Rural Geek Online

Magnificent Sunrises

2012-01-19T11:55:00.000-07:00

This is such an amazing area of our country to be in - high in the northern New Mexico mountains. At just over 7500 feet elevation, the deep blue of the daytime sky, the millions of stars at night. Due to our altitude and to the clean, clear atmosphere we see a lot more than those in the coastal cities and foothills. I used to go to the mountains west of San Diego to the San Diego Astronomy Association observing site. It was beautiful there and at 4000 feet it was clear. At least I thought so until moving to Mora, NM! Wow, the clarity and clearness and beauty of the skies here far surpasses anything I noticed when living in SoCal.

Yesterday's and today's pre-sunrises were awesome. The whole sky was red and other colors; the whole trailer was shaded in colors as the sunrise started to cast it's beauty in our skies.

Splitting Wood

2012-01-16T19:15:00.001-07:00

Figured I had better post something so you wouldn't think I'd kicked the bucket... :)

As I get older [I'm 71 now] I need more exercise. Living in the mountains there are always opportunities for exercise. Soon it will be planting and gardening times. Right now it's splitting wood for the wood stoves. However, we are splitting next years wood, not this years wood.

This years wood is stacked in the background and the new piles of split wood waiting to be stacked in the foreground.

Large and knotty

...

Lots more to do yet.

Fires and Smoke in New Mexico

2011-06-27T15:13:00.000-06:00

Dawn

With so many fires starting with the Wallow fire in eastern Arizona, our state has been in the path for a lot of smoke [picture above is what sunrise looks like]. Now there are some serious fires right over the Sangre de Cristo mountains in New Mexico, north of Santa Fe in Los Alamos.

The Los Alamos fire is a new one as of this weekend. It is a national emergency due to the work of the Los Alamos lab there.

The smoke gives the land a strange color and the sun turns red.

Thick smoke is quite a filter

Strange light and a red sun color the land below in eerie light

Yesterday at 3PM while out in the garden the smoke was mixing with the regular clouds [bottom picture]. Made for very strange looking cloud cover.

Spring Time in the Rockies

2011-05-25T13:07:00.001-06:00

I've been growing some seedlings in the kitchen. Getting ready to plant them tomorrow. These are pumpkins and bush and vine buttercup squash. I put them out on the porch to acclimate them to the outside weather. They have spent the past few nights out also even though the nights got down to the mid-thirties; those are the temperatures they will see out in the garden areas.

The potato crop and sugar snap peas are already in the ground and growing. Sugar snap peas don't mind cold weather. The potatoes are less hardy but haven't come up through the dirt mounds over them as yet.

Nipper

2011-02-11T12:07:00.000-07:00

Nipper is still with me. For those of you who remember Nipper, she is 16 years old now and this is what she does most of the time. When she is awake and outside with the other three dogs, she is still alpha dog. They still defer to her and she is the tiniest of them all. Canine dynamics are fun to watch.

Finally! Snow has arrived.

2011-02-10T16:40:00.008-07:00

We had such a long fall and early winter without any moisture we were wondering when we would get some up here. The mid west has been inundated with multiple snow storms but they never made it here.

We had two storms a couple days apart, then off and on again snow flurries.

The dogs love it out there but we also have sub zero degree temps to contend with. Neither the dogs nor I enjoy those. One night it got down to minus 20. Too much brrrr in that kind of weather. As you can see, Tuffy is up to her belly in it. In most places it's about a foot now. We're supposed to get nice weather now... so it will all change to slush.

A Glorious Morning Sky

2010-12-20T09:05:00.007-07:00

We had another beautiful sunrise this morning. This time of year seems to bring the Lord's glory out for everyone to see and enjoy.

And a few mornings ago, the trees all looked like they were on fire from the early sunrise:

The snow has all melted. The weather is cold and windy today. Most likely there will be no snow for the Christmas weekend.

The new wood stove is doing a marvelous job. I'm warm at night now.

The Garden and The Rains

2010-08-06T12:31:00.009-06:00

We have had lots of rain this year. It's been wonderful. Since I moved up here, the fields have been brown in August, but not this year. Green fields and flowers everywhere.

The last week or so we've had some real heavy rains. The weeds are doing well too. And August is sunflower month. There is a huge one between the corn and the potatoes.

The tomato plant on the porch survived the hail and the tomatoes have pock marks from the hail but it keeps going. Looks pretty ragged, but the first fruit off it this morning was delicious.

A Schizophrenic Day in Mora, NM

2010-07-21T15:07:00.009-06:00

Early this am the skies were clear and blue. I took a picture of a pot with California poppies that had just bloomed this week. It sits on the front porch with some tender garden items, namely a lonely string bean bush plant just starting out and a tomato plant and raspberry ground cover plant. I keep them up there because there is protection from the wind.

About 3PM we had a hail and rain storm that blew through. Remember, this is high mountain terrain and anything can happen. Hail in the summer is not uncommon It dumped a few inches of rain and hail with lots of thunder and lightening and went off. Hope the garden survived the hail part.

Ah, another storm coming through now at 3:3-PM. Sure going to be wet for awhile. :)

March Storms

2010-03-15T10:24:00.007-06:00

I'm always taking pictures but never seem to get them up here. We had snow last night again which fell on old patches still around from a week ago. this is good snowball snow, too. You don't want to be walking under the trees when they let go of some of that snow.

This snow should melt faster since the overall temp is higher than back in the new year so it should melt faster than before.

Three of the four dogs enjoy it and the old dog, Nipper, stays inside where it's warm and comfortable. The little border collie is waiting for me to pick up her kong to throw it for her. She's paying zero attention to the other two. That kong defines her existence. She very carefully drops it in front of me and then points her nose to it so I don't miss it.

Early this am I shoveled the walk before the dogs made it into an ice rink. At least I'll be able to get the car later on. If they pack it down by walking all over it there, it can get very slippery.

Catchin' Up!

2009-11-02T07:53:00.004-07:00

The was little in the garden this past summer to wonder over. The whole summer was cool days and cold nights. Not a very conducive environment for growing. It would help if I had a greenhouse. About half the corn crop came in, the rest did nothing. Each squash vine could only manage to support 1 or 2 [at the most] squashes. Beets, carrots and kale did ok. Very strange weather for a summer. I do hear the earth is in a cooling trend. Even the global warming enthusiasts can't change God's patterns. So they renamed the issue to climate change. Only fools the people who don't research it.

---

Nipper, the wily old Pom mix at 14 years, needed some aspirin for her aching hip bone problem. I put it into her bowl of food but she was smarter than I. Notice the bowl is spotless except for that aspirin. Sure gave me a laugh.

NM Monsoon Season

2009-07-26T14:10:00.004-06:00

Every summer around here in the northern mountains comes what the locals call the "monsoons" - daily, afternoon thunder storms. Normally they start in late June or early July. People plant with with these things in mind. This year they are three weeks late but seem to be finally here.

Today I have towering thunderheads right to the east of me and heavy clouds coming over the mountain to the west of me. I feel like I'm in the fishbowl of storms here. Although there are thunderheads to the north and south, the highest are just to the east. NOAA says we're under severe tstorm warnings for 1/2 inch hail and flash floods. From a drought to lots of rain. Well the trees will survive it but the gardens are in delcate stages of growth. So I hope the hail today misses me.

Sometimes it's a bit heavy and last Friday I had a heavy dose of hail with mine. It was a half hour of hail and heavy rains. This did not do the cabbages, lettuce and spinach any good at all.

RAIN! finally!

2009-07-22T19:20:00.005-06:00

We finally got some rain last night and more this afternoon. When I got up this am early, I had these beautiful mountain mists around the area while the sun was just coming over the mountain across the valley. The first shot is looking up the valley and the second shot shows the garden area out in the front field. The flower is from a wildflower patch I planted in the middle of the garden between the corn and some cabbage plants. The seeds were for butterfly and hummingbird flowers.

Even with showers now and then there hasn't been enough rain. We've also had a few dry lightening strikes that have started fires up on the mountain behind me. Too close for comfort. This rain will help some. The good news is that El Nino in is back in the Pacific which means we will be getting some moisture this fall and winter.

The gardens are growing slowly this year. The nights are too cool and the ground doesn't stay warm enough to aid in the vegetables growing. There is no 'global warming' up here.

A Dry Winter so Far

2009-02-22T08:47:00.003-07:00

Well, it is still very dry here. No snows, no rain, no moisture. The western slopes are getting much more snow than the eastern side. This picture shows how far away the moisture is.

This is not a good sign and will make the fire season a dangerous one. Our trees and forests are way too dry even now. There have been some fires already and it isn't even the season yet.

This morning we had another beautiful sunrise. When I came out to the kitchen the house was glowing with the hues of the skies.

The Lord is good!

Not Enough Snow Yet

2009-02-10T09:05:00.004-07:00

Everyone here about has been hoping and praying for moisture of any kind. The fields are dry again, the trees and fields need the water. There is a storm coming through New Mexico tonight and the western slopes will get the brunt of it. Our side is supposed to get some also. The last storm didn't crest the peaks there and spent itself on the far side. It was cold but not enough snow to make a difference in the water table. Melts as soon as it hits.

While the neighbors are away, I'm feeding the horses and cats. They are Quarter horses, mother and daughter. Brandy the mother has never been ridden. Star the filly is 11 months old. Her picture is the top one and you can see the star that led to her name. Brandy is at the bottom. They are both quite gentle and love company.

Another glorious sunrise! Praise God!

2009-01-02T09:19:00.005-07:00

What alerts me to the wonders of the sunrise are the colors inside the trailer. Everything is tinted inside red, rose, pink etc.

So I grab my camera to get those first startling colors coming over the mountain to the east. Today the colors were everywhere even way up at the north end of the valley. This picture is looking northeast up the valley.

A New Year dawns

2009-01-01T09:47:00.006-07:00

This morning's sunrise was another glorious one.

I've also posted pictures from the Angel Fire trip last Monday on this link:

http://www.rten.org

First menu item. It also was a glorious day up there.

Winter has arrived!

2008-12-26T14:07:00.003-07:00

This is my fourth winter. It's the wettest, snowiest and coldest since I moved here in the fall of 2005. So much for global warming around these mountains.

Snowy is looking for her favorite bones. Tuffy wants to know where the ball she's so fond of chasing went.

Keep them busy

2008-12-26T13:55:00.005-07:00

The dogs do not think cows and calves belong in the field next door!

The cows ignore the noise for the most part. This cow was more careful since she had her calf with her so she paid some attention to the dogs. It certainly didn't phase the calf when it was time for lunch!

Grass was greener over here

2008-12-26T13:43:00.003-07:00

One day I walked out to see some neighboring cows grazing in the field right next to my garage. They had broken out of their own fields and came visiting to see what was over by me. This pretty lady was curious about me standing a few feet away and snapping pictures. This is not an uncommon experience around here. The field where they were is some 222 acres of mostly forest but has one good meadow right next to me. There are no structures on it. It's for sale again. I always hope that whoever purchases it will build way up on that mountain you can see behind the cows or off to the south toward town. I like the empty fields and forests on either side of me.

Thanksgiving Week 2008

2008-12-26T13:28:00.004-07:00

Thanksgiving week, 2009

The skies were glorious that week. I did take photos but just didn't get them up here.

I did snow later that day so we did have a white Thanksgiving day.

Garden Update

2008-07-25T19:14:00.003-06:00

We've had rains most every day now for the past few weeks. The garden is thriving.

Last year's onions have blossoms that the bees love. I left them there last fall wondering what would happen come springtime. Quite a group seed pods there.

The rest of the updated garden pictures are here: http://www.rten.org/ first menu item.

Clean Air & July Rains

2008-07-21T08:40:00.007-06:00

At 7500 feet the air is so clean it sparkles in the trees when it rains. July around here means planting rains. The gardens [and the weeds, wildflowers and grasses] are doing wonderfully.

With more moisture in the air we get glorious sunrises like this one.

Summer Garden - 2008

2008-07-10T11:34:00.008-06:00

Summer rains have greatly helped the growing here this summer. The garden is flourishing after a week of rains.

This is an organic garden. I use fertilizers from Gardens Alive on the crops. I use naturally composted sheep manure from a friend that runs sheep to get wool for her weaving. Her site is Three Bags Full.

High country gardening is always a challenge. Just when you think the last frost is overwith, it hails. I took the picture from within my office. There was some good sized hail and it's not fun to get caught out in it. This storm was June 28th.

I've put up a gallery of the picture from this morning on my web site. Click here. Top entry in menu.

Spring is here with a whimper

2008-05-08T08:02:00.003-06:00

The blog is missing posts. I've been remiss in posting.

There is little rain this spring. The grass is slow to come but it's trying. The choke cherry bushes are struggling to leaf and hopefully this year there won't be a late frost to strangle the cherries. There were no cherries last year to harvest. So no jam.

The aspen trees are also not showing much leaf. We really are missing the moisture up here. It seems to be falling all around the valley but little in it. It's very dusty out there and the winds dry things up even more. We pray for rain.

I am starting to see some bees which is a good thing. They, too, have been scarce this spring. Every morning I awake to meadowlarks singing outside. It's a glorious sound. I imagine they also wish for rain. The gardens go in about now until early June. It's not too late for us at this altitude to have a late frost. Last year it was around the 18th of May there was a frost which spoiled some early corn crops up valley. I didn't start mine until May 31st last year and will probably wait until then this year.

At least the inside plants are thriving. The new ones below are marigolds to be transplanted to the garden in another month. They bring the bees and add beauty to the garden as well.

Christmas Snowfall

2007-12-26T10:58:00.000-07:00

Snow fell yesterday late in the afternoon into the early evening. We got about 6-7 inches of fresh snow. With a moon just off full, it was beautiful out last night.

I shoveled a path to the heated water bowl so the dogs would have non iced water when I let them out during the night. Once the dogs start using the path, it will get pretty icy and slippery. Their feet are warm and create ice slicks for their human to slip on.

The dogs don't seem to mind the snow. They eat it for the moisture and enjoy running around in it. Even during the storm, the snow sits on top of their fur so they don't feel it like we humans do.

Today, the day after Christmas, the sun is shining and the day dawned beautiful. One view is up the valley [looking north] and the other is up the mountain [to the west] I live on.

Hope everyone's holidays are happy and safe!

Winter Fun - December 2007

2007-12-23T11:41:00.000-07:00

The snows are here, not too deep yet, and the days are beautiful.

The dogs enjoy it and don't seem to be bothered by the cold at all. The puppy was 4 months old on Dec 14th. Tuffy.

Here are a few shots from this month's storms. We are to expect another storm on Christmas day. The winter pictures

High Country Aspens

2007-10-08T09:49:00.000-06:00

I took a trip to Taos yesterday along Hwy 518 which crosses the Sangre de Christos. The color up in the high valleys and peaks is beautiful this time of year. Last night was the first really cold night this fall, so this will aid the changing of the leaves.

There should be another few weeks of full color. It's obvious that some of the trees, like some cottonwoods are just starting to change. Also from great distances, you can see the peaks covered in yellow swatches. Until you get closer, it's hard to tell they are groves of aspens.

I have jsut a few more here: http://www.rten.org/taos1007.htm

Up the Hill & Over the Pass

2007-09-28T07:58:00.000-06:00

Yesterday was beautiful day here in the northern New Mexico mountains. From Mora, we took a drive to US Hill up on the High Road to Taos. We're about a week away from all the fall colors up here. U.S. Hill is about 9,000 ft n elevation.

Up there are wild chamisa plants used in preparing yellow dye for wool. A friend of mine makes her own dyes from all natural plants [http://www.threebagsfull.biz] as well as raise all her own sheep for the wool. She is a weaver. Anyway, we drove up to get some chamisa plants so she could make some yellow dye for the wool she is taking to the upcoming wool festival in Taos.

What a gorgeous route over the mountains it is. Hwy 518 is the main road through Mora and it continues on to the west up into the mountains and ends up in Taos. Taos is on the west side of the Sangre de Christos, and Mora where I am is on the east side. The drive through and over the range is beautiful. Especially this time of year.

There were too many pictures for the blog so I put them here.

Speaking of gardens...

2007-08-12T11:44:00.001-06:00

Today I took some more shots of the 25X50 foot garden I put in this summer. [there are more pictures here]

Until the summer monsoons hit, I've had to water every evening. It's come out well. In this picture, you can see carrotts, onions, peas, lettuce, cucumbers, and the main item, six rows of corn.

A few of the lower rows were over run by bind weed. A New Mexico weed that can lay dormant in the ground for up to 50 years. It's insidious. All the tractoring and roto tilling must have awakened it.

I roto tilled in a huge load of sheep manure that had been well composted [no smell] that I got from a friend who is a weaver [Three Bags Full] and raises her own sheep. So ther is ample supply. Sheep manure is better than cow manure.

I've had no problem with rabbits, but the grubs and grasshoppers are eating up a storm.

Second Summer, 3rd snake

2007-08-12T11:25:00.000-06:00

I think there must be a nest around here somewhere. Friends up the valley haven't seen any for quite a few years. This was a 3 or 4 year old snake [ going by the number of rattles - 2 or 3per year ]. I shot this one with snakeshot in my Ruger Bearcat .22 - this was July 17th, this year. Shortly after that the monsoon rains started, so we've had afternoon thundershowers most days since then. Great for the gardens.

All three snakes have been by the water dishes by the back yard pump. The two German Shepherds alert me when there is one in the yard. They instinctively do not like snakes.

Memorial Day 2007

2007-05-28T08:40:00.000-06:00

I can't say it any better. Freedom always has a cost. Pray for our young soldiers who are still in harms way and remember what price your freedoms cost. bd.

May 28, 2007

We Dare Not Forget
—Albert Mohler

It all started soon after the end of the Civil War, when the families of the fallen went to decorate the graves of their loved ones who had died in the service of their country. Now, Memorial Day is the national holiday that announces the beginning of summer.

We dare not forget the original vision for this observance. Now, over a century after those first American memorials, we enjoy freedoms purchased and protected with the lives of so many who have worn the American uniform--soldiers, sailors and airmen who gave their lives for their country.

This is a day that should bring gratitude to every American heart. This nation has been defended by those who loved liberty more than life, and freedom more than safety. We honor their memory today as an annual reminder of a debt we can never repay. Keep this in mind as you observe this holiday with your family. Freedom is never free.

Albert Mohler is the host of The Albert Mohler Program.

Read Albert Mohler's blog on AlbertMohler.com.

And check out Townhall.

Traffic Jam in Mora

2007-05-08T15:41:00.000-06:00

Occasionally we do get traffic jams here. This one was on Hwy 434 right as I got to town.That's the bridge over the Mora river.

Our little community is spread out and small and there are no traffic lights anywhere in town. Most of the stores and the post office are right on the main drag [Hwy 518] though town. Being the county seat, we do have a courthouse. Well, it is now a set of trailers since the old, historical courthouse is condemned. We have a new library in town now. The old one was refurbished and a community college joined in the reconstruction efforts so it's quite nice for the high school students and the community.

Looking over the Year

2006-12-31T11:36:00.000-07:00

The last day of the year. I have many things to be thankful for up here. Good friends in the community and good friends still in the old community back in San Diego. We are constantly in touch via chat.

I'm am closer to God up here. There is nothing quite like the mountains to humble one and make me realize how small and insignificant I am compared to the glorious universe I see every clear night. I live at elevation 7,500 feet, so the skies are clear, no smog, no atmosphere interference of any kind except the occasional snow storm. The last storm was a good one and left us with about a foot of snow. This is great for the coming dry seasons. The more snow, the better the ground water and the pines love it. The snow was heavy and wet so has mostly dropped off the trees. I have to be careful where I walk, since it's still falling off the heavy laden branches.

More pictures on www.rten.org

Looking forward into the new year, I hope everyone's New Year is prosperous, safe and happy.

Merry Christmas from the NM mountains!

2006-12-24T18:27:00.000-07:00

Well, another year has gone by and the Christmas season is upon us again. I hope you all have safe and happy holidays! Best wishes for a healthy and prosperous New Year!

1st Day of Winter

2006-12-21T12:38:00.000-07:00

Today at 17:20 MST we traverse the winter solstice to officially be in the winter season. With all the recent snows, we figured we got winter a bit early. :)
Today the first storm has passed to the east and the sun is out and everything glistens with the fresh snows. We only have about 8-10 inches here but more is on the way.

The roads got plowed this am early - sort of, that is. See the picture from inside the SUV as I drove into town this morning. The main street of Mora was well plowed and salted but the secondary roads get a lick and a promise most of the time. The dirt roads depend on the people that live on them to plow or drive enough to have tracks. Not many of those are plowed. I watched the truck with the plow on front go by early this morning but he forgot to put the scooper to the ground. ;)

More pictures on http://www.rten.org

Winter Wonderland

2006-12-19T10:24:00.000-07:00

The forecast is for snow through tomorrow (Wednesday, the 20th). We have about 3 inches now and it's coming down very lightly now, but earlier when I was out there, it was much heavier. Our earlier footprints are almost filled up.

This shot is of the upper areas at 10 am and you can see it's still not sunny and it's still snowing lightly.

I've posted the rest of this morning's photos up on this site: http://www.rten.org/ The top link is today's shots.

Beauty and the Beast

2006-12-18T09:16:00.000-07:00

During the summer months I was constantly assailed by the beauty of the wild flowers that all seem to come up at different times. We have a continuing run of eye candy during the summer months in the high mountains. Every week there was somenew kind of wildflower just in my yard area.

But there are also things around that are not so nice. I shot this snake late one night with a .22 pistol. He was at the dogs water dish and I had just broken my toe a couple days before so was hobbling out there at 11pm in my sock feet to see what the dogs were so excited about. They instinctively don't like snakes. Well, they didn't like this rattle snake at all. He was a relatively young one, with 6 rattles so he was only about 3 years old. They get a lot bigger up here though. So he was all coiled up with that little rattle going a mile a minute. It was loud enough to hear over the dogs barks. I hobbled back in and got my Ruger Mark III Hunter that was handy to the door and got back out there and shot him.

Let's do Fall again

2006-12-18T09:00:00.000-07:00

Around the Mora Valley area, we have fall colors in all their glory. The summers are full of wild flowers in the fields but fall is full of changing trees. The aspens and the cottonwoods are usually resplendent in bright golds. It makes driving to town even more of a treat.

On the road down the mountain to the town of Mora, I have some wonderful views of the valley and the mountains to the west.

The Morning After

2006-11-30T09:26:00.000-07:00

Today is the day the Lord has made. A beautiful day! It was a glorious morning after the first snow. Clear skies and bright sun greet the day. We all enjoyed getting out in the sun. The night was very cold, down to 0 degrees.

Here is a link to all the pictures taken this morning: http://www.rten.org/snowfun.htm

Even when it's snowing

2006-11-29T15:03:00.000-07:00

The two young dogs still eat outside, even when it's snowing. They each get tied up just for dinner time since otherwise, they would spend more time trying to eat each others food.

They are really good about this routine and know it's feeding time when I call the two older dogs into the house in the midafternoons.

They all have thick coats by now so they all seem to like being in the snow. They lay right down in it and it doesn't seem to bother them. The young ones play in it and eat it for moisture.

Snow is still falling now at 3pm so we are getting a good snowfall. I'm sure the ski areas 25 miles north of me are happy about this storm.

My upper lot forest is starting to look really nice with the snow there.

First real snow this winter

2006-11-29T13:15:00.000-07:00

Well, today it finally snowed. We've had dustings before but it melted as soon as it hit.

Today, it's been snowing since early this morning. The first picture was taken about 11am and it's now about 1pm and the snow is still coming down but not as heavily as earlier. But that changes instantly. So the storm is still with us. I haven't heard how long it's supposed to hang around.

I'm happy to see it since our forests can use the moisture. The ground has been getting quite dry lately. This will help.

Local Election Ads.

2006-06-15T17:42:00.000-06:00

Well, the local elections are finally over and, thankfully, most of the many signs and ads have been taken down already.

I thought this was the best ad. It is certainly unique but not really unusual around here. Many local residents keep horses, so it's not uncommon to see them on the local byways. Within a short walking distance of downtown Mora, there are fields of horses, cattle, sheep and alpacas.

The grass is always greener...

2006-06-04T08:37:00.000-06:00

Down the road apiece at the alpaca ranch, they move the herds around the various fields to rotate the hay and grass and give the grasses time to regenerate.

I caught this one herd llama stretching for that really tender new green growth the other day. It does help to have a long neck!

Memorial Day 2006

2006-05-29T11:38:00.000-06:00

Memorial Day is a special day of remembrance for those who have paid the ultimate sacrifice for our freedom and our nation.

Let us pray and give thanks that we live in a country that produces such brave young men and women.

This is the coin of the Joint Psychological Operations Task Force commemorating the loss of five of its members.

The inscription reads: "We stand in the capitals of those who would do our citizens harm because of your selfless acts."

A Hike to Waterfall above Walker Flats

2006-04-19T18:48:00.000-06:00

In Cleveland, NM just west of Mora is a canyon called Rio la Casa [sometimes it's called Rio de la Casa depending on the map being read]. I have friends up this canyon building a unique house on the banks of the river, Rio la Casa. Further up the canyon is a place called Walker Flats. It's a high mountain meadow. Beyond that, further up into the Sange de Cristos is a beautiful waterfall which feeds the Rio la Casa river.

Last Saturday we drove up to within a couple miles of the waterfall then hiked into it. What a day and the views were just breathtaking. That river and waterfall are snow melt from the higher elevations. The water is really, really cold. On the close up shot of the waterfall rocks is snow still not melted yet. The water doesn't warm up as it gets into the warmer parts of the canyon a few miles below and lower down in elevation. It's still quite cold.

Amola Ridge under fire

2006-04-17T07:47:00.000-06:00

Last week was a week of watching the ridges for smoke and flames. This northern New Mexico fire is now about 80% contained but late last week the smoke could be see as far away as Santa Fe. Chuck, who was thinning my trees, is off fighting that fire. So far 16,000 acres consumed.

The upper part of the valley just north of my place was on voluntary evacuation alert for more than two days. The winds were the fire's friend. It was so bad Saturday, the aerial tankers were grounded. Sunday it calmed down.

From the Santa Fe New Mexican this am - MORA: Crews battling a wildfire burning in Northern New Mexico took advantage of good weather Sunday.

The fire was headed toward Ocate [see previous post] and highway 442 was closed for days. It's now open again.

Old Store at Ocate Junction

2006-04-10T15:49:00.000-06:00

It's a quiet byway of northern New Mexico. Ocate, a small community in the high plains at the edge of the mountains, west of Wagon Mound, north east of Mora. The Ocate citizens see the eastern side of the Amola Ridge and my Mora valley sees the western side. Ocate is close as the crow flies, but takes time to drive to.

The junction is state highway 442 with state highway 120. 120 to the left goes to Black Lake, then Angel Fire on the Enchanted Circle. To the right, it goes to Wagon Mound. The back of the store shows in the first picture up at the junction ahead. This store has certainly been weathered by time.

High Country Aspens

2006-04-06T10:41:00.000-06:00

The planting or transplanting season for aspens is March to mid April, so I had nine aspens added to the front section of the property.

They have been in the ground since mid March and they are already budding.

Aspens are a fast growning tree, about 2 feet a year, and are extremely beautiful in the fall.

Beavers: love 'em and hate 'em

2006-04-05T08:39:00.000-06:00

Just past Mora to the west, is the little community of Cleveland. A few miles up the Rio la Casa canyon in Cleveland, some friends of mine are building a new, uniquely shaped home [more on that later]. The Rio la Casa river is running right through their property on it's way down the mountain. There is still plenty of water in it even in this time of dryness.

So the other day, I was up there to take pictures of the progress on their new home. Jim is building it himself. Lititia and I walked up the river to the beaver dam that is changing the flow channels of the river. To get there we had to cross a bridge of trees.

Beavers have been chewing the Aspens down for their dam and home. It's sad to see these beautiful trees, some quite large, chewed off at the bottom and felled. It's nature's way but sad to see.

The Juniper Tree

2006-04-02T16:36:00.000-06:00

Here it is. Found the picture of the big juniper in my back yard..

Now, if this tree were in front, I could decorate it for Christmas next December. ;)

Clearing some land

2006-04-02T15:24:00.000-06:00

Most of my property is a ponderosa pine forest with some other kinds of firs or evergreen trees. There is one huge juniper tree that is like a huge, perfectly shaped Christmas tree. I'll dig up a picture of it soon. I have Douglas firs, White pines, scrub oak and just plain evergreens, too.

This week, I'm having the yard areas closest to the mobile home pruned. Ponderosa pines crave sunlight so as they grow tall, the tree cuts off the nutrients to the lower limbs. So they always look scraggly on the bottom parts.

The three trees right by Chuck are dead or diseased [bark beetle got to them]. Bark beetles don't like water, so in dry years, the ponderosa pine forests really suffer from infestations of them. The tree Chuck is cutting was killed by bark beetles. the ones right to the right of this one were endangering my dog fence.

Wagon Mound

2006-03-26T14:57:00.000-07:00

It's a town on the old Sante Fe Trail and a historical site. The town is some 40 miles north of Las Vegas, New Mexico on I25 heading toward Colorado.

Coming across the high pains, the rock that looks so much like the wagons they were driving, could be seen from many miles away and was a familiarbeacon on the old Trail.

Land is too dry

2006-03-24T17:11:00.000-07:00

Gee, I'm falling behind in posting. It's been a busy couple of days.

And, we got some snow. It lasted 24 hours. Not long enough. It lasted through the night but the temperatures warmed up and it was gone in most spots by the next midday.

Cimarron Canyon State Park

2006-03-22T11:02:00.000-07:00

Driving through the Cimarron Canyon State Park is a grand experience. One really gets the impression that the geological upheavals were quite stressful on the local ecology. The canyon walls are amazing to look at and when driving through there, one really feels small in comparison. I can picture the Indians of the Old West sitting on their horses at the top of one of these canyon walls watching the wagon trains of that time driving though the bottom of the canyon.

Hermit's Peak

2006-03-19T09:55:00.000-07:00

Hermit's peak is visible from most places north of Las Vegas, New Mexico.

It's a very prominent site around here in northern New Mexico. Kind of makes one wonder what kind of geologic upheaval created a monstrous rock such as this and at the same time created the Amola Ridge.

Where Trees Grow

2006-03-17T17:57:00.000-07:00

It amazes me to see trees thriving on a rock face. This is the cut to allow Hwy 518 to pass through the Amola Ridge in the La Cueva area.

The Mora River flows under the road to the other side at this point.

Sangre de Cristos

2006-03-16T08:50:00.000-07:00

The taibone of the Rocky Mountains. Storrie Lake is just to the north of Las Vegas, NM on Hwy 518, 25 miles south of Mora. Las Vegas is on the high plains with the mountains to the west. The second picture is Mora [behind the trees] at the bottom of the Mora Valley that I live in. The La Jicaritas [part of the Sangre de Cristos] are to the west.

"The Sangre de Cristo Mountains are one of the longest mountain chains on Earth. They stretch from Poncha Pass, Colorado, in the north to Glorieta Pass, New Mexico, in the south. There are ten peaks over 14,000' high in the range, more than two dozen over 13,000'." From: Sangre de Cristos

The Ides of March

2006-03-15T15:01:00.000-07:00

Time flies. March 15 early morning surise. Morning Glory!

As a minimum, be sure you have Adaware, SpywareBlaster, and SpyBot Search & Destroy loaded if you are running Windows. The hackers and spammers have ganged up on the rest of us and they use viruses and trojans to infect our machines.

It is mandatory that everyone running Windows software have a good anti-virus program. Set your AV program to update at least daily.

AVG has a free version for personal use that is very good.

Update, update, update. No one is immune!

Keep up on what the latest exploits are. Check out the internet storm center and see what the latest info is. Another good source of information is the Spywareinfo site.

Evening Glory

2006-03-14T17:44:00.000-07:00

At 7500 feet, the sunrises and sunsets are glorious!

St. Vrain's Mill and other mills

2006-03-13T19:14:00.000-07:00

Just as you turn onto Hwy 434 from Hwy 518 in Mora is the flour mill that Ceran St. Vrain built. The Bent St. Vrain Company built an elaborate adobe fort on the eastern Colorado plains. Along the Santa Fe Trail, this was the only privately owned fortification in the west and it became the premier trading center and rendezvous point. Ceran St. Vrain was known and respected as far north as the Snake River and as far south as Chihuahua. When notables came to the fort, it was the "charming and gentlemanly" Ceran who entertained the visitors. Eventually, he settled in Mora, New Mexico where he built a flour mill and began publishing the "Santa Fe Gazette" newspaper.

5 miles to the east of Mora is the junction of Hwy 442 with Hwy 518. The La Cueva Grist Mill was in operation until 1949. It too serviced Fort Union to the east with flour and mill products. The mills [there were 4 in the area] were an important part of the economy in Mora and the surrounding areas.

[Ceran St. Vrain]
[St. Vrain's Mill]

Geologic wonder - The Amola Ridge

2006-03-12T13:40:00.000-07:00

On the east side of the Mora valley is this wondrous geologic upheaval known as the Amola Ridge. The first picture is the view from space. It's very prominent even from 12 miles up. I've annotated it. The second picture is taken from the road [Hwy 434] just south of Guadalupita [the red X on the satellite view].

There are two valleys between the road and the ridge. On the satellite picture I wrote the altitudes in light blue [taken from Delorme's Topo 5.0 program] - the areas, canyons etc are in white. The Coyote Creek flows at the bottom of the ridge in that small protected valley just to the west of the ridge. Altitude at the creek is 7401 ft. Up on the top of the ridge right above the altitude marker is 8295 ft. I can see that part of the ridge from my place 8 - 10 miles down the valley.

Buffalo still roam

2006-03-11T07:35:00.000-07:00

Taking the byways in New Mexico are always fun. Out along Hwy 64 on the way south toward home from Raton and north of Cimarron, is a good sized herd of buffalo. When I stopped to take their picture, they were as curious as I was.

The other thing to note here, is that this is winter! There is no snow this year to speak of. We've not had rain either. Out forests are very dry and we are under high fire alert. No fires allowed anywhere.

The bears have come out of hibernation, and the mountain cats are coming lower to find food.

Mora Valley, New Mexico

2006-03-09T11:26:00.000-07:00

Up here in the Mora Valley, high on the eastern slope of the Rockies in northern New Mexico, rural geeks are few and far between.

I hope to fix that anomaly.

The view is looking west toward the Sangre de Cristo mountains to the west of the town of Mora. This section of mountains is known locally as the La Jicaritas.