EVICTION!

Drought is an awful thing, whether one is a farmer, a city-dweller, or a cabin owner.  In Wichita, our last meaningful rain, until July, was last October.  We had very little rain or snow over the winter, and the farmers’ wheat crops, though in the end better than expected, suffered greatly.

We had been keeping up on the precipitation in New Mexico during our drought, and the mountains of New Mexico were equally dry.  Our area had fewer than 10” total for the year – where average is bout 100” in the higher elevations.  By the time we came to the cabin in April, the streams were already at levels normally not seen until September or October.  

We returned in mid-May, knowing that the Forest Service may close the forest at any time. After one fairly decent rain, we thought perhaps we would be allowed to stay, but Memorial Day campers sealed our fate.  When the rangers found nearly 100 unattended fires when there weren’t supposed to be any, the foresters decided they must close the forest to prevent another fire. And although we agreed, we wished that we could have stayed.  

So on June 1, we left the Canyon, not knowing how long the closure would last.  We were hoping for a July 1 opening, but that was not to be.  Ultimately, the Canyon opened on July 9, and we were here by the 12^th.  The rains have started, and although it is still dry, more rains are expected for the next few weeks, and we are temporarily all right.  We understand that it has been raining at home, too . . . which is  good thing..