Migration on my mind

Had to come back to town without seeing a Lucifer Hummingbird but surely will be there when I get back down there in a few days. Meanwhile, trying to get my trails opened so visiting birders can enjoy migration. Yesterday I pruned half of the Upper Arroyo Trail of the stuff that had fallen over into it during that record snowfall. By the time I finished watering I didn't have energy to finish it. This morning I did the Dike Trail. So I only have the Lower Dam Trail and finishing up the Upper Arroyo Trail left to prune. I think work on the new viewing area and water feature will begin soon.

The Williamson's Sapsucker was still present today. It didn't take him long at all to pepper an Arizona Cypress tree full of sap wells. I hope that means he's going to stick around. (First photo not quite daylight)

Preview of coming attractions

Today was a beautiful day at the oasis. No, wind, perfect temperature, somewhat overcast, just how I like it. So I pushed myself hard to water trees and watch birds. Luckily, both can be done at the same time by carrying my camera with me. I prune a lot too, so that's mostly what wears me out. But it needs to be done while things are dormant. (I had no reaction to either of my covid vaccinations other than a mildly sore arm.)

Shortly after taking the above sunset photo, I spied a Williamson's Sapsucker eating old soapberries. I now have a new appreciation for soapberries. Had never seen anything eat them before, which is why they're still on the trees.

There wasn't enough light to do the beautiful bright male justice but maybe he'll still be here in the morning.

Robins headed north

The first thing I notice when I drive up to the oasis from Alpine is the profound quiet. You'd think by now I'd be so used to it, but it never fails to move me.

The weather got up to 70° today so I really wore myself out. My project was to prune an Evergreen Sumac that collapsed in that New Year's big snow event (not to be confused with our recent big freeze event).

It was a volunteer in the courtyard and had three trunks. Two trunks were dying and unsalvageable, but I tried to save the third one. It was a killer job for me. So heavy I couldn't budge them and had to cut them up in pieces to remove them. They were laying blocking the walkway into the house, so had to be dealt with. Here's how it looked when I finished. 

I've been seeing robins wherever I bird lately, while my aunt in Iowa is watching for their return. They're on their way! Had four at the oasis today being harassed by mockingbirds.

Remembering Dennis Shepler

Yesterday while I was taking my long journey to town, a dear friend was taking his own journey into death after fighting Pulmonary Fibrosis for many years. He was a talented artist who designed my Christmas Mountains Oasis T-shirt.

He loved the oasis and visited many times. This photo is from May 2016.

The last time he visited, due to the altitude, he struggled so hard to breathe that I feared he'd die there. I urged him to leave immediately.  We stayed in communication, never knowing which  "Love you" would be the last. He was 73. Rest in Peace. You will be greatly missed!

The long road to town

During the night electricity finally came back on at our house in Alpine, and my husband really, really needed me in town. He's very dependent on me for so many things. I had told him I'd come back as soon as electricity came on. Thinking it wouldn't take 3 days like it did, I didn't take fresh fruit and such to the oasis with me. Not much I could do there anyway, except sit indoors burning firewood. We got close to an inch of soaking rain so no watering needed. When I got up this morning, it was snowing hard. (Ended up getting 4" of snow.)

So I set out at daylight, before the snow got any worse to where I couldn't leave. As it was, I barely managed to get up the first hill. With a lot of slipping and sliding I made it to the icy highway.

I could only go about 30 MPH to stay safe. My wiper blades got crusted with ice and wouldn't keep the window wiped, even though I had the settings to windshield, high heat, and high fan. I stopped several times trying to chip it off to no avail.

There's an area about 40 miles south of Alpine where I get a few minutes of cell service. So I stopped and texted my son that I was going real slow and not to expect me in town any time soon.

Nevertheless, when I made it to cell service and texted him that I was going down the big hill into town, he told me he and Hugh had come out looking for me. They were just to the edge of town so waited until I passed them to turn around. 

Born and raised in Iowa, my first driving lessons occurred on ice. I remember times I slid off the road too. But I learned from my mistakes. There were other vehicles on the highway today and I felt, "if they could do it, so could I." 

There's way too much going on in my life! Hopefully by summer, things will settle down, or be resolved, including my second covid vaccination (is there going to be a third?), new water feature and viewing area, interviews, presentations, son's overload, and all the projects I want to get done at the oasis. 

I'm due for my second vaccination in a few days but I'm sure it won't be available then. The weather has delayed shipments and they're way behind. I know I can go another two weeks, but I'd really like to get it over with.

From bad to worse

I heard it may be next week before electricity is restored in town. We'll probably lose all the food in our two deep freezers if that's the case. With getting gas being iffy, I don't dare go to town for groceries unless I intend to tough it out there. Not! So I guess that means I value technology more than I value food. That resembles me. LOL

Nearly 100 Sandhill Cranes flew low over the oasis around 4 PM this afternoon. They don't seem to mind about the weather. Just when it's time, they go.

Meanwhile, here's my husband in town, cooking on a Coleman stove and eating by lantern. To each his own!

Feb 15th a most miserable day

                              

Our electricity went out in Alpine yesterday morning and stayed out all day and night. Sat indoors all day with nothing to do. Didn't even have cell service until midafternoon, but couldn't use it because no way to charge it. I emptied out the useless refrigerator and put the food outside to keep it cool, then gave the fridge a much needed deep cleaning. Looks like new now.

Finally, at 2 AM this morning (16th), I headed to the oasis where I knew there'd be electricity and internet. 

Better weather ahead

 We're in the grips of the winter's worst storm but in a couple of weeks the Lucifers will be back and it'll be spring (in my mind). Not venturing outside.

Alpine house

Mid-winter norther

I misread the weather map and took the wind chill forecast to be the temperature forecast. Expecting it to get well below zero, I rushed down there today to do some extra insulating, stopping frequently to take photos of the winter wonderland.

Approaching my property

Up the big hill

Down to the oasis (center)

Oasis

PBS documentary

 I hope you all got to watch the PBS documentary last night. If not, you should be able to watch it online. They videographers did the best they could under the circumstances. I was disappointed the Lucifers weren't more cooperative that year. Most years they're displaying like crazy all summer. That year (2019) they were few and far between. Lucky they got what footage they did. Unfortunately, as hard as they searched, a Lucifer nest could not be located. Just a bad year.

I spent the last two days at the oasis, mostly pruning broken branches from that snow storm. The temperatures were 80° plus. Now an Arctic front is headed our way and going to be bitterly cold this weekend. But it should be our last one for the year. Lucifers are due back in two weeks.

Beautiful spring day

 Got to 80° yesterday. I worked so hard that I was too tired to blog last night. The day started, as usual, with me enjoying the sunrise along Highway 118 rushing south to the oasis. By the time I got toward Santiago Mountain the skies looked like there might be a great sunrise.

Sure enough, a short time later it did not disappoint. By then I was nearing Nine Point Mesa. 

While the sun was low I tried to get a photo of a Green-tailed Towhee showing the red in the eye, like Mike did (previous post). It's probably the best I can do with the camera I have. Mike has the best. I almost succeeded. 

I'm still in the process of pruning broken limbs from that New Year's record snow storm. I'll do a few while I'm watering every time so it's not so much at once. Excitedly awaiting the new water feature and viewing area. Mostly will be glad to have it done with so I can focus on other stuff.

By March 1st the Lucifers will be back and I'll have full covid immunity. 

I have an interesting anecdote about covid. In brief, my niece is a teacher at the college here in town and she got the virus there six months or more ago. She was very sick for three weeks, recovered, but didn't get her taste back. Her doctor told her to get the vaccine. So yesterday she did, along with all my family that qualified. No one had any reactions except my niece. She got pretty sick last night, fever, etc. Today her taste came back. I figure that her immune system just couldn't rid her body of the virus until the vaccine, which is a superior response, taught it how. Now I'm hoping they can make more mRNA vaccines that will help our body get rid of all the other viruses that stay in us forever, like herpes, hepatitis, etc.