Did We Skip Fall?

Formation in New Mexico on way to Weaving conference

The summer was a busy time with visits with grandchildren, a flight to Wis. for a HS class reunion and catching up with relatives, driving to a weaving conference in Colorado, and working at a pop corn/cotton candy stand at the county fair.

Relatives in southern Wisconsin

  

Relatives in Green Bay area

 

Along the way we (Bev, a weaving friend, and I) participated in a natural dyeing workshop in Las Vegas in May, a tri-loom workshop with our own Cedar City weaving group in July, and a felting program this past week in October.  In Sept. I was back in Las Vegas for a rep weave workshop with Joanne Tallarovic of Flagstaff, AZ.



The fall was warm with above normal temps, and Bob’s garden has done well with swiss chard, kohl rabi, onions, green beans, carrots, and finally tomatoes.  Then this week it abruptly came to an end with snow. Flurries in our backyard and 17 inches in the mountains east of here at Cedar Breaks National Monument.  So the mountains now have their white caps on, and the sheep are back at the University Farm two blocks down the street.



Mile High Spring In Southern Utah

Bob and I had to make a second trip Thursday in the same week to Las Vegas, and we woke up ourselves before the alarm went off. (He never sleeps too well the night before a dissertation defense of one of his students.) It was good we woke up early, as the electricity was off and the wind was howling. Bob said there was snow on the ground, oh whoopee. The electricity was “clicking” on and off and the answering machine on the kitchen telephone was issuing instructions on how to set up. We might as well get up.

Spring at 5800 ft. is not a straight line, it is a series of dashed lines, and some are smudged. Snows in the morning, melts in the afternoon. Sun shines the next day, and then another storm blows in.

We drove to Vegas on Tuesday morning with two inches of snow on the ground, and saw two trucks in the ditch on the Interstate at our entry exit. We came home at 9:30 that night and the snow was all gone.

We left home Thursday morning with the electricity out. So there was no hot tea for the trip, and Bob had to manually open the garage door to get the car out. There wasn’t that much snow but there was a bit of ice under the ice when the rain turned to snow. Fifteen miles down I-15 we left snow behind as we lost altitude. Spring in southern Utah.

(The photo is our neighbor’s fence to the north, that Thursday morning.)

Winter in Cedar City

[Family and Friends Friday]


Winter in Cedar City could probably be summed up in one word: cold. But that sounds pretty harsh. It is cold, but it’s also sunny and unbelievably beautiful with snow on the surrounding mountains. The sunrises and sunsets are pretty awesome.

It’s true we do enjoy our shopping trips south to Costco in St. George, UT. What a difference 45 minutes south and 2500 ft. lower in elevation can make in the temperatures.

We’ve found that if you have the right clothing the cold doesn’t bother a person as much, and staying in the sunshine helps. Cedar City hasn’t really gotten that much snow this season and what it has gotten usually has melted before too long. In the surrounding mountain that is another story, the skiing at nearby Brian Head Mt. has been pretty good this year with 62 inches of snow.


Our largest snowfall, about 8-10 inches, arrived over Thanksgiving weekend. Of course Bob and I were spending the holiday with our grandchildren in Las Vegas where it was a bit warmer. On Sunday we were fine driving home north on Interstate 15 until we were about 15 miles south of our turnoff. We were on Black Ridge where the elevation increased and the rain changed to snow and we hit fog. Needless to say, the last leg of the trip was a white knuckle ride. The traffic slowed to stop and go in both lanes, and we saw 3 cars and a semi in the ditch. There was ice on the highway under the snow and it was slippery, as the people in the ditch could tell you. Once we got off at our exit, we were able to breath easier and travel better. When we got home we learned that the Interstate conditions were like that all the way north to Salt Lake City, normally a 3 ½ to 4 hour drive. Who knows how long it took those people driving in blizzard conditions. And guess what? Monday was a beautiful, sunny day! It was just a great day to shovel out your driveway,

That following week it was sunny almost all week and by the weekend the snow was almost all gone! We had a brown Christmas Eve, but it did snow over the holidays, just a few inches. However it’s been so cold that the snow has been slow to melt and it’s been rather pretty. I’ve decided I’d rather have a snow covering than all that brown ground.


We spent about 4 days at Christmas with Carlee’s family in Salt Lake City. How the red headed rascals have grown. Jack is 7 and Katie Jane is now 4. We spent a day in Cedar City to recharge and then spent 5 days in Henderson with Dustin’s family, helping them move over New Year’s. Their blondes are growing like weeds too. Paige will be 3 in February, and Jordan will be 1 in March.





Back in Cedar City to start 2011, we’re back doing volunteer work. I’m the Toy Lady at the Catholic Thrift Shoppe, and Bob is the Dishwasher one day a week at the Senior Center. Bob has joined a rock hound group that goes out on field trips once a month searching out interesting rocks in the area. While I’m searching out other weavers in the area so I have someone to talk fibers with. So far I’ve found about 5 other weavers. Now we’re going to work on getting together.