Springtime in the Rockies

http://debstover.blogspot.com/

Spring showers at 7,436' above sea level are often white. In fact, I remember many Mother's Days spent with snow. The tomato seedlings are still inside, but the lettuce and peas don't mind germinating beneath the snow, thank goodness. I'll bet the bears wish they had waited a couple of weeks longer before leaving their caves this year, though.


View from my front door at 6:20 AM, April 24th, 2010

View from my office, 6:21 AM, April 24th, 2010

I console myself with the reminder that summers at altitude are wonderful, though entirely too short.

Looks like good writing weather. And reading...

Happy spring, wherever you are!

~Deb

Sunday Morning

Ah, Sunday mornings are so lovely and lazy. I staggered out of bed with my usual arthritic stiffness, hobbled toward the bathroom, flipped on the light, and found "someone" waiting. In the sink. Stuck. Trembling.



I didn't scream, because I hadn't had my coffee yet. I looked at the poor, adorable--obviously trapped in the slippery marble sink--baby mouse and said, "There's no way I'm going to kill you, so don't be afraid."

Once I've seen its face, I do not kill. No way. I'm not a vegetarian, but I don't eat anything with a name or face either. I just...can't. My grandparents owned a dairy farm. We drank milk, but we didn't eat the cows. I was brokenhearted when I found out what sometimes happened to the chickens I helped my grandmother feed.

Back to Minnie Mouse....

Hours later, after morning coffee, etc., I enlisted the aid of my gentleman friend, who also agreed the little mouse must be safely captured and transported to the great outdoors. Yes, of course I realize he/she will probably just come back inside my house, but let's not go there yet. He found a plastic cup in the kitchen with a lid. After I snapped this very bad photo with my Blackberry, he scooped the little critter up and took him/her safely out to the front yard where my dog couldn't make sport of it.

So we've done our Sunday Morning Good Deed.

Now...tell me why we've had lows in the upper 40s the last week of July, and have mice coming into the house the 1st weekend of August.... It's too early for fall and winter even at this altitude.

Another impact of global climate change, no doubt. ::sigh::

I have a huge vegetable garden where this mouse could be happily feasting instead of being trapped in my bathroom sink. Go figure.

Have a wonderful Sunday and read something with a happy ending.

~Deb

PS: Some of you may remember my earlier post about this, much larger "visitor."

Spring

It's finally, finally, finally spring here at 7,436 feet above sea level. We've had a lot of rain the past week, and a couple of nights when the temperature dipped into the upper 30s, so snow was still a possibility. But we dodged that bullet. This time... I have known it to snow here on the Fourth of July, so the threat is always there, though it's rare, thank goodness.

Summers at high altitude are glorious. In a perfect world, I would have a winter home in Portland or Seattle, because I adore cool, rainy winters, and a summer home right here. It gets quite hot in the Pacific NW, believe it or not. A lot of people believe it rains there all year round, but it's really only during the winter months.

To view some marvelous local photography of the mountains, wildlife, and the changing seasons, click on the slideshow show in the right-hand column. My gentleman friend, Martin Yaslowitz, is a very talented photographer, as you can see.

In fact, this weekend he's taking the first "official" baby portraits of our beautiful Bella. I'll be sure to post those soon. Meanwhile, here's another one taken with my Blackberry.



Happy reading and writing (and gardening!!!!).

~Deb

Springtime in the Rockies

Happy reading, hopefully not by candlelight....

~Deb

Winter Again Already

Autumn in the Rockies is entirely too short. Already the beautiful aspenglow has given way to biting cold nights, with brilliant sunshine during the day. When the wind isn’t blowing, people unfamiliar with Colorado are often amazed that we locals are out walking around in sweaters when it’s 20 or 30 degrees outside. It’s downright balmy to us on a calm, sunny day to stomp around in the snow without having to brace ourselves against the wretched wind. Alas, we do have more windy days than not. Fortunately, my house up here next to the Peak National Forest is against Sundance Mountain, which shelters it from the north and west. Most really bad weather comes from those directions. We certainly still get our feet of snow every season, but that mountain offers us a tiny respite from the bitter cold wind, for which I am always thankful.

Thanksgiving is coming entirely too soon. I’m writing like a mad woman, as The Gift is now on the schedule for November 2009, and I must have it finished by the end of the year. I’m excited about finally seeing this book in print. It’s been quite a stumbling block in my path for far too long, and it’s time to see it to fruition.

For what are you thankful this season?

Love,
Deb