Chile Ristras in Old Mesilla, New Mexico

Even in January, the ristras are still beautiful. There are numerous long ristras hanging from the lamp-posts in Old Mesilla, much to the delight of locals and tourists alike.

 

Beautiful Salopek Farms in the Mesilla Valley

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!

Las Cruces Memories

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!

Guardian of the East Mesa

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.

All Four Seasons in Las Cruces: Autumn Leaves Now Changing

 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!

Our Amazing Cold Snap in Enchanted Las Cruces

So much more snow fell after the first night of our cold snap. My little courtyard burro, bought from a roadside vendor up from Juarez, Mexico, stood patiently in the cold, decorated for Halloween, which is tomorrow.

We are still under the governor's lockdown here in New Mexico, so I doubt there will be any trick-or-treaters. We are prepared, just in case! Our neighborhood, Telshor, can get quite a few trick-or-treaters. 

Hidden Gem of A Neighborhood: The Area Around the New Hospital

There are now three hospitals in Las Cruces: Memorial Medical Center, which is the oldest one by far; Mountain View, and now Three Crosses.

Memorial Medical Center is at the corner of the Telshor neighborhood and University Avenue. Mountain View is newer, located up Lohman on the way to the Sonoma Ranch neighborhood.

Three Crosses is brand new. Its opening was delayed due to COVID, but they had their grand opening a week ago in October 2020. Its location is on an old, defunct golf course that is the bottom of the hilly Triviz/Arlington area -- our hidden gem of a neighborhood.

With the opening of Three Crosses Hospital, I would hazard a guess that property values will rise sharply in the area. Some of the houses are nice enough for medical professionals to consider, with most being solidly middle-class homes. They have a nice view of the valley. The neighborhood is near the much older Madrid area, which is not as desirable a place to live, in my opinion. The neighborhood features mature landscaping, wide streets, and good construction. 

If you're considering moving to Las Cruces, take a look at this neighborhood! 

Our blog will be on a Monday - Wednesday - Friday schedule for a bit, due to the busy autumn season. Always so much to do in Enchanted Las Cruces!

Heart of the Neighborhood in Mesquite: Our Lady of Health

Catholicism plays a big role in the lives on many in New Mexico and in Las Cruces. There is a vibrant and large Catholic community here, and during non-COVID times, there are many fairs and weekly bingo for those of all faiths or no faith.

In the Mesquite Historic District stands Our Lady of Health, a lovely church building that often features fluttering bright flags and balloons to enliven all who view it. The parish it serves is relatively poor, but rich in spirit. It offers Mass in both Spanish and English.

No matter your faith, you will find a church home in Las Cruces. From Baptists to Buddhists, we have it all, and they are very welcoming to those who relocate here. With a large state university, there are also many esoteric faith offerings you'd usually only find in a much larger city. Truly, something for everyone, religious or not.

Come retire to Enchanted Las Cruces and see for yourself!

More Mesquite Historical Neighborhood

Mesquite is the orginal townsite of Las Cruces. It's a neighborhood of small homes and shops nestled against the downtown area. Mesquite Street is the original El Camino Royal, traveled over 500 years ago by conquistadors, priests, and settlers.

Some of the businesses that were established decades ago are still going strong along El Camino Real ("The Royal Road" that eventually grew to be the longest highway in North America, from Mexico City to Canada), such as Nopalito Restaurant, which also has another branch near Telshor. But the main restaurant is on Mesquite Street, across from Beck's Coffee and down from Mesquite Art Gallery, two relative newcomers who appear to be doing quite well. A few blocks down, on the corner of Amador and Mesquite Streets, is Lujan bakery, great for traditional Mexican "pan dulce," or pastries. Get ready, because Mexican pastries are nothing like European or U.S. baked goods. They are much less sweet, and often feature colored flour that looks like icing -- and isn't -- on top. Strange at first, it's easy -- all too easy -- to develop a taste for pan dulce.

The building for Sunshine Grocery and Grill still stands, newly painted, but it isn't a grocery now. Built in 1918, it is a local landmark, and is used as a location for movies filming in Las Cruces.

It will be interesting to see if after COVID-19 runs its course, if the Mesquite Historical District continues to develop as a corridor for small, quirky businesses.

Would you like to live in the Mesquite neighborhood, just steps from the weekly Farmer's Market and famed COAS Used Bookstore?

Cruce's Historic Mesquite Area

There are several distinct neighborhoods in Las Cruces, and we have talked about a few of them. One that absolutely must be mentioned is the very old, formerly very modest, Mesquite area northeast of downtown. 

Much of the Mesquite Historical Area is undergoing gentrification of a modest sort. There are also some conversions of the small houses into shops. There is a stone coffee house and an art gallery that were homes in disrepair, now quite busy and looking very cute indeed. Some of the homes are very tiny, not much bigger than a short singlewide trailer, although they are site-built. Others are larger, but none are very large. I did see several two-story houses among the bigger homes, and some very small newly constructed homes.

Some of the Mesquite homes proudly display the the Historical Society's plaque, also found on the old-style street lamps. Houses with stoops are rare in the Southwest, but there are quite a few in the Mesquite area.

Don't confuse the neighborhood name with the nearby small town on the way to El Paso!

Would you like to live in a renovated historic bungalow? If so, consider the Mesquite area when you...Retire to Enchanted Las Cruces!

NMSU a Haven for Students

 NMSU isn't just an ordinary land grant university: It is truly a haven for its students. 

Do you have college-aged children or grandchildren? NMSU offers so much more than many other universities. 

It has a huge amount of married student housing, allowing many who would be unable to afford to attend college a huge boost and a way to get the skills they need for a career. From single-family houses to modern apartment homes, NMSU offers daycare right on campus, maintains both a clothing closet and a food bank for "Aggies," and also has student garden plots available on campus. 

For single students, they can choose from vintage dorm living or modern suites. Some apartment-style dorms are available with exterior private entrances into each apartment, for the more mature students. Freshmen and those benefitting from more support can choose dorms with a main entrance, house mothers, peer helpers, and laundry service.

But it's the garden plots that amazed and pleased me. There is nothing like growing plants to give a student a feeling of belonging, of being a part of the very land the college stands upon. Little gardens are sprinkled through the entire married student villages. Acres of gardens are along the edge of campus, too. Going to college is hard, but NMSU makes it easier. It may not have the cachet of an "Ivy League" school, but in practical terms, it is unbeatable. And the new medical college is an added bonus! 

Retiring to Las Cruces has never been a better idea!

Strange Homes in Las Alturas

Las Alturas is a neighborhood in Las Cruces, known for its wild beauty and large lots. Natural landscaping is a requirement; you will not see lawns, fences, and gardens in this area, yet it was long popular with professors and those who worked at the NASA site, the White Sands Test Facility (part of the Johnson Space Center) northeast of town. Those living there considered themselves quite posh once upon a time. Now, the newest "highly desirable" areas are the Sonoma Springs and Talaveras areas of the East Mesa, but Las Alturas is still a very good and quiet neighborhood.

My husband built the first geodesic dome in Las Cruces, in Las Alturas, in 1973. He bought the land from Shirley and David Soules, who established Las Alturas, and whose son is a popular state politician. Many people came to watch him build it, and it was a popular place to drive by once completed. He went on to build more domes in the county, two of which we know still stand. But the weirdness of his dome was quite eclipsed when the lot next to it sprouted two giant mushrooms -- concrete-shelled homes that look like mushrooms pushing up from the desert.

 

When we returned to Las Cruces last year, after decades away, we were shocked by the changes and by how big it had grown. However, the architecture of today's homes seems tame compared to the domes and mushrooms built years ago. 

When you visit Las Cruces, be sure to check out all of the neighborhoods and see which one strikes a chord with you. Will it be wild Las Alturas, heavily treed Mesilla Park, historic Mesilla, elegant Sonoma Springs, expensive Talaveras, sensible young-family Metro Verde, quaint downtown Alameda area, solid but aging Telshor, or some other niche?

It's the Little Things / Son Los Cosas Chiquitas Que Cuentan

 Small things make a big difference in the livabililty of an area. For me, natural beauty is important. Spotting "hidden treasures" is important. 

When you drive around Las Cruces during your day-to-day life, you will come upon many "Oh! How quaint! How pretty!" moments. 

 

Here is one: Blooms against an adobe wall that is painted in what we term "Desert Rose," a very famous shade here, often called "burnt orange" by those new to the area. Vigas, which hold up the roof, jut out and are a very desirable touch.

Hope you will consider making Enchanted Las Cruces YOUR retirement home!

Las Cruces Landscapes Still Vibrant in Autumn

We have a long growing season here in the Mesilla Valley, where Las Cruces is nestled. With relief from scorching summer temperatures, the plants seem to catch their breath and find the energy to put on another show before the curtain of winter falls.

Do you love to garden? Does lots of sunshine perk you up? Las Cruces might be a perfect fit for your retirement needs. It has all the amenities of a city, yet still has a rural feel, thanks to the large NMSU campus and all the agriculture up and down the valley and tucked into neighborhoods such as Mesilla. Urban farming is starting here, too, with micro-farms in backyards, sideyards, and vacant lots. 

This side yard brings joy to all who pass by. Even with limited water, the desert here blooms beautifully. Make your retirement home in Las Cruces, and bloom along with our plants!

Ghost Cow of Mesilla

Once upon a time, I believe this statuary was completely plastered and painted. Now, she is mainly her wire armament, standing patiently by the fence of her little orchard paddock and gazing at those who drive down her quiet, narrow lane in Old Mesilla.

 

I love that no matter how many times I drive around this area, there is always something more to discover. Are you considering making a move for retirement? Consider Las Cruces!

Happy Monday!

The Foothills of the Organ Mountains: Talaveras Neighborhood

 

A relatively new, very exclusive neighborhood/development in Las Cruces is called "Talaveras," and it is on what is known as the East Mesa, at the base of the Organ Mountains east. 

Huge lots are a feature of Taleveras. It's an easy drive to the University, NMSU, so it's a favorite spot for professors to live. From this neighborhood, the Mesilla Valley can be seen to the west, and at night the whole valley twinkles and glows.

Utilities are underground here, so no wires and poles mar the landscape.

In spring, just north of Taleveras, millions of Mexican poppies burst into bloom, and thousands of sightseers visit along Dripping Springs road to photograph the poppies and pose in them. It's a favorite place to take graduation photos.

Beloved Rain: Our Las Cruces Monsoons

 

Monsoons are yearly rains that occur during the same window each year. We have monsoons in the desert Southwest, just as they do in India and Australia and other locales.

We depend on our monsoons, and lately, the weather scientists have taken to calling them "non-soons," because they have not followed their usual yearly pattern. We are in the midst of a drought, and our trees show it, with cottonwoods dying that have lived for decades just on the water from monsoons, and pecans having to be "topped" (cut) due to lack of sufficient rains to swell the Rio Grande during the time its level is being dropped by the Elephant Butte Irrigation District authorities (in preparation for fall and winter). 

Monsoons, when they do arrive, are very exciting. There is lightning, such loud thunder, outflow that is extremely strong, and icy cold, huge raindrops. As newcomers, I want to make sure you know to stay out of and away from arroyos (ditches) in the desert or near your home. They can flood very rapidly. 

We still have a few days left of "monsoon season," and I hope we will get at least one good rain. The plants just grow and perk up dramatically with the rainwater.

The photo at the top of this post is of monsoon clouds as seen from my backyard. A whole "show" was put on, but ultimately, no rain fell in our neighborhood, but the Talaveras neighborhood to the east did get rain. At least someone got rain!

Hidden Neighborhood of Whispering Pines

 

Last week I posted about the quaint and old neighborhood of Mesilla. Today I want to make sure you know about a very unusual neighborhood slightly North of the main part of Las Cruces. It's off U.S. 85 and it is just like entering another world far from the desert if you go for a nice Sunday drive out there. If you can get a house to buy out there, you're even luckier!

Tall pines are in each yard in this neighborhood. This cools it and scents the air delightfully. Shade abounds, and shade is a very desired commodity out here!

The homes themselves are gorgeous. And although it doesn't look like the rest of the desert, it is home to many Gambel's quail and roadrunners. I'm sure it has gray foxes and elf owls, too. Even our home in the Telshor area of the city has roadrunners, foxes, hawks, lizards, snakes, and owls! 

If you're considering Las Cruces for retirement, be sure to find a realtor who understands how very different our neighborhoods are, and which one would be a perfect fit for your needs. I know that while I love the desert, the pines in Whispering Pines really capture my heart! But when we bought here, we weren't aware of this hidden neighborhood. And in upcoming posts, I'll be talking about MANY other little neighborhoods that might just strike a chord with you. It's hard to find out about special little areas when you aren't living in the city where you might like to retire, so I hope to help with that.