Halloween Snow

So I guess the eastern US is supposed to get its first major snowstorm this dia de los muertos weekend.  For those non-Native Americans not residing in the Southwest, it's also Halloween.  To alleviate some of the angst such weather events occasion, I thought it appropriate to post some pictures of the first hot air balloon to fly over the mud shack this season:

The balloon over the orchard

It's a little closer.  Love that blue sky.

The chicken coop, garage, pecan trees, and balloon.  Yes, the hens freaked!!!

Favorite season II

Fall in New Hampshire, our former residence, was punctuated by the brilliant foliage of the deciduous forests covering the state.  The following pictures were taken during a mountain bike ride in the fall:

Lake Shore in Auburn NH

Little Massabesic Lake Auburn NH

Now we live in the Chihuahuan Desert in Southern New Mexico.  Desert----desolate, deserted, devoid of foliage and trees and rain------Wrong!!!


The following are pictures of beautiful crimson vegetation not far from the Mud Shack:

Red as far as you can see in this field

Another view of the same field

Ahhh, yes, New Mexico's State Vegetable

Chile peppers still on the plant, drying and turning red.  Edible foliage, unlike those red maple leaves back east.  And as the autumn brings lower temperatures, the heat of the chiles warms the body and soul.

Favorite Season

It's definitely feeling like autumn here in the Mesilla Valley.  Saturday morning we actually had to keep the windows closed as we headed to Nellie's Cafe for a filling breakfast of huevos rancheros with red and green chile meat.  Probably my favorite, and most filling, meal of the week:

Now usually the red chile is sort of smoky flavored and pretty mild.  But yesterday, it was hot and the green was hotter!!!!!!  Perfect for a fall morning, like the equivalent of pumpkin pancakes with fresh syrup and ham hash from Parker's Maple Barn in New Hampshire.

And it's cold,too---25 this morning at 10:00AM. (Uh, that's 25 Celsius, which is like 77 Fahrenheit.  But when you're used to 90's........)

Now Sunday was a dream day------unless you were a wife needing chores done.  FOUR football games on cable, a couple great last-minute come-from-behind epics, two bottles of Moose Drool (Bottlecaps:"Discard in nearest truckbed"; "Black Forest, Green Wallet").  For the uninitiated,

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And the last great thing about today (or maybe not so great if you are sensitive about your age), our first grand-daughter turned Sweet 16!!!!!!!  Happy Birthday, Bella!!!!!!!!