Warming the Bones

Okay.

I know that just two weeks ago I was posting about
celebrating the winter season.

However, there comes a point in time when I get just a little tired of it.

I fondly remember how it looked,
when I could walk out onto my front porch
and take in THIS colorful site:

It was just a few months ago. Eons ago.

Then, the view got to be like THIS:
(Notice the white dusting on the top of the mountain.)

Not quite so colorful, but still lovely,
even with the garage roof slicing off the bottom of the mt.

Now, day after day, I have THIS scene to greet me:


About late January,
I realize that my eyes are searching for color.

Seek and ye shall find.

So, on my daily hikes, I SEEK.


And I find blessedly bright red rose hip berries
greeting me along the canyon pathway:


And the brilliant green moss and multi-colored lichen
growing in a couple of spots along the northern canyon walls.
(These cliffs are too steep to hold the snow.)

Given the right conditions,
the rocks themselves can be dreamy with colors.
(Water from the melting snow brings out the hues.
It only happens on a day above 32 degrees.)

However, some days it seems like my canyon walk is just filled with
WHITE, GREY & BLACK.


Then, we'll have a few days without a snowfall
and, peaking out from it's nordic blanket, I'll see something like THIS:



It stirs my heart and warms my bones.

Good Deeds

My sister and brother-in-law get the Heroes of the Week Award for spending vacation time replacing my decidedly dead car battery.


Three trips to Auto Zone and my motor was finally humming once again. Now tell me, who wants to make three trips to such an establishment on a Saturday evening when you are on vacation? My sis and B*I*L were mighty cheerful Good Deed Doers, that's all I can say!

Speaking of good deeds, our local government gave me a very generous gift this winter by installing a bridge at the base of the canyon where I take my daily hikes.


Since I cannot possibly risk a fall with my new spinal fusions, the bridge was installed just before the first snow.

During previous winters, I would slide down one side of that river bank and claw my way up the other side. It was exceptionally kind of the city to recognize my post-surgical dilemma and provide me with such a marvelous and rather extravagant gift.

(But I'm worth it.)

Mountains of White Stuff

Just a little holiday post script:

We have been blanketed with a spectacular
white frosting
here in the Rocky Mountains.
And there have been a few dumps
since the arrival of 2009!

The dogs just love it.
Below is Chica, left, and one of the Labradors
who spent the holidays with us.

And Playful People love it too!
Below, my son Arian

Greg's 'Big Daddy' Snowball




There's enchantment everywhere.
(Do notice that I'm wearing a marshmellow outfit.
It's not exactly warm here.)

A dazzling family (3 of my goddaughters & their dad) to compliment
the EXQUISITE CANYON backdrop!


On the home front, there's lots of snow removal work.
Good thing I've had many helping hands to make it happen.

Even my grandson got involved in the action-


Truly, this winter season has provided us
LOTS of reasons to get outside and celebrate!

Tail-end of Holidays

My brother Scott's gang showed up last night after spending a week at their family's cabin in Sundance. The evening snow fall prompted THIS sort of creativity in the back yard around 11 p.m. (Everyone is still enjoying holiday hours.)



This morning, Scott shoveled my treacherous driveway and right out to the road. Besides being a Mormon Bishop and a Doctor of Family Therapy, he's a darn good bro!

His kids (five and a tag-a-long friend) are just delightful, as well as the canine family members, Frodo and Sundancer. I'm also terribly fond of my sister-in-law, on the right, who hiked the canyon with me for at least two years during the 1980s. Canyon buddies are Forever Friends.

Off they go to California!