The weather forecast said we’d get 12 – 18″ every day for 3 days. I’m not sure who got our snow, but we didn’t.
We got maybe 7″ over the 3 days.
We drove up Lake Mary Road having heard that Flagstaff got 18″+ just on the first day. It seems we found our snow. The snow as we neared Flagstaff grew heavier each mile with large drifts and snow piled high.
We were happy to find it… and the herd of elk wandering through.
We didn’t get much, maybe 6″, but we got snow! We’ll take all we can get. Bring it on.
With it often comes our animals. In this case, we got deer, elk, and a flock of mountain blue birds.
I certainly hope this isn’t the last we see of the animals… or the snow.
July / August is the perfect time of year to enjoy our lakes and rivers. The weather in Northern AZ is as good as it gets, and the water location yield great fishing and wonderful views.
We have hit over a dozen lakes this year, continuing the trend we decided to check out A-1 Lake outside of Pinetop-Lakeside.
The lakes not only offer great views, but amazing wildlife. This time of year is also full of baby animals of all types.
Early morning hours sometimes gift us with wonderful skies, great light, and early birds.
We love to see the innocence of youth in its beautiful environment.
We were projected to get 1/2″ of snow, so weren’t we surprised when we got over 8″ of snow?
It came down in large soft flakes, covering the trees and the landscape. It was absolutely beautiful.
We were fortunate enough to get animals during… and after the snowfall.
Which we tried to take great advantage of.
It was amazing how quickly the snow came in… and how fast it was gone. Spring is coming and our snow season may be on the way out.
I’d be happy for a few more snow storms before Spring enters the foray. There is something surprisingly peaceful and beautiful about the fresh fallen snow. If we are to endure the cold… give me snow!
We had been promised snow on multiple occasions. They said we’d get 1 – 3 inches during the day, and 4 – 6″ that evening. Not to be that day, or the next, or the one after that.
I never thought I’d say it, but I’ve come to like the snow. It blows in all sorts of things, like this beautiful cooper’s hawk.
Or this little falcon….
As we feel the storm coming, the clouds and winds roll in, but the promise doesn’t come… our friends in South Carolina are soaking up the sun in shorts & tee-shirts on the beach. (This just after coming back from freezing on the West Coast, enduring incessant rains and cold temperatures on the California beach.)
We finally got our snow, about 6″. It was here and then gone. But with it, we got our animals.
We took the opportunity to go out and find them, and were rewarded with some nice shots of elk in the snow.
And big horn sheep
In the course of a week since we got back from CA, we saw deer, elk, ram, and even a coyote.
Gotta love where we live!
See more snow / animal pix here …
We haven’t seen any animals in some time. I think they are all hiding from the mountain lions, as mountain lion sightings have been on the rise. The storms do bring in animals, though. I love our rains… they are so good for our forests and animals.
We were lucky enough to see 2 bull elk, still in velvet. It was a rare treat and one we relished. They foraged in the grass and lingered around until they wandered off as the thunderstorms rolled in.
They looked like they had been through a rough year as they slowly wandered off. I was happy that they had a brief respite from their harsh environment.
Buck Springs is one of a number of old cabins littered around Mogollon Rim’s back dirt roads. 
There are two standing cabins on this site. The smaller of the two was built in 1923, while the larger was built in 1946.
The cabins found in this area were built by early Forest Service, ranchers and settlers while they worked the land. The area is also home to animals looking for food, water, and shelter.
The natural springs throughout the area provide vital water and pools for the wildlife that inhabit the area.
If you visit, remember leave it cleaner than you found it. These are precious places that hold their own history and beauty. Leave a lasting positive impression for future visitors…. not one of trash that one brings in and leaves as a poor testament to today’s mankind.
Life gets busy, but we should never be so busy that we don’t take time out to frequent our favorite spots and do the things that rock our individual boats … and for us that includes the Mogollon Rim.
We actually got snow, sleet, hail, and rain during our short trip, which made for awesome scenery and elk wondering what we were doing there.
It made me wonder what took us so long… oh, there was that project, and that chore, and that meeting, plus that snow storm, the roads were closed… well, okay.
Always find time to smell the roses, or in our case fresh forest air.
We set a record for snow this week! Single day snow of 35″. That brings our estimated total this year (since Jan 1) to 90″! We are LOVING it. Particularly, after our recent fire, we can sure use the precipitation. Wooohoo.
It snowed an inch an hour for from 8am Thurs to 8am Fri.. and then some. It was a sight to see… and very happy we were here to see it.
Snowy faces all around!
Check out more pix here….. https://kritterspix.com/2019/02/23/snow-elk/
All good ideas start with a vision.
It’s not like I seek out things to do. They just come to us, with a need. Well, maybe, need, isn’t the right word. How about… a good idea.
For instance… we have these doors. They are pretty plain. Wouldn’t they look better with a stained glass window on them. That’s what we thought!
So I drew up a pattern that seemed suited for our area… you know, elk, bunnies, blue jays, trees.
And then set out to build it. We have never fretted over the amount of work in any particular project. I suppose if we did, we’d never get anything done. We just think of the finished project, and how cool it might be… and set out to accomplish it.
Once the pattern was finished, I set out to choose the colors… and cut the glass for the 6′ tall door.
And cut glass….
Then I began the daunting task of a combination of leading and foiling the glass pieces in a long labor intensive effort that took patience, determination and perseverance.
Then after soldering all the joints, I had to ‘pack’ the lead channel with a DAP window caulking.
Then use a gypsum powder to clean the flux off the solder joints and lead channel.
I actually made my husband a bet… I expected the project to take a year, he gave me 8 months. Working long consecutive days at every opportunity I had available to me, I finished it in 6 months.
Now our door isn’t plain any more. Who knew we needed a stained glass door… but it was a good idea.
kritterspaw 