We're all drying out from the HEAVY rain we had. Up to 15 inches of rain in seven days, in my area, which is good news for our HOT, dry summers.
I walked the Sacramento River Trail on Saturday. It was a bit cold, in the 50s, and thankfully, no wind. Once the sun dips below the western mountains and casts a shadow over us, it gets chilly.
Today we have reached a pleasant 62 degrees - nice in the sun, and when the car is parked in the sunlight, getting inside feels wonderful.
I found this funky place to sit and enjoy the area...
Some murals on the bridge
The surrounding area was devastated by the 2018 Carr Fire.
It was nice to get outside after all that rain and flooding. We're looking at dry sunny weather until New Year's Day. I plan to take advantage of being outdoors.
Maybe a day in the snow??
We'll see...
A lovely little flower is blossoming on our hill. We're beginning to notice the early green shoots of our daffodils emerging on the hillside. Typically, they flower in late January, but I uprooted them from the front yard and moved them to the hill last spring, so they might be a little off this growing season.
My husband removed all the outdoor decorations - sooner than we typically do, but with a storm approaching later in the week, now seems as good a time as any, while it is sunny and dry. We decided to keep the icicle lights on the patio up - likely until sometime in February.
I have a few winter decorations that I'll keep out, and I have additional winter pieces to incorporate into the mix.
Today I bought a rolled beef roast from the butcher for New Year's Day. I plan to serve it with Irish mashed potatoes, gravy, garlic green beans, and Tennessee onions, in honor of my Tennessee side of the family. My grandma made the best version with sweet Vidalia onions. I looked through online images for ones that look like hers, since I don't take photos of my meals. Yummm, I love the crispy edges. They pair perfectly with grilled steak, prime rib, or roast beef (my husband calls it Roast Beast).
I also bought some chicken thighs and breasts at the butcher's because I'm not impressed with the grocery store's oversized, Dolly Parton Breasts. They're unnaturally large and on the tough side. No doubt pumped with hormones...
My husband will make pizza tonight...we missed it last week, and we have to have our homemade pizza once a week!
I also had my hair trimmed, which I really needed. My hair is thick - and I have a lot of it. I'm pushing it if I wait 6 weeks.
I don't have anything else on my mind that needs to be said - I'm looking forward to the conclusion of this year and the start of a new one. I love new beginnings.
Lord willing, I'll see you tomorrow as I try to get out at least one last post for 2025.
Debby
