Dinosaurs? In Santa Fe? Yup!

We like to call Santa Fe "The City Different". One of the most "different" sights in the city is the dinosaurs south of the city near I-25 and NM 14. They have been there for many many years, and the city has developed on the southside around them.

Our grandkids had fun visiting them several days before Christmas.

Christmas at Chimayó

We love to go to Chimayó, to visit the little miracle church nestled there in the hills of this simple little Hispanic town. My daughter loves it there are much as I do, and perhaps we kindled a spark in my grand-daughter's heart the day we went there just before Christmas; she seemed especially thoughtful during our visit.

At Chimayó, John and I always seem to find new things to photograph. (I wish we could take a picture of the interior of the church, or the miracle room full of handmade written prayers and abandoned crutches and walkers, baby shoes, and pictures of those for whom family members have requested prayer...but that is not allowed.)

At Chimayó it is easy to believe miracles happen.

In the room where pilgrims scoop out portions of the famed Chimayó dirt to take with them, I found a poem which a pilgrim from Las Cruces, G. Mendopa, had left at some time when he visited. The last two lines of the poem touched me:

"Of all the places in the world
This must be Heaven."

Indeed.

Christmas ... over too soon

We had a wonderful Christmas here at our house ... lots of gifts and food and noise and confusion. And as usually, the week was over too soon. The memories will remain....








It took four adults and one child to craft a not-so-great-looking gingerbread house ... we're blaming it on the bad glue ...






Saying goodbye ...

Merry Christmas everyone!

To all of our friends around the country ...

We wish you a wonderful Christmas celebration!

----------------------------------------

El Santuario de Chimayó



La Fonda Hotel, Santa Fe


Alessandro



Carlos, Victoria, and Alessandro

Snow! Finally!

We've been waiting rather impatiently for snow for several months now. The weather experts said we would not be getting much because we are in a "la niña" weather pattern this year.

Dryness here was becoming a problem. Our winter snows ensure a successful ski season up on the mountain, replenish our water table, cut down on the chance for forest fires, and provide moisture for our wildlife.

Then last week they told us we would have a winter storm on Thursday, Dec. 16, but they never told us it would be a monster. We had 18" of snow here in Eldorado, with drifts much higher. How beautiful it has looked! To us snow lovers it feels like an early Christmas surprise gift!

It's melting fast, and with warmer temperatures, it probably will be gone by Christmas, but right now, we are enjoying it!

Christmas in Santa Fe

Last August, John bought me the book, Christmas in Santa Fe, by Susan Weber, at a silent auction here in Eldorado.

The author owns Susan's Christmas Shop just off the Plaza in Santa Fe, which is one of my favorite Santa Fe gift shops, mainly because Susan herself is so nice and carries such unusual and reasonably-priced Santa Fe gifts. I love to browse around in the tiny shop looking for just the perfect ornament or gift.

Her new book is just as festive as her shop - a beautiful picture of Santa Fe at Christmas, the history, the traditions, and the customs unique to our city. The book is full of gorgeous photography which will put you into the Christmas spirit.

Santa Fe is a special Christmas town, and this is a wonderful book. I recommend it.

Unintended Ice Sculpture

It was very cold here in New Mexico during the time we were in Texas over Thanksgiving weekend. When we can home, we found that a dripping faucet had created an ice formation on our wall.

Warning!

We actually didn't take this photo in New Mexico, but at a rest area in NW Texas near Childress on our way home from Dallas last week.

But it could have been in New Mexico or Arizona or any of the southwestern states where such warning are ubiquitous: