Ten years ago, in 2005, I reported with some pride that we had purchased a tractor.

Now, in 2015, 1,100 engine hours later, that workhorse is still in service, only dented here and there. It helps us with tree removal (that's John, standing on the trunk of a tree fallen over a creek, the whole construct stabilized by, you guessed it, the tractor). Oh, and furniture removal (see the old-style metal-framed hida-acouch being lowered out of the guest house).

Not to mention earth/mulch moving, landscape or road maintenance.

Landscape maintenance is a on-going chore. Two trees this year fell close to doing real damage. But, a miss is as good as a mile. Hopefully mother nature's aim will continue be at least this poor.

Another annual maintenance task involves cleaning rockfall from the trail leading to the beach. This year we stopped long enough to enjoy a beach walk after our work. This is pretty much what we look like most days.

Yet another maintenance project has involved refurbishing one of the rentals. After ten years, it needed some attention.

Now on to the fun stuff. Skiing in January, as usual. Wine tasting in October.

Then there was the maiden voyage and shakedown cruise. John and an experienced boat handler friend, Steve Hiett, launched the boat on Lake Crescent. A beautiful day, no one around. We practiced docking, launch and retrieve, avoiding obstacles, and just plain enjoyed the day.

And now, the reason for it all:

Here are few pictures from Chicago (actually Evanston): the graduation ceremony. The happy graduate at lunch afterward. And most of all, proud mother Mischa and her son.

And finally, some of pictures that remind us why we live here (not far from the end of the world, where, clearly there must be dragons). The two sunsets are the same evening, with the colors changing from orange to deep pinks as the sun set.