Chamisa!

Nothing says autumn in New Mexico like the chamisa plants that are in bloom everywhere. They are at their peak right now, creating a golden landscape all over this part of our state.

Chamisa is also know as "tall rabbit brush" and is related to the sage family. It has a sweet aromatic fragrance.

Here are some chamisa blooming at my daughter's property in Santa Fe:

It's fall in the Land of Enchantment!

Our days are getting shorter. Our summer flowers have faded. The grass has gotten brown. There is a chill in the morning and night air. It really has begun to look and feel like fall here.

I love New Mexico in the fall, in fact it is my favorite season here. The chamisa are in bloom … seems like EVERYWHERE. The aspens up in the mountains are a blaze of color. New Mexico chiles and apples and piñon nuts are in season -- strings of chile ristras for sale on street corners make the city so colorful. Down in Albuquerque they are having the spectacular annual Balloon Fiesta. Tumbleweeds are maturing all over and will soon break free and be blowing around everywhere.

We bought our red chile ristra at Tin-Nee-Ann Trading Post in Santa Fe last week and it is hanging on our front portal. We can see it from our bedroom and dining room windows.

And … any day now we can expect to see some snow up on the mountain top. It’s fireplace weather!

In years past, we came to New Mexico in October but only were here for a few days of enjoyment of the autumn weather. This year we get to be here for the entire season! Life is good! Time to make some green chile stew!


These colorful fall flowers were blooming in Chimayó when we were there a few weeks ago. (We need to get more pictures of the wonderful fall color out here so stay tuned.....)

Four months at La Casa Towanda

It's been four months today since we arrived at our new home in Eldorado. Been quite a summer!

Getting the house settled, watching our garden bloom, getting acquainted with the library here in Eldorado, enjoying nightly sunsets behind the Jemez Mountains, taking some drives around the area to see the sights, many trips into Santa Fe for errands, doctors appointments, meals at some great restaurants, and that weeklong stay at St. Vincent's in August.

We love it here! It's everything we hoped it would be. And now that summer is winding down, we look forward to the fall -- cooler days and nights, the golden quaking aspens up on the mountain, chamisa in bloom everywhere with that wonderful fragrance, the aroma of roasting chile all over town, chile ristras for sale at the farmer's market and shops in Santa Fe, the smell of wood fires in neighboring homes, and soon ... our first fire in our fireplace.



(That's Sugar in the doorway.)