Another Winter Post

So my friend Pat's family has a condo above Beaver at an old ski resort that hasn't been in business for a few years, Elk Meadows. Last year we got to hang out there a bit and were blown away at how much snow there was! The whole time we were there it just snowed and snowed, it was heavenly to see all that snow. Seemed like a tragedy that the lifts weren't up and running...

(me and mckay on one of the lifts - look at all that snow!)

Well, lo and behold, the resort is back in business this year, and it may be one of my favorite places to board now. Elk Meadows is now Eagle Point - and while I think I like the name Elk Meadows better, who wouldn't want to soar like an eagle?

 

 (same lift, different sibling - look at that underwear tree!)

(that's max, if you can't tell, and pat right behind him doing a double arm salute)

Max and I had a blast riding all over that resort. One of the best parts is that one of the lifts that takes you to a ton of runs is broken down - so to get to them you take a different lift up to a different peak and then snowboard down a little ways where you wait for this big treaded artic cat to pick you up and shuttle you to the other peak. The only word that comes to mind when I think about riding on the back of that thing, hauling through the snow covered pines and sunshine, headed up to the peak with friends and strangers all excited to ride down - is 'fun!'. It was so fun!

Hope Pat invites us down again - plus I can't get enough of that Beaver water.

Spring Already?

Has this not been the most mild Utah winter? Everyone's status on facebook is something about SPRING TIME IS HERE! or HAPPY FIRST DAY OF SPRING! and all I keep wondering is 'when is winter going to start?', or 'where did winter go?'. The season got over way too quickly. I mean, the drive-way at my little orchard shack only got shoveled ONCE all winter long, it's pathetic. 

I hate spring time. It's muddy and moody.

Winter is so pretty and cozy.

Luckily, while it hasn't been all that snowy in the valley - I've been able to enjoy it up in the mountains (which is where I'd rather be enjoying). Wintertime in the mountains is my favorite. Quiet, soft, sparkly, white, clean, cozy, solitaire. I love branches draped with snow. And it's easy to spot life moving along up there by tracks made by animals in the snow. It's awesome. Mountain/forest life amazes me in it's preparation for winter. Just walking around on my snowshoes I get inspired to be prepared in my own life.

I love the idea of gathering, storing, and making things to help you get through the winter. In the wintertime all the hard work of preparing should be over, and you just get to sit and be cozy enjoying the fruits of your labor. Maybe not so much in 2011 - but I love the idea of it anyways.

I am constantly torn between my love for technology (like iphones apps that tell you the name of the mountains around you and fruit ninja) and my loyalty to an old simple way of life (where friends stop by unexpectedly and leave notes on the door).

My perfect life would be a busy business life down here in the valley, and a cabin to live in most of the winter.

So I guess I shouldn't complain, it's nice being business/public relations/city meetings/drafting Whitney during the day, and then going home to my quilting/reading/hot tea/bubble bath/biking orchard shack at night (and pretend it's a cabin in the mountains).

Over this last weekend we went to Kamas again to spend time at the Dewey cabin and soak up the last bit of winter. On main street (or the only street) in Kamas I found a pretty cool painting of a mountain winter scene (complete with an elk/deer, can't tell which - I am not a hunter) at a thrift store ran by some fellow Samakians. Can't wait till it's hanging up in the shack - making my make-believe-mountain-cabin more complete.

(picture mckay took last year at utley's condo in elk meadows)

Weekend In Kamas

 

Here are some pictures in front of the Dewey Pennington cabin we stayed at this weekend. It was my first time cross country skiing, and I loved it. Shoulda known I'd love it, I mean it has the word country in it - and I love anything that has anything to do with country pride (country music, country strong... etc). At least I hope the country in cross country skiing refers to the US of A, if it doesn't I'll never do it again. Or maybe I'll do it again but call it cross america skiing.

These here pictures are just after we pretty much down-hilled it on our skis back from our trek. I had never been on skis before and followed everyone going up and up this road and trail - to turn around and have to go down a pretty steep run. Natalie and I, by ourselves were cursing, crying, falling, and laughing all the way down. I don't know how, but every time Natalie fell her skis were crossed! Freak! We eventually took off our skis because I was sick of the abuse, but even walking I slipped and ate it while carrying all my gear!

I just snowboard people.

Having a cabin up in Kamas seems pretty awesome. We are far enough away that I didn't have cell service, but close enough to town that we could go on a soda run when John needed some Dr Pepper, and Mary needed an excuse to drive his truck. Snow falling and falling outside the window, playing hearts in front of a roaring fire with Donna, John and Mary, while Natalie reads and Dewey games... there's not much that tops those kind of moments.

Dinner at the Heber Hub, naked hippo, cracking cases, reading in bed w/ Natalie, big breakfast, soda runs, garlic salsa, cross america skiing, matching coats, crazy old songs on the jute box, the Wollenziens, the Deweys, the Perkins, and later ordering in pizza from the parlor... not much that tops those weekends.

I'm Calling You To Dinner...

South Fork Snow Fork

There may be gross salty roads - leaving salt marks on your pants and car. There may be a plague of pot holes on the freeway. There may be grey skies and 13 degree weather. There may be a clump of ice with your back right tire enclosed in it.

But don't forget there is John Denver on your ipod, and all this behind that mountain peak:

Deer Creek Dry Creek, Pt. 3

deer creek dry creek, winter time.

I went snow shoeing up the canyon today, and loved every second of it. I parked at tibble fork, hoping to just hike the little loop there at the granite flats camp ground. I snowshoed up past the point where snow mobiles are no longer allowed and came upon this familiar trail head. Couldn't believe my luck, not a soul had been on it.

Usually you have to wake up pretty early in the morning to find a trail that hasn't been trampled on these days by avid snowshoers. And I didn't wake up early this morning.

So, change of plans, I decided to take on the deep snow. It was tiring, but so much fun. I love being out alone in the snow, in the woods. It's like being in a different world. I always hope that I'll run into a lamp post out there in the middle of nowhere, and a talking chipmunk.

all alone.

this first picture is what it looked like ahead of me, the second is of the little trail I was making behind me. I've always wanted to be the first to stomp down a trail. So cool.

I decided I had gone far enough when I realized I wanted either my snowboard to get me back down the trail or some fin attachments for my snow shoes. Deep snow is hard work. So I rested under a tree, ate a carrot cake clif bar, heard the call of a golden-crowned kinglet (or winter wren - can never be sure), fired off the magazine in my gun, and hiked back down.

overall, such a good weekend. got back home, and then immediately put my gators back on to meet Nate out at Utah lake to slush around on the ice, playing fetch w/ uinta and hos. Grabbed a bite to eat at the macaroni grill. Saw the fantastic mr fox at Movies 8 (which I also saw the night before at movies 8, that movie rocks). And to top all that off... I'm beating Pat in scrabble online. Fantastic.

Happy Winter Solstice

I wish Utah was getting blanketed like DC is.

Wouldn't being snowed in be heavenly?

This weekend there was a lot of sitting around, chit-chatting, reading, knitting and crocheting. I think my dream house is just a big rambler/ranch-style cottage up in the woods. As I sat and knitted I tried to imagine what the cottage would look like, and drew out the floor plan in my head. It's going to be perfect.

I like low ceilings and cozy rooms (sort of like a hobbit's hole). A kitchen connected to the sitting living room, with big wooden beams running along the low ceiling just above your head... a big fire place, lots of yarn to be knitted, lots of good books to be read, snow shoes to be worn, and a bearded handsome lumber jack chopping wood outside.

oh, and a stereo in the corner playing 'in the clouds' by under the influence of giants.

Zapada

zapada = snow in Romanian

I had a companion on my mission who was from Texas. I was with her when she saw her first actual snowflake. I loved it.

Snowflakes have always, and will forever, completely astound me. They are my most favorite shape. I marvel at their perfection. They are lacey and beautiful and elegant, but at the same time so cute and happy. I probably have spent hours upon hours watching them and being surprised by them.

I love drawing them, cutting them out of paper, staring at them, catching them, eating them, and praying for them.

This week my car got stuck in a snow patch infront of the house, and I couldn't get it out in time for my math class. I hate scraping ice off my windows to drive. I had to stand out in the cold to manually survey some land for an hour in the morning and thought I was going to freeze to death, and wanted to. My pants get wet and muddy on the bottom from walking through parking lots. All week long, no matter where I am, school, work, driving, at home, at Mark's... I just can't get warm enough.

And despite all the negative things that come with this winter season, I am so happy it's here. I love dressing in layers and wearing coats. I love putting on my snow pants and snowshoeing in the quite landscape. And I love how clean and white everything looks. Every time it snows I'm excited.

I'm really happy about my snowshoes I got for chirstmas, and think I would like to make my own home-made pair.