Of all the photos I've taken on my game cameras - an eight point buck, a troop of raccoons or a drunk bubba with his shirt off walking in front of a beater at 2 am - this one made me smile the most. It's a special bear that checks your Posted signs at night!

In addition to being a great rider, master of hounds, and tinkerer, Julia's dad, Harlowe Carpenter, was a sculptor. His big thing was turning old farm equipment like threshers, tedders and tractors into sculptures. This is one of my favorites on a frosty morning. I call it Bat Dog. The one thing Harlowe wasn't great at was welding. Over the years, I've rewelded half of the pieces we own. Who cares. It just makes them more loved.

In case you need reminding. This sign caught my eye at a flea market a few miles from our home. (Hudson, NC)

A seed head bends under an icy load on the trail that leads to the top of our mountain

My wife Julia and I call this Border Collie Assist. That's when Diggity and Lucky, our rescue border collies, get on a fresh scent and lean into their leashes. This is great for towing you up hills but not so great when going downhill...

We recently had an overnight ice storm. It was a kind one that didn't snap a bunch of trees or tear down the powerlines. After building a fire in the wood stove, drinking coffee and feeding the horses and mules, we went for a walk to check out the wintry wonder. The whole world looked like it was dipped in crystal, and by noon, the ice was gone.

Julia walking Lucky and Diggity on the orchard the morning after the ice storm.

A few years ago, Julia and I built a stone in the middle of our orchard. One day, while plowing the area for a feed plot, I unearthed a wide, flat stone. It looked just like a tombstone, so I propped it against the cairn. When guests ask who's buried under it, I say The Unknown Cowboy.

Julia using the Trust Technique with our neighbor Laura's baby donkey Kona. The Trust Technique is a way of lowering an animal's mind and deepening connection and trust.