Last night, February 2, I went out onto the porch at our house (I’m at the Ranch while Justin’s off on the east coast, interviewing staff potentials) and sat under a blanket. Although it was a bit less than 10 degrees, I was warm and settled in for some fun, and was I rewarded. At first it was dead still, not a single sound of a motor, plane or any other human intrusions. Then a single coyote began to sing. He continued for about thirty seconds then paused, at which point other whole bands began to call, four more in all. Some were on the ridges and others were as close as the tennis court. They howled, whined, barked and generally celebrated for a minute or two then were silent. A few minutes later one band began again and the others joined. When they finished, two horned owls hooted from their treetops at opposite sides of the Ranch compound, one calling the other responding as if they were saying, “Wow, was that a song or what?”