Ah! Autumn in New Mexico!

Autumn weather has not yet arrived in my home town of El Paso, Texas, even though the calendar says it should have arrived weeks ago.  No worries!  A four-day trip to our neighboring state of New Mexico fulfilled my longing for colorful leaves, crisp air, and fragrant burning piñon wood.

My husband, Wayne, and I recently made a road trip to meet family members in the small town of Chama, New Mexico for a nostalgic ride on the Cumbres and Toltec Railroad.

Our first ride on this historic railroad was several years ago.  The experience was so unforgettable that we were inspired to write a novella about a fictional train robbery on the line. (Rails, Robbers and Wraiths, by Wayne and Linda Calk, available on amazon.com)

Chama is within striking distance of El Paso by car, about seven and a half hours as the crow flies. Not being the efficient travelers that crows are, we made the trip in about nine and a half hours, including a stopover for shopping at the REI store in Albuquerque.

Travelers in other parts of the world may consider a road trip of that length too long, but in the Southwest, it is not unusual. Traffic is usually light, and roads are good, that is, with the exception of the unpaved road we encountered between Cuba, New Mexico and Chama.  Our reward for bouncing around in the car for about 20 miles was the view of a large dam and long bridge, which led us to pavement again.

Arriving in Chama, we found our hotel, the Chama Station Inn, and settled in for an evening in front of the kiva fireplace.

The next morning we rode the train from Chama NM to Antonito,CO with a stopover in Osier for a home-style meal for lunch.

The scenery was engaging, with aspens displaying golden autumn finery. Good photo ops were plentiful, especially when the train rounded a curve.

Our next stop was Santa Fe, NM, where we stayed at a new hotel to us, the Hotel Chimayó, well located right off the central plaza. Breakfast the next morning was a splurge at La Plazuela, the dining room of the Hotel La Fonda on the Plaza.

Santa Fe offers a variety of activities for tourists.  In one day, we visited a folk art store, relaxed in the plaza, shopped at a Farmer's Market in the newly developed Railyard District, and even took in a movie in the new Velvet Crown theater.

That evening we were sitting at an outdoor cafe, sharing chips and salsa, when we heard the sound of drums coming from the plaza.  Three young performers were drumming and chanting for a small attentive crowd.  I felt transported to another time and culture.

Another day's drive and we were back in our home town with memories of train whistles, autumn colors, spicy food, and Native American drums.  How fortunate we are to live in the Southwest where a diversity of cultures and experiences can be found within a day's drive.

Can you tell I love New Mexico in autumn?

Volunteer plants need loving home

I love to walk around the garden and discover a new "volunteer" plant peeking up at me.  Just imagine!  A new plant that doesn't require driving to the nursery, purchasing, and deciding where to dig a hole.  A volunteer plant is a ready-made treasure.

In my gardener's imagination, volunteer plants want to live in my garden because they find welcoming conditions- soil, light, and water.  They decide for themselves where they want to grow up.  Several times in my life, I tried to outsmart Mother Nature by transplanting volunteers to a location I thought would please me more.  Few plants survived the move. Recently I developed a live-and-let live philosophy and just appreciate the new additions to the flower beds and yards, wherever that may be.

Here are some of the volunteer plants that we have adopted as our own.

Creosote Bush

A familiar desert plant that grows in abundance in the wild is the Creosote Bush or Greasewood. The aroma of wet greasewood plants perfumes the desert after our infrequent rains.  It is a clean aroma, similar to that of witch hazel.  We have tried unsuccessfully to transplant this bush from the wild into our desert landscape with no luck.  This year, however, Mother Nature decided it was the year of the greasewoods and provided us with at least twenty plants of various sizes, all free of charge.  I am anxious to see if the plants survive the sometimes adverse conditions of a high desert winter.

Desert Marigolds

These beautiful yellow flowers are the product of a volunteer plant whose seed jumped over a high garden wall where I had previously planted a purchased desert marigold.  I had been cautioned not to overwater this plant. Unfortunately, the volunteer plant decided to homestead in a bed that is on a watering system.  I think it likes its home anyway.

Desert Fan Palm

This Desert Fan Palm, a volunteer from several years ago, has admittedly gotten out of hand.  It decided to sprout in a very small flower bed around the perimeter of the swimming pool.  I love the tropical look it provides, but wow, is it getting huge!

Candelilla plants

My husband Wayne took this wonderful picture of a bed where small volunteer candelilla plants are growing.  From the angle he took the picture, the plants appear to be large, but they are in reality tiny. And will probably stay that way for a while.  Candelillas are notoriously slow growing.

Peach tree

My favorite volunteer plant may be the peach tree in front of our sun room. Since we have no peach trees on the property, the tree must have grown from a peach pit.  We often wander around the garden in the summertime, munching on fruit, so I can imagine a pit landing in the flowerbed. Last winter, the tree was tiny, and I covered it with a can for protection.  This year, the tree has come into its own. The only problem is its location right in front of a picture window.  Ah well, I'm not looking a gift horse in the mouth.

Fire Bush

The volunteer Fire Bushes may be getting out of hand because I find new ones in the back yard frequently.  But they provide a splash of red color, so I nourish each one that I find.

Wild Lantana

One of the biggest surprises has been the growth of two very large Wild Lantana plants in our yards. Their mother plant has survived on her own for years in a neglected part of the property we call the "back forty."  Now she has spread her seed to produce two grown daughters who receive much more attention than their mama ever did.

Gardening encourages homespun philosophy.  I think what volunteer plants encourage us to do is let go of the notion that we can control the world and instead appreciate what the world has to offer, even if it is not perfect. 

I can't resist welcoming volunteer plants into our garden.

Chiles en Nogada - An Autumn Culinary Delight!

Pomegranate tree

The pomegranate tree in our courtyard has been a vigorous grower this season.  It has even deigned to provide us with a few pomegranate fruits.

Pomegranate fruits

Pomegranates are a gorgeous fruit, with the promise of luscious, juicy seeds inside.  If the truth be known, however, we usually don't even bother to harvest the fruits, so they split open and the birds have a feast.  After all, is there a delicate way to eat a pomegranate?

Recently I was reminded of the Mexican tradition of using pomegranate seeds in a dish called chiles en nogada, stuffed chiles in walnut sauce.

Chiles en nogada

Several traditional restaurants in my home town of El Paso, Texas, are now featuring chiles en nogada on their menus as a seasonal dish.  I will probably have my next plate of these delicacies at a restaurant.   The recipe to prepare them is not for the faint of heart.

The Essential Cuisines of Mexico by Diana Kennedy (2000) has an extensive write-up on chiles en nogada.  One story has it that the dish was concocted with ingredients the color of the Mexican flag, green chiles, white sauce, and red pomegranate seeds, to celebrate the signing of a treaty.  Another story describes the origin of the dish as a result of the yearly harvest of poblano chiles, fruits, and walnuts.

Like many traditional recipes, many variations of chiles en nogada can be found in cookbooks and on the Internet.  Diana Kennedy makes hers with pork, tomatoes, fruit, plantains, raisins, poblano chiles, and almonds.  Other cooks use ground meat and vary the other ingredients as well.  The basic procedure is to stuff the chiles, fry them in a batter, and serve covered with the nut sauce. The finished product is decorated with pomegranate seeds and parsley.  Chiles en nogada are generally served alone on a plate as a main course, perhaps accompanied by corn tortillas.

Just in case you get inspired to make this autumn culinary delight,  I am including a recipe from the Food Network.  And if you decide to prepare this dish at home, please invite me to dinner, but after all the work is done, please.

Recipe for Chiles en Nogada