A Chinook That Makes Me Happy - But Spreads a Fire

What a difference a day makes! Last night, the temperatures continued to rise; it's now 46 degrees outside and we have a 20-mph Chinook wind blowing from the west. If this continues for the next few days, I just might be able to see some grass in my back yard! Chinook is claimed by popular mythology to mean "eater" or "snow eater" but it is really the name of the people in the region where the usage was first derived. The reference to a wind or weather system, simply "a Chinook", originally meaning a warming wind from the ocean into the interior regions of the Pacific Northwest. A strong Chinook can make snow one foot deep almost vanish in one day. The snow partly melts and partly evaporates in the dry wind. The Chinook are a Native American tribe, who originally lived along the banks of the Columbia River near the coast of Oregon. - And we had three fire departments respond to a wildfire this morning. Thanks to the Chinook, the fire spread from treetop to treetop, and covered about an acre, before the Nederland, Sugarloaf, and FourMile Canyon firefighters got it under control. It started in a pile of slash and brush at the edge of the Peewink Mountain fire, close to the edge of the FourMile Canyon fire. Luckily, no homes were nearby, and no evacuations occurred.
Rosie, Remy and I had a super walk yesterday, and had a good time playing with Suki and Boo. Mona stayed in the house and barked at us. I also walked Lucy and Tessa, and spent several hours with Ooch. He sat on my tummy with his front legs reaching toward my face; occasionally he would gently pat my cheek with his paw, and I, in turn, would scratch his chin and jaw line. We had a very nice quiet time. My kits ran in and out yesterday evening. They wanted to be outside, but with the snow still so deep, they also wanted to be inside where it was warmer. Warmer finally won out.
Mr. Livingston, a very nice stallion, who had been standing stud at Bridlewood Farm, was recently moved to a farm in Louisiana. On January 9, he died in a paddock accident. ... Awesome Feather, last year's winner of the Breeder's Cup 2-year-old Fillies race (and winner of all 6 of her races), was sold in November to Frank Stronach's racing stable for $2.3 million. She has now developed "a tendon issue" and it is not known when she will resume training. ... TVG network will cover the January 17 Eclipse Awards dinner and presentation from Miami, Florida.