UPDATE 29 DECEMBER 2018

The year of 2018 is closing up fast.  It will be 2019 soon.  I hope everyone has a great New Year.  I know we plan on having one.  We have had some new snow but it is warm so might night last very long.

The rocks under the powerlines with a fresh coat of snow.

Zeph and Connie stepping out on the two track road out to powerline point.

The southern part of the bitterroot.

Warm enough that snow balls formed on Zeph's legs.

This morning was the first time we have seen snow fleas this winter.

Click to enlarge and see what these snow fleas (springtails is what they really are) look like.

Spoiled horses?

Coming back from skiing at Christmas. Zeph looks tired.

Joe and Peg getting a treat.

CHRISTMAS UPDATE

We had a great Christmas again this year.  It started out on Christmas Eve with a family get together at my brother Gary's place.  He and his wife Margee have hosted this for many years. We spent Christmas day skiing at our little resort  as we usually do.  The snow was great and we even got to ski a little powder in some trees.  It is fun showing up there and seeing all the people who ski from the Bitterroot and the other side of the mountain from the Salmon area.  We came back to our place and cleaned up, changed clothes and headed to Ike and Brenda's place for a big Christmas dinner.  Ike and Brenda's sons were there and Ike's mom.  Their son Rustin who is stationed up in Alaska showed up unannounced and that was a big surprise.  Plus neighbors and some more friends.  Great meal and we all had a good time. 

We had a pretty good little snow storm just before Christmas so we did have a white one.

Cat Dell watching out the window at Frosty the snowman.  She spends a lot of time watching outside from this perch in the winter.

Getting ready to open up gifts.

And the steal a gift exchange is always fun!

Connie about to head down into some trees and then back on to the nice groomed run.

We still need some more snow to cover up the stumps in the trees.

Carl and I went walking one morning and ran into wolf tracks.  Probably a sub adult male wondering through. You can see Zephs leg and footprint and then compare to the wolf.  

My camera case for a comparison.

The south end of the valley in the morning.

IT IS GETTING CLOSE TO CHRISTMAS!!!

This is an update trying to get some pictures put on the blog since it has been a while since I posted.  Connie has been real busy getting ready for Christmas and keeping her elves (me and Zeph) busy also!  Her theme this year is "Jack Skelington - The Nightmare Before Christmas".  She watched way to many spooky movies as a kid!  But the lady has talent as does her whole family. 

We have a little snow on the ground and might actually have a white Christmas in a couple of days.  Forecast is for a chance of snow.  More in the mountains which is good.  We have only been skiing once so far this season.  Will be going tomorrow if everything goes well and of course on Christmas Day with our friends Ike and Brenda.  It is a tradition for years. 

Jack Skelington getting all dressed up.

Connie in the shop with her glue gun putting the finishing touches on Jack.

Filling Jack's sleigh with presents.

The finished product.  The reindeer is quite cute.  Below are just pictures taken in the last week or so.

On our walk on a very frosty morning.

A panorama of our valley with Carl just in the picture from one of his rock outcroppings.