the Holiday's with our son in his new home away from home and seeing how well he has adjusted to life in the city in such a short time was the greatest gift for us. 

I think we'll be getting to know the Westward Overland Route very well over the next several years.

DAY AT THE TREE FARM.

 Cabin fever got the best of me.  I've been cooped up in the pole barn as truck load after truck load of deer hunters came through the area.





 So, I ventured out to Mart's for a little winter hike in a hunter free zone.  We hit a few of the perimeter trails.  This trail is just across the valley from one of bridges that Mart and I  made a few years back. 

The cabin got an artistic upgrade with some of the old cross country skis that I picked up last winter.

 The picture doesn't do justice to this cool little bird nest I came across in one of the multiflora roses bushes along the trail. 

 Oak and full moon on the rise.

 I did a little TSI work out in the tree farm at  sunset.  





This little cedar looks to be about the right size for our Christmas down sizing.

WOODMAN, spare that tree!
Touch not a single bough!
In youth it sheltered me,
And I ’ll protect it now.
’T was my forefather’s hand	5
That placed it near his cot;
There, woodman, let it stand,
Thy axe shall harm it not.

 Joan and Mart's little tree turned out great.