Christmas Eve in Santa Fe

This is how Santa Fe does Christmas Eve. Canyon Road has lots of old adobe houses and "compounds" (multiple houses with a common lane entrance). Most are now art galleries and restaurants. The lights are called farolitos and are paper bags weighed down with sand and lit with candles. They line the walkways and walls and everyone walks the streets singing Christmas carols. Every few hundred yards you'll find a little bonfire of pinon wood to warm you. (And it smells wonderful.)



Down one little alley we came across a crowd gathered around a resident in a Santa suit who set up this little train display in his courtyard. It was a big hit!
(And no, that's not me singing badly in the background.)

Now It's Official

We can now call ourselves a New Mexico ranch. Everywhere you go in our state you see cars up on blocks. It's a cultural thing I guess, but it's something DM and I have always laughed about and said we'd never do on our property. Well, this morning we took the flat tire off her little gas saver and she took it into town to be repaired. As we were walking away I realized what we had done and said "I guess this makes us an official New Mexico ranch."
For the record. it will be short term. The tire is being repaired now and we will put it back on the car in the next day or two. I just couldn't resist taking this picture and posting it here!
It's been a while since I posted here, but life goes on. We have things pretty much tucked in for winter: plenty of propane in the tank, hay in the barn and the chicken coop windows covered with plastic sheeting. We had the traditional Thanksgiving day storm which was mostly rain. I'm ready for some snow myself.....