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.