Weather Reports | Deer Canyon Folks

An actual herd, actually

Fri, 11 Feb 2022 17:41:14 -0700

This afternoon we had four deer—no, six deer—no, eight, NO: TEN deer feeding in our front yard. This is by far the most deer I’ve seen here gathered together at one time. One of the does was being the classic “mean old mare”. She was kicking at any other deer who got too close; one young one seemed to be the primary offender.

They found a lot to munch on in the area that Roy mowed for us last summer, and also in the nearby juniper trees.

Not only were there ten deer, they stayed out front, eating away, for more than half an hour. About five were still here when Alan just had to go out in the sunshine himself (he had been about to open the door to go out front when he saw the first four; he was very patient!) Alan opened the door very slowly & as quietly as he could. The deer heard him anyway and left at a lovely coordinated trot. It looked as though they had been practicing their synchronization!

Ah, it was a lovely day even without the deer. Into the 60s, sunny, and still. Just about the best Deer Canyon has to offer.

At long last

Wed, 02 Feb 2022 10:11:03 -0700

It’s snowing! Actually really snowing, not just hinting at snow as we’ve seen so far this winter. I think we have about 3 inches accumulation already here at Happy Camp, and more is steadily descending.

So, of course, I had to have tea on the porch.

I’d say the tea-on-the-porch-index was 6. The temperature at that time was 28° and there was no wind. I lacked the socks, so I was only out about 10 minutes. But hey: that 10 minutes was fun!*

* Polar fleece robes are the best for winter tea on the porch!

More fool me

Sat, 15 Jan 2022 09:42:10 -0700

Or autumn, or something.

We are at least having cold temperatures overnight! Daytimes have been consistently dry and warm (into the 50s quite frequently). It’s fantastic weather for walking! Not so good for the flora, alas.

What has me so perplexed is that last August the squirrels and jays were acting like the winter would be very harsh. They went insane over peanuts 6 weeks earlier than they usually do (see, after so many years here I have an idea of when the jays in particular go crazy for peanuts). I was sure we’d be facing very low temperatures and frequent snow, starting late October. It has happened in the past!

More fool me. If we’re going to have a wintery winter this year, it is still out there looking for directions to New Mexico.

Not our usual drift

Wed, 09 Sep 2020 09:48:23 -0600

For early September, this is amazing:

And it’s a very misty morning, quite brisk and fresh, which I enjoyed with my cocoa on the porch:

No mountains in sight (too foggy/cloudy) but I expect we’ll see snow on them when they’re visible.

Meanwhile, while we went right down to 33° last night (it was that temp at 2:39 AM and at 5:45 AM, so I figure that was our true low), we did not have a freeze, and this morning in my garden at least the flowers are still happy:

(Well, as happy as they ever are in my garden!)

“Cocoa on the porch” index: 6. The mist and the 35° on the porch made polar fleece very appreciated!

PS: Also, 1.3 inches rain overnight!

New Tea on Porch category

Fri, 28 Dec 2018 13:29:17 -0700

12, for this situation:

(It’s not the cold, it’s the snow!)

Lots of drifting but I’m pretty sure we have the better part of a foot of snow out there already, and it’s still coming down. Fun!

Earlier:

Really, it was just getting going then!

Here’s now:

(The brightness is reflection of my camera’s flash on the window. Or aliens. You choose.)

A weather event!

Mon, 12 Nov 2018 08:23:43 -0700

We’re having snow and dreadfully low overnight temperatures, especially considering it’s still a week & a half before Thanksgiving.

Documentary evidence:

This is well after the sun “came up” (out there behind the clouds somewhere); overnight was somewhere in mid-teens. Tonight expected to be in single digits.

About 3 inches on our back deck, & the snow is still coming down very very lightly, so probably no more accumulation at this point — yay!

Tea on the Porch Index: 7 or 8. Brrrrr!

Phew

Tue, 02 May 2017 12:44:03 -0600

That was fast, as of course it would be. Most of the snow was gone by Sunday afternoon — amazing when you consider how much came down Friday night and Saturday. Yesterday morning the mountains had lovely snow on them but everywhere else was completely dry and spring-like. And today even the mountains are back to the usual unsnowy state.

Which is good, because, you know, it’s May!

Anti-Complacency

Fri, 28 Apr 2017 22:20:00 -0600

It’s snowing!

eom

Welcome Spring Rains

Tue, 25 Apr 2017 11:52:15 -0600

Yes, we have been dry for a while. But we’re not dry today!

Chillier, though. But who cares about that — it’s raining!

Don’t all faint — updated

Thu, 23 Mar 2017 15:45:25 -0600

A second update in less than a week — oh my gosh!

But I just have to say: it’s RAINING!!! Or hailing. Or something. Wet, and sticking to the window.

eom

Updated to add: rain, sleet, snow, whatevs. Ground is warm, so whatever it looks like in the air, it’s just dampening everything.

Tea on the porch

Sat, 18 Mar 2017 08:38:37 -0600

We have been having the most sublime weather: warm, sunny, without out usual spring bane (which shall of course not be named here, because … superstitious!).

I have been missing tea on the porch recently; a broken wrist right before Christmas, which made getting out with my tea, turned into a broken habit. About 2 weeks ago, on a Monday, I was having a late-ish tea on the porch and wondering at what sounded like a zillion birds who had somehow arrived overnight — when I realized I was hearing our first mockingbird of the season. A mockingbird singing is the very definition of spring, so our current amazing weather is no surprise. (I do realize we’ll be having cold snaps and overnight freezes still; had snow on May 14 a year or two ago; that’s spring too, of course.)

Anyway, made it outside with my tea at a reasonably early hour today — 8:15 am — and did not hear the mockingbird. But I saw the first house finch of the season (for me; remember I’ve been regrettably missing my tea on the porch time), and enjoyed the coolish but quite pleasant morning. It’s a touch hazy; I couldn’t see the three little dots that are the home of friends across the valley at the Red Bluffs. Still very beautiful outside today.

End of year treat (updated)

Sat, 31 Dec 2016 09:24:24 -0700

Rain!

Rain, rain, rain, rain, rain.

It’s been gently coming down for a couple of hours, and now the intensity has picked up a bit; maybe not a driving rain, but certainly a real soaker.

And boy, have we needed this!

So let’s let this rain cleanse away all the challenges of 2016 and nourish the ground for new growth in 2017. All of us, & Mountainair especially, are due for some good times!

Updated

Well, the rain has paused, of course, but we got nicely drenched first.

Tea on the porch just now, I’d say it’s index 4 out there. I was surprised how pleasant it was, still and sweet. A lovely last morning of the year.

Whoa, have I ever been lazy!

Sat, 17 Dec 2016 08:40:30 -0700

So, you know, we’ve been having summer and then fall weather all these many months.

And today we are having a true winter storm. It was raining very early this morning, but NOW it’s snow, nicely accumulating, and the temperatures are still dropping. Windy, too. Good times of a different kind.

Especially as cocoa will soon be served. It’s probably ToP Index #7, but the snow is right to the door (winds —> drifts), so most likely we’ll stay inside for our indulgence. (I’m still lazy & can’t be bothered with boots just to drink my cocoa!)

Good times

Mon, 13 Jun 2016 07:53:21 -0600

Cocoa on the porch today: special!

Comfortably cool, very light breeze, I’d say Index #1.

Listening to the very faraway sound of a train …

with difficulty, as two mockingbirds have decided to claim our homestead, and are battling it out in the nearest trees.

#goodtimes #I_can_hear_you_roar_

Today’s Tea on the Porch Concert

Fri, 03 Jun 2016 10:12:05 -0600

brought to you by the Flying Kingdom.

Lead vocals: Mr Mockingbird

Backing vocals: Mr Spotted Towhee & Ms Canyon Towhee

Rhythm section: the Various Buzzers

Tea on the Porch Index: 1 & 1/2 (nudity not recommended, otherwise a number 1!)

hmph

Sat, 14 May 2016 20:02:21 -0600

We got hailed upon & then we got rained upon. (Pretty sure that syntax is terrible; but it matches “the feels.”)

That was around 5-ish this evening.

Trolled by El Niño

Mon, 02 May 2016 08:52:57 -0600

So, after a wet & chilly beginning to the winter, February was unusually warm and dry; then March was warm and dry; then April improved a bit, rain-wise and also was not so unseasonably warm (although most of the last week was very nicely spring-like: warm, sunny, breezy).

A week or so ago a storm dipped through southern Colorado and we cadged a bit of rain from it.

Then late this past week, some more storms moved our way.

Thursday night & Friday we had brief rains. Saturday morning we woke up to a well-watered garden and snow on the Manzanos.

Sunday morning there was a touch of snow on the ground here; we didn’t see this because we were in Rio Rancho, but we saw bits of the snow on our deck when we got home yesterday afternoon.

Then last evening we started up again with snow.

And this morning, there are maybe two inches out there. The ground is warm, so bare dirt just looks wet. But the deck, the trees, all greened up vegetation — it’s all snowed upon.

We’re still in the clouds and the mountains are just peeking out, but even the foothills are clearly snowy.

Spring Rains (updated)

Fri, 08 Apr 2016 11:56:17 -0600

Not a thing of the past — a thing of today!

(Last Friday we awoke to a dusting of snow. As it was April Fool’s Day, I thought I’d publish that we were snowed in. But by the time I made it to the computer, the snow, such as it was, had disappeared. Oh well.)

Until today, we’ve had 2 months of dry, frequently windy, often warmer than expected weather. The El Niño winter mostly passed us by. Much of New Mexico is back in mild drought conditions, quite different from the situation in early January.

So we’re very happy with today’s frequent gentle rains. More! we want more!

UPDATE: Forgot to mention: we were already greening up. This should kick it into overdrive.

Okay, now it’s just weird

Tue, 08 Mar 2016 14:13:50 -0700

It’s 50° out, and it’s snowing. Or hailing. Or something.

And windy, of course.

(This won’t last long.)

Long time no weather

Tue, 23 Feb 2016 07:48:40 -0700

Well, of course there’s been weather. But the weather hasn’t been getting my attention.

The big snows from late December, early January, slowly slowly disappeared; I think a fair amount actually melted into the ground for once.

We started February quite cold and breezy. Then, for the past 2 weeks it has been unseasonably warm — 60s in the days, mid-30s or more overnight. And dry, our weather has been amazingly dry all month.

Not today, though! A little storm the forecasters kept saying wouldn’t amount to much has arrived and it’s snowing! We’re covered in white again already.

Meanwhile, due to the recent warm spell, my tulips are starting up & I’ll need to cover them for the predicted lows tonight. I started pruning shrubs on Saturday; I had to switch over to short sleeves! The garden is ready to grow. Oh, and under the gravel the dirt was still soft from the snowpack melting in so slowly, so I was able to uproot a few unwelcome volunteers simply by pulling. That was fun.