Last week’s post reminded me all over again of 2011 and the devastation of the Las Conchas fire. This is a photo I took that year, immediately after the photo of the fire engine in the meadow; it was the scene on the other side of Highway 4. I remember being miffed that I couldn’t hike along this stream (part of the Santa Fe National Forest, which was closed) yet, at the same time, I was very aware that it was only because of the closure that I could actually see the cattle ambling through the canyon. Four years later — with the knowledge that the area has not only survived but flourished — I feel much more appreciative of this scene.
