New Mexico - Days 10 and 11 - The Weekend

After one week of hard, hot, long work days, the weekend off was highly anticipated and welcomed. Apparently, last year they did not have the weekend off, and everyone was really grumpy the second week. I was glad that this policy changed. The plan for the weekend was for Hillary and I to leave the Licthy center, where we had been staying (near Cliff, NM) and meet up with the Lake Roberts crews in Silver City, and then head up to the Lake Roberts cabin for a weekend in the mountains.

Throughout the whole week, I had been delighted by the antics of the dozen or so hummngbirds that frequented the feeders at the Licthy Center. Saturday morning gave me the opportunity to try and photograph them.


After breakfast and packing up on Saturday morning, we drove the hour to Silver City - our goal was to get to the farmer's market. We did make it, but it was a bit disappointing. We did get some squash and few peppers. There just were not many stands.

Silver City is an interesting town. I would definitely go back for vacation (I was completely enchanted with New Mexico and really want to go back). The town of Silver City has a population of about 10,000; Grant county, where Silver is located, about 30,000. Despite this, Silver City is a thriving community with a really nice downtown (Maybe the size and vibrancy of downtown Lawrence, but with a completly different feel). We went to three thrift shops, a coffee shop, a great Mexican restaurant, a yarn shop, and a outdoor outfitter (i.e. hiking and biking). Listed on the Silver City web site are 28 Art Galleries and 33 Restaurants/Bars (only three of which are fast-food chains, thought I think this listing is incomplete). It was a really neat place. In addition to the strong artistic community, people come to Silver for the hot springs.

Some images from Silver City



Even the fences were artistic.


The downtown - highlighting the movie theater.


Some glass art in and on a brick wall.


The public library, which was having a book sale. I got a whole box of books for $7. Including a vintage knitting/needlework book, a book about classic movies, and one by Theodore Dobzhansky

After visiting Silver City, we went back to the cabin in Lake Roberts and rested. We did spend quite a bit of time keying out plants, and organizing data sheets, and things like that. But most of the time, we spent on the porch chatting. It was a cool and rainy weekend (I even had to put my rainjacket on). It there was a great view from the porch. We did take a short walk up one of the canyons to see the pictographs (Believed to be left by the Mimbres people) on the rock walls.




And on this hike I did see lots of cool plants (and while I feel like I should take the time to look up the scientific names, I am going to skip it. I really want to finish the travel log so I can talk about Skyline)



Sunday was a cool and rainy day (I actually had to put my jacket on). Driving across the mountains on the way back to Cliff, it was foggy. Amazing to see the fog lifting over the hills.