View Up the River

This is our view looking upstream. Even during our goat era, the riverbank was never this open. On the left is the big cottonwood featured in my Dec. 11 post.

The dark trees across the river are saltcedars, and in the distance are the orange stems of coyote willows. Their orange color seems to intensify as winter progresses. Coyote willow spreads by underground runners, and forms clumps, which is why you see solid masses of orange.

The sky is our typical New Mexiblue. Ever since my Dec. 23 post about the vicious wind, our winter has been remarkably moderate – sunny, warm and dry. I call it “Chamber of Commerce weather” because it’s the kind of weather the Chamber of Commerce would have you believe we have all the time. And this winter, for the most part, we have.

Our hyacinths are already up, which is abnormally early. Next the fruit trees will start to bloom, and then we’ll have a heavy freeze. Fruit growers prefer consistent cold weather lasting as late as possible. That way, the fruit trees bloom late, and are less likely to be nipped by frost. But not this year, alas.

I’ll post this same view after the river is running bank full and the trees are greening up.