Looking out this window seems sacrament. We are surrounded by Ponderosa pine forest, and, as in Hawaii with the ocean, I tend to take the trees more for granted, the longer our tenure in this place. I remind myself to remain better in touch with not only these regal giants who hold their ground with very little rainfall, but with my own inner, deeper, more profoundly feeling self. (And the mind skitters on. Returns to that pause in the narrative. Reevaluates her response.)
Brilliant snow surrounds us, and storms don’t last long. The most we’ve experienced of gray and stormy skies has been two days each, then the sun reclaims its dominance in cobalt blue skies. I just today got a book on building a year-round solar greenhouse. Our plan is to convert a sizeable garden, already footed with railroad ties and a short wall reinforced with metal lathing to prevent tunneling incursions from gophers and squirrels. Excited. Solar anything made sense in Hawaii, and makes double sense here in the high desert.
Speaking of snow, it is usually powdery here, not the wet, heavy ice-storm-prone snows of New England. Yet it follows that there is a profound difference in the forest composition. Pine forests in the high desert look like planted tree farms without the deep leaf mulch of their wetter sister woodlands. Likewise, the forest service issues permits to cut and gather dead and down trees, which keeps detritus cleared out in what can be tinderbox territory. Our part of the Maine woods was so lush that on what was once 65 acres of lakefront forest, we rarely walked the whole of the property. Here, we walk our 14 acres morning and night. This morning’s treat was a huge turkey, flushed out by the Heeler, soaring 45 feet into a Ponderosa. Nevermind the symbolism of Turkey on a total solar eclipse day, it was a splendid sight to behold. We love the creatures who frequent this land!
frozen dog water 😉
the current clearing we’re working on (notice the beginning of a brush pile).
The unfinished Adobe bought with our property. We hope to finish it one day.
After the storm two days ago. Part of the same clearing, above.
Oh, those skies – love that blue! <3
Me too. 😛😘
Incredibly beautiful…
Mahalo, David. We just returned from 2 hrs north today – went to Pagosa Springs CO to pick up my mountain bike and soak in the mineral springs. We live 25 min from Ojo Caliente Springs here in NM, but they had a fire in their main bathhouse and closed for a time. Anyhow, drove through the most amazing country – the cliffs around Abiquiu, Los Brazos, seeing the peaks of the Rockies in the morning light, and the sandstone spires lit in hues of pink at sunset. Spectacular.
Wow
There’s nothing like a western sky. (K)
True, that! Hawaii too. Unusual skyscapes, both. Take care 😉
I’ve never been to Hawaii, but my parents lived their last years in Arizona and I remember those skies.
Yes. I do love the desert. Went there a lot as a kid. CA and AZ deserts. I remember my dad buying giant bags of Coachella pink grapefruit and desert dates. Big treats for us then.
Yes, my parents had grapefruit trees. It was a treat!
☺️
Dearest Bela.. I missed this post of yours… The air I can almost breath it in… Clear and crisp…. 😀 such beautiful landscape… Oh to walk 14 acres 🙂 breathing freely lol.. 🙂
You look well my friend and happy in your new logo too… 🙂
Have a beautiful Christmas in your new Home my friend…
Thank you for your beautiful friendship… Loved the White Peacocks.. 🙂 Sending you love and Hugs your way…
Love Sue <3 🙏🎄💛🎅✨🎁💖
Aww, glad you liked the peacocks. Such a beautiful card 😉 It’s a great place for me. Chris misses the warmth of Hawaii – I miss nothing about it. I love the brisk thin air and the sunshine above!
Enjoy your Christmas, sweet. May the universe shower you with blessings in the days ahead. <3
Thankyou,, Hope you received the peacocks reply.. 🙂 <3 <3 <3 Love and Hugs.. ENJOY your White Christmas.. 🙂
I did. Thank you! 😍
Ah, you make me want to move to New Mexico with your descriptions and pictures. Sounds majestically beautiful! 😊💕
It is! Though every place has its beauty, I find. And it’s challenges. And so it goes. Happy new year, Betty! 🤸🏼♂️🎊🎉💕🙏
Having always been a city dweller, though in different countries, your perspective of how life on a ranch looks like seems so esoteric and desirable. You are indeed blessed Bela.
Shakti
Yes, it is peaceful here. The challenge with any remote area is paying the bills, kind of like anywhere else! But we have a little time yet to figure that out. Many blessings in the new year, Shakti. I think we could all use a break! 😜🥳🤗🙏
What a wonderful place!
Thank you! It is 😉