Winter

Winter is hanging on here in Southern Colorado.  On Monday it was 70 degrees.  On Tuesday, we had a foot of snow.  The wet, heavy kind, too.  I'm not complaining.  The dirt roads are a bit sloppy, but one of our neighbors, Terry, is kind enough to plow the 3 miles of road on our community ranch.  That's so kind of him.  Today, even though there was mud everywhere, the road was nice and dry, because they were plowed.  But I really haven't been able to hike the trails since Tuesday because of all of the mud.  I'm getting to the age when, if you fall on your butt, you can hurt yourself.  I'm not bouncing up and shaking it off like I used to.

Wild Turkey Tracks

The mountain range to our west, though, it majestic with the snow.  Hopefully it will fill all of the lakes and rivers.  Colorado has been suffering, as has a lot of the rest of the country, with drought.  It's been bad.  And when the trees are stressed, the bark beetles move in.  I've seen huge swaths of brown, dead trees due to that horrible pest.  It's so sad.  The only good thing I can see that comes out of it is the beetle kill wood is absolutely gorgeous.  Since there's so much of it, I'd like my ceiling in the new house to be beetle kill pine.

I've been working with our local animal shelter.  It's a very rewarding job.  I volunteer, and I am their treasurer.  I've taught the shelter director how to use QuickBooks.  This year, for the first time ever, they have accurate and concise reports to work with.  Prior to my joining them, they struggled for years with not knowing details on any income, expenses, assets... nothing.  Kind of amazing to me, since to me, it's such a simple thing.  But this is a town of artists.  Most of them are right brained people.  Much to their credit.  But running a business is different.

I have to run up to Raton in New Mexico to get some lights.  I'll add a few pictures and sign off for now.