A quintessential Southwestern icon?

It's almost done!  Seasons and Seasonings of the Southwest is the title of a book I have been compiling and preparing for publication.  The theme of the book is how everyday life in the Southwest can be enjoyed in each of the four seasons of the year. Included are short personal essays that have been languishing in a folder in my desk drawer, and also favorite recipes, borrowed from various sources, including friends and family members.

The text is complete.  What I am searching for are graphics to feature on the cover.  My husband Wayne and I had a discussion recently about what images would be the quintessential Southwestern  icons.  When you hear the term "Southwest," what picture comes to mind?

Would the image come from the food category?

Chiles

Corn

To say that chiles are used in most Southwestern recipes is not overstating their importance. What would enchiladas, chilaquiles, huevos rancheros, tamales and pico de gallo be without red or green chiles of varying degrees of potency?  And corn is essential to the corn tortilla, used as a basis for many Southwestern dishes, as well as being a great scooper at meal times.

Or would the best representation of Southwestern life come from the animal kingdom?  The Southwest still has large open spaces that provide a habitat for the hardy creatures of the desert.

Iguana

Roadrunner

Coyotes

Or how about images of the Old West?  Cowboys, ranchers,  railroaders, and dance hall girls all played significant roles in creating modern Southwestern culture.

Fancy boots

Wagon and oxen

Native American cultures provide artistic images to the cultural mélange that is the Southwest.
Kokopelli is venerated by some Native American tribes as the fertility deity who presides over childbirth, agriculture, and music.  He is also know as the trickster god.

Kokopelli,

Architectural styles in the Southwest are unique, with the most recognizable being Territorial, Spanish-Colonial, and Pueblo.

Pueblo style architecture

What image would you like to see on the cover of a book about the Southwest? What would encourage you to open the book and read further?  I'm really looking for some opinions and ideas here!

Viva El Paso! Through a Tourist's Eyes

Proud native of the border city of El Paso, Texas that I am, I enjoy just about everything my locale has to offer.  Our food choices may not live up to the gourmet quality of Los Angeles, and our fashions may be just a bit behind the times compared to Dallas. But I must brag about a summer musical extravaganza that is unique to El Paso -Viva El Paso!

Viva El Paso! sign on mountain

Viva El Paso! is outdoor entertainment for the summer months held in McKelligan Canyon Amphitheatre.  Fifty local performers depict the story of the El Paso area in drama, song and dance. And it is a long, varied story to tell, encompassing four centuries of history and four different cultures that made that history (Native American, Spanish Conquistadores, Mexican, and Western). Viva El Paso! is in its 34th year of production.  Changes have occurred over the years, but the core message of the extravaganza is the same.  Present day El Paso is the result of evolution over the centuries with rich contributions from significant cultural groups.

While attending Viva El Paso! recently, I began to wonder what an out-of-towner would think of the production.  What impressions of El Paso would stay with a tourist?

The first lasting impression would perhaps be the stark mountains that form the backdrop of the amphitheatre located in a canyon.

Left view of stage  with mountain behind

Right view of  stage with mountain behind

I look forward to sitting in the audience as the sun sets, providing a welcome cooling relief from our 100 degree daytime temperature.

Mountain at dusk

Then I think a tourist would remember the dancers swirling on stage with colorful costumes.

Dancers in traditional Mexican costumes

The music would be memorable as well, provided by a mariachi band.

Mariachi band

The Old West would be recalled through costumes and dance moves.

And the arrival of the railroad in 1880 would be a piece of local El Paso history not to be forgotten.

The arrival of the railroad

I hope that a tourist who attends Viva El Paso! will leave our city with an interest in the complexity of historical events and peoples that have given our city its special character.  And I hope that tourist will plan to return to El Paso soon to learn more about our lifestyle on the US-Mexican border.