You can fool the fans - but not the players.... John Cage

No snow Decembers - hard to stomach

This is turning out to be one of those tense, suspended winters. It isn't all that unusual but it follows on the heels of one of the best Decembers in years in terms of snow and so this is all the harder to take. And when your livelihood depends on snow, it is difficult to keep smiling and waiting.

Last year on this day we were hunkered down in Mammoth as huge storms came barreling through. It looked like this:

 

I was in hog-heaven. Baking for Christmas, taking photographs, shoveling snow, working remotely.

 

It was an epic series of snowstorms that blanketed the Sierra in feet of snow, charged every skier and snowboarder with excitement, and provided work for many, many people.

 

It was magical, a pain in the ass, and historical all at once.

 

This year, we have this. It is magical year for ice skating, but ice skating doesn't bring 30,000 people to Mammoth Lakes to fill up the restaurants and shops. Ice skating is the local reward for no snow and freezing temperatures, but it doesn't employee the hundreds of people waiting to start work in a resort town.

It is hard to hunker down and believe - yes, KNOW, that it will snow. It will snow and people will come and it could still be a very good year. But right now, during the holiday season when the year is just getting rolling, it is very quiet. And scary, frankly.

It is tough when you live in a place that depends on Mother Nature so heavily. Mammoth requires snow. The VVR requires water. Every year is a crap-shoot.

 

Last year I drove into the valley looking at this and when I got to our corrals they looked like this:

 

 

This year we've got perfect winter riding conditions:

 

You know, you've just got to stay positive and roll with it. I don't know what I'd do if I had a business in Mammoth, but I do know that when times were good I'd be socking away whatever I could against a December like this. And then I'd try to get out and ice skate and take the gift.

Because it will snow.

 

Turn out: Horses gone wild (sort of)

Yesterday I just had to get us all out of the house and into the sun. It's been a quiet few days for the dogs and I could feel their energy as they tried to keep themselves out of trouble. Feather managed to cut a paw last week while up at Rock Creek Lake and has had to be kept from leaping over sagebrush and tearing after jack rabbits so that it has a chance to heal, and it is hard on the dogs when they don't get their morning walk.

The horses haven't been out for a few days either and the sun was out, no wind... a beautiful late fall day. I wrapped up work around 2 pm and before diving into a project (or two) I loaded up the old Land Cruiser and we headed south for a couple of hours.

 

Turn out is fun. I love watching the horses drop and roll in the d.g. that makes up the footing of the arena and it must feel so good on their backs. Rhea, who never used to roll, now rolls like it is her favorite thing in the world. There is something so fascinating about watching a 1000 pound animal wallow around, enjoying herself and kicking her hooves up in the air. You can't help but smile.

It has been a long time since this gelding and this mare have been turned out together. When she was a yearling I had them corraled together but as soon as we could acquire another corral we did because we really didn't care for the attitude of the gelding after awhile. He became very possessive of her and it began to be a problem.

 

We now have two large corrals and the mare was gone for over a year (in training). They've been on trail rides together and are only separated by two other corrals. When I take the mare out alone the gelding definitely notices and lets me hear his displeasure. There seemed to be recognition and I decided to turn them out together.

 

They ran and bucked and ran some more. I love watching them race around the arena and cut loose. It isn't like heading out to pasture and it is only for a half hour or so, but they have a chance to get their ya yas out and have a little fun.

 

Meanwhile, after the photo taking, I managed to get the tack room swept out and some of the cobwebs knocked down, the dogs had a couple of hours of playing and running around with some of the other saddle club dogs, and we all got some much-needed sunshine and down time. I really should do this more often. I get caught up with projects at home and as soon as I shut down the work computer it's on to purging and cleaning the art room or working on wedding projects. As long as the weather is good we should be getting out.

Feather's paw is healing quickly and if we can just get through this week we'll be back to our morning walks. Good for them, good for me.

Skadi: the goddess of winter

Last night I attended a fundraiser for Mammoth Nordic at one of my very favorite Mammoth restaurants, Skadi. Skadi is owned by a long-time friend, Ian, and serves up some of the most cutting-edge, delicious food found on the east side. Mammoth Nordic is a membership driven non-profit dedicated to promoting and facilitating nordic skiing and sports in the eastern Sierra.

Skadi is a Norse Goddess, sometimes called the Snow-shoe Goddess, and she embodies winter. I love that... I could be her!

 

Everything about Skadi is elegant and rare. Ian hires good staff, makes incredible food, serves excellent wine and spirits and is one of our favorite places to meet for a girl's night out. Unfortunately I have not done that in way too long.

 

Last night was like coming home, though. So many people I haven't seen for years, all gathered in one place. One of the things I love about the eastern Sierra is the people - the athletic, hard-working, creative, determined people. And some of my favorites were gathered together last evening.

 

It was over too quickly. The huge balloon glasses of pinot noir were empty, the trays of amazing appetizers stopped coming around and it was time to go home.

 

Mammoth Nordic has some big plans for this year and beyond... now all we need is snow. And more support would be helpful. Free community grooming for striding and skating around Shady Rest, a snow and winter ecology snowshoe program for 1st graders, cross-country skiing for special ed students... and more.

Check out the website for more information and consider supporting Mammoth Nordic.

Holiday weekends: Lessons in moderation

First the holiday season sneaks up on us. Then it fills our weekends to the brim. Then, suddenly, it will be over. So how to get the most out of it without suffering the post-holiday let-down? I'm just asking, I don't have the answer just yet.

We had a full weekend that ran the spectrum between holiday parties and cleaning up acres of leaves in the yard. We were in Reno, Truckee and then back home. We left our pup with a sitter for the first time and all survived. We made a dent in more of our wedding plans. And now, suddenly, it is Monday again.

Most of the time when we stay in Reno we stay at one dog-friendly hotel, the Grand Sierra. We like the rooms, we like that it is a bit out of town, and we like the fact that our dogs can travel with us. We used Hotwire to find our room for this trip and despite our usual good luck at landing the Grand Sierra we instead drew the Atlantis and were momentarily shocked. "Oh no! What to do with the dogs?" JC did not like my idea of pulling one of the small trailers to Reno to house them (made only half-jokingly as we almost never leave them behind) and we found a wonderful, capable friend willing to spend the weekend at our house instead.

The Atlantis had some nice holiday touches and we liked looking down at the frozen fountains in the mornings, but I didn't spend enough time in the hotel to really get a feel for it. Friday evening was our staff holiday party up in Truckee and it was a blast. Incredible food prepared by my boss, great cocktails, and a fun white elephant gift exchange rounded out by socializing with some of the smartest people I know. It was a wonderful party.

 

We are not doing much Christmas shopping this year since we have a major expense with our wedding just around the corner and it hadn't registered in our brains that Saturday would be a major shopping day for those NOT getting married and enjoying the holidays in the usual way. Reno was crowded on Saturday. We managed to get the Dodge in and out of the parking lots and elbowed our way through the crowds with our list in hand... and we emerged feeling victorious. Broke, but victorious.

And home by 9 pm to a house (still intact) with tired, happy dogs.

In this small window of ice skating opportunity (well, we do have a rink but I'm talking out on the natural ice) we didn't want to miss a chance to skate.

 

It was back up to Rock Creek Lake on Sunday and another glorious couple of hours on the ice. The lake was moaning and the ice was cracking more than when I went the other day and I think because it is colder now and the ice is expanding and shifting. It is still thick - four to six inches from the looks of the cracks - but the cracking and moaning underneath is an eerie sound and feel. At the far end of the lake it sounded like someone plucking a bass and sounding low, spooky chords.

 

But it was fun. There were people with hockey sticks and dads with strollers and kids, dogs skidding around on the ice, and people like us - just trying to get our ice legs underneath us. I really, really, REALLY like skating and it has made the whole no-snow thing more bearable. It's the trade-off nature hands us up here in winter.

We hear there are many more skate-able lakes in the June Lake loop and up off Tioga Pass, but we'll probably stick to the closest to home, which is fine with me. No need to drive even though I'm sure skating Saddlebag is a memorable experience and I wouldn't pass it up if offered. I'll enjoy the photos and the videos of those traveling far and wide to skate - most of all the amazing videos of John Dittli, which you can find here.

We ended the weekend with one more holiday party and more of our favorite people and now, suddenly it is Monday and back to work!

Off-the-rink ice skating: an early winter treat

Early December is a rough time around here when it doesn't snow. I don't feel it as much now as when I lived in Mammoth Lakes but the nervousness over when it will snow and how much permeates the eastern Sierra. Snow is our life blood in so many ways.

The treat, though, when it is cold, clear and the lakes freeze over. The key, we've learned, is not to miss it. One storm and it is all over. Ice skating is a fleeting sport in the eastern Sierra and you'd better get out there while you can.

 

We've been watching our local pond down here but the cold has been accompanied by too much wind the ice has been blown off as it forms. But up high, that's another story. I've been hearing talk and finally there were irresistable photos showing up on facebook - I had to go.

Packed up the dogs, a thermos of hot tea, some nuts and dried fruit and hit the road. And I was not disappointed.

 

It was glorious. Sunny, chilly and the entire lake is a solid, beautiful sheet of ice. Smooth and thick, with weird bubbles and cracks that you skate over, like a mysterious frozen world.

The first day out is just getting your skate legs back. I drove up alone but had plenty of company once I got there, and I also had an ipod loaded with tunes. I just skated and skated and skated for the short amount of time I had free. It was mood-changing and euphoric.

 

Immediately I wanted to plan the next trip up there with JC and of course, all kinds of other obligations are getting in the way. Work taps on my shoulder and says, "ahem. What about me?"

Social obligations, chores, horses, wedding plans, the holidays... all compete for attention. But ice skating is only here for a brief time.

 

My ice skates came from a thrift store (of course) and I keep thinking that I'm going to buy a brand new modern, insulated pair but in reality these work perfectly. And fit well. So I put off buying the new ones and then ice skating "season" is over and I forget until the next year rolls around.

 

One of our very favorite memories was a day spent skating on June Lake a few years ago with friends, lunch, hot beverages, and lots and lots of laughter. I blogged about it here.

It's a trade-off... we've got to have a period of no snow and everyone hates that, but then we get this little bone thrown our way. Okay, you can have this.

 

Well, I love winter and we're off to a good start. I'm determined it will not slip by me and I'll get up to the high country regularly.

 

Holiday decorating

For the past couple of years I have eased up on the holiday decorating. I love to decorate for winter but it sneaks up on me and since we don't have the big Christmas here (yet) we don't get a tree, and it seems like a LOT of work for only the two of us. I've gone more towards seasonal decorating - lots of garland, mercury glass and sparkle, some little white lights and call it good. JC loves to light up the outside so our house looks festive from the street and inside it is twinkly and scaled back.

 

I used to go crazy with the garland, too. The first year we were here there was garland in every room. I have bags and bags of garland and over the years I've been replacing the standard grade of garland with nicer stuff that I run across now and then. The good stuff with pine cones and more realistic needles and colors.

 

Our tree is a little lighted one that actually lives in the house year-round. I made felt pine cones last year that hang on it along with some mercury glass ornaments.

 

The little felt wreaths are making star appearances this year on the doors that make up the focal point of the room. I love the colors of these wreaths and will be able to leave them up through January.

 

That was the other criteria for decorating this year - we don't want to think about taking it down until after the wedding so it had to lean more towards 'winter' than 'Christmas'. JC is the light man and takes the task very seriously. We miss our former neighbors - we had a little unspoken competition going between the guys and the lights. Now there is no one on either side of us with outside decorations.

 

If it were left to me I'd just stick to little white lights but that is what makes collaboration so special. I'm with JC so we get colored lights and you know what? I like it. It is cheerful.

 

The whole family gets into it.

 

These break the rules but are easily put away after the New Year.

 

The door divider is where I put most of my energy and I like how it turned out. It is risky having two stuffed toys on the floor - Bella has shown quite a bit on interest in that snowman - but for now I'll leave it.

 

What does your holiday decorating look like this year? Are you going all out or scaling back? Does it feel like Christmas at your house?

I'm just loco over gocco now.

Why did it take my this long to discover the fun of gocco? And I even took a class in it at an Art & Soul retreat. It took a wedding to really open my eyes to the possibilities and now I can see so many things that I could do with this little invention.

The invitations are all printed now and I liked the look of the gocco so much I printed more than I originally planned.

 

I ended up printing our return address on the envelopes to save time and because I really wasn't that crazy about the envelopes I ended up buying. Choices were limited and time was short last weekend - so I got what I got and I'll do what I can with them. I keep telling myself they are just envelopes but then myself reminds me of those thick, creamy envelopes that wedding invitations often arrive in. These are not thick and creamy... they're just white. I think the gocco dresses them up just a little.

 

Since our ceremony invitation list is limited to just family I bought these cute red cards to insert into the invitations of those who are invited to come early for the vows. My last challenge is to figure out how to combine and place all these into the envelopes so they aren't just a bunch of cards floating around. And the pressure is time - these need to be out of here. Now.

 

The response cards came out great - little postcards that have our address printed on one side and the response area on the other.

 

I couldn't find a horseshoe stamp anywhere - except online - so I made my own. And I think it turned out just fine. I used a magic erase and found a piece of clip art for a template, then carved it out and used a Tim Holtz stamp pad in 'vintage photo' to stamp it on our invitations.

 

It adds just a bit of color to the invitations and a little bit of western without going over the top (I think).

And the last thing I did was to sew the prints and the text together.

 

Which made them into nice, thick invitations.

 

The whole kit and kaboodle came in at an extremely low price - thanks in no small part to Lori Michelon refusing to charge us for her lino print and already owning the gocco printer. I'm happy with them. As I described them to one of my sisters yesterday, they are perfectly imperfect, just like we are.

Links to earlier posts about printing these invitations are here and here.