It's been too long

Nearly a year since my last entry.  Not much has happened, just the passing of seasons back to winter again. 

The first snow of this season has come and gone and we're back to Indian Summer.  Highs in the 50s this week and our neighbor's lawns are still green.  The finches and juncos are feeding in our yard.  The sky looks weepy today, but if we get anything it'll be rain.  Our snow season is getting shorter and shorter. 

The folks at the bird refuge talk about birds that would normally have flown south staying longer and new species coming in that used to need a warmer climate than was provided this far north.  The climate is changing and with it the bird types.  My mate and I were at the refuge last week and there were dozens of species still in residence.  The refuge is for water fowl and their predators, so we saw lots of geese, ducks, pelicans, coots, cranes, ibis and egrets as well as hawks and eagles.  The road out to the main area of the refuge is finally fully paved making our journey more comfortable.  We saw a kind of hawk we've not seen before.  There were dozens of them; real beauties.  Lots of sand hills and an unidentifiable blue crane variety.  They're such large graceful birds.  The blue was a deep indigo color, almost black.  He was standing in the middle of the road looking a bit like Dracula in profile with his cloak wrapped around him.  He waited until we were very close then leisurely unwound his wings and with a few flaps, floated out above the impounded water.  Lovely!

I'll sign off now with a resolution to get to this blog more often this year.

January Rain

A gray, wet day.  Started out as snow, but quickly became rain as the day warmed up.  Stayed very dark out though.  With winters like this, I don’t see how anyone can continue to deny that the climate is changing.   Rain in January was unheard of until a decade ago and now more and more of the precipitation we get in winter is rain.  At least in the valleys. 

Our mountains have received some feet of snow over the past day and a half.  Piling heavy wet snow on light powder and setting off avalanche after avalanche.  So far, nobody’s been hurt, but, if past years are any indication, that will soon change.  Seems as the slopes, like the rest of the world, get more crowded, folks are pushing out into what’s left of the back country, putting themselves at greater risk. 

My grandnephew turned three years old yesterday.  His baby brother is just over 7 months.  The cliché is so right: they do grow up so very fast.  Spending time with them is such a treat.  The birthday boy is a bright, kind kid.  He’s been well launched into personhood by his parents and grandparents.  He’s also had the great good fortune to have his maternal grandmother (his Nanna, as he calls her) as his daycare provider.  Her demeanor is innately patient and caring.  A great combination for childrearing. 

Later in the day and the birds have taken to mobbing the front yard.  Mostly sparrows, but some finches and juncos in the mix as well.  The finches have yet to discover the seed in a special finch feeding sock my mate hung for them last weekend.  They’re still trying to hold their own against the sparrows at the main feeder.  I’m rooting for ‘em. 

That’s all for today.

Real Snow!

It finally snowed enough to shovel off the walks and driveways.  We got 4 inches early Saturday morning, then the heavens opened and the sun shone in a delft blue sky.  The sky continues clear today, though with snow on the ground the temperature has dropped.  December was an extremely dry month.  The second driest on record.  The ski resorts in our canyons have been pretty bare, but this weekend’s snow gave them enough to make their customers happy.

The cold, stark winters here can be rough on my psyche.  The foggy days, while usually warmer, don’t lift my spirits.  I look forward to the sunshine.  So the bright clear day today is doing much to put me in a better state of mind. 

New Year’s resolutions were apparent this morning at the pool.  The holidays are over and it seems everyone and her sister has resolved to get in shape.  Thus, the pool was crowded.  Several of us paddled around in the deep end, in a holding pattern until lanes opened up.  It’s always this way for the first several weeks after the New Year, then the less motivated start to slip away and by the middle of February it’s down to the stalwarts and semi-stalwarts, thank the gods.  In the meantime, I’ll start my swim circling in the deep end, like a plane waiting to land. 

Our house was filled with young folks yesterday.  Daughters and granddaughters of one of our oldest friends were here for a visit.  They filled our usually quiet house with lots of laughter and loud voices.  Food and gossip and teasing.  And, god bless ‘em, they love my hats.  So, all in all, a really great day.

Well, that’s the extent of my maunderings for today.