Shortest day of the year

I always love it when the days start getting longer. Reenergizes me. Came to water the oasis today. Still basically bird-less here. Even the very first winter of the oasis, while the trees were little more than saplings, I had a flock of Mountain Bluebirds visit every day to get a drink. Other places in Big Bend area have good birds. I guess the drought is keeping birds away from this area. But it'll improve. Before I know it the Lucifers will be back. And the abundance of good birds in September and October makes up for the scarcity now. Thankfully, water isn't an issue this winter.

I've been entranced by the Big Bend ever since I first came here in the early 1970s. I especially loved Agua Fria Mountain.

Photo by Marshall Bowling

Originally, I purchased land near the base of it. On my deed it said they would furnish me a road to my 80 acres. I camped in a trailer and tent for a year waiting on the promised road. Finally, they said it couldn't be done and refunded my money. Several times I tried to climb it unsuccessfully, and I've visited the spring for which it's named a couple of times. Photographed the rock art near the springs too. But I never saw what the top of the mountain looked like and always wondered. A few days ago I found a photo of the top of it online. I'm sure that's the closest I'll ever get to actually seeing it, but based on experiencing my mountain, I bet it's a whole other world up there.

The ranch that the mountain sits on is for sale for many millions of dollars. I hope the new owners conserve the land and stop the overgrazing of cattle on it.