Lions and Lambs

March has been pretty nice as far as the weather goes.  Light jackets, afternoon walks and birds chirping.  It’s the best possible way for the calves to come into the world.

Then, today, snow–the first day of Spring, no less.  Typical.

The Farmer’s Almanac discusses the truth behind the month of March and its lion and lamb attitude.  The Almanac says it’s probably just an observation by those who have come before us, merely a cute rhyme and nothing to bet the ranch on.

But, here in Northeast New Mexico, my father-in-law’s obervation that March comes in like a lamb and out like a lion typically holds true.

Seven sisters

Palo Blanco Mountain looked especially lovely earlier this week after a brief snow.

Locals refer to this mountain as the Seven Sisters because of the seven peaks (at least that’s what I am told).  There are many online references for the Seven Sisters but none related to this mountain in Northeast New Mexico.

Check out other Friday Fences.

Soul food of the Southwest

My Grandma Mary is an award-winning New Mexican food master.  She has a stack of blue ribbons a mile high from the New Mexico State Fair and a few other local contests.  She was even featured on Food Nation with Bobby Flay a few years ago.

On cold and snowy days like today, her green chile stew recipe is a favorite in our house.  Mine is definitely not as good but it will do.  The delicious scent that fills the house on a cold, snowy day is second to very few things in my world.

My heart pitter-pattered when my husband called home to request a pot of green chile stew.  It tastes best with a bite of tortilla just warmed on the open flame of the stove.

As any good New Mexican will tell you, green chile is the soul food of the Southwest.  Grandma Mary’s green chile is the soul food of my life.

Freezing our assets

We’ve been anticipating the cold snap for about a week.  It was hard to think seriously about the cold because temperatures have been in the 70s the last few days.  Today, it’s 34 degrees and the first snow is beginning to fall.

Regardless of the weather conditions work must go on.  Preg checking is scheduled for tomorrow.  So, the guys are saddling up to work cattle in preparation.

This is nothing, though.  It’s a little cold snap, just the beginning of a long, cold winter.  The heavy winter wear has been unearthed.  We’ve thrown out the old gloves, caps and coveralls and made a place for this year’s stash.

I better get to town to get my cowboy the new coveralls we’ve been discussing.  I don’t want him to freeze his assets off again tomorrow.