Sorting through a mountain of gear that Leishey got shipped to us from the west between the storms. We're kinda hoping that the weather calms down and we can get out back into the ashlands again... this snow is kinda getting on my nerves.

Odd dreams, nothing much beyond that.

Made it back to SLC between sets of storms, one of the guys who predicts the weather thinks it's going to be the last really cold storm that's going to hit out here. On a related note, we got word from Leishey that the next expedition into the caldera is starting to take shape and to not get caught up in anything that'll keep us busy beyond March.


Other than that had a few odd dreams involving the coyote, the one in the dreams not the one I was hunting, and wandering a desert with weird stuff way off in the distance, the basalt pillar from before, a giant eye of  providence in a tophat wandering along remaking things into caricatures of themselves just over the next ridge...things of that nature.

I don't know if coyote is just showing me these things to teach me, or warn me. Maybe in time I'll learn.

Game set match.

Took a while, also a few days wandering out in the snow after a whiteout storm buried the barn but I finally got the coyote...

Kinda sucks, it was an interesting challenge taking down a coyote that was much smarter than one should be but unfortunately it ended up being not only a job of protecting the livelihood of the rancher that was employing me but also an issue of protecting the ecology of this area since I found a few spots where it had killed some of the local antelopes and left them to rot like it was hunting for sport and not to eat... I think at times it was using a form of magic... like on a basic sense and not knowingly... hard to describe it I guess.

Rancher wants the meat, let me take the pelt, I think I'm going to get it cured in SLC and see what I can do with it... or maybe keep it and take it to California and see what Axel can make with it. Once the storm breaks again I'm going to make my way back to Salt lake and see what's been going on there.

Snow storms, lightning and still playing cat and mouse with a coyote.

Not much to report, just letting people know I'm still alive really.

There was an impressive snowstorm this last week, dropped a few more feet of snow in addition to an impressive lightning display.

And yes the big coyote is still toying with me and almost took down one of the ranch's horses last night. For some reason it was out in the pasture instead of the barn and so the coyote was chasing ig around trying to tire it out. I took a shot at it and winged him and he ran off before I could line up another shot... so I now have a wounded coyote out there that probably doesn't like me anymore. Gonna try and track it down between storms and while I still have light.

Decided to head out before the next set of storms rolled in to that ranch I was offered work at for coyote abatement.

Not much going on really, holed up in one of the barns, got coffee, and a warm place to sleep with a decent view of their fields, not really that cold either, snow's barely not melting during the day.

Been in a sorta standoff with a large coyote, large enough to take down one of the rancher's horses alone, pretty smart one too, almost like a wolf, but eventually it'll have to try and get at the bait carcass, not much else out here to eat what with the ranches cattle in shelter. Kinda sucks to have to hunt them, but coyotes are just a bit too stupid (or maybe too smart) for their own good. Wolves at least learn to leave a ranch alone after you nail one from over 200 yards away, yotes just don't do that, the ones you don't see learn your tells when you get the ones you do see... I guess it's like playing a game of who's the better sneaker.


On the subject of coyotes I had another one of those weird dreams again.. the one with the coyote talking at me under the desert stars, now I'm not saying it sounded like Johnny cash... but well it had that tone and I kinda caught some of the meaning of what I'm being told, mostly  it was a sorta "you will understand in due time" feeling, and then I woke up when the coyote pack started howling and making noise across the field.

Merry christmas.

Once again it's the magical time of year where things get weirder than usual, in this case it turns out the SLC have decided to co-opt Krampusnacht to keep their children in line and behaving, especially considering they have a parade of Krampuses... Krampi?... No idea what the plural form is here.

I also have no clue how she pulled it off, but my mother somehow managed to get fresh made boysenberry cobbler sent from the CR out here...that and my older brother added to the box and sent me a vest that matches up nicely with my gear that I already have, and adds another 5 easily accessible pockets when I layer my stuff properly.... bringing the total up to 18.

So I suppose the yule cat won't try and eat me this year again.

Anyway merry yuletide and all those other well wishes, and a happy new year. Unless something goes sideways again and the world ends a third time, considering the frequency over the last few years it's a good possibility. Maybe we'll get something different, like aliens instead of more nukes.

Someone asked me what I do on a normal day..  I guess since I'm not doing much today due to snow storms blocking up the streets I may as well make a post regarding this.

In general I wake up a bit before dawn and wander downtown to one of the gyms that has a mixed martial arts group and do some exercise and practice, the cold air wakes me up on the walk to and from the druid barrow, then I make my way to City Creek center where some of the food places are and trade some fresh produce for a hot meal and make my way back to the dow barrow to help the druids with tending the gardens.

If there's no work to be done at the barrow I head over to one of the nearby trade districts and check the nearest bulletin boards to see if there any work that needs to be done.

Speaking of, once the streets are cleared I did pick up a contract, I've been asked to head north of the city to one of the ranches and help clear out a pack of coyotes that's been harassing some rancher's cattle operation.