Enjoying Nature in Northern New Mexico
We just spent a week in Northern New Mexico. If you’ve followed previous my blog posts, you will know that we travel here usually each summer or fall with a good friend of ours. Going in August is always a nice break from the heat in DFW and this week was no exception. The high temps were in the low to mid 70’s each day and the low temps were in the low 40s. While the mornings could be chilly, the days quickly warmed up. It was a relaxing week and I had the opportunity to take a nice walk on a couple of days and we visited Taos and Red River on a couple of other days lending additional opportunities for walking. Of course, eating was involved, culminating in a very nice lunch in Santa Fe at Tia Sophia’s just off the square. Most entrees included a giant sopapilla. See photo below. I didn’t think to take the picture until the first bite had occurred!
There were times each day when we enjoyed sitting on the front deck of the house soaking up the sunshine and cool temps and the beauty of God’s creation. We had visitors each day that consisted of several varieties of birds, most notably a couple of hummingbirds and several Stellar Jays. The jays are a relatively large, bright, blue bird. They could be intimidating to the sparrows and other smaller varieties of birds that came around to feast from the buffet of bird seeds we served up each day. Also making a visit were numerous chipmunks that live in underground tunnels around the yard. They would come out, fill their cheeks or their tummies, and then dash back to their holes, only to reappear again. And, there was an occasional bunny rabbit that we saw hopping across the yard, or prairie dogs darting across the road or along the walking trails. We would get excited however, when various mule deer would show up. The does with the babies were always fun, and typically, they would have twins trailing close behind. Many were accustomed to humans, some more than others, and some came expecting to be fed. We threw corn out in the yard, which they enjoyed, but there were some who were glad to munch on apple slices. A few would even come and take the slices from our hands. We had a few late comers on our last morning and having already distributed all the remaining apples in the house, I attempted to share some leftover toast and cinnamon roles with these deer. Unfortunately, or maybe fortunately for them, they were not interested in these bread products. I guess God has given them the instincts to know what they should and should not eat. Must learn from that!
As I sit at the airport in Albuquerque writing this, I reflect back on my thoughts while standing on the deck watching God’s beautiful creation and enjoying the fresh air and sunshine in Angel Fire. I am reminded that God cares for us, even more than these creatures, and that we can count on Him to provide for us, just as the deer, birds, rabbits, and chipmunks depend on Him to provide for them. And while humans may toss them a few treats occasionally, our heavenly Father will always provide for them, as He does for us.
Take a moment to enjoy a few photos from the deck and my walks and be temporarily transported, albeit virtually, while you imagine hearing the birds and feeling the fresh, cool mountain air!