lame post

Yes, this is a Lame Lame post. I admit - a complete cop-out. BUT, Patricia's post today is so sweet, I had to post a link from my blog to hers so everyone can see her video of our adventures yesterday at Narbona Pass in the Chuska Mountains of Arizona (which are pretty much our backyard).

Please check it out HERE! Then hit play on the video. I'm wearing the green jacket, Dave is filming so you won't see much of him... but listen closely for his narration!

It was a sweet snowy day!

local color

The other day at work was a particularly bad one. It was about 3pm and I was ready to lock the office door, put my head down and cry when Amy (one of our technicians) came back from the mail room. She had a package from a medical supply distributor. Inside the package was the highlight of my day (which also turned out to be the highlight of my week, and subsequently one of my favorite Navajo words).

Na-a-ho haih (sounds like "Na Ho Hey"). Chicken.

Yes, a chicken pen made my day!

My co-workers, Shirley, Amy and Terry then told me about an old rodeo event that is now illegal. The Chicken Pull.

This is one of the less gruesome descriptions I found online:

Navajo horsemen engage in the exciting sport of trying to pull chicken out of the ground, after which there is a race to catch the successful contender for the prize. The Navajo Indians are unexcelled as horsemen and engage in many exciting sports, among them the chicken-pull. A chicken is buried in the sand, the head projecting above the ground. The horsemen ride past at top speed, leaning from the saddle in an effort to capture the prize. The winner is then chased by the other riders who strive to take "Chicken" from him.

Apparently the Rodeo is still called "chicken" in Navajo after this famed event!

Another year passes

My 31st Birthday celebration was a deliciously snowy weekend!

Friday morning as we drove to Colorado, we wondered why we were even leaving home. We had received at least 2 feet of snow that week and woke up to 5-6 more inches on the ground. Tsaile was a winter playground waiting to be explored.... but it would have to wait until Sunday.

We had lunch in Cortez at an awesome little place called The Farm. It is run buy a local couple who grow most of the food they prepare in their cafe on a patch of land called Seven Meadows Farm. Patricia talked to the owners a bit about their high altitude farming techniques and was given some great ideas about how to extend our growing season.

We headed to Rico in the afternoon through inches of fresh snow on the road!

We spent the weekend taking multiple trips to the local hot spring (which you have to snowshoe to in the winter), boarding the revelation bowl at Telluride, and stuffing ourselves silly with good food, wine and company.

Sunday night Patricia and I were finally able to get out for a moonlight snowshoe around home. A great ending to the weekend!

BIG HAPPY (belated) BIRTHDAY WISHES to Ryan (2/1) and Michelle (2/2)!!