First snows on the Pine Nut and Sweetwater ranges, Oct. 10. Early or late? Neither here nor there. It came. Will they stay on the peaks long enough to see the next snowfall? Probably not. I have seen snows come and go in the Sierra by the end of September for years, just in time for hunting season. Some, were just-a-dustin', some dumped three and four feet, stranding hunters in the mountains searching for a way out and permittee cows in the back country of the Desolation Wilderness for several weeks requiring helicopter hay-lifts to help them survive until they could be rescued, only to see Indian Summer return and not another flake of snow to be seen until the end of December.
So, Tuesday night, when the overhead claps of thunder rattled the walls, and sheets of lightning illuminated the walls of the bedroom at 3 a.m., it only beckoned me to sit up in bed and watch the light show over the Antelope Valley for an hour, a light-show that scares me sometimes and yet, curiously, excites me at the same time. When the first light of in the stormy fall morning sky made the Valley visible, snow was falling in big sloppy flakes, just enough to bend the soon to be leafless lilac bushes outside the back door, barring my way to the garage and access my transportation to work, not possible, without getting sloppy wet myself.
Oh well, I thought to myself, winter is just giving a little introduction for another season, frizzy hair be darned for the rest of the season, "Buck up and get used to it." This will all be here for a few months and I have seen so much worse. This was just a little inconvenience and definitely a small introduction of what is yet to come. Winter is just around the corner, summer seemed so short-lived this year...where did the time go? I am still in the mode of the first warm days of spring and now it is winter coming on so fast.
As I climbed in elevation to Leviathan/Double Springs summit on my way to work on Highway 395, the first snows were bowing the piñon trees under the weight and as I ascended the summit, Carson Valley came into view under the cover of clouds and rain, I felt the blessings of a beautiful "Indian Summer" might be short lived but, as the week progressed I realized my silent little prayers were answered as temperatures will again return to low 70s. Outstanding!
Our colder weather has also created another problem for local hairdresser Debi Nielsen, who recently set up shop at Legends Salon in Gardnerville. Debi lives on Gray Hills in TRE and it seems that Debi is in the process of having her mobile home replaced with a newer one. While this is being done, she has been living in a small camper on her property and doing a lot of her cooking out-of-doors. A bear living in the Pine Nuts behind her property decided it all just smelled too good to resist and has been visiting Debi's "out-door-dinning room" on a regular basis for the last few nights.
"He's big and black," Debi said. "I mean, I have a big black dog and at first I thought that's what I saw but it came down and knocked over my microwave and really made a mess trying to get into everything. I don't want it to get hurt or anything though." Lots of luck Debi.
We have some more fun events to look forward to in the next couple of weeks.
n The VFW Auxiliary Topaz Post No. 3630 annual fundraising spaghetti feed will be 4-8 p.m. Saturday at the Topaz Ranch Estates Community Park building at the end of Carter Way. The cost for dinner is $6 for adults and $3 for children 12 and younger. There will be a no-host bar with great raffle and door prizes. There will also be live entertainment. For more information about this great event call Dinale Vaughn, 266-4833 or Jacqui Mobley at 266-3636.
n The Topaz Sagehens will sponsor their annual Fall Boutique 9 a.m. to 3 p.m. Nov. 4 at Topaz Ranch Estates Community Park building. There is still a couple of spaces available if you want to participate. Information, Mickie Joye, 266-1025. The Sagehens are also pleased to announce their new list of 2006 officers. Janice Roberts took over the reins as president with Sandy Offenstein as vice-president, Janet Bryant will perform the duties of secretary, Barb Begley as treasurer. LaVeryn Jory will remain as the club historian.
n Second chance to talk to candidates running for state and county offices. Hear is your chance to talk to them one on one, ask questions that will help you make your decision at the ballot box. There will be a candidates night 6-9 p.m. Oct. 25 at the Topaz Ranch Estates Community Park building at the end of Carter Way in TRE. For more information about this event contact Sam Dupuis, 266-3796.
n Jonni Hill can be reached through The Record-Courier at jhill@recordcourier.com or by calling 782-5121, ext. 213, or after hours at JHILL47@aol.com
