TO BE CONTINUED……………………

Reasons why we moved to Ohio…………….

SEASONS

 

Susan, Madeline and Todd Bigley  Sorry, Todd wasn’t in the picture!  We were celebrating Susan’s 49th!  Madeline made her Mom an amazing chocolate cake!

 

The Cleveland Museum of Art – not just any art museum but one of the top 10 art museums in the country!  Today we saw a special Gauguin exhibit.  The landmark exhibition gathered 100 paintings, works on paper, wood carvings and ceramics by Paul Gauguin and his contemporaries.  It also included a portfolio of eleven zincographs.  OK – how many zincographs has anyone seen in the Keys recently?

 

Deer in my yard EVERY day!

A fireplace!

Jack’s Mom is only 5 minutes away!!

FUN IN THE SNOW

Everyone keeps asking how Dakota likes her new home. I think she does!!

WINTER SCENES

 

Lake Medina

 

Canadian Geese on the only unfrozen spot of the lake

 

 

Jack and Dakota

 

HAPPY NEW YEAR!!!!

 

 

The movers arrived December 11th – in the rain!! – and we were on our way!  After a stop in Gainesville to see my Dad we arrived in Medina 2 days later.  Since I had purchased the house without Jack seeing it he was very excited to visit his new home.  As we drove up at dusk there were Christmas wreaths on both the front and back doors, big red bows on our porch lights and white twinkling lights on our trees!  I got tears in my eyes.  How special was that for our friends to welcome us to our new home with Christmas decorations!!!!  We spent the next couple of days preparing for Tyrone and his crew to deliver our household goods and sure enough, he arrived on schedule – and in the rain!! – again!  But everything arrived safely and in good shape.  Boxes were unpacked, “stuff” put away (not necessarily where it would eventually end up) and we celebrated the Holidays in our new home.  Jack’s Mom is settled nicely in her new assisted living and Dakota Kate has all kinds of new energy in this climate.  Like she needed more energy!  We are happy to be here and and are enjoying our new life.

Nearly every day deer greet us in the back yard!  The bird watching is spectacular – I even have Jack peering out the window with the binoculars! 

 

It wasn’t long before the first snow.  So pretty.  And how quiet the snow falls!

 

 

 

The Connelly family tradition is escargot and cheese fondue on Christmas Eve.  We shared it by the fire this year with Mina, Jack’s Mom.

 

Oh, and Dakota Kate, too!!

 

 

Twinkle, twinkle….

The shovel didn’t last long.  Jack soon found the snow blower store!!

Over a 3 day period it snowed steadily with a foot of accumulation.  I like how the bushes and trees wear little snow hats!

Besides bird feeders and grain blocks (for the deer) Santa brought a squirrel chair!!  Wish I could catch him in it!!

Play, puppy play!

 

Rest puppy, rest!  She loves my fake mink throw!!

 

Good bye manatee plate, hello Ohio plate!

 

 

 

And, YES, the sun shines here!!

 

We do love it.  Having the seasons again is refreshing and we look forward to each one for the first time in our new home.