I know - a bit belated, but the New Zealand thing wore me out!

Soon after we were home from NZ, there was a full moon. I thought it might be interesting to see a sequence of moonrise shots. The next morning when I got up, I discovered that the moon was about to set. So here is the corresponding sequence of sequence of moonset shots.

Tate had to have an ACL (left rear leg elbow something or other) operation. Here he is with Tracie, his favorite "nurse", and walking partner, about to go for a walk. You can see his bandage in the lower right corner.

On the 19th of December, we awoke to some frosty weather, as seen from the front of the house. Behind the house the Ponderosas are glistening in the sun. Down by the pond, this Madrone has a fringe of frost. This rosebud is almost shivering. Beside the driveway, pines are really frosty looking, and on the hill further behind the house, guess what: more frosty pines.

Christmas Eve, we drove to Sacramento to spend the day with Evan, Laura, Ian, and Fiona and with Laura's parents and family. Christmas Eve there were also some presents to open. Dennis looked on, as did Evan, and Rita and Amelia. I looked on, too, but there is no picture of that. Fiona was please with her pink outift. Ian was please to get a game and no socks. Fiona displays her Mary Poppins books. Ian was most pleased with his new Nintendo set.

Christmas day found Ian outside with his favorite toy, soon followed by Fiona. Later in the day Sandra held Ian's and Fiona's new cousin, Odin at Tim's and Joyce's where we went for Christmas dinner. Naturally, there were more presents for Brenna, Ian, and Fiona.

Final shot of the year. We left for Arizona on the 27th, and on the 29th as we approached Phoenix, I took this shot of the Palo Verde generating station and the steam plumes from the cooling towers.