Navidad en Nuevo Mexico

Feliz Navidad y Prospero Año Nuevo con bastante agua y vientos buenos por todos los marineros!

It's Christmas in northern New Mexico, with the moon shining brilliantly on a snow-covered landscape. The dramatic lighting shows the rugged Brazos Cliffs and the mountains of northern New Mexico and Colorado. Outside, some mule deer have just passed just a few yards in front of our cabin this chill yule evening. We have lit luminarias to light the wall below our house, in accordance with old tradition in this part of the world. Earlier, we drove by the village of Los Ojos, where the candles in their weighted bags lined the streets and the adjoining highway; it is the tradition to light the way on Christmas eve to welcome El Niño Christo.

The fire is lit, casting a cheery glow in the den. Dulce, our practical cat, is curled up on the back of the living room sofa just behind me, basking in the glow of lamplight just below a wall displaying colorful burgees. In front of me, the lights glow and sparkle on our Christmas tree. Poinsettias add cheer atop the dining table and on the piano in the den. In the den, our son is curled up on a sofa in front of the fire, listening to music and reading a sailing book. Now a young man of 18 with all sorts of exciting experiences this past year, he'll soon enough be out mostly in his own in life. For now we appreciate having this gentleman in our home who was only so recently just a kid.

Carol Anne has just finished preparing some desert tamales and dulce de leche.

Tomorrow, weather allowing, we travel south to Los Alamos to join family and friends.

May you have a safe and nautical new year. Pat