Snow!

Snow arrived in Alpine January 9th and lasted for two weeks!  It surprised us that our response to it followed the same pattern as when we lived with Winter for 6 months in Michigan!  It started with, "Oh how pretty!"

I love the dichotomy of the snow on the cactus needles!

Next came, "We've had enough of dealing with snow and cold temperatures!  When is this going to end???"

Finally the melt, puddles, and mud came.  The sun shining in the truck windows during trips to town was warm and reminiscent of Summer.  We rejoiced with, "Yea, it's almost over!" and "It will be great, when the mud goes away!"  It's amazing to us that the two weeks of snow felt just as long and harsh as we remember the Winters up north!!!  We have become like a fellow traveler who said that she's not happy unless the temperatures are above 75 and the sun is shining!  Life in an R.V. is to be be enjoyed with the windows and door open wide!  We'll find our perfect Winter location, yet!

January Home Life

January's cold temperatures have forced us to close-up the camper and turn on the heat!  We are focusing on home life.  While spending time on computer projects we enjoy watching the deer that regularly come into the R.V. park.  We have particularly enjoyed watching this mama Mule Deer and her twin fawns.

I am still active via the Internet with the shelter back in Michigan.  Every January since 2007 when the shelter found itself with 30 black cats and 30 cats of other colors, we have held a Lucky Black Cat Special.  After 6 years of working to change the image of black cats in Sault Sainte Marie, Michigan, we are showing a solid impact.  This year we only have 5 black cats to 25 cats of other colors and are holding our first Lucky Black Cats and Friends Special!  Not only is our percentage of black cats reduced, but the number of cats for adoption as a whole!  We use to regularly have 60 cats in the shelter's adoption showroom, but have recently only had around 30!  We have a great team of volunteers and a solid system for promotions!  Chippewa County Animal Shelter operates as a no-kill facility reducing pet numbers only through adoptions.  I continue to enjoy being part of the team!

Where Nothing Exists

Roy decided to start a science blog called Where Nothing Exists. Check it out: 

http://wherenothingexists.blogspot.com/

We signed up with Netflix in September for the 2 movies at one time plan.  We wondered how a mail order movie rental program would work with changing locations.  It has worked beautifully!  Because there isn't a time limit on how long the movies may be kept out, we just hang on to our movies while we relocate, and then change our address online once we are settled into the new location.  We have the movies mailed to the R.V. park office.  It has worked so well that we recently increased the number of movies we can have to 4 at one time!  We love that we can get complete seasons of t.v. shows on DVDs, too!  We are totally impressed with our Netflix experience!

Christmas Tour of Historic Homes

Today we went on a Christmas tour of historic homes in Alpine. This home was designed and built around 1902 by well known pioneer architect and building contractor, William Daugherty.  The interior of the home has the feel of solid construction, and a designer that was ahead of his times.  Although it has a warm classic feel, there are many features in the interior architecture that seem modern.  Mr. Daugherty designed and built many of the finest homes, businesses and churches in Alpine.

The interior of this stucco home was our favorite!  The furnishings are very eclectic!  Everything about this home had a fascinating quality.  Super kudos to the owners on their decorating skills!  An article in the October 14, 1927 edition of the Alpine Avalanche announced in regards to this home that "one of the most modern and complete homes in Alpine" was be be built for Mr. and Mrs. J.C. Coleman.  Mr. Coleman was the first graduate of Sul Ross University.    

William Daugherty designed and built this home in 1908 for Mr. and Mrs. William Townsend, parents of noted Brewster County lawman and legislator, E.E. Townsend.  The home was later sold to A.H. Parmer.  Mr. Parmer's first wife and the mother of his children, was Susan Lavenia James, younger sister of the outlaws Frank and Jesse James.  The home is now owned by a couple from out of the area, who use it as a place to stay while in Alpine.  The home is very sparsely furnished.  Note the large windows and two front doors.  The front doors seemed of larger dimensions than usual and opened into two large rooms at the front of the house.  Large windows were prevalent throughout the house.  Even the rooms were expansive in floor space and high ceilings.  It gave the feeling that the expansive rooms would be wonderfully cool on a hot day, with all those large doors and windows circulating a breeze.  The house is reported to be a hybrid of Greek Revival and Victorian Styles.  I loved this home for its openness and aire of yesteryears!  

This home had a present day artistic feel.  It was built around 1901.  It has a Gambrel barnstyle roofline, popular in the nineteenth and early twentieth centuries.  The rooms are very small, and it has a steep narrow stairway to the upstairs bedrooms. This home in present times seemed comfortable for at most two people. There was a large church and one more home on the tour that didn't lend themselves to pictures.  Roy and I found it interesting that while we could appreciate every aspect of the homes on the tour, that neither of us felt any longing for home ownership.  That bodes well to the longevity of our gypsy life!