So here we are, past the middle of January already. Our temperatures have gotten cold. The wind last night was horrid, plunging the temperatures below zero.

I have to say though, today isn't so bad, even though the temp right now is 1.6 and the wind chill is -8...but I am inside & the sun is shining! That sun makes all the difference in the world!

We do venture out every now & then & brave the elements & enjoy the beauty of the snow and see how different the landscape looks from what we see in the summer.
Some of you may remember many times I have posted pictures of Dells Mill. It is usually a place we take visitors when they come. We drove out there a couple of weeks ago as I wanted to see what it looked like in the winter.  Here are a few pictures....

   Going over the Eau Claire River

 

There is also a park that has winter activities on Thursday nights. We never have gone, but did go on a weekend to see one of the snow sculptures that I had read someone did.

                                                                 

Cougar on Waterfall Nature Scene by Starvin Carvists

    
The area that hubby is standing on is an "ice rink" in the park. Evidently Thursday nights, skaters are here & they have hot chocolate & bonfires and other types of entertainment.

Of course, I have a few bird pictures  from my yard to share with you...

      
The Cardinals always look so pretty in the snow. The last picture is of a grouse.
We haven't seen many deer here lately. We do get pictures of them from the game camera, so they are still around, just coming at night.

Daughter came to visit one day. We got to have a "girl" day...she picked me up & we went to lunch & did some shopping, then came back to the house & had fun conversation & lots of giggles!    
Oh how I love that girl!       

             
She was dancing in the sunshine!  I tell you, that sun does some magic to us when it is so cold & white outside!     

  
Now that she has her new car, she always wants to drive! lol...

Her & her BF had us over to their house last weekend to watch the Packers game. They cooked us dinner, which was wonderful & of course, just being together was great, even if the Packers lost

 

I got out & about one day & went to my favorite local park. Once again, it looks so different in the winter time!

It is wonderful to have a place this nice so close to go.

 

We do have a winter escape planned though! I have to say, I am ready to get away to somewhere warm for a bit! We are going to a place called Sanibel Island. We have never been there before. It is in Southwest Florida on the gulf . I plan to walk the beach, collect shells, soak up the sun, feel the sand in my toes, eat, drink, and explore! Can't wait!!! Oh & of course, I plan on taking lots of pictures!

I am so far behind in posting my new recipes on here. I need to sit down one day soon & only do a food post!

I will leave you with this snow ghost that I found on the side of our house...

haha...it does look like a ghost, don't you think?

 

Today is the first blank page of a 365 page book, let's write a good one!

We started the day off pretty darned cold..  -10...that's right, that is a negative in front of that 10! But the sun came out & it was nice & cozy as long as you stayed in the house!

Actually the sun shining on the snow made it looks like thousands of diamonds sparkling..it looked so pretty. This won't look as pretty as what I saw with my eyes, but will kind of give you a hint...

Hubby & I didn't make it up until midnight last night. lol..yeah, we are getting old.  We ended up opening up our champagne & toasting in the new year at brunch today instead. I have to say, we may turn that into our new tradition!

Quite a little feast we had! Smoked salmon, cheese, crackers (that red & green on the left is pepper jelly on cream cheese)
We also set our card table up in the living room & ate in there so we could watch the game! lol..

  

While sitting there, it was also fun watching the birds out the front windows.

I have to share 1 more picture just because it is funny.  Hubby couldn't get the tree out of the stand & it was too big to pick it up & get it out of the house without dumping all of the nasty water in the stand all over, so he had to cut the top off to get it out...

 

yep, look at all of the needles on the floor! All is nice & clean now!

I am going to try to post more often this year..."try" is the key word here!

Off to watch the Badger game now.