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CLOUDCROFT ONLINE NEWSLETTER #49
March 2, 2001
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Dear Subscriber:

It is quiet around my house today. Much too quiet.

My daughter had a minor emergency in Lubbock (if you want to
call her apartment ceiling caving in from a plumbing leak a
"minor emergency") so Peggy loaded up this morning and drove
out of the mountains and to the Texas panhandle to save the 
day. She will, too. She always has...for all of us.

Meanwhile it is I that have been left behind to handle the
business of dog-care, Cloudcroft.com, this newsletter and
filling the bird feeders.

Peggy and I just celebrated our 18th wedding anniversary. You
would think after all that time a little period of separation
would be no big deal. She pulled out of the drive an hour ago
and I am already a little lost. The dogs feel much the same
way. They're laying in the living room right now by the fire 
watching Burden of Proof on television.

It is an indication that they are already out of sorts also.
They HATE Burden of Proof.

To add to our melancholy, the weather is dreadful; foggy and
gloomy with a mixture of very wet snow and rain. I keep
reminding the dogs that there is no such thing as bad moisture
up here. Every drop helps keep the forest less combustible. I
don't think they're buying it. They had rather be outdoors
"barking up" the forest. Another round of rawhide chews will
appease them for a short while.

I guess we're all just a little attached to Peggy. Don't tell
her, though. We don't want her getting the big-head.

Don Vanlandingham
Cloudcroft.com

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IN THIS ISSUE
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1. LOOKING AT THE WEATHER
2. VILLAGE NEWS
3. INSIDE THE SHOP -- ASPEN REALTY ASSOCIATES
4. CLOUDCROFT ONLINE SPOTLIGHT -- OTERO COUNTY
5. Q AND A -- BECAUSE CLOUDCROFT ONLINE READERS WANT TO KNOW
6. COMING EVENTS
7. LETTERS TO THE EDITOR
8. CONTACT INFORMATION
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LOOKING AT THE WEATHER
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About 2 inches of snow in the past week but high temperatures
caused significant melting. Still some stands of snow for
recreation in and around the Cloudcroft area.

Highs in the past week in the low to mid 50s. Lows in the upper
20s/low 30s.
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VILLAGE NEWS
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While the high cost of propane has caused more mountain-dwellers
to rely more heavily on their fireplaces for heat this winter,
the forest service has not allowed for fuel wood permits because
of adverse surface conditions. A forest service spokesman says
fuelwood areas will be open as soon as they are safely
accessible.

Contact the forest service in Cloudcroft (505-682-2551) for 
updated information.
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INSIDE THE SHOP -- ASPEN REALTY ASSOCIATES
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While the office is new, the Realtors serving you from Aspen
Realty Associates have a combined experience of many years in
the Cloudcroft area and are highly regarded for their attention
to integrity. It is the first real estate office in Cloudcroft
coming in from Artesia on Highway 82...located in the Loper
Building to the left of the highway at the entrance of the
village. Call (505) 682 5032. See their web page under "real 
estate" on Cloudcroft.com.
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CLOUDCROFT ONLINE SPOTLIGHT -- OTERO COUNTY
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Otero County (in which Cloudcroft lies) is one of the state's
largest, containing some 4 million acres. Within the county
are the White Sands, Southern New Mexico's oldest community of
La Luz, and NASA's alternate shuttle landing sight. (The site
came within moments of being designated the landing site for 
the last shuttle flight a week ago when weather conditions at 
Cape Canaveral and Edwards Air Force Base were marginal. The 
shuttle ultimately landed at Edwards during a clearing window).

The basin area of Otero County is used widely by the military
for missile development.

The first atom bomb was detonated in this area in 1945.

Alamogordo is the county seat of Otero County.
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Q AND A -- BECAUSE CLOUDCROFT ONLINE READERS WANT TO KNOW
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Q - I can't keep my charcoal fire lit. What's the deal?

A - It's the altitude. It takes oxygen to keep a fire going
and there's not as much oxygen in the air at 9000 feet
(Cloudcroft's altitude) as there is at sea level. You might try
starting your charcoal fire over a primer of kindling wood. It
can be accomplished with a little patience.
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COMING EVENTS
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March 3 -- Photography workshop. White Sands. 10am - 3pm.
Call (505) 479-6124 for more information.

March 8 -- Sacramento Regional Tree Farm Meeting. Sixteen 
Springs Fire Training Center. 1pm. For information call
Ray Genuske at (505) 687-2089 or Marsha Slane at (505) 687-3520.

March 10 -- 2nd Annual Cloudcroft Dance Theatre-Epicurian Dinner
and Ball. Pavilion. Call (505) 687-3192 for details.

March 24 -- Mayhill Family, Community and Education Club
Cultural Arts Show. Otero County Fairgrounds, Alamogordo.

If you have news of a public event, email us.

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For an online calendar of area events, click the Events Calendar
link in the left column of our home page:

http://www.cloudcroft.com/index.html

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LETTERS TO THE EDITOR
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Dear Newsletter:

Just a quick fan letter about the Cloudcroft Newsletter. I'm a 
new subscriber and really enjoy the info/commentary/pictures!
Thanks so much for your wonderful efforts for the rest of us...
tell "God's Country" "Hello" from me, please.

Take Care!
Sharon Cordes
Houston, TX

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Dear Newsletter:

Hello There! Great to have been back at Cloudcroft! We just 
came home from the weekend there and it was great! The snow 
was beautiful and the food we had was great! Glad to see the 
newsletters and can't wait to come back.

The Clacks,
Hobbs, New Mexico

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Dear Newsletter:

I'm looking for a friend that I graduated with and the last I 
heard she was in the Cloudcroft area. I thought you might know
of her and could maybe help me to get in contact with her. Her 
name is Michele Gray. Please let me know if you know of her.

Also, I just wanted to say thanks for the newsletter--it makes
my each week and reminds me of a wonderful past that I left 
there!!

THANKS AGAIN!!! 
Kenna Crnkovic 

[We will forward any information we receive to Ms Crnkovic.]

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Dear Newsletter:

What a nice thing you do for your residents and wannabes. 

I really enjoy reading your newsletter, and I have never been 
to your section of the country. The picture of Burro Street in 
your previous letter made me want to visit it. It is so different 
from my town. My friend Doug from Mayhill is always asking me 
to make the trip, but you are a long way from Orlando. I wish 
I could get away and visit.

That panoramic photo was spectacular and the fire photo was 
amazing and sad all at once. We are experiencing an 11,000 acre
fire as I type this e-mail. The fire is about 40 miles away from
me. Our interstate has been closed for a stretch in Polk County
for the last 5 or 6 days. As beautiful as that picture was, it 
is hard to look at without feeling sadness for the animals that 
were displaced. 

Keep up the good work.

Nance
Orlando, FL 

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Dear Newsletter:

Thanks for the great pictures and the continuing inspiration of
the newsletter. My wife Cheryl and I grew up in Roswell and 
often went to the mountain towns of Cloudcroft and Ruidoso. 

College, marriage, jobs and a family have kept us away from the 
mountains for many years. Last summer we visited friends near 
Mora in the northern mountains and were hooked. We spent a few 
days during Thanksgiving Holidays in Cloudcroft and Timberon 
and changed our retirement plans. We live for the day we can 
come back to the Cloudcroft area for a visit and are now 
planning our retirement there.

Keep up the good work. We can't wait for the next issue. We 
both read every word and each time we re-live the short vacation
we were able to spend in the area a few months ago.

Stuck in Dallas, for NOW!
Edra and Cheryl Hudson

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direct them to: newsletter@cloudcroft.com
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