Back In Bisbee…

…for a few days.

Ramsey Canyon and Miller Peak

Staying at Beatty’s Ranch 2/3 of the way up Miller Peak, via a twisty, rock-strewn two-track. The ranch is really an orchard, with chickens, in a wide spot in a narrow canyon, graced with streams, and ponds, Arizona sycamores, alligator junipers, and Emery oaks. Unique in all the world. But before arriving here we did a little exploring of beautiful Ramsey Canyon. Here at Beatty’s 21,000 acre wilderness all around us. And, coming up.”, Mimi saw a nice big mountain lion.

Patagonia,

Arizona.

Miracle Ranch…

…aka Rancho Milagro. Elgin, AZ.

Missed One

Traveling can be a pain, and an excuse to forget a blog.

But, made it to Tucson.

Symphony Orchestra

MSO program.

Lively and exciting, rhythmically challenging, music.

Nothing Much…

…in terms of projects or accomplishments.
In the observation department, mini iris bloomimg, and squirrel nest (drey) shaken down in recent big wind.

In the audio department, cranes, redwing blackbirds, robins, and just today a few spring peepers. Not the big chorus, but a sufficient number of frogs to be audible at a distance.

Chilly, east wind, high thin cloud.

Locals Or…

…passersby?

I’d say locals, in that all the passersby seem to have passed by.

Bright and cool. Wind NNE.

Real Rain Last Night

Hard to beat lying in bed, window open, listening to heavy rain—except maybe the same thing but with a metal roof overhead. The online Antler Circle weather station recorded 990 lightning discharges over the duration of the storm.

A paradox

Many a Flash-bang, and…

…a little, much needed, rain.

Red Flag Conditions

Extreme amount of warm dry air moving north in a hurry.

On my walk around the block I had the wind to my back on the return route, but it almost seemd like I was standing still. The big, roundish, seed-heads of trimmed hydrangea came bounding and rolling past me like tumble weeds.
Luckily, no sources of ignition, such as in the Texas panhandle.

Pretty Loud…

…in Noisy Village.

Pleasant spring weather in a college town brings out the noisemakers, along with the blackbirds. Day-long, outdoor, well lubricated, audio-amplified, front yard parties at many, if not most, frats and boarding houses—even with no holiday to celebrate.
Still, it was nice to sit out on the back patio to watch the chiminea make short shrift of birch twigs and dried faggots (made last fall from excess redbud). Birch twigs snap, crackle, and pop as they incinerate. That’s a very nice sound.

Robins and Redwings…

…present, but chilly.

While there is a rather stiff breeze from the south, there’s not much warmth in it.
Above, after our last rain/snow event any precip that fell on concrete or tarmac melted, evaporated, or sublimed. Any that fell on natural surfaces lasted a while.

Last Nature Writing Class, On Leapday.

Class session went from 5:15 until after 8. My worry about non-participation was unfounded—all but one of the participants contributed a composition, and the critique session went swimmingly. Lots of isight, and even a few tears.

Worthwhile endeavor, but now glad to have it behind me, and to look forward to spring.

Whiplash

A drop of over 50 degrees in just a few hours.

Lots of lightning and thunder, but only a dusting of snow. Quite a substantial slowdown to the rapidly accelerating spring.

Barometer Low and Dropping…

…after a hot and humid day.

Snowdrops proliferating

I’m a bit low, like the barometer, myself in that four of my ten students did not submit a nature writing composition by this evening’s deadline. I tried to make it clear that we are not competing for the annual Thoreau prize, but I must have spooked them anyhow. Anyway, here’s my submission: Am I Feeding A Monster?

Sky Full of Cranes…

…on a strong south wind.

Nary a cloud. Shorts and t-shirts on campus.

Wash the Cars…

…hose the garage.

Quite sure the last little snow event will be the last of the year. Spring is here, so a little spring cleaning. What we’ve got beats blizzards, but is a little scary nonetheless.

Yard Signs

Fell into a trap and got drafted to deliver yard signs around some neighborhoods. (For Common Council and School Board, in this case.)

I’m not a big fan of yard signs. Perhaps necessary, but not sufficient, and always annoying. Yard signs lead me to think about the upcoming general election, and that leads to thinking about the necessity of winning. Democracy at stake, IMHO. I think Dems need to get loud, contest the info space, and form a counter mobilization. The Dems around here seem to think that the best approach is to be nice, be sweet, and be quiet—hoping a majority of the voting public will appreciate it.
Pretty sure Rachel Bitecofer has the right idea with her book Hit ‘Em Where It Hurts.

Sun Then Clouds…

…then rain then snow.

A thin blanket of white now, and still snowing. But robins heard (not sighted) this morning.