Surrounded by the vestiges of a recent snow storm, Burrlll and Windy, decked out in holiday finery, stand sentinel-like near the entryway of Flowerland Floral. Becoming popularly known in Raton as the Snow Couple, Burrlll and Windy are in their third year on the job as sort of unofficial ambassadors of holiday cheer for the local business.
During the recent holiday season, baby rumors began swirling around the Snow Couple. “Enquiring minds” wanted to know. Is Windy getting fatter or is that a baby bump? Debbie Trujillo, owner of Flowerland, and spokesperson for the couple, recently confirmed that Burrlll and Windy are expecting a bundle of joy sometime before the next holiday season.
Burrlll and Windy, aka the Snow Couple, are the creations of Ratonians Debbie Trujillo and Brandon Walton. The Snow Couple is assembled into the forms of a snow man – and snow lady – from old tires of various sizes, and other recyclable materials. According to Walton, there is a large stack of tires at his place of work, and “we picked through them until we got the sizes that looked good”. All of the tires have been spray painted white, with the exception of those used for Burrlll’s hat. The tires are not bolted together, but merely rest on top of one another. Walton says, “If you look at Burrlll’s nose, it’s an oil funnel. We cut the eyes out of plastic, same thing with the lips on Windy.” Trujillo wanted green eyes for Windy so Walton, using a hole saw, cut Windy’s eyes from the bottom of a discarded green plastic bucket.
The different parts of the two figures are stored on the premises of Flowerland, allowing for assemblage in about thirty minutes, once the holiday season approaches. Walton chains the heaviest tires together and using a backhoe easily maneuvers them into place.
Trujillo’s built-in affection for snow men plus a photo she spotted in a magazine triggered the idea for a snowman made of tires. “I actually collected snowmen for many, many years,” she says. “ I have a huge collection, and when I saw that (photo) I texted Brandon and asked, ‘Do you want to build a snowman?’. It wasn’t long and we had a snowman – I’ve always loved them!”
Windy’s colorful maternity outfit was designed and sewn by talented seamstress, Iva Modrich. Windy’s measurements were taken – she boasts an 84 inch waist – and the search for suitable fabric was undertaken. “I had a hard time finding some material,” states Trujillo, “so I found some holiday tablecloths. Iva put them all together and made Windy’s apron. On the flip side of the apron she built in a pocket where I could make the baby bump as round as I wanted and extend it out if I wanted to.”
Unlike Frosty the Snowman, the Snow Couple do not have magic hats to bring them to life, but nevertheless they have elicited a few wows and generated plenty of interest from community members, travelers, and social media. Walton says, “I work up the road from here so I drive by probably fifteen times a day. For three or four of those times that I go by there’s someone taking a picture or their kids are out there playing and laughing and smiling and it’s gratifying. People enjoy them!” Trujillo says, “They’ve kind of taken on a personality, people wait for them to be up. People have been very interested in them as a couple. Now that they’re expecting, it’s going to be even more exciting.”
More fun with the Snow Couple is on the way. Trujillo has plans for a Baby Gender Reveal Party to be held at Flowerland at the end of November, 2020. Although all the details haven’t been ironed out yet, she is also considering several ideas for contests, such as a Baby Naming Contest or a Guess the Weight Contest.
Windy and Burrlll are becoming a mainstay of Raton’s holiday scene, offering photo opportunities and bringing smiles to the faces of many. Perhaps the person with the biggest smile is Trujillo, who “would leave them up year round if she could”. “They’ve become a fixture, they take on a personality and they’re just part of Flowerland now,” she says.
