SPIRITS OF THE PAST - by Dot

It would be unthinkable to be in New Mexico and not spend some time learning more about the various Native American tribes who have inhabited these lands for thousands of years. We plan to spend more time on that while we are in the Santa Fe area next week. However, yesterday we made the three hundred mile roundtrip to the Gila Cliff Dwellings to enjoy the spectacular scenery enroute, to be more informed about the Mongollon people who lived in these caves high on a cliff, and to connect with their spirits in a place that seems sacred.

Some of the trip was over roads that we had traveled previously. However, the scenic route north of Deming along the Mimbres River was new territory. At San Lorenzo we took the “Trail of the Mountain Spirits” National Scenic Byway. It was slow going at times over mountainous terrain with many hairpin turns as we ascended higher and higher through the Gila National Forest. One obvious change in the landscape was the difference in color --- more green and less brown! Pinion and juniper trees are in abundance. As the road winds higher there are more dramatic rock formations and peaks and tall ponderosa pines and fir trees. As we traveled we crossed the Great Continental Divide, got a glimpse of the beautiful Lake Roberts, saw two deer next to the road, and stopped at numerous lookouts to take pictures and enjoy the views.

Early on in our trip we started a list of amusing or interesting signs and out-of-place sights. The first was a large billboard in the middle of the desert proclaiming “Donate Your Boat”!! We wondered why anyone around there would even have a boat. Of course, if they did they might as well donate it since there would be no place nearby to sail it! Other signs included” “Zero Visibility Possible” (One might make a case that zero visibility is always “possible.”) Then there was “Don’t Stop in Travel Lanes.” (Do drivers really have to be told that this is dangerous?!) “Running Water” was a frequent sign that is not seen back east. Of course, it refers to areas where an arroyo crosses the road and provides the risk of a sudden rush of water if there is rain.
We got used to the numerous cattle guards on the highway which we assume play a role in keeping cattle, deer, elk and other hoofed animals from becoming traffic hazards. We were surprised to pass a lone biker (as in bicycle, NOT motorcycle) laboring hard to ascend the mountain. I wondered how long it would take for him to reach his destination!

For the most part we seldom encountered other cars or people on the trip. Thus it was a shock when a young woman came jogging toward us on the side of the road with one of those three-wheeled jogging strollers! We have no idea where she came from or where she was headed! At another remote area we saw also a woman walking a dog!

We arrived at the Gila Cliff Dwellings National Monument just in time for the only guided tour of the day. However, it started at the top of the cliff! We did our best to hurry along the path and up the steep incline and got in on most of the guide's remarks. It was good to have the information that he gave but at times I preferred to just stand and try to imagine the people who lived in these caves and to feel their spirit around me.

We had been to the cliff dwellings at Bandelier National Park many years ago but did not climb the many ladders that seemed to be required to visit those caves. Therefore it was good that we were able to access these dwellings in spite of my bad knee and the fact that we were 30 years older.

In the quiet and solitude of the forest we enjoyed a picnic before heading back toward “home”, partially by another route that had been recommended by a friend. The scenery was equally spectacular as the road wound its way through other parts of the Gila National Forest and back to the desert between Truth or Consequences and Hatch.

We had departed from home just after sunrise and returned after sunset, weary but full of the wonderful opportunity to see so much beauty of God’s creation and thankful for George Catlin, Theodore Roosevelt and many others who had the foresight to make sure that these treasures are preserved through our national park system.

LET'S GO FLY A KITE! - by Dot

About two weeks ago we stopped at a nice kite shop with the intention of buying a kite to take with us to White Sands before we left. However, the selection was limited and the prices were too steep for us amateurs. This week we found one elsewhere (in that “W” place I hate to go!) for less than 1/3 the price of the cheapest one at the nice shop and today we had an opportunity to try it out.

We drove over to White Sands after we returned from early worship and brunch. When we arrived the air was the stillest that I can ever recall at White Sands! We tried to get the kite to stay up anyhow but to no avail. So…. we just walked around the dunes a bit and then did some “beach reading” --- i.e. sitting on the sand with a good book or magazine. (Unfortunately we did not have the sound of the waves as background, though.) Eventually we realized that it was getting a bit breezy so we made another attempt with our beautiful butterfly kite. It launched with almost no encouragement and was soon soaring above the white dunes, tails waving. It brought back memories of our days flying kites at Yorktown Battlefield when our children were young. One big difference, however, was that we did not have to worry about trees or telephone poles today!

Reluctantly we pulled the kite back to earth after an extended period of running and frolicking with it. It was time to take in the sunset nature walk which had been cancelled on our last visit to White Sands. Twenty-five or thirty people gathered to join Joan, the park volunteer from Montana, on a guided tour of some of the areas between the dunes where there is vegetation. Joan and her husband, who are retirees, spend their winters volunteering at various national parks in warmer climates. This is her second year at White Sands. Our group included children and adults from Florida, Minnesota, South Dakota, and Texas and a young Chinese couple.
We learned a lot about the formation and continuing movement of these gypsum dunes and the plant an animal adaptations within the park. Roads have to be plowed with snowplows two or three times each week in order to keep them passable --- more frequently during the windy season.

Our tour ended just before sunset and we were left to enjoy the beauty of the gold, andpink reflected on the distant Sacramento Mountains as well as the brilliant red of the setting sun over the San Andres Mountains. It was a lovely ending to a lovely day at White Sands.

On our drive home we were able to listen to the Duke-Wake Forest game.

Since we will be leaving Las Cruces on Saturday we have reached the period of “final times” and “what’s left on our list?” Today was our final time for Sunday worship at St. Paul’s UMC and saying farewell to friends there. It was also our last Sunday brunch at Paisano’s where we had one last order of huevos rancheros, said good-by to Tony, our waiter, and ordered some potato and green chili soup to take home for supper.

Yesterday was our final time at the Mesilla Valley Farmer’s Market. We’ll miss the colorful atmosphere, the man who sells 7-8 different kinds of sprouts, Jan who introduced us to Swiss chard, the little boy who plays the same three chords on the guitar for hours (but is generously appreciated by the patrons!), the Johnny Floris Band playing lively Mexican tunes, running into people who went to school with “Danny” or who had been taught by his mother or aunt, and the many artisans whose wares we admired and thought about buying --- but decided that this year was not the year to do so.

Yesterday we also went to the NMSU Museum where we viewed a very interesting exhibit of Neanderthal skulls and another on the excavation of a Maya temple in the 1920s and 30s. Afterward we took in a movie, "Slumdog Millionaire", which won the Oscar for best picture tonight! Tomorrow we plan to go to the Gila Cliff Dwellings, which has been on our list from the beginning. It will be a long day but the weather is supposed to be nice and we are eager to see this part of the state.

HIKING (AND PICNICKING) IN THE DESERT - by Dot

(Top:Sotol and prickly pear cactus)

(Bottom: Dan checks out guidebook near a Ocotillo plant.)

Dan got the car washed yesterday so he was not pleased that the route to the Chihuahuan Desert Nature Park included 5 miles on a dusty dirt road again! We decided that we’d better wait until we finish exploring places off the beaten track before we wash the car again. (maybe just before we leave Las Cruces.) These trips into the desert and on these unpaved roads have made us realize why so many folks have SUVs or pick-ups!

About ten miles north east of Las Cruces, the Chihuahuan Desert Neture Park lies near the base of the Dona Ana Mountain range in the northern part of the Chihuahuan Desert. We were surprised to discover that the Chihuahuan Desert is the largest desert in North American, stretching from southern New Mexico more than 600 miles south through the Mexican state of Chihuahua. It covers 250,000 square miles and is one of the most biologically diverse deserts in the world.

It was a beautiful sunshiny day and even though the desert plants were dormant we enjoyed the scenery and a picnic at the park before hiking the educational trail up to the top of a large hill (back east we probably would call it a mountain!) I was, however, a little puzzled that the picnic table bench on my side of the table was only about six inches from the ground! It worked OK until I had to get up!

The park has been designed to foster an understanding of the desert among school children and others who visit the park. Interpretative signs on the trail identify various kinds of desert plants and give information about animal and plant adaptation, desertification, and the history of humans in the desert. We learned a lot. For instance, DID YOU KINOW...
1. …that a kangaroo rat can live its entire life without drinking a drop of water?
2. …that the annual average precipitation in this region is less than 9 inches, half of which comes in July and August?
3. …that some creosote bushes live to be several thousand years old and are likely related to the earth’s oldest living organisms?
4. …that Native Americans used barrel cactus pulp to made candy and jelly; their flowers, to create a yellowish pigment, and the hooked central spines, as fishhooks?
5. …that humans have resided in this region for the past 12,000 years?

As we learned to recognize the winter version of various cacti, mariola, mesquite, creosote, tarbush (found only in the Chihuahuan Desert), yucca, sotol, black grama, ocotillo, and crucifixion thorn I could not help but think how beautiful this park must be in the spring when the foliage becomes green and many of these plants have beautiful blossoms. Nevertheless I found beauty in the variety of graceful grasses, barren bushes and other interesting formations. Dan is amused that I find a reason to take a picture of so many different plants.

The hike up the hill and back to the parking lot took us an hour or so since we stopped to read our guidebook at each marker, to take pictures, and to enjoy the vista that lay before us. Across the Jornado Basin and the valley we could see the Organ, San Andres and San Augustin mountain ranges. To the west lay the Dona Ana Mountains. Along a large arroyo we could see thicker foliage and get an understanding of how the land is sculpted by the wind and water. We were reminded, also, that the mountains that surrounded us were formed from volcanic activity 35-45 million years ago.

In addition to the variety of plant life in this desert there are an amazing variety of animals that have adapted to the hot ,dry climate. Although we did not observe them, we read about rodents, toads, snakes (including rattlesnakes!), lizards, jackrabbits, harvester ants, beetles, and other insects. We did see evidence of some of these creatures. For instance, many of the prickly pear cacti had large bite marks in them. Our guidebook indicated that during winter black-tailed jackrabbits and desert cottontail rabbits eat the pads, somehow avoiding the spines or biting the spines from the pads. Prickly pear is an important resource for many animals because of the high water and nutrient content.

For most of the afternoon the desert was deserted except for us! A solitary hiker with an English accent passed us on the trail going rather fast. We never saw him again and his car was gone when we returned to the parking lot. Toward the end of our hike we saw two other men who appeared to be doing research of some sort. One of the most dramatic observances I noted was the quiet. I kept asking Dan to “listen to the silence,” It was so peaceful and relaxing.

We arrived back home just in time for the Duke-St. John’s basketball game, which had a good outcome as far as we were concerned!

Tomorrow we will attempt to do one or two remaining things on our list of places we want to go before leaving Las Cruces in a week.

THE WEEKEND - by Dot

Although we were under no pressure to celebrate Valentine’s Day over the weekend since we had already had our special lunch at Cloudcroft, we did talk ourselves into eating out several times over the weekend. On Friday night we joined one of Dan’s high school friends and his wife at the Aqua Reef, a very good Euro-Asian restaurant that opened while we were here last year. It was a nice change from our almost steady diet of Mexican food. However, by Saturday morning we were ready for the hot stuff again! We had breakfast at Nellie’s Café, which is very popular with the locals. We got there early enough that we did not have to wait for a seat. The food was excellent with a good “kick” to the salsa and sauces. I find that having spicy, hot food for breakfast really wakes me up and energizes me!

On to the Farmer’s Market where I immediately made a beeline for the location of a vendor of local produce. Alas, she was not there! My week’s menus will need some adjusting now. We meandered on to the Branigan Cultural Center to see a new exhibition of local art, including one work by a friend of ours. We had known her for her photography. However, her entry was a work of fractal art, a new medium to us. Quite interesting.

While we were in an artistic mood we made a visit to the Las Cruces Museum of Art where we enjoyed the whimsical paper mache creations of Stephen Hansen. It was really interesting to hear chuckling and bursts of laughter in an art gallery!

Since we were too full from breakfast we decided to skip lunch and go to the gym even though we do not normally make a trip there on Saturdays. It was probably a good decision since we didn’t get much exercise at the movie theater later in the afternoon. We saw Frost-Nixon which was pretty interesting. The acting was good and it appeared that much of the interview segments were true to the original, although we now have a desire to watch the original interview to compare them.

We debated visiting the newest English-speaking United Methodist Church on Sunday but felt drawn to St. Paul’s, Dan’s home church. It is our next to last Sunday in Las Cruces so we wanted to worship in familiar surroundings where we know at least a few people. We did, however, break our Sunday tradition of brunch at Paisano’s and went instead to another Mexican restaurant for breakfast after the early service.

Since we knew that we would not be able to view the Duke-Boston College game in the afternoon we decided that we needed to spend the afternoon outside. We struck out on two places that we thought about going (they are opened only Tue-Sat.) I dug out the book Day Hikes and Nature Walks that I had bought at a local bookstore and we headed out to find Aden Crater between Las Cruces and El Paso. We had noted that this was “an easy 2-mile roundtrip hike” to an ancient shield volcano that produced lava flow over 10,000 years ago. The book suggested that hiking there “evokes a sense of walking in a moonscape.” Here, at the bottom of a volcanic vent 110 ft. deep the mummified remains of a giant sloth were found. These remains are now on exhibit at the Smithsonian.

Unfortunately we did not pay close attention to the details of the directions so we did not realize that the total trip would be 35 miles each way, mostly over unpaved country roads! The Prius did its best to be an SUV but when we got to the final turn, 4.2 miles from our destination, the road just did not seem to be Prius-friendly. Disappointed, we picked up a piece of lava rock at the side of the road and wound our way back toward town in our extremely dusty car.

In spite of the disappointment in not being able to actually walk around and into the volcanic crater, we enjoyed the beautiful drive through large agricultural areas of the Mesilla Valley. We passed acres of pecan orchards, newly plowed cotton fields with tufts of white mixed in with the dirt, and bright green fields of something that we believe was alfalfa. For miles around we could see various mountain ranges and mesas and a vast desert landscape as well.

We were able to hear the first half of the Duke game on the way home. It was good. Unfortunately the second half was apparently not as good and the Blue Devils went down to their third defeat in the last four games. I do hope they regain their winning momentum before the ACC tournament.

Less than two week are left in southern New Mexico so we have to begin scheduling the things we still have on our list of things we want to do. We are also beginning to plan our week in Santa Fe. What a wonderful privilege it is to be able to experience this “Land of Enchantment” over such a long period.

Note: There are still some back east who think that we are out of the country! The rest think we are in Arizona. Now we understand why New Mexico is the only state that feels a need to put USA on its license plates!

ON TOP OF THE WORLD! - by Dot

(Dan prepares his ammunition for a snowball fight at Cloudcroft!)

Yesterday we traveled about an hour and a half away from Las Cruces to Cloudcroft, NM. Cloudcroft is nearly 9,000 feet up in the Sacramento Mountains. We thought it was appropriate to be in the Lincoln National Forest on the 200th birthday of our 16th president!

There is an historic lodge at Cloudcroft where we used to go occasionally for Sunday dinner the first year we were married. Going there enabled me to see some green trees and helped me to feel less homesick for Virginia. It was a pleasant change from the desert landscape which I later learned to appreciate, too. The highway climbing the mountain provides wonderful views of the surrounding area for miles and miles.

Snow had fallen on Tuesday in Cloudcroft so the ground was still covered although the roads were all cleared. It was fun to experience a taste of winter knowing that we would return to the warmth of the valley in a few hours.

Last Valentine’s Day we had splurged on an overnight stay with all its amenities at The Lodge. This year we decided that was not really wise, so we just had lunch instead. We were not disappointed in our meal. The food is excellent here.

The Lodge is more than 100 years old, dating back to a period before New Mexico became a state. (It IS one of the 50 U.S. states even though some of our friends think we are in Mexico ---- or Arizona!) It has a proud history as a resort, hosting such notables as Pancho Villa, Judy Garland, and Clark Gable.

Another interesting feature of The Lodge is that it has a resident “ghost”, Rebecca, for whom the restaurant is named. Legend has it that Rebecca was a beautiful young chambermaid in the early 1900s with striking blue eyes and shocking red hair. She disappeared from her quarters after her lumberjack lover found her in the arms of another. To this day unexplained odd incidents are attributed to Rebecca’s spirit, though none of them are threatening or frightening, but more fun and playful in nature. There are some who believe that Rebecca is in search of a new lover or friend who might appreciate her flirtatious and mischievous ways! Her portrait hangs in the Lounge.

The crisp mountain air and another trip down memory lane energized and renewed us. It was good to revisit another New Mexico landscape. As we descended nearly a mile in altitude in 15 miles of travel back to Alamogordo and then back to Las Cruces we also went from a temperature of 43 to one of 64 degrees! It was good to be back in the sunshine.

MUSINGS

(Top: Las Cruces Farmer's Market; Botton: Pecan orchards near La Mesa.)

MUSINGS

You would think that we’ve been really busy since we have not written anything on the blog since the end of January, but that is only partially true. We do keep busy and the days go by fast --- sometimes with us wondering what we did with the time that day. We have stuck close to Las Cruces for more than a week now but plan to take a short trip tomorrow.

It’s actually been nice to stay close to “home.” It reminds us of why we are here. There are three main reasons why we like spending this extended period in New Mexico. They are:

1. The Weather: It would be hard to ask for better weather than we have had during our stay. We have yet to need our heavy coats and many days we have not even needed a jacket. Yesterday was the only day out of 40 that was really a problem. The newspaper had a headline that read “SWEATER WEATHER” – but it was referring to the fact that people were putting sweaters on their dogs! A cold front went through and with very high winds the visibility was poor as well. The temperature barely got up to 50. Nevertheless the sun did shine from time to time. Today started out cold but turned into the usual sunny day for most of the day. We have heard talk about rain several days this week as well as last but have not seen any. I was told that the last rain was on Thanksgiving. (That pretty well explains why the farmers depend on large irrigation systems.) So… having sunshine at least 98% of the time keeps us in good spirits and lets us get lots of fresh air and exercise outdoors.
2. The Mountains: The Organ Mountains overlook the city of Las Cruces and can be viewed from quite far away. They are so named because the early Spanish settlers thought the pinnacles resembled the pipes of the great organs in the European cathedrals. They rise to a majestic height of nearly 9000 feet. I especially like to see how different they look at various parts of the day. From our patio I can see them as the sun rises near them in the morning. As the sun brightens the mountains come alive with various shades of brown, grey, and gold. As the afternoon progresses they may be very dark colored, almost black in places. Then they take on a wonderful pink and red as the setting sun reflects on them. It is no wonder that they are a favorite of the many artists and photographers around here. It is very special for us to be able to gaze on these majestic peaks each day and feel the grandeur of their Creator in a very special way.
3. The Mexican Food: Las Cruces has some of the best Mexican food we have ever eaten. Of course there are numerous Mexican restaurants and no one agrees on which one is the best. We have eaten in a dozen or so and have favorites for certain menu items. I have been accessing the huevos rancheros and have two favorite places for that speciality. Dan most often orders red enchiladas, so he has been rating who has the best red chili sauce --- not too mild and not too hot. He is also the tamale tester since I don’t eat tamales. However, I am more likely to order chili rellenos. I’m still trying to decide whose I like best. Almost every restaurant has good fresh salsa that has a good bite to it --- unlike our wimpy Virginia restaurants. Other popular items are green enchiladas, tacos (rolled or folded), sopapillas, empanadas, and guacamole. A soup that I especially like is on the menu at one of our favorite restaurants. It is a chicken soup with chipotle peppers, big chunks of chicken breast, carrots, other seasonings, and avocado. It is wonderful! It’s no wonder that we are having to go to the gym every day in order not to gain too much weight! Of course, we don’t go out to eat every day but it is certainly a temptation. It will be hard to go back to the Mexican restaurants in Richmond where the sauce is made from tomatoes instead of chili. I guess we are just going to have to make our own sauce more often than we had been doing previously.

Of course there are other things that attract us to this place and the lifestyle that we experience here. We enjoy walking down memory lane. Obviously Dan’s lane is much longer than mine since he lived here from the time he was four until after we were married. Although I lived here only a year, I came to love being here and have enjoyed returning through the years. It is good to renew old acquaintances and to make new ones. Last week about a dozen folks from Dan’s high school class got together for lunch at a Mexican restaurant owned by one of them. That was fun.
People are very friendly and there is a small town atmosphere here. It has also been good to explore new places, do more hiking, picnic, learn about New Mexico culture and history, and be a part of the community whenever and wherever possible.

At the same time we miss our family and friends back east very much. It really helped to have Dan’s brother here for a visit and we are looking forward to our week in Santa Fe with our special friends, the Morrisons, soon. Eduardo’s parents may get to come from Hermosillo, Mexico, for a short visit before we leave, too. Others thought they might come but have not been able to so we will really look forward to getting with them when we return home.

Over the past ten days we have enjoyed a trip to La Mesa to go to Chope’s restaurant. The road to La Mesa passed the huge Stahmann pecan orchards which I found beautiful and interesting even this time of year. We’ve made several trips to the Wednesday or Saturday Farmer’s Market and have enjoyed local produce purchased there such as fresh lettuce, Swiss chard, spinach, turnips, five kinds of sprouts and, of course, chilies! We’ve been to the Railroad Museum and a Community Theater production and visited the newest state park, Mesilla Valley Bosque Park. Tomorrow we plan to go up into the Sacramento mountains to Cloudcroft for the day if the weather is good. That should inspire me to write again!

ANCESTORS AND ALIENS - by Dot

(We found this sign at the UFO Museum interesting but did not see any UFOs parked there!)

Yesterday we traveled the 185 miles to Roswell to see if we could locate any descendants of my great Uncle Bruce, my maternal grandmother’s brother. As a small child I remember being with Uncle Bruce on a couple of occasions when he came back to Virginia for visits. He was a very exciting relative in my young mind because he wore cowboy boots and hat and lived in the exotic land of New Mexico! It came as something of a shock to me to learn that he was a dentist!!

I also recalled that my grandmother had made a trip to Roswell to visit her brother. It was a big adventure for her and I still have a couple of souvenirs that she brought back for family members at the time. We were able to locate the house where he lived when that visit took place.

Unfortunately I was not able to locate any descendants of his but I did accumulate additional information about him, visited his grave, and was able to locate the building where his dental office was as well as his residence. Uncle Bruce came to Roswell around 1919 and remained there until his death in 1951. I don't know what the circumstances were that led him so far away from Virginia. One of his sons joined his dental practice and apparently lived most of his life in Roswell as well. The son's widow still lived there until 2002 when she, too, passed away. Another son, who was an artist, must have moved back east because I remember seeing him at extended family gatherings occasionally. Several relatives, including my grandmother, had his paintings hanging in their homes. I found two photos of him in old high school yearbooks as well as one of his younger sister whom I never met to my knowledge.

I feel sure that there are older residents of Roswell who probably knew Uncle Bruce or his son but I did not know how I might find them. Perhaps continued research will lead me to some of his descendants wherever they are.

Since we were already in Roswell we took time to visit the UFO Museum dedicated to perpetuating the local interpretation of events that occurred on a nearby farm in July 1947. The exhibit contains the “Roswell Incident” Timeline, a day-to-day accounting of the events with newspaper accounts and original photographs and witness statements. Another section is devoted to what they call “the Great Cover-Up” by the military and the U.S. government. I found the museum mildly interesting. I think you have to be really into” aliens, UFOs, etc. to thoroughly enjoy it. They had a good self-guided tour taped narration that I liked because it eliminated the need to read so much. However, I could have done without the gift shop with all the little green men items!

Another bonus to the trip was an opportunity to have a meal with the former pastor at Dan’s home church who was transferred to Roswell in 2008.

It was good to return to Las Cruces and the mountain scenery. I find more beauty here and we have much better Mexican restaurants here as well! Roswell’s landscape is more like parts of Texas. Undoubtedly it makes for good cattle ranching, though.

In all, I think that I enjoyed the ancestor part of our trip more than the alien part even though we did not encounter either in person!