Skip navigation

Tag Archives: snow

Just Walkin My Dogs

Even in the coldest and snowiest weather, the dogs want to go for a walk every morning. And sometimes in the afternoon too. That morning walk sometime after breakfast seems to get them settled for the rest of the day with a series of naps and occasional forays out into the cold, or sometimes even a major outing involving a ride in the car. Today they seemed slower about telling me it was time for the walk – maybe the snow falling slows everyone down. They were happy to get out and look for sticks and smells and try to find out which deer and coyotes and other wildlife had walked on our trail. Looking out the window, I am guessing that by afternoon, all traces of our walk will have disapeared in a soft blanket of new snow.

Kelly says, nope, I don’t like having my picture made

Well, maybe for a cookie, you can make my picture, but you’d better be quick

Luna and Sam will hold still for a cookie anytime

I’ll have that cookie now please

Sam is ready to go home

Snowflakes in my Eyes

Skate skiing is meant to be done on groomed trails. The MVSTA folks do a good job – grooming many if not all of the 200k of trails every night. That’s great after a fresh snow fall. Today I made the mistake of going skiing right when the heaviest snow came down, at least on the lower part of the Community Trail. It must have snowed a couple inches in the hour or so I was out there. And I don’t have any glasses or goggles for this type of weather so there I went with my head facing down to keep the snow out of my eyes! It wasn’t too cold and the snow was light and powdery and my skis glided through it pretty easily but still, it wasn’t as much fun as other days out there. Don’t get me wrong, I am happy for any snow that falls this winter. My timing was just bad for skiing today. The skies are clearing now.

 

 

Only 25k to Mazama

 

5k back to town!

 

 

Meanwhile, back at the ranch

Back home in the Methow, winter’s grip grows tighter with cold temperatures and crusty snow despite calendars indicating that it is still fall. Sunny days do make it seem warmer.

Mt Robinson and Goat Peak

 

Fuzzy crusty snow

 

Sam is feeling a little better with new medications

 

Luna hardly knows the meaning of ‘having a bad day’

 

See, it’s still fall

 

 

 

 

 

 

Why Did The Grouse Cross the Road?

Ruffed Grouse on Lester Road yesterday. I love their slooowwww, measured steps. It’s almost as if the bird is thinking ‘if I take it easy and don’t make any sudden moves, no one will notice me on this snow-covered road’.

 

 

 

 

To get to the other side, silly.

 

 

 

 

Less than desirable photo quality is due to shooting through the windshield.

Early Winter

Yesterday we went for a ‘Sunday Drive’. All the dogs piled into the new car and we took some snacks and headed up the Chewuch River. Not too much snow up there so we had some nice easy walks. Two of the dogs are old and one is nearly lame so we all took it easy.

Our first stop was Falls Creek Falls – pretty in all seasons and some especially interesting ice forms this visit.

The Yellow Belly – Ponderosa Pines – are especially pretty in winter

Rosehips brilliant color and citrus taste make them especially attractive to birds. People enjoy them as well.

We saw two beavers on the Chewuch.

The fresh light snow was excellent for tracking animals. Here is a tiny one – maybe a vole?

And a moose. There were two sets – maybe a cow and calf.

And a big black bear. It walked along the road between when we drove up and when we returned. This was the second set of bear tracks we saw yesterday. I wonder when they will begin hibernating?

Lots of elderberries still hanging from the bushes. Do bears eat these?

And more beautiful rosehips

Ice on the Chewuch 

And the lonely snags from the 30 Mile Fire, ten years ago. Wind blowing through them made an eerie wailing sound. No doubt, these woods are haunted.