Well, the governor has locked down the state again, which is very sad, I feel. But there is still some spirit and levity to be found.
This is a funny little billboard on Highway 28, which runs through the gorgeous Stahmann Farms pecan groves I've shown and mentioned before. I love the little pecan mascot!
Come visit or retire to Las Cruces and get in on the fun!
The wonderful changing of the leaves continues, with this flame-leaf example on the NMSU campus.
Retire in Las Cruces for a true four-season climate! Yes, the summers are blazing hot and long, but we also have the other three seasons well-represented. It's a mild climate, overall. The low humidity and the plentiful sunshine helps many people's arthritis, and it certainly helps keep "SAD," Seasonal Affective Disorder, at bay, speaking from personal experience.
Join the other retirees in Las Cruces and experience four wonderful seasons!
We have several large and beautiful Catholic Churches in town, and a Basilica, as well, in the old village of Mesilla nestled against Las Cruces (The Basilica of San Albino on the square in Mesilla). I think the prettiest, after San Albino, is the Immaculate Heart of Mary.
At night, the windows are especially lovely, glowing out into the night.
No matter your religion or lack of it, you will feel at home in Las Cruces!
The two major pecan growers in the west are Stahmann Farms and Salopek Farms, two fine old families of great important to our economy and our community. It's always wonderful to drive through their groves, but especially so during autumn.
These photos are from Salopek Drive. It's a calm, windy road that spans between Highway 28 and Highway 85. In town, Highway 28 is known as Avenida de Mesilla and is the main road of Old Mesilla. Highway 85 is Main Street.
There's always a beautiful drive nearby when you retire to Las Cruces!
In New Mexico, the color "Desert Rose" is a strong, vivid pink-orange. Many homes and businesses sport this color, and it's quite beloved, especially when paired with a bright turquoise.
The trees of NMSU have decided to get in on celebrating this hue! Here and there on campus, the ash trees have turned a neon version of Desert Rose. It's beautiful, especially to desert dwellers. Out here, we don't have much in the way of trees, except in yards, parks, and the campus. There are no "woods" such as in some regions. So, we treasure our rare trees!
Las Cruces has quite a bit of unusual architecture to enjoy. Here is a snapshot of what used to be a very popular dancehall connected to an early drive-through liquor store, Lamar's.
The round structure is falling to ruin, unfortunately. Behind it, just literally perhaps an inch separating them, is the venerable hardware store, Hayden's, in business since 1960. Hayden's was established by Hayden and Elnora Wiley. Over the years, the family business was expanded and continues to grow with Las Cruces and the surrounding neighborhoods. It's a small store where you can find almost any piece of hardware you could ever need, no matter how obscure.
That's handy to know, if you are considering retiring to Las Cruces! And I hope you will!
In the very beautiful, very new residential/commercial area centered around Sonoma Springs Road and Northrise Boulevard, the medians and sidewalk areas are very beautifully landscaped. A light version of xeriscaping is used, with many plantings of Palo Verdes trees, mesquites, Texas Mountain Laurels, lantana, and other desert-y plants.
One of the developers near Sonoma Springs Elementary School placed a beautiful bronze mountain lion statue at the beginning of their particular stretch of homes. I love traditional public art, and the lion looks quite at home with the Organ Mountains to his back.
We have actual mountain lions here, as well as many other desert denizens, such as roadrunners, gray foxes, coyotes, cottontails and jackrabbits, and the occassional coatimundi passing through. We also have elk, deer, and amazingly, the African Oryx, settled here decades ago on the White Sands Missle Range by the New Mexico Department of Game and Fish and now residing up in the Organs in sizable numbers.
The NMSU campus is an especially good place to find trees that are changing color in autumn. This photo was taken on the main campus in Las Cruces. Once COVID is in the past, the campus will again be a wonderful resource for retirees. Retire to Las Cruces and enjoy all the learning opportunities and beauty it has to offer!
Yes, it's true: Perhaps it's due to COVID-19, but Las Cruces has caught something else, too: Holiday Fever.
It seems everyone is starting early for the winter holidays.
One of the favorite light sets to use is the lighted Christmas Chiles strings! We love our chiles here (not chilies or chilis -- we spell it C-H-I-L-E-S!) and it shows.
It's also time for new ristras. I have one on order through Ristramnn's in Old Mesilla, right next to Las Cruces. For the long, long ristras, early in the season you have to order them, as they are bought within minutes otherwise. Later in the season, you might be able to get a long one without pre-ordering.
The smell of the red chiles drying in the ristras is heavenly! You may not know it, but the green chiles will ripen to red. That's the chiles you see in the ristras. Some smaller chiles called serranos are also used in ristras.
Thank you for dropping by, and see you Wednesday!
Las Cruces, despite being in the desert, is not just a 2-season place, "Hot" and "Not Quite As Hot," as some may think. No, it has all four seasons, which is delightful.
All the markers of each season arrive each year. Our leaves turn beautiful colors during autumn, especially on the NMSU campus, in Mesilla Park neighborhood, and in most neighborhoods with established trees, such as Telshor.
This tree is in our back yard, and is a wonderful Mountain Ash, with golden leaves and vivid red berries during fall.
Come experience a temperate, wonderful climate in Las Cruces! It's a wonderful place to retire, with reminders of "home," and great new experiences as your NEW home!
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