A Santa Fe Photographic Interlude

We moved from the Boston, Massachusetts area two and a half years ago to our new home in Santa Fe, New Mexico. As a native Bostonian, this move represented somewhat of a transition of culture and, obviously, environment.

Only ‘somewhat” because I had lived in southern New Mexico decades ago thanks to the US Army who had drafted me and sent me to White Sands Missile Range. And I do really mean “thanks” because without the Army, I would not have met my future wife, attended New Mexico State University to get my M.Sc. in Applied Mathematics, and developed an appreciation and love for New Mexican food.

(Yes, restaurants, bakeries, and ice cream shops put Hatch Green Chile in or on just about everything. Moreover, the restaurants, at least here in Santa Fe, specifically have warnings on their menus that they do NOT apologize for how hot their chile is.)

As a Bostonian, my tendency was always to go to Cape Cod or possibly Newport or somewhere next to or near the ocean. Mountains? I scoff (both at the idea that New England has mountains [here in Santa Fe we live at 7,000 feet above sea level] and the idea of not going to the ocean).

But now, I can truly tell you that even on very hot days [we get into the mid-90’s in the Summer but usually with very little humidity unless we are in the Monsoon season] there are almost aways cool mountain breezes.

I wanted to share some of the plants we have around our yard. Purple or lavender is “a thing” in Santa Fe: there are even Lavender Festivals. One of the restaurants (called Shake Foundation) serves a lavender milkshake which we tried and enjoyed.

BTW We have a wonderful Green Chile Cheeseburger Contest in Santa Fe at the beginning of the Summer with both professional chefs as judges and just-folk as judges: both sets of judges declare winners among the entrants.

But to the pictures that I want to share. I realize that only a few are purple or lavender:

Come to Santa Fe. There are a great many activities to enjoy, a phenomenal cultural scene (music, food, arts), and a 7,000 feet above sea level high-desert environment that will soothe your soul.