The farmette's pretty frigid this morning. We had more than a foot of snow over Christmas and Boxing Day, but haven't had much since.
This morning, the broadcasts were full of retrospectives of the truly ghastly year 2017 was news-wise. Rohingya refugee babies and Yemeni kids starving and dying. Climate change wreaking havoc in Southeast Asia, British Columbia, California and just about everywhere else in the world. Trump still in the White House.
For the Wilson-Harris clan at the farmette, the year was far from an annus horribilus - on balance, and with a few notable exceptions, it was actually quite a lovely 12 months.
Early last year was just as snowy as this one promises to be. I had to re-read my post from back then, and we actually got a big dump right at the beginning of January. Amazing how clean and bright the property looks - in both January and December. See?
We had a lot of ups. The deck got re-done by my sainted nephews who persisted through what felt like the rainiest spring in history.
It's such a terrific addition to the farmette. And it came in really handy when we hosted a bunch of the Harrises at Thanksgiving.
Sandy and I had a fantastic time in August in B.C. celebrating our nephew's wedding in Vancouver and our friends' new home on the island. The Sikh ceremony was fascinating, and brother Bob's family and Geoff's fiance Sandy's family were so warm and welcoming that we couldn't help but enjoy every minute.
Of course newly minted islanders Jane and Dana were the quintessential hosts - feeding us like royalty and taking us on a grand tour of the sights and sounds around Parksville. All this in a mere two days and less than two weeks after they moved! It was one of the most jam-packed vacations I've ever been on, but I loved it.
The fall brought lots of arts and crafts tours, a comedy show and a new resolution for me to live healthier. Gotta say, I am feeling better three months in. The weight loss is a bit on the slow side, but getting more active and hiking around the community has given me a new appreciation for our wee corner of the world.
The year wasn't without its sad bits. We lost my dad at the age of 89 in May, which was sort-of expected but difficult nevertheless. Lots of family and friends from near and far turned out to celebrate him at the St. Thomas funeral. His internment also prompted yet another family gathering at my brother Dan's place, which is something I know he always enjoyed and would want us to continue.
We also lost our Nicky, who succumbed to chronic kidney disease in July. I still get weepy once in a while, especially at night, when he used to cuddle with me. Such a loving soul. Best tuxedo cat who ever lived, that one.
But back to the upside. The vegetable harvest was great - we're still eating potatoes out of the garden, and the shelves still groan with pickled beets, tomato sauce and chutney that we preserved while the sun still shone.
Our 2017 floral display was especially spectacular - which is amazing, given how little it feels like I did to deserve it. Probably all that wet weather in the spring, followed by a particularly hot and steamy summer.
Anyhow. As 2017 comes to a close, the human bipeds and furry quadrupeds here at the Durham farmette want to wish everyone an action-packed, safe and happy 2018!