Heat wave

This past week we have had a heat wave in Santa Fe compared to our usual mild summer weather. It's been hovering around 90 - 95 every day. They tell us this happens for a week or two every summer, so I hope this is IT and then we get back to some cooler days and nights.

Luckily the humidity is lower than all the other places I have ever lived, and I wouldn't complain at all except we don't have any air conditioner or swamp cooler in this house so we rely on fans to move the air around and blinds to block the hot sun.

First tomato

Okay, so it might not be the biggest and prettiest tomato ever, but it's our FIRST one of the season -- and that makes it GREAT. Is there anything as good as the first tomato of summer?

Takin' it to the streets in Albuquerque

In the late afternoon on Independence Day, we participated in the Albuquerque Tea Party along Alameda Blvd.

I could tell you all about the energy, enthusiasm, hopefulness, patriotism, excitement and fun ... but I think I will let the pictures tell the story:






















(All photos by John)

Independence Day in Eldorado

Lots of color and fun here in Eldorado yesterday as our community celebrated Independence Day. Here are some pictures John took of the parade - lots of red, white, and blue, fire trucks, kids, dogs and horses - what could be better?

Rejoicing over good news

We heard not too long ago that we are going to have another grandchild at the beginning of December. Then just several days ago my daughter had a sonogram and the baby is a BOY. A healthy boy, progressing normally.

So -- this will be the first male grandchild, Victoria is going to have a baby brother and is thrilled, and here in Santa Fe, I will be busy doing some knitting projects in the next five months!

A quick visit to Los Alamos

We made a trip today to Los Alamos, New Mexico (an hour's drive west from Santa Fe) for John to see an oral surgeon there. After his appointment, we had a little time to walk around the grounds of Fuller Lodge next door to the dentist's office, and we got some pictures.

Fuller Lodge was originally one of the largest structures at the Los Alamos Boys Ranch School; it was built in 1928, and was taken over by the Army in 1942 for housing post personnel as the nuclear labs at Los Alamos grew during the war. The building and the grounds right now are part of a neat historical park and museum. The little museum is an especially good one chronicling the history of the Ranch School and the growth of the Army presence and Manhattan Project in Los Alamos during World War II.





During wartime, military personnel or their family members that died were not allowed to be buried in the town and were interred elsewhere. For each person who died, a rose bush was planted here at Fuller Lodge, and this very old rose garden still remains and is cared for by the ladies of a Los Alamos Garden Club:




WE HAD LUNCH AT EL PARASOL, guacamole and pork burritoes that were delicious:


Los Alamos is a beautiful town of 12,000; it sits high up on several plateaus in the northern Jemez Mountains at 7320 feet. It has also been called "the hill" since World War II days. The trip up the mountain and then the return trip back down have breath-taking scenery that has some of the most gorgeous views in the state. Unfortunately, I didn't get any pictures of the mountain vistas. Next time.

Rain barrels

Last weekend John bought two rain barrels to put under our canales (drain spouts) to catch the precious rain that falls here in New Mexico so we can use it for watering our flowers and trees.

Each barrel holds 60 gallons of water. In two rain storms this week, the rain barrels have been filled. They have water spigots at the bottom to fill our watering cans. Pretty cool.