It is quiet here in the forest today. We don't watch games or parades, so the only sound to be heard (other than cats and dogs snoring) is the crackling of the turkey roasting in the oven. Mr. Sunflower is reading in his chair, and I plan to follow suit soon. I am reading a fabulous book about Kit Carson and the story of the settling of this part of the west: "Blood and Thunder" by Hampton Sides, if you are a student (or fan) of the southwest.
I took myself for a long walk this morning. I started by following the deer tracks that began just outside our house, and followed them several acres down. Mr. Sunflower found them happily munching on the dead sunflowers in the yard this morning around 5 a.m. Times must be tough...I have no recollection of them ever coming in to graze during winter. I feel so fortunate to be able to be part of their world, invited or not.
14 comments:
Happy New Year Marty : ) love your pictures and words. we feel the same here in the mountains of AZ, I love being a part of the elk's world, they are such magnificent creatures, big, quiet and graceful. I also loved your yesterday's post, where you speak of the things you'll be doing on new year's day and the saying of the coming year, interesting. we took a looooong walk this morning into the forest, beautiful !! had our lunch and now I'm off to do whatever suites my fancy in my workroom - try working my drop spindle?, start knitting those warm socks? make a new little handmade book, ahhhhhhh, endless possibilities!! it's good to be alive and loving life : ) Many wonderful moments to you Marty : )
Blessings, Sandra in AZ
Good to hear from you...your day sounds like it was perfect also. How fortunate you get to see your elk! I know they're up here but have never, in almost 15 years of living on this mountainside, seen one. As I write (just almost completely dark), the little doe and her yearling are back outside our window, grazing quietly under the bird feeders...we leave all the wild sunflower plants up all winter, never guessing they would consider it food!
I know most of my neighbors would probably disagree, but I love having the deer in my backyard (bought another 100 lbs of corn for them today!) Thanks for sharing your sunflower habitat with them Martie!
Happy New Year Martie!
Here in my part of Australia during the dry weather our yard becomes a food and water bowl for the wallabies, scrub turkeys and what seems like zillions of other birds.
I fill the big water dishes up twice or more a day at these times.
Lovely rain now so the wild life isn't so prolific.
Pam.
Really like the photo of your shadow. How refreshing it is to go out for a walk on a cold winter's day. I walked everyday when on the mountain near Santa Fe last week. And the title, "Peace," is just what it is. -Jack Matthews
Ruthie: Oh lordy, lordy, I can only imagine what a group we could collect if we put out corn. We've often thought of putting a stock tank and salt lick out during the other seasons, but I've worried some of the locals would find it tempting to poach out of our yard (how's that for cynical?). I love seeing them, just wish we could finally see some of our elk that have eluded me these last 15 years.
Pam! I've thought of you so often and have been just terrible about writing. Apologies all around! Thinking of you with the weaving conference next summer...will write privately about that. I love that you're putting water and food for the little locals...thanks for writing!
Jack: So happy you had a chance to get out of the city and enjoy the mountains while you were here. Thought of you often and hoped you two were having a great visit. How many blogs do you have, anyway????? Best, Martie
I so enjoy your blog. I absolutely love Taos and Santa Fe, such magical places to be and gives me a happy tingly feeling to be there. So, reading your blog takes me to my happy place. Thank you! Happy New Year!
That's my Martie! Loved the photos and reading about your deer tracking. Here we were thrilled to see our first flock of red-winged blackbirds on the 31st. Look forward to seeing the buntings and rosy breasted gros-beaks later as it warms up, and have only seen ghost-like deer crossing the road at night just ahead of the headlights, let alone elk. So to read your comments and commenter's comments is illuminating. Thanks Martie!
Thanks, Liz...so nice to share NM happiness with you.
Penni: red winged black birds are SO cool! I've only seen them a few times...they live in the valley below. The other birds I love are the meadowlarks...their singing just makes my heart feel so happy.
Gosh, Martie, I just looked at your Blog Archive and you go back to 2006! When I get the time, I want to back read your work. I posted a piece today that explains my evolution in blogging. Not as far back as you go, but maybe my piece explains what has happened with my work. We had a great time in Santa Fe. Missed the farolito because we got stuck in the Texas Panhandle blizzard and our reservations on Christmas Day at Fuego went askew. But, we made it to Taos and thought about you. Later, Jack.
Martie: I have your business website address. I must read about it, soon. Thanks, Jack.
Jack: I just discovered that in transferring my blog archives to Google recently I seem to have lost all the photographs from those old postings...very disappointing, to say the least. I also eliminated the contributing posts from my former employees, which I felt became irrelevant (as did many of mine, now that I think of it). At one time I considered self publishing the blog history from the business years (for my records only) but guess that horse has already run, if the photos are missing.
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