Warming Up to Cold Weather

I think we need to get a REALLY big snow shovel!

Nothing feels more like Christmas than a a nicely timed snowfall and a live Christmas tree.  As the saying goes, be careful what you wish for because the snow came in abundance.  And continues to come to the surprise of the La Nina "experts".  At first it was light, fluffy snow that started falling in mid-December. Then it became "let's have a talk" serious kind of snow.  Snow comes at will now, making the White Mountains of Arizona one of the whitest winter wonderlands in the west this year.  Not complaining.  I've really warmed up to winter in our cozy cabin with log firestove cranking out warmth and atmosphere. 
As for the live Christmas tree, Sky Island Woman would like to introduce you to a new member of the family; Pepe. 
As for his name,  Pepe has three brothers named Manny, Mo and Jack.  The first three were presents from our generous neighbor, "green thumb Francis" and those three Blue Spruce seem to be thriving at their new ground floor digs here at the cabin.  We thought that it would be kind of "green" to have a live Christmas tree as well as help repopulate a once common evergreen on some of our land.  So after much searching for the PERFECT TREE, Pepe was adopted and welcomed into our life here in the high country. 

Pepe getting acquainted during the holidays.


Thankfully we did all our hole-digging for Pepe prior to the big freeze (s).   He would have had to live on the porch till Spring if we had lost the bubble on Nature's Way. 
On the left you see Pepe on the cabin porch.  We know he is warm natured so didn't want him to get hot and bothered in the cabin.  Pepe is a fresh air fiend and we were happy to see his fairy lights and Christmas ornaments through the windows. 



Pepe In His Permanent Home


Another wonderful bonus of a White Christmas was some of the best skiing ever this early in the three mountains that make up the Sunrise Ski Complex in Arizona.  The skiing started in mid-December and is still robust after our weekly snow allotments.   PLENTY of powder and deep snow base (yipee!).  Because the cabin itself is smack dab on the Mogollon Rim we seem to have even more snow than the surrounding areas and were able to give rigorous field testing to our new snow shoes (from Santa).  

For those new to the activity, snow shoeing is great in every way.  There are no downsides to this cool winter sport.  Fresh air, exercise and it gets you quietly out into the entirely different world of winter wildlife.  Snowshoeing through the woods is like walking in a storybook that tells you what all the creatures of the forest have been doing when you weren't looking. Each animal has a special track. You can read where a squirrel bounded over to a tree and climbed up, where a rabbit ran fast in a straight line, where a  deer made a huge leap over a deep ravine.
Because the drifts were so high (2 ft and more in places)  I was pleased to see that deer and elk had made trails through the woods.  They make good routes, finding the gentle, less-extreme slopes. Glen and I followed in their tracks and tried to help establish a better path out here in the woods for us 'wild things". 

Here are some glimpses of everyday winter life at the cabin.



Snow Shoeing Is More Fun Than Shoveling!



Glen and Friend Lee Help Pepe Adjust To His New Home

Friend Ines Makes the Best of a Ski Patrol Assist After A Snow Boarder Got Too Friendly

Glen Tries To Lighten the Load on the Side Porch

Better But Slippery On Top!