Where is winter?

Just a few weeks ago, we had received our first snow fall of the season.  It was not much, but we were able to do our first Winter Walking Wednesday of the season and we were getting excited about winter.

Boy, has the weather changed.  Our temperatures this past weekend were into the 70’s F (20’s C) in the valleys (a few degrees cooler on the ridges).  Despite freezing temperatures at night, the warm days are making Cataloochee Ski Resort miss a crucial element – SNOW!

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In fact, they were using the beautiful, sunny Saturday to do training for their staff, including their first aid training.  Nothing like watching ski patrol training on grass.

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Even our tree was looking forlorn without its leaves, but without the snow we saw surrounding it the last time we posted pictures of it.  Can you tell we really love this tree?

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Even the view down our valley from the ranch looks different than the last time we showed it to you.  The leaves are all gone, but the clear skies allowed for a crisp view of the mountains.

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As we did last time, you can zoom in on our house in the middle of that picture.  Without the leaves, you can really see the house much clearer:

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Ok, so we are without snow.  But with a gorgeous weekend, we went out hiking all weekend anyway.  We just had to find different “drifts” to walk through.  Makes for quite the crunchy noise.  Since we can’t show you noise with a picture, we thought we would end with a short video of “Leaf Crunching – Herd Style.”

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24 Comments

  1. Khumbu on November 15, 2009 at 1:28 pm

    Hey sounds like your having the same problems as us in Southern Spain, where did all the snow go? Leaf crunching looks fun though.

  2. Brownie on November 11, 2009 at 6:42 pm

    that is SOME leaf crunching!!! wow!!!
    xoxo
    brownie

  3. Mochi on November 11, 2009 at 12:40 am

    No leaf crunching for me! We’re finally expecting cooler weather tomorrow! 🙂 I hope you get your snow soon!

    Mochi

  4. Steve & Kat on November 10, 2009 at 9:06 pm

    Our weather humans are saying that it’s going to be a warm winter without much snow. I don’t like that one bit. I wish Ammy could come over and give me an accurate forecast.

    Kat

  5. Clive on November 10, 2009 at 6:32 pm

    We can’ wait until your snow comes – your photos are lovely but with snow they will be really amazing!

    take care
    Clive

  6. Samantha ~ Holly & Zac ~ on November 10, 2009 at 5:50 pm

    Love the leaf crunching video, that is a lot of leaves you guys have there….

    Holly & Zac xx

  7. Huffle Mawson on November 10, 2009 at 5:01 pm

    Those leaves look like such good fun to crunch through!

    Huffle Mawson

  8. Martha & Bailey on November 10, 2009 at 3:38 pm

    We love leaf crunching too and made a video at the weekend! How cool if we could all have gone leaf crunching together. We hope your snow comes soon although we are in no hurry. Well when you see how near our tummies are too the ground you will understand why!
    We enjoyed the video and the lovely pics.
    love
    Martha & Bailey xxx

  9. Bentley on November 10, 2009 at 3:36 pm

    Oh that looks like fun! Leaf crunching is fun, but most are gone around here now. And the weather has been unseasonably warm for a few days, so not even a hint of the possibility of snow crunching. If I could send snow your way I would. My ears get cold when they drag in the snow. That’s no fun at all.

    Bentley

  10. Khyra on November 10, 2009 at 3:14 pm

    I think the snow is stukhk on I-40 behind the rokhk slide – their GPS didn’t tell them about the road being khlosed!

    Hugz&Khysses,
    Khyra

  11. Sierra Rose on November 10, 2009 at 3:09 pm

    Nice walky!!! The ski mountain looks quite fun! Our nearby mountains have not received any of the pow yet either…we are waiting anxiously.

    Hugs and snaggle-tooth kisses,
    Sierra Rose

  12. the Army of Four on November 10, 2009 at 3:00 pm

    Our mom actually LIKES temps in the 70s. Can you believe that?!!? Where are her loyalties?!
    Tail wags,
    Storms

  13. JacksDaddy on November 10, 2009 at 1:23 pm

    That walk would have taken Jack 15 hours as he has to stop and smell every leaf! 🙂

  14. Stella on November 10, 2009 at 11:34 am

    If you would come and walk with us, there would be no crunching yet, since we have had rain the last two days. Pretty leaves but they lay soggy on the ground and we slip and slide through them. Thanks, always, for taking us on a good high altitude walk!

    Kisses,
    Stella

  15. Denns the Vizsla on November 10, 2009 at 11:28 am

    With all those leaves, it sounds like you’re walking about half a dozen dogs! Oh, wait …

  16. NCMountainwoman on November 10, 2009 at 9:39 am

    Our girls love leaf crunching walks as well. They end up with leaves all in their long underbelly hair and tails. No crunching today…it’s pouring rain.

  17. Kira on November 10, 2009 at 8:56 am

    Wooos! Leaf crunching, what fun at least you get to go for walkies despite there being none of that snow stuff woo keep talking about, I think it is like my sand?
    -Kira The BeaWootiful

  18. KB on November 10, 2009 at 8:53 am

    Ruh roh, it’s starting to sound like drought… I hope not, for your sake. It must feel weird in your house with all the leaves gone from around you. We live mostly in a pine forest so we don’t experience that feeling anymore. But, I remember it!

    I love hiking through downed leaves with that autumnal leaf smell permeating the air. That’s long gone here – but I can remember how nice it is!

    So glad that you’ve been able to avoid the fusion – you’re very smart. My docs are insistent that I need one on my neck… but after my experiences with my lumbar spine, I’m waiting, waiting, waiting, perhaps forever. Research does tend to show that pain from degenerating discs decreases with age beyond middle age. That is, unless the discs disintegrate and disappear (like happened to me).

  19. KB on November 10, 2009 at 8:51 am

    Ruh roh, it’s starting to sound like drought… I hope not, for your sake. It must feel weird in your house with all the leaves gone from around you. We live mostly in a pine forest so we don’t experience that feeling anymore. But, I remember it!

    I love hiking through downed leaves with that autumnal leaf smell permeating the air. That’s long gone here – but I can remember how nice it is!

  20. achieve1dream on November 10, 2009 at 8:43 am

    Crunch, crunch, crunch, crunch, crunch, crunch, crunch, crunch, crunch, crunch, crunch, crunch, crunch, crunch, crunch, crunch, crunch, crunch, crunch, crunch, crunch, crunch, crunch, crunch, crunch, crunch, crunch, crunch, crunch, crunch, crunch, crunch, crunch, crunch . . . .

    Yeah we have lots of leaf crunching here too. Thanks for sharing!!

  21. The OP Pack on November 10, 2009 at 7:55 am

    The drifts ae a great backdrop for Rusty’s coloring. The crunching sound made us think of something sizzling on the stove, maybe some bacon. We all want snow soon too, well, maybe not Mom but the boys sure do.

    Woos, the OP Pack

  22. zoehuskydog on November 10, 2009 at 7:30 am

    I *love* crunching through leaves, ’cause after the crunchies comes the snow! Bring it on!

  23. MAXDOG on November 10, 2009 at 5:06 am

    Hey there all of you!
    We love your pictures and the build up to the snowy season.
    We are watching….and waiting….with you….in….
    AN….TI….CI….
    …………

    …….PATION!!!
    Lotsalicks
    MAXDOG IN SOUTH AFRICA

  24. Mr Koda MD on November 10, 2009 at 2:59 am

    I wish it was winter here!!!!
    I get bored with all this walking business I wanna do some serious pulling!!!
    Yawn Sniff Sniff Yawn.

    Although, I wouldnt say no to some sunbathing…

    The leaves look fun!!!! The poor tree must be lonely without its leaves, like a doggy without fur… oh no!!!

    Paws crossed for snow!

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