November 23-24, 2022 Hatch, New Mexico

 67 and sunny, We toured Hatch - The Chili Capital of the World - today.

Mostly there were chili stores, lots of chili stores. Some of them had other merchandise too. This one had lots of the colorful Mexican pottery and lots of dried herbs. 

Last year we drove through Hatch on our way elsewhere. I saw all these statues and wanted to come back. They are in front of Sparky's World Famous Restaurant. It is only open Thurs-Sunday. Closed Thurs and Fri for the holiday. We heard it was the best restaurant in Hatch. But we also heard once we arrived here that is it Americanized Mexican food. There are other authentic Mexican food restaurants in town. 

In Jim's Market there is this Tortilleria. You can get fresh made tortillas everyday. We picked up a dozen fresh green chili chicken tamales here. At one of the chili stores the cat was sitting on a piece of cardboard over crates of red chilis. Some one had been making ristras here, possibly the cat helped.  

Every store had lots of huge bags of dried red chilis. Marsico's El Plug- seafood restaurant, Picante Plaza, at The Pepper Pot they have Hatch Valley green chili fries, and if you can't decide between red or green chili, you can order Christmas chili.

We went to the Pepper Pot for lunch- at the height of lunch hour- 1230, but it was packed and  the waitresses looked extremely busy. So we took the fresh tamales we got at Jim's market home and had them instead. After lunch we stopped at  B and E Burrito, supposed to be the best authentic Mexican food in town and got some green chili to put on top of the rest of the tamales for dinner.  This alien lady at Sparky's was trying to pick up on John, he would not get any closer, he said he does not do aliens. 

Pilgrim Sue, I think the shadow is saying I don't have to cook for Thanksgiving. And John as the King Chili- he is smoking a turkey breast for Thanksgiving. Many pecan orchards here.

Hatch the chili capital of the world. A few more of Sparky's decorations and the bike rack at Sparky's.  Field of red chili's. Hatch is esp know for it's red chilis. The university of New Mexico designed this type for the climate and soil here. They have the best flavor. Even if you grow the seeds elsewhere they do not taste as good. Now they also have many more varieties. 

Field of red chilis. Chili couple. We stopped at the Ice Box Brewery, but they were closed, remodeling. John says the brewery is in Las Cruses and this is just one of their tap rooms.  Hot Damm Chile, and chili stained glass at the grocery store. 

John smoking the thanksgiving turkey. I made the whole cranberry sauce, dressing and au gratin. John bought the pie.  We had a scrumptious dinner. I am thankful to be living in this wonderful bus in Hatch with my sweet hubby. Sunset. 

Sunset. when we arrived these trees had lots of dead leaves. Today the wind was 20-30 mph, so the leaves blew off. 

November 22, 2022 White Sands National Park,. New Mexico

 60 degrees, partly cloudy. 

The Organ mountains rise 5,000 feet above Las Cruces resemble organ pipes. We went to White Sands National Park. It is the newest national park. They haven't changed the sign yet; John hates sand, sand dunes and the beach. Says this is a national park he does not want to return too. He brought me because I love sand and sand dunes. What a sweetie.

The sand is gypsum. This display shows the different forms that gypsum can take. During your lifetime you will eat an average of  28 lbs of gypsum. Yucca at the white sands.

Driving down the road it looks like ice, the sand looks like snow.  People buy sleds at the visitors center and sled the dunes. We went on a hike in the heart of the White sand dunes. What an awesome view. 

Beautiful white sand. Dunes.

Ripples in the sand. Ripples in the dunes.

I love the ripples in the pristine sand. Looks like soft groomed corduroy snow.

John running down a dune face, taking a movie of the sand sluffing down from his feet.  I thought I saw Clint Eastwood walking by. 

White sand dunes as far as you can see. The ripple marks in the lower layer from where the dunes moved from. They are always moving. 

The east side of the Organ Mountains on the way back. We stopped for gas and this huge flock of pigeons flew up. 

Sunset on the way home. 

November 20-21, 2022 Elephant Butte Lake State Park, Truth or Consequences, New Mexico

 52, sunny and windy. 

I did the finishing touches on  this basket today. It is 11 x 3 1/2 inches.  It is made with natural and dyed pine needles, blue magnesite beads, white magnesite, lapis, red jasper and I forgot the stone in the orange bears  I traded a beveled polished  dichroic glass pendant with a raven etched in it for the Monument Valley scene  painted stone center with a Navajo artist on the reservation. The bears are the are the 4 cardinal colors of the Navajo.  White for dawn, yellow (I only had orange) for dusk, black for night and blue for day.

The back and sides. It has a nice shape to it. 

It was such a nice day John and I took a long walk along the lake this afternoon. Water in the desert is such a treat. 

View of the lake on our walk. John's foot next too a sandhill crane track. 

Evening light on the lake while John was BBQing a pork roast and I was working on my next basket. 

Sunset. On our way to Hatch, NM. The Rio Grande river is very, very low.

Hatch, New Mexico The chili capital of the world.  topped off the tank. The heater uses diesel fuel from the tank and it has been below freezing every night. Brrr. We are now camped at the Hatch RV park. It is pretty quiet here.