Fence Art

These two panels face each other, flanking a gate.  What I like about this one is that there is a woman in this one.  I thave seen the metal scene lots of times, but this is the first time with a girl.

Long Absence

Hi All, 
   Sorry for the long break.   So here we are,  in the land of the burning sun and yet, after the sun slides beneath the western horizon, the moon is bright, and the evening miracle happens.  The thermometer lets its breath out.  We have been having an unusually windy summer.  I am not complaining mind you, it moves the air.  The weather pattern is setting up nicely for monsoon season and we have high hopes of seeing a raincloud in the coming weeks.  All of that said, it seems that this morning was for the birds...
     I spotted this guy looking comfy in the brief green of the century plant.

Morning Doves in Ocotillo

                        

Grocery store musings

It's been several years since Albertson's closed and left Alamogordo with only one grocery store (two if you count WalMart). Now apparently Albertson's wants to come back and, according to the newspaper, there is controversy on how much economic aid should be given to get them to come.

I got to thinking about the past grocery stores. 

Vacant lot on the SE corner of 16th and Florida. 

I think it was on this corner that as a kid we walked to a grocery store. 

This complex on 10th street housed a grocery store, Food Mart, when we moved to Alamogordo in 1960. It later became a Piggly Wiggly and ultimately the more recent IGA.  I loved the Motts 5 and dime that was at the east end. There was a drug store at the other end and the 1st Nat'l Bank branch in the parking lot. 

Where the hospital's Medical Plaza is now on the corner of Washington and 10th there had been a Safeway. Prior to that it was a strip of stores that included a fabric store and a wooden floored store that sold jeans. I got my first pair of button up the front Levis there for $5.00.

Safeway was also located on Cuba Street where there is now a church facility that had previously been a furniture store.  I don't even really remember which location Safeway had first.

The Counseling Center on College and 10th was a Furr's grocery store and maybe others.

Flowers.com which is now closed took the old Big 8 grocery store that was there in the 80s

and into the 90s.  I think they had another location as well.

And now we have just the Lowe's grocery store.  Frustrating that we have less in Alamogordo than we did years ago, but for whatever reason, that's the way it is.

JM

Road work

Everywhere in Alamogordo there is road work going on.  Streets are often temporarily closed. The major thing seems to be the cut-outs at the curbs like this one near the library.

Mimosa Tree

The mimosa trees are blooming and this one up Canyon Rd. is a favorite of mine.

The flowers are so delicate. This is a picture from earlier, the current heat is shriveling them up now.

JM

Bridal Veil Falls

New Mexico Rails to Trails held a dedication today for the Bridal Veil Falls Rail Trail. There were quite a few people in attendance to enjoy the new trail and shelter along with information tables and much appreciated water and juice.

A plaque shows that the railroad came right by the falls in the early days of Otero County.

It was a warm clear morning and the Falls were beautiful and cooling.  Water in the desert is just amazing!

JM

Washington Park without the swimming pool

I remember when the "new" pool was built, in the late 60s or maybe 1970, and now it's gone.  At the time the old Oregon pool was still open so Alamogordo had two pools, the new one being a regulation length for swim meets.  We loved the balcony that was there originally.  This covered patio area that still stands was added on the east side of the pool years later.

Just being in the parking lot was faintly melancholy. 

Ghosts of memories floated by as I sat and contemplated the empty space.

Our odd little amphitheater is still there though.

JM

La Luz Elementary paradise

La Luz Elementary School is getting a facelift with greenery.

Palm trees have gone in right next to the desert willows.

These will be the before pictures of the lush school paradise.

If there is water...

JM