March, the month of weather surprises

We woke up to about 5 inches of snow this morning that fell overnight. It was just beautiful here at about 8:00 a.m. when I took these pictures, but the sun is out now, so I expect the snow won't be around long.




Sugar loves the snow:


You can't see the Sangre de Cristo mountains to the north this morning:

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.)

Our first month in

Well, we have just completed our first month in New Mexico.

The main focus for the past month has been unpacking all of our belongings and getting the house settled. We are probably about 90% unpacked now, and have found a place for everything. The house looks good.

It’s a great house – open and airy and spacious and very southwestern. It fits our lifestyle very well – and it feels right.

John’s big focus has been adjusting to retirement, realizing that life from now on will be much different than the past 40 years. I know some days he misses his work, but he will learn new ways to fill his life. My own lifestyle has changed a lot as well – from the constant go-go-go of life in Kansas, to a much slower pace.

We are adapting to life here. Because of the high gas prices and the fact that Santa Fe is 12 miles away, it means that trips into town have to be planned out … and we try to go only a couple times a week to do all of our errands.

So far we have stuck to the restaurants which are old favorites. But soon we will branch out to try others on our long list. There is never a lack for good places to eat in Santa Fe – and the problem is deciding which one to go to next!

I’ve been spending a lot of time in the two yards, working on my flowers, and learning what I have there – identifying all the perennials and bushes and trees, watching to see what is going to bloom next. I am amazed all the time at the tenacity and resilience of xeric plants which bloom – thrive even – in this desert climate with little water. Monsoon season is coming soon, and I am anxious for our lawns and gardens to get some water.

Yesterday John hung two hummingbird feeders in trees in our lawns, and we are awaiting our first visitors.

Best parts of the day? Early morning – sitting out on the front portal, drinking my morning coffee and listening the birds chirping – and realizing that other than the birds, everything is quiet here. It is relaxing and rejuvenating.

Other best time of the day – the evening – eating supper out on the portal, then sitting outside with a good book or watching the sun set behind the Jemez Mountains to the west. And listening to the quiet.

I guess the main word for our first month here is: PEACEFUL.