Out with the Old, In with the Old

It's my hope that 2018 will be much like 2017, thus the post title.  That's on a personal level, not a national or global level, of course.  For me, 2017 was full of sketching, hanging with friends, birding, walking, reading, gardening, and hanging with dachshunds (with a new puppy arrival towards the end of the year that should make 2018 just a wee bit different).

And it was the end of my second year of early retirement, for which I have no regrets.   Who would trade away sunny garden lounging, random explorations full of serendipity, quality AND quantity time with dachshunds, and lots more time with good friends in favor of more money?  Not I.

Some days were slower than others (RAIN RAIN GO AWAY), and others were far too busy, but it balanced out on the whole.  I became an expert at doing nothing, and yet I also managed to fit in 40 hours of volunteer work for the Seattle Audubon Publications Committee, ten weeks of fostering two rescue dogs from Hearts4Doxies, and a few hours with ARC of Washington at their annual 5K run for people with disabilities (helping with set up and cheerleading, not actually running myself!).  I look forward to volunteering with the Special Olympics, being held here in Seattle this coming summer, and working with Seattle Audubon on a special exhibit at the Burke Museum.

Okay, that's it for my End of the Year Report.  This post will be followed by my annual Books Read list.  In the meantime, here are photos from the last week of 2017.

We got snow on Christmas!

Pippin had no trouble going out in it -- he hopped around like a bunny.

Since I couldn't get out and about, I did a very quick sketch of the my front gate.

I also did my first sketch of Pippin.

And another drawing of my living room.

The snow was all gone in a couple of days, so I got out for a bit of sketching from inside the car -- this is the view from a parking lot at  Hamlin Park, where there is a public art installation of concrete painted spheres:

Back home, the pups seemed to be getting along just fine.

In birding news, I got a new Life Bird!  A Rose-breasted Grosbeak had been appearing regularly at a private home's backyard feeder in the Greenlake neighborhood, and the homeowners welcomed birders to come and see this uncommon bird -- more typically it prefers higher altitudes.  I got over there on Saturday morning and after a 45-minute wait along with several other eager birders, the Grosbeak turned up.

I spent the wait time sketching the view I had over the back fence.

A lovely bird seen in good company on a sunny day. 

On Sunday I went out sketching with Tina and Nicole.  We parked at Golden Gardens and drew from inside the comfort of Tina's car.  It was a bit tricky for me, seated in the back, but I managed.

Quite a busy week, which ended with dinner out last night with friends, and a whole lot of noise from my neighbors who were hosting a party, and a beautiful sunrise this morning.

HAPPY NEW YEAR FROM ME, TRUMAN, AND LITTLE PIPPIN!