January Heat Wave

The weather this January has been incredible, unless your preferred activity is skiing. Personally I'm loving it, although I have this nagging feeling we are going to pay eventually.

No sense in worrying about that now- time to get out and play!

My friend Cody called the other day- "Wanna ride?" "Duh." " Texas Creek?" "See you tomorrow!"

Texas Creek OHV area is often clear of snow in the winter...it's a series of canyons opening to the south, soaking up the plentiful sun. I'm in love with the diversity of the area- up high it's spruce and pines; down low, cholla and yuccas. I've seen Roadrunners, Tarantalas, and ringtail cats in those canyons- a bit of the southwest deserts here at home. I've ridden dirtbikes there in the winter before, but this day was pretty amazing. We were able to get to the highest areas, and only found snow in the shade.





The weather was warm and sunny... just the way I like it!




Near the top of Table Mountain, you can see the curvature of the earth. Fantastic views.

What's Not to Like?

Finally got a new camera, so I'll be inspired to post again!

Mid January in the Upper Arkansas Valley... this is why I live here. Last week my friend Cody and I had a great day snowboarding in powder, this week, Tami and I got out for a little ride.



The lower, south facing areas were clear so it was nice enough for a little playing...



We ran into snow when we went just a little higher. Conditions aren't ideal for riding yet, but the warm sun in these south facing canyons at least gave the illusion that spring will be here soon.

RIP Bonnie Kitty

It was a rough end to the year. Our beloved Bonnie, our "baby" for 16 plus years put up a brave fight against both diabetes and kidney failure, but she just couldn't fight anymore. We had to put her down on the last day of the year. A terrible New Year's Eve.

Bonnie was truly the most loveable, affectionate, sweetest pet we've ever had. She lived to be held and petted. If we didn't kiss her enough, she'd gently press her forehead to your lips, or touch her wet nose on yours, purring all the time. She was a terrible predator; I don't think she had enough "mean gene's" to even feed herself if she had to.

It's amazing how much joy a little furball can bring into our lives. No matter how down I would get, I always felt better when Bonnie would climb on my lap and share her warmth.

Rest in Peace Bonnie Kitty. We will miss you forever.

Bonnie Sheppard. April 1, 1992-December 31, 2008