The good, the bad, the ugly

NORTHERN NEWS
by Maxine Deeter
Christmas and New Year’s have come and gone.  It’s on to a new year.  Hopefully, for most the holiday season was a good one. 
La Sal received a surprising White Christmas.  Although, returning home from the “north”, we noticed that the heaviest depth of snow was in Moab!  That’s unusual.  And, it’s still there in big piles here and there. 
They’ve experienced very cold temperature inversions, which have kept things frozen.  Their temps are 10 to 20 degrees colder than Sierra La Sal most days. 
Last Saturday night brought us another little taste of snow.  Very pretty, but you had to enjoy it fast.  It reminded me of the snows from my youth in southern Arizona – enjoy them fast, as they’ll be gone by mid-morning.  Of course there, we only got these snows every decade or so.
The kiddos are now back in school after a nice holiday break.  Unfortunately, the “crud” in various forms swept through our village over the holidays.  It hit the young and the old and those in-between. 
The young suffered a couple of days and bounced right back.  Not so the older folks.  Various distresses – flu, bronchitis, upper respiratory ailments hit and sent a few of our villagers to hospital.  It was a tough holiday season for some.
Several folks went traveling over the holidays to see far away grandchildren.  That explains why Miss Melissa P. taught school at La Sal E. for the two days last week.  But, last Monday, I think Ms. Thayn was safely and soundly back to her teaching duties at our village one room school. 
Miss Melissa had a great experience but appreciates the hard work of teaching four grades at one time from day to day.  Such is our little country school.  Don’t find many of them anymore.
Well, you think misfortune found you, wait until you hear this tale of woe.  Our good buddy, Patsy K. from Wilson Arch (aka the cello lady) sent us some very interesting photos the week before Christmas. 
Patsy is an avid hiker and found herself in the Mule Shoe Canyon area on a bright, sunny day the week before Christmas.  A glint from afar caught her eye, and as she ventured toward it, she was amazed to see a very large motor home over the edge of the canyon.  The RV had come to a halt before hurtling to the canyon bottom when it’s progress was stopped by a very large boulder.
A day or two later, local cattleman, Curtis W. was looking for stray cattle when he came upon the same sight.  His vantage was from the bottom of the canyon.  Looking upward at this amazing sight, he decided it might be a little too precarious to be found lingering under the RV. 
The incident was investigated by our local La Sal Law Enforcer, Deputy Rhett Adair.  The story goes that the driver of the RV was having some mechanical difficulties and pulled over to a flat spot above the canyon to work on his rig. 
Unfortunately, he left it in neutral and it started to run away towards the edge of the canyon.  He was unable to stop its advance, and over the edge it went 
A few days later, as we drove by, there was a very long armed crane on site, and the RV was back up on top out of the canyon. 
Its fiber glass or aluminum shell was much cracked and shifted  You have to wonder what the insurance adjustor had to say about this whole affair.  Maybe he had Farmer’s Insurance, and we can see the ads on TV soon!
Well, it the same category – unfortunate circumstances. A family from the city up north spent Christmas at their cabin in the Two Mile/Hang Dog area.  A couple of days before the New Year, they headed home. 
Prior to their arrival they received a phone call telling them their cabin was not nothing more than rubble and ash.  At this time, I can’t find anyone who knows the cause of the fire.  So sad.
Okay, for some good news.  Miss Patience Johnson had a bout with Bell’s Palsy this fall which left her unable to speak properly.  Her brain and tongue would not communicate.  It was a very frustrating situation for her. 
One day last week she woke up and could miraculously speak correctly again.  She woke everyone in her house up to tell them and called her mom at work.  She was so happy. 
This comes at an opportune time as this talented  young lady has secured an audition for “The Voice” in Phoenix the first week of February.  How exciting! A talent from right here in little old La Sal auditioning for a national TV show.  We wish her luck. 
To keep up with Patience, check her out on Facebook.  She posts a lot and it’s very interesting to follow her.
There is a new subdivision afoot at Rattlesnake Ranch west of La Sal proper.  A couple of guys from Moab are developing it.  We had to do a reconnoiter last weekend to check it out.  It is a beautiful location with a great view of The Mountain. 
The area is located in thick pinon-juniper stands and that’s about all you can see for now, The Mountain and the forest of PJ. 
Perhaps this can bring some new families to our community.  We are shrinking it seems. 
There are still a lot of legal hoops through which to jump but stay posted on the progress of this subdivision.
Last weekend’s snow took our State road guy out on his appointed rounds before bright and early last Sunday.  He made a big circle chasing the snow going to Monticello and to Canyonlands. 
Interestingly enough, the folks to the east up toward The Mountain received less snow than we did here in the valley.  That’s interesting because our total was less than an inch. 
That was preceded by rain Saturday night that then turned to snow.  By noon everything was a dripping from the roof tops.  Let’s hope that this has started something, and we can get the moisture that we need to sustain ourselves this year. 
I do like my daily showers and flowers in the summer.  Don’t make us get out and do our naked snow dance.  It’s not a Kodak moment!