Snow on Cactus

The effect is beautiful, and I will long for this come the dog days of summer.

Once again we awoke to snow.  We have had more snow this year than the past 10 years combined!

The mountains have several feet. 

You can glimpse the bright blue sky behind, so at least this will melt today.

More typical of our snows, a couple of inches that melt by noon.

The cacti have had quite a winter.

Nash Metropolitan

Nash Metropolitans are my favorite cars of all times!  I see them on the auctions, however I don't believe this one is quite to those standards...

I saw this one sitting on a car lot along with a few others that you can see in the background.

We are not a mecca for vintage autos. 

Gate Header

I have decided gate header is the best term for these.  You see alot of them made from wood, some from old telephone poles.  Notice the wind has moved the name from the middle to the side.  We have had some severe windstorms this winter.  I wanted to note that this is my 200th post!!!  WOW.  When I started this blog almost a year ago, I was not sure how long my commitment would last.  I worried about running out of things to post about.  I shouldn't have.  There is so much that I have not even begun to scratch the surface on, I have a mental list.  The weather has been dreary/cold.  I hopefully anticipate spring. 

Oro Vista

Oro Vista is an area just south of Alamogordo proper, technically part of us.  Not a subdivision that most would recognize, but I suppose it is that. 

The weather yesterday and again today has left beautiful snow lines on the mountains.  The mountains were quite striking out in Oro Vista, I love the undulating forms they have in this area.

The snow makes the different elevations apparant.  You don't normally notice or realize the difference in the ranges.

As you can see it did not quite make it down to us.  Which suits me just fine...

A Beach Cottage dream

Ah, more weather.  Winter for sure!  We are only in the first month of the year and everyone is ready for this to be over!  We are desert rats after all.  I read a lovely blog from Australia called a Beach Cottage

http://abeachcottage.typepad.com/my_weblog/   They are in the middle of summer and I read her blog and dream of a white cottage by the sea....

Here we have no sea, no summer in sight, no white cottages...We do have clouds looming, mesquite smoke in the air and bare trees awaiting their time to bud...

This horse is at the Mountain View Riding Stables, waiting along with us.

Roadrunner

I spotted this guy this morning while stopped at a stop sign.

The Roadrunner or Chaparral is our state bird.  They eat all sorts of things, most notably, snakes.

He paused long enough for a couple of snaps.  I think they are gorgeous.

He has noticed me....

And off he goes...

Johnson House

 This old home is in the process of being torn down and an new home built.  The home is the old Johnson house and 11 kids were raised here...

The lot has newly planted trees and shrubs, even before the demolition is complete.  I like that, new life beginning as the old ends.

This is next to the old Johnson house, the area is being regentrified slowly and it is looking so much better!  Some old homes like the Johnson house are making ways for new structures and others and others are being rehabed. 

Zia Mosaic

Not much going on here today.  The clouds hung low and mist-like covering the mountains and stopping at the basin.  It was eerie to have them veiled yet a clear sky above. 

Another ode to our state symbol.  I love discovering the different ways that people use and portray the Zia.  I changed the look of the blog by adding the post titles to the side.  I am not sure if I like it, so if you have any opinions, let me know!

Windmill Morning

Another windmill morning.  Today I saw a bird on top, fluffed against the cold.

Closer

Not sure what he was, but he had a great perch...

Laborcita Canyon

Inn of the Mountain Gods

I took this photo a couple of days ago.  I know I have mentioned the Inn before, but it is worth mentioning again!  The Mescalero Apaches own and run this and it is nestled in the mountains, almost a suprise when you view it.

This is the view from the back of the Inn, really not the best view by any means.  You can see the statues of the Mountain Gods which are amazing, but the true beauty is the view of Sierra Blanca.

I have mentioned that this mountain is sacred.  If you look just above that tall pine in the center of the photo you can see the feather.  Only visible in winter with snow.  There are other images, but this is the easiest to see.

Oregon Tennis Courts

Imagine my suprise when I drove by the tennis courts and saw that athey had torn down the fencing around the tennis courts and ripped out the planters.

It looked so different without it, sparse and bare.

I have heard the city is replacing the fencing.  We will see how it goes...

Well, I am just ahead of the curve.  The paper today talked about them re-doing the tennis courts.  Yeah!

Ruidoso New Mexico

We spent the last weekend in Ruidoso.  There is so much there that it could have its' own blog!  Outdoor activities- horseback riding, skiing, snow mobiling, fishing, camping, hiking etc.

Indoor activities- Museums, casinos, and the world class theatre, (The Spencer Theater)

The racetrack that hosts the All American Futurity quarterhorse race and so much more.

There are so many things to see that it will take several posts...

These guys are out in front of the Chamber of Commerce....

Ruidoso means Noisy Water, they have the Rio Ruidoso running through town.

This sign amused me.  You can tell it is a seasonal community.

Shooters, Nickels, Nashville West, A bar by any other name.

The end of an era.  This was the last weekend that this bar/nightclub was open.  The owner was tired after twenty-seven years and decided to shut it down.  He made the decision and did it quickly.  This establishment has a long history of being a bar.  It was Nickels before this although it was the same owner.  Back in the 1960's and 1970's it was called Nashville West.  It is close to the base and was the place to go for the younger crowd.

    The sign says thanks for the past 27 years.  Hopefully someone will buy it and continue the tradition.  Billy, the owner had changed the name because a storm took the last sign and he bought this one cheap from a defunct bar over in Las Cruces.

El Nino Strikes Again

Guess what we woke up to this morning!  Yep more snow.  It is that pesky El Nino effect.  I saw the paw prints of my three legged cat....

Seems like such a juxtaposition to see snow on cactus.

This was left over snow from High Rolls yesterday.  I love the glinting of the sun.

Gate Guardians

These are topping the gate arches for some properties around ...

I am sure there is a specific word for these but I don't know it.

Anyone?

Well, after asking around to people who have these, the best answer I received was "gate header".

Highway 82 Tunnel Ice

Just east of the tunnel is this area where the water seeps all year.  It is wet all summer, but forms these spectacular icecicles in the winter.  I was the passenger in the car as I snapped this, so it is a titch out of focus.

This was coming back down the highway and you can see the tunnel from here.

A bit closer to the tunnel.  The climate changes dramatically as you pass through the tunnel and your elevation climbs to aprox. 6,500 feet.

Zia Signs

     I have a three more Zia Symbols for you.  There are many to be found here, just gotta keep your eyes open.  This one was on a screen door.  I have other posts with zias in them, if you are interested in looking through for more examples.

                       

This brass one was inlaid in a wall around a home.

This one is on the window of a shop.