(sigh)
Back home after three weeks in New Mexico, I have to say I miss the desert. It's always wonderful to get back to one's own bed and familiar surroundings, but New Mexico's hold on me grows with every visit. From the quaint village of Corrales to the beautiful adobe homes tucked into niches in the mountains around Placitas to Albuquerque's coral and turquoise overpasses to Santa Fe's artsy (and quite quirky) population, New Mexico is a place of beauty.
Of course the horizons go on forever there, and sunsets are spectacular. Sitting outside one evening we witnessed a gorgeous dark blue and orange sunset with a full moon BLAZING above. Off in the distance there were trees with stark white blossoms in full bloom, and the moon downlit them so they looked almost phosphorescent. Picture that with the blue and orange colors on the horizon and you have a breath-taking display of nature. Another night descending from the mountains around Placitas a little after sunset, Albuquerque's city lights twinkled all around us. It's a beautiful place.
There are, of course, downsides to EVERY place, and New Mexico is no exception. There are water concerns, and the red dust which blows ferociously with gusty winds is something to be reckoned with. The low humidity and flying red dust sent me to bed with an upper respiratory infection for the last few days we were there. But I'm undeterred. New Mexico truly is a land of enchantment.
(sigh)
