February.
The light is not yet spring yet not merely winter. A golden brightness casts the mountains in shades of promise, slashed with sheets of snow.
Northern New Mexico hangs onto winter forever, like a child who won't let go of an outgrown toy. Snow flurries cancel May picnics and high school graduations are suffered in freezing winds. Children change from tank tops to snow pants to shorts to jackets. Fruit trees bloom and are killed by frost. Winds blow the new growth down, as if challenging only the strong to remain.
But this mid-February day, I can feel spring coming, though I know it lies yet months away in its arrival.
This is beautiful! We love love love all of New Mexico (I lived for a few years in Bernalillo en route to San Francisco from New York), and we vacation there every other year. Is this where you live? JEALOUS! :)
ReplyDeleteWe live in Los Alamos. We make the drive to Bernalillo every Saturday to the soccer complex for my my middle son to play soccer in spring and fall. We're out in the ponderosa pine mountains. I grew up in Marin County, though. The Bay Area is still the loveliest place on earth. Lucky you, too!
DeleteI love this. CS Lewis called February "The waiting room of the world". I think that's pretty apt. I love NM, too.
ReplyDeleteC.S. Lewis is always right. Except about race. And possibly religion. Otherwise, always. right.
Delete