2/9/2024: 8″ of powder on 4″ of slush on 2″ of ice on 4+” of mud: it’s a beautiful day.

There’s no doubt that the moisture plume (the name I know it by) (aka Atmospheric River) has made it’s way from the coast to northern New Mexico. Combined with continued warmer-than-normal temps, 4 Fords has seen some unusual weather for February, making the road impassable and the rocks up on the cliffs slip and tumble. The days and nights are a parade of rain, sleet, hail, snow, high winds, thunder and lightning, followed by a few minutes of brilliant sunshine to light it all up, then disappear back into the gloom. And more is coming.

The above title doesn’t do justice to the general yuckiness. With Alan in Denver, I am here alone with 3 bored dogs (one belongs to a friend) and a serious case of cabin-fever. I try to get them out for a good hike every day, but, even with microspikes or snowshoes, there is no way to avoid sinking into the underlying mud that refuses to freeze. Even the pups get tired of it and end up wanting to go back indoors to warm up by the fire.

On the other hand, the canyon has been exceptionally pretty when the sun does emerge, with the daily fresh snowfall and the trees coated in ice. I hear elk, coyotes and birds all over. There’s a fox who yips every evening, although I have yet to see her. There have been a couple of small rock falls that echo through the canyon for a minute or more. The mountain lion I posted about in the last blog is still around, although not nearby. We just see his tracks and keep a close eye out.

In the morning, I scrape off the arrays to keep the power going. It’s a chore I actually enjoy because it gives immediate satisfaction:

Here’s a quick video of me clearing the snow when it’s wet and heavy. It actually takes about 5 minutes. (Much easier when it’s powder.) And of course, there are 2 smaller arrays to also clear.

Other daily winter chores include moving and chopping firewood, another activity I really enjoy, and have for over 50 years. I don’t do any shoveling, which is good because I hate it. The way this place is set up, it’s just not necessary. I feed the birds every few days and take out the compost.

Every morning Clair, Zane and I visit Catoo, who lives in an insulated cathouse inside the greenhouse during the winter. She is about 16 years old (we have been told: she came with the ranch), but is very healthy and happy. She says hi to us with purrs, gets some pets, and touches noses with the pups, but is mostly interested in food. At night she hunts, as you can see from our wildlife cam. She gets quite chubby in the winter, but slims down in the summer. On sunny days, the greenhouse reaches 70 degrees even if it’s only 30 outside.

We play a lot. The dogs and I, that is. Throwing balls and sticks, chasing balls and sticks, searching for lost balls and sticks. It’s an endless game of the joys of balls and sticks!

I also just play in the snow.