The Last Woodlot

Finding piñons and stories on Canyon Road

Last winter, after failing yet again to borrow a truck and chain saw to cut my own firewood, I headed over toward Woodcutters’ Corner on Old Las Vegas Highway.

Blaze of Glory

Keep toasty and save money with wood-burning stoves

Oh sure, that 550-square-foot, 200-year-old adobe casita you live in is chock full of character. The floors feature the familiar glow of ancient-looking orange tile. Vigas wheel across the ceiling like wooden baking pins.

Too bad it’s so damn cold.

Winter Angel

Spreading warmth, one house at a time

I meant to volunteer for the animal shelter but I ended up delivering hot meals to the Southside every monday night.

The Big Freeze

Ice fishing needs no defense, but here’s one anyway

As soon as the state’s alpine lakes freeze over, usually by the end of December, there is a steady stream of people making their way onto the ice with ice augers and fishing poles.

Ristra Madness

Keep deliciously warm all winter long

So you bought a ristra. Now what? Are you just gonna hang it from your faux viga and watch as the pods slowly dry in the warm winter sun? Aw, come on! You gotta cook with those chiles!

Recipes for getting serious with chile over the winter.

Warming Up to Winter

Seasonal libations keep our pilot lights going

What makes the ultimate winter drink? Well, that’s a matter of chemistry and is as personal as a craving and as fleeting as perfection itself. Some prefer dark, complex and brooding. Others favor the sweetly distracting and the opulent.

Winter Must Haves

Ignoring the recession? Start here

A guide to a wintry wonderland full of not-so-thrifty spending.

Laugh at the Cold

Bikram kicked my butt (and other tales)

Also called hot yoga, Bikram Yoga demands your respect instantly. Its creator, Bikram Choudhury, born in 1946 in Calcutta, injured his knee when he was 17 during a weight-lifting accident. He was told he’d never walk again. After six months of yoga, he was healed.

Hot Rocks

Getting stoned guarantees relaxation this winter

Massage therapist Norah Harris, who has been practicing the art of hot-stone massage for six years at Ten Thousand Waves, talks rocks with SFR.

Winter Survival Guide '07