Animo: Winter Landscape

The Colorado mountains come alive when the snow flies. The mountains are majestic in their new white cloaks but we have been fogged in all day except for a few glints of sunlight. We were thankful that the wind didn't kick up and make it colder.

Today's storm has left us with about four inches of snow. Though it is cliche to say the words, the beauty of our surroundings are breathtaking. We were planning to get the snow shoes out if we got at least 8 inches. We went snow shoeing a lot he first two years up here, no need to go to a special area, it is easy to learn, safe and inexpensive (purchase of snow shoes).

For our high and rugged setting, our weather is remarkably sunny. We have deep verdant forest in the summer and enough snow in the winter to give Winter Park, Colorado the highest ten year average for snow among all of Colorado's ski resorts. We are a 45 minute drive from Winter Park. Grand Lake is the "offical snowmobile capital of Colorado" with 300 miles of snowmobile trail.

It is just 32 degrees Fahrenheit and freezing. Daniel Gabriel Fahrenheit (1686-1736) was a German instrument maker who invented the first practical mercury thermometer. It is amazing how often we

check the outdoor thermometer. Stay out there long enough and you won't look like a snowman but a

frozen stick figure.

This was taken early in the day with big flakes of snow coming down. This was a wet snow, so much of it didn't stay on the ground. The bird feeders have been occupied all day but we have to be careful at night. The bears need 20,000 calories a day to gain enough fat to survive the winter. With their super sensitive nose (100 times more sensitive than ours) and their ability to smell food five miles away; they can damage property and even break into cars for a stick of chewing gum. Bears are very smart and have great memories - once they find food, they come back for more.