So Send me a letter, Day 2

In the morning, we drove to La Posta de La Mesilla, again looking for a letter box, in old town Las Cruces (the crosses). Here is the old mission church in the old town square.

I found this gravestone to be very moving and sad. 

I walked around the square and came across La Posta. However, because it was so early in the morning,  it was closed, so alas, no letterbox, because the clues said it was inside the doorway in a planter. The restaurant is still open for business daily.

This sign was in the middle of the square. I was surprised to learn that the Butterfield Overland Trail was even before the Pony Express.

This was an interesting sign and building on the square.

Here's the building the sign referred to. Neat doors, huh?

This was another historical building.

Here's a closeup of the sign.

Isn't this a pretty store front?

We decided to go explore some of the side roads near the square. After driving a few miles, we ended up in the heart of the agricultural area.

There was cotton growing in the fields along the way. Does anyone understand this sign? Does it have to do with the cotton fields?  

Between the pecan and pistachio orchards and the cotton fields, I think the land owners have done rather well for themselves. Just look at the size of this house!

Notice the hot air balloon in the sky?

Here are more photos of the Organ Mountains.

We drove over to the Rio Grande river. It wasn't so grand though.

In closing, here is a real ship of the desert, right?

much more to come...

So send me a letter - song: Tumble and Twirl, artist: David Bowie, album: Tonight

So send me a letter, Day 1

After leaving Hatch

we headed down the highway towards Las Cruces. But first, we made a side trip to Mesilla. They grow lots of cotton in this area.

 We stopped by the remnants of Ft. Selden. Established to protect settlers and travelers from desperados and  Apache Indians, Douglas McArthur lived here in the 1880's when his father was stationed at the post.

Soon after the fort, I came upon this sign. I never even knew this place existed. 

Here's some more information on the colony.

"The object is...to raise up the children where they shall not witness drunkenness, crime, and profanity; where they may be taught, on the kindergarten system, all kinds of trades and useful occupations, with a time to sing, a time to dance, a time to play, a time to work, and a time to pray.  They will be taught the universal brotherhood, and to have faith in Jehovih, their creator; to be non-resistants, to abjure war, to practise the commandments and to do good....  In fact, the plan described in Oahspe, the new Bible, will be carried out."                               -From the first Convention of Faithists, 1883

An experiment in communal living so unusual that it is sometimes called unique, took place near Las Cruces, New Mexico, over a hundred years ago, and yet it has remained almost unknown among area residents until the last few years.  Shalam Colony was a utopian community for children established  six miles northwest of Las Cruces in the fall of 1884 by John B. Newbrough and a group of his religious followers from New York who called themselves Faithists.(from the website)

Here's what the Colony used to look like.

There wasn't much else to see so we drove on to Las Cruces.

 I thought the underpass of the freeway was very pretty.

Las Cruces has lots of really cool decorated water tanks.

We actually did find one letterbox at this railroad station which is now a museum.

Here's the caboose.

I thought this person's transportation was rather unique, a converted hearse.

These were some murals along the roadway.

 

Aren't the Organ Mountains pretty?

As you can see from the above photo, the sun was setting, so we hurried to the hotel and settled in for the night. Buddha gets worried when he travels so he often chooses to lay on my suitcase.

More to follow...

So Send Me a Letter - song: Tumble and Twirl, artist: David Bowie, album: Tonight

So send me a letter

This year, my company gave the employees the day after Thanksgiving off, so, with four days in a row, I decided to take a mini vacation with my Mom. We planned to go letter-boxing down in Las Cruces and then over to Tucson. That is the answer to my Sunday Stills Potluck photos. Thursday, we had a wonderful turkey dinner with family and then on Friday, while everyone was out shopping at the crack of dawn, my mom and I loaded up the car and the two small dogs (Buddha and her pug) and began driving west and south.

Here's Buddha ready for the trip

 and my mom with the letter boxing clues.

First stop was Truth or Consequences where we attempted to find two letterboxes at the Veteran's Memorial Park. This is where the neat looking water tower in the Potluck photos was.

The park was nice, with a miniature Wall of Tears and the reflective Columbarium (Potluck photo) but, alas, I couldn't find either of the two letter boxes. Here's inside the museum. Of course, the letterboxing wasn't helped by the fact that the curator was sitting inside and looking out the window the whole time. I wondered if they had discovered it and removed it. Or maybe, I'm just a terrible letterboxer.

 This was a really neat design on the wall in the museum. It's quite similar to my Pegasus logo and I might even consider something like it for a tattoo someday although I think I'd stick with only four legs on the horse. ;)

 Here's the Columbarium. This was where I took another of the Potluck photos.

 They also had several over sized figures like this eagle and the statue of liberty.

 Here's a section of the Wall That Heals.

It was a very moving display.

Here's some more of Hatch. Notice the very large cowboy boot to the right? It was also used for a Potluck photo.

Here is a chile ristra that I thought was quite decorative. These are green chiles that are hung up to dry out. As they ripen they turn red or yellow, as in this case. Later, when you want to use some for cooking you just pull them off the string, soak with a little water or oil to soften and use in recipes calling for red chile. Here are some sample recipes.

Looking for letterboxes was stressing us out so much that we decided to just bag the boxes and go on with our road trip. We drove on to Hatch next and had lunch at Sparkys. See previous post. I think the town collects oversized figures. I stopped at an RV place to take pictures of their collection of outdoor figures like the tiger from the Potluck photos and they showed me more in their showroom.

Then I noticed across the street that there was a propane powered rocket waiting for liftoff!

How about this little Piggy all dressed and ready for market?

I think this "little" girl is part of the A & W Root Beer family.

 

Anyone know who Harbie is? I googled, and he was Harbie the Harbor Seal, the mascot of Harbor Gasoline, a chain of gas stations in Los Angeles and Orange County. This guy was in great shape!

I didn't recognize this All American Hot Dog either but I thought he was pretty cool. He even has a dinosaur or a Geico lizard or something? on his back. lol.

Yee Haw!!!

There was even an antique slot machine.

Oh, and since they were selling RV's I gotta show you one of my favorites.

And check out this classic car!

More to come...

So send me a letter - song: Tumble and Twirl, artist: David Bowie, album: Tonight