Connie in Ouray

 There is a scant 1.5 inches of snow on the ground.  It snowed most of yesterday but very lightly.  It is so beautiful up here, and I'm grateful I get to see it.  You've probably heard that Telluride Ski has delayed their opening because it's too warm, and so far it's looking like the La Nina predictions are coming true.  The ice farmers are trying to work in the ice caves, but it is slow going. Barb Woolverton (3) sent me two videos showing a lone bighorn sheep wandering around her property.  I didn't realize they were up here, and it was so exciting to see. The coots are still around, despite the pond starting to freeze over and limiting their paddling space.  There aren't any bear signs, and haven't been since they wandered into our front yard, so I assume they're now safely hibernated.  We haven't seen the turkeys in weeks, hoping they went down to warmer areas. In what I hope is the end of this saga, JP and Michelle (20) had Amerigas up to sw...

 I'm starting to feel like Garrison Keillor from A Prairie Home Companian  when I say it's been a quiet week on Mineral Farms Lane.  We had an inch of snow earlier this week, which brings our total this fall to 12.5 inches.  Here's to much more! This morning, there was a skim of ice on the pond because it got really cold last night.  Never having lived by water, I'm finding the changing scenes of our pond fascinating.  Unfortunately, you all will be the recipient of many pictures.  I just can't help myself. Mike has been trying to figure out what kind of ducks are floating on the pond.  They haven't been coming close enough to get a good picture, but he finally got one and sent it to his law partner, who is a duck hunter.  He said they're not ducks.  They're coots, and according to him, they taste terrible.  Believe me, we have no intention of finding out.  Mark Veenstra (22) called yesterday and walked us through turning up th...

The bears, turkeys, and mountain lion are nowhere to be seen, and I assume the bears are now hibernating, the turkeys taking off for warmer climes, and the lion doing his/her far-ranging life.  We're still seeing deer, of course, but the only time I've been wary is when one stared me down last spring on the road with her fawn in the brush.  How fast can one back away? A few days ago, we met the new residents of 2 MFL (formerly James), Chimene and Arnold Fickert.  They are two doctors from the Dallas/Ft. Worth area, and they are planning on spending a good amount of time here.  Their main concern, after our warning about the really active wildlife, was the snow on the road, and we really couldn't allay their concerns since this is a new winter with fewer full-time residents.  They have been visiting friends here for over 10 years and are game for all hiking activities.  They have a dog, a Vizsla like Aaron and Marchelle's three.  JP and Michelle (20) ha...