Merry Christmas

 The cats are trouble, but the tree is up.  And yes, I got my hair cut last month.

 

Busy season

 Eight of nine performances for the month done, with only a caroling gig at the botanical garden on Tuesday left.

First snow of the season

 It's late this year, but pretty in the morning sun.

Saloon update -- continued improvements

First snow of the season today, and while the saloon wasn't exactly warm inside, it kept most of the wind out! We've started to accumulate tchotchkes suitable to an old saloon, and I've got plumbing roughed in and framing for the sink. A counter top and tile is yet to come. I got a second batch of beer made, and some new beer plumbing on the way so I won't have to heave big kettles of hot liquid any more. Also a diesel-fueled heated, the little electric one just isn't enough.

 

Prints

 A few things from the block printing workshop I recently took.  Now I just need to get the Christmas cards done.

Hooligans

I know they are plotting.

Northern Lights

The northern lights were impressively visible even here in New Mexico tonight.  I spent quite a while freezing up on the roof where the view off to the north was good.

Cicoma Mountain

We finally headed back to Cicoma Mountain to find our way up to the top through the deadfall.  I am happy to report success -- a little strategizing about the route based on the satellite image paid off! 

 

Saloon update -- open for Halloween!

 We got things put together enough to invite the neighbors over for a little festivity! We even were able to enjoy the first batch of homebrew cooked up in the new space, featuring "neomexicanus" hops grown by our neighbors.

Looks like something out of a movie set...

As does the bartender!

Prickly-pear margaritas were the cocktail of the evening (we harvested about 10lb of prickly pear "tunas" at the end of the summer)

The patio is a lovely place in the afternoon.

The "brewery" side is still a work in progress, but it's working!

Guard Pig.

Resident Ghoul.

Prickly pear harvest

We were a little late harvesting prickly pears this year, but caught the tail end of the season and brought home about 20 lb of fruit.  We knew from last year to harvest the fruits using tongs to avoid touching he small spines.  This year I implemented the added improvement of using a steam juicer so I didn’t have to peel or strain anything.  Prickly pear maragarita, anyone?  Prickly pear sorbet?  So many possibilities…

Aspen season

We’ve been watching the mountain above town progressively turn yellow all week, so went up to hike the appropriately-named Aspen Vista trail today.  It didn’t disappoint!

Another new tree

 This time a lacebark elm, to eventually break up the afternoon glare of the setting sun down at the saloon patio.

Mushrooms

 Earlier this year, we put some elm logs inoculated with oyster mushrooms spores in a couple of the water drainage features to help retain moisture in the soil, and I was surprised and pleased to find a crop of several pounds of oyster mushrooms this morning after the rain.  I know what we’re having for dinner tonight!

Vermilion Cliffs

I've been trying to get a permit to hike The Wave in Vermilion Cliffs forever.  Once again, no luck.  Fortunately, there are plenty of other nearby rocks to explore; the hike today is a good case in point and was one I wanted to do back in February when we were last in the area.  The weather was inclement then, but good today, so we got to play on the rocks.

This is one of those hikes where one basically heads into the wash and explores the rock playground, being careful not to step on anything fragile.  I love this kind of exploration!

 

 

After the hike, we drove down another dirt road to find yet one more empty campground and enjoyed one last quiet sunset.  After three weeks on the road, tomorrow we head home.