New Mexico

Pine Mountain News

It has been another week of working around the ranch getting ready for winter. While trees in other areas are changing the color of their leaves to reds, oranges and browns, most of the trees here are pine trees so there is very little color change.

We worked on another small furniture order in the wood shop. We finished cleaning furnaces and chimney flues. We collected more fresh vegetables from our aquaponic garden.

We hitched Pete the mule to his cart and mended fence line. We finished a small commercial project just north of Los Angeles.

Well enough about Pine Mountain. Now it is time for the poem of the week.



Poem of the Week





Fall in Los Angeles

by emily d stine

It's fall in Los Angeles and sweat drips from
palm tree branches into piles on the streets.
The temperature drops to a balmy seventy-three.
Everywhere people layer designer scarves,
ninety dollar long-sleeved tees, imitating the
presence of a chill. But the only frost in Los Angeles
is the distance its citizens keep from each other.

it's fall in Los Angeles and the sidewalk sticks to my feet
the dull sun spreads out like gravy on the cement.
I crave a shift of season, a spilling of leaves,
Vermont deciduous and Colorado pine.
The descending temperature, a bite in the air,
a cold breeze that runs through and tickles my hair.

I need to see the leaves to know that things have changed,
but fall in Los Angeles steers me forever the same way.

An now our feature story of the week.


Feature of the Week

New Mexico

The last time you were with us we had just crossed Texas and were in El Paso. This week we head north into New Mexico on our cross country motor home adventure.

Most people think of New Mexico as an arid desert like place. Only the southern part is like that. The northern part is mountainous and has rivers and forests. New Mexico is the land of Enchantment. It has everything from ancient Indian and Spanish cultures to modern astronomy and even a commercial spaceport. It has military missile test ranges and the mysterious Roswell where space aliens are said to have landed.





New Mexico is home to to Very Large Array which are very large dish antennas mounted on railroad tracks so they can be moved into different positions. There are 27 of these antennnas linked together to form a 22.3 mile diameter listening ear to space.





Northern New Mexico is home to snow covered mountains tranquil lakes and mountain sheep.
New Mexico is home to Carlsbad Caverns a series of caves that running water has carved out into fantastic shapes.





Albuquerque is home to the yearly balloon festival where hot air balloons and pilots from all over the world gather. Taos has pueblos and old Indian culture. Santa Fe has Spanish history, Art galleries and gift shops.

We began our journey through New Mexico by going north on interstate 25 from El Paso. We took several side trips.





We took a side trip to Carlsbad Caverns. We visited the very large array in Socorro. We visited Space America about 30 miles east of Truth or Consequences. We went to Roswell to check out the towns alien theme. We checked out the hot air balloons in Albuquerque. the shops and art galleries in Santa Fe and the pueblos in Taos.

Finally after all the adventures we headed north into Colorado. Next time we will explore Colorado.


Pine Mountain Evening

It is evening once more and we are gathered around the fire in the family room. I am enjoying my sample coffee from http://www.coffeefool.com. Tonight I am trying Dutch Chocolate. This American roast coffee captures the taste of fine coffee mixed with the sweetness of chocolate. It goes well with fresh chocolate chip cookies.

Well my cookies and coffee are finished now and I have finished reading my Discover magazine. It is time for bed. See you next week with a new adventure.


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