Today saw the season’s first hard frost that glazed pine boughs and sage leaves. Winter announcing it’s arrival.
Before the snows come, we made one final trip to Cottonwood Canyon.
This last camp of the year is a bourbon and hot cocoa sipped on the porch kind of stay. The temperatures require layers and socks in your sandals.
But the weather only threatened rain as we were leaving and with a sweater, the porch offered ample cover from the canyon wind.
Our evening was highlighted, literally, by a break in the clouds as the Hunter’s Moon rose over the hills.
We didn’t get to do much star gazing with this bright object in the night sky. On the other hand, a flashlight wasn’t necessary for the evening toilet.
A pair of mule deer joined us for morning coffee and scones.
A nye of ring-necked pheasants occupied the field just to our north. However, that was only evident when they flew in and out of the tall grass.
Grain fields were mostly fallow or brown with this year’s stubble. Occasionally there would but a plot that showed the short green sprout of winter wheat.
A series of storm fronts kept the wind farms active and presented us with a grand show of cloud formations.
It’s a pleasant drive through the rolling hills along Highway 97. We’ll not venture this far north after winter comes full on, but likely be back in the spring.
Walking to the cabin from river’s edge, you pass a line of willow, then cottonwood, across a stone beach, before passing through a hedgerow of sage, onto a grassy plain.
The rules are simple enough for children to pick up. However, around the Schommer family table there might be rough language thrown about.
