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Tag Archives: winter

Luna is still recovering from her unfortuante accident last November. She continues to lack stamina and may still have some pain in her lower back. However, she wants to have fun. She wants to run and play with other dogs, go to agility and be the happy girl she’s always been. We’ve only occasionally been out to Big Valley – the winter ski/bike/snowshoe/walk/dog trail between Winthrop and Mazama – this winter. Last winter she would outrun me even on my skate skis or she’d be out in the deep snow searching for voles or anything else that caught her attention.

Today was a sunny warm morning and the MVSTA grooming report said it would be done around ten. A perfect morning for spring skiing. Apparently I am not the only person who reads those reports! Numerous cars full of people and dogs showed up right behind us!

 

A Ruffed Grouse slowly crossed the road, one sloooooow step at a time

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I think he is displaying to me. It is Valentine’s Day after all.

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Luna is excited to be at Big Valley!

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She starts off at a good clip

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She’s always had an easy running gait

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Who’s that down there?

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Hi. My name’s Luna.

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I’m Molly.

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Don’t act silly; they are watching us.

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Mike, the groomer, loves his job!

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Come on, quit talking! Let’s go!

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I don’t think you can catch him.

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I love these aspens.

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Starting to slow down after about 3k

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But then, there’s the river!

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I can will you to give me a cookie.

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Remains of the fall

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And winter’s ice

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Getting real tired now

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Trees. I can’t get enough of them.

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There’s some of the dogs we met at the parking lot.

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He doesn’t even know he’s different

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Just another k to go. You can do it Luna!

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Yesterday’s warmth melted snow and ice and created beauty everywhere I looked.

 

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Today I skied from Brown’s Farm to Mazama, had lunch and skied back; a distance of about 20k. For me it’s a good sk;, for others it’s just an average day. It’s a mostly flat stretch of the Community Trail along the Methow River. Along the way I was able to see quite a few interesting birds – a Belted Kingfisher, American Dippers, a large (200 plus) flock of Common Redpolls, Ravens, Mallards, Mountain and Black-capped Chickadees, Red-breasted Nuthatches, an unknown diving duck and a Northern Pygmy Owl. Soup at the Mazama store was Brazilian Black Bean served with avocado cream and salted baguette and quite satisfying. Temperatures were a little bit warmer, into the twenties today. Feels downright balmy after all the single digit days.

 

This dog is the official greeter at Brown’s Farm. I should know his name by now.

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A gray day seemed perfect for black and white

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The Methow River

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Soup and bread at the Mazama Store.

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I really, really need a longer lens for the little camera.

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The last few days have been full of contrasts – brilliantly sunny skies paired with temperatures in the single digits, if not below zero. There has been no time for standing around enjoying the views. Walks are brisk; ski trips are purely aerobic. Little birds have swarmed the feeders while the Sharp-shinned Hawk keeps an eye out for the slow ones. The dark night skies are full of more stars than you can even imagine, however as cold as it is, it’s hard to do much star gazing.

 

One day a light wind filled in the trail with compacted snow.

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There’s something about this line that I really like.

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Hard to imagine how cold it is in this picture.

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Those are the sledding trails from New Years!

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I tried digi-scoping with my little camera on my scope. There’s a real knack to getting it right.

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Long shadows on a sunny day

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Pine needles stuck in the snow

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Luna got a little hoar frost on her muzzle

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Interesting ice form on the deck railing

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Yesterday was another long day of falling snow. I managed to do some shoveling when it slowed down just before dark. Today was the real shovel day though. I even had to go down to the bottom of the hill and dig out our mailbox. While we appreciate the hardworking folks that plow our road and driveway, we wish they’d take a little bit of care with the mailbox. Also dug out the porch, the paths and the snow that fell from the shop roof, leaving just a narrow walkway to get to the shop and greenhouse. Who needs a gym with all this snow? Luna and I enjoyed a slow walk too.

 

Even though we use this path almost daily, it nearly disapeared with the recent snow

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The lumps are bitterbrush that the mule deer need to reach for winter forage

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Interesting shapes in the snow

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And what’s this tiny thing?

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Luna is tired out walking on the trail. She no longer leaps and plays in the soft snow.

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Serviceberry

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Snow weighs heavily on branches

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The top of the middle tree broke off yesterday

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There is its top, covered by last night’s plowing

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This tree has us worried. It is leaning over our road.

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There’s two of them

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Chickdees and finches take refuge in a cottonwood

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Snow weighs heavily on the fiber. It vibrates with the weight.

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Lots of icicles

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Almost a surreal scene

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And framed by icicles

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