El Paso Streetcars are Rolling Again

Drawing of old El Paso Streetcar

"I think I can find that old drawing in the garage," my husband, Wayne, promised when I told him of my plan to write about the new El Paso Streetcars.  He had bought the drawing in 1981 at the El Paso Centennial Celebration.  That year was just seven years after the last El Paso Streetcar had run in 1974, more than forty years ago.  

We had been following news reports for several years that El Paso Streetcars would soon be back on the tracks.  Streetcars in our city have an long history, beginning with a trolley pulled by Mandy the Mule at the first of the 20th century to the 1950s when international street car service played a crucial role in an expanding city.  How sad that I have no personal memories of riding the streetcar, too busy with getting on with life to enjoy that unique feature of our city.

One sunny November morning, a few days after the grand opening of the new streetcars, we decided to use them for a tour of downtown El Paso .  The smart plan would have been to download a map to check routes and stops, but we felt confident with our long years of living in El Paso that we could figure out the new transportation system for ourselves. 

Our first difficulty was a common one —finding a convenient parking spot in the downtown area.  Ironically, any type of public transportation should help a person avoid parking problems, not cause them. We drove around for a while, noting streetcar tracks and overhead wires as well as signs denoting streetcar stops, many with comfortable looking benches for waiting. Having finally located a two hour parking meter, we soon discovered that was not quite long enough for exploring the streetcar routes. We walked for about a block and a half and climbed aboard our first streetcar. 

Our first streetcar 

The driver was very patient, giving us options for paying the $1.50 per person fee, which we did in exact cash after digging around in purses and pockets.

Streetcar driver

His car was on a downtown route, but he advised us to get off at the Sun Metro station and take another car to the Glory Road area, near the University of Texas at El Paso, if we wanted a longer route. I have two audio remembrances of this first trip.  The first was the quiet operation of the streetcar.  The other was the delightful ding-ding of the streetcar bell.

At the Sun Metro station, we waited in the warm sunshine for the next streetcar.  A mural opposite the stop on the streetcar servicing building drew our attention.  A few fellow passengers joined us on the street corner. 

Mural

Our second streetcar delivered us back to the stop near our parking meter.  Fearing that we wouldn't know exactly how to get back to that spot or how long it would take, we hopped off.  I find learning to use public transportation successfully deeply satisfying.  And without a need to watch the road or read signs, sitting in a very comfortable seat and gazing out the window is my kind of travel.  

Our second streetcar

El Paso Streetcars have given the downtown area a special look as they glide along.  It is always a treat to catch sight of one of the cars, painted in vintage colors of the various decades of service.

Streetcar in motion

We are looking forward to our next local streetcar adventure.  But this time, we will be reading the streetcar map first, locating parking garages with long term parking, and planning a lunch stop on the route.  By the time family and friends come to visit us El Paso, we will be seasoned El Paso Streetcar travelers.  

Urban Wildlife in the Southwest

"Which cat is that in the driveway?"  "That's not a cat.  I think it's a fox!" 

So went the conversation with my husband, Wayne, one recent evening as we sat on the porch swing at our home in El Paso, Texas. 

We are used to seeing our five outside cats as they prowl around the property, especially on warm autumn evenings.  A feral mama cat and her four kittens adopted us several years ago.  We eventually succeeded in trapping the whole family and took them to the veterinarian for fixing. Now the cat family enjoys the life of Riley, with food and water provided throughout the day and a large property to select the perfect place for their many cat naps.

Mama cat on bench in front of kiva fireplace

A cat we call "Kamacazi" (for her aggressive approach to the food bowl) likes to hang around the swimming pool.

Kamacazi, the tomboy cat

And my favorite outside cat is Tommy, the sole tomcat.  He likes to sleep on and around the dog house, built for the two Australian Heelers that used to live with us.

Tommy loves the high grass where he can pretend to hide.  

Two more cats, Minime and Cry Baby, complete the cat family.  I didn't succeed in snapping their pictures. None of the outside cats will let me get closer than three feet, but at least they no longer run from me when I walk around the garden and yard. 

But on to other wildlife - the fox!  Wayne found a paw print in the driveway a day or two after we thought we had seen a fox.

Fox print?

A Google search led us to believe a fox had made the print, but we still were not sure.

Early one morning, we were having coffee in an outside room we call the bunk house.  The door was open with a view to the back garden.

"Quiet!" Wayne warned me as he grabbed his cell phone.  I caught a glimpse of an animal with a very long, fluffy tail.

Fox in front of garden gate

Fox disappearing into garden

Now we are speculating as to where the fox has his (her?) den.  We think it may be near a primitive walking trail that we have built around the property where lots of palo verde trees, creosote bushes, and grasses grow.  I left food out several evenings, but it only attracted ants.  However, I do leave a pan of water in the garden for "Foxy."  Maybe he will show himself to us again one day.

I like the idea that although we live in a suburban neighborhood we can still enjoy nature by walking out our back door.  It gives me great pleasure to share our living space with the cat family and now, the fox. 

Green Chile - It's a Southwest thing!

Those of us who are natives to the American Southwest get a certain feeling when green chile harvest time is approaching.  A twinge starts mid-August, especially if the weather has turned mercifully cooler, even for a few days.  We check our freezers to count how many quart packages of last year's chile harvest are still left.  Yes!  We can just make it to Labor Day, the traditional start of the chile season.  

Preserving the green chile harvest is truly a tradition in my home town of El Paso, Texas, located on the borders of Texas, New Mexico and Mexico.  A shared understanding about the importance of buying and freezing exists among longtime El Pasoans.  Without even asking if I freeze green chiles, a new acquaintance sitting next to me at a dinner party recently shared her green chile success story.  She had found fresh, plump chiles at a Walmart store. Her husband had roasted them himself on a grill in their backyard (much preferable to having store employees roast them! ) And a friend texted me yesterday with information about where her husband had found the best chiles at the best price.

Many decisions are involved in the preservation of green chile. First, do you make the four hour round trip drive to Hatch, New Mexico, 

billed as the Chile Capital of the World, to buy chiles at the source, or do you trust local markets advertising they sell Hatch chiles? Chile in quantities is usually sold by the box, so will a  20-lb. box last a whole year, or should you go for the 40-lb. box?  Probably the biggest decision of all is the classification of chile as mild, medium or hot.  We bought mild last year; this year my husband, Wayne is trying to talk me into medium.  We gave up on hot chiles years ago. 

The next decision is the best way to roast chiles to remove the outer skin.  Many grocery stores set up propane roasters in front of the store when they are ready to offer that service to customers for a few extra dollars (plus a tip for the young man roasting them —it's a hot job.) 

Chiles can also be roasted at home, outside on a grill or even inside in the oven. We no longer roast our own chiles.  But Wayne watches the roasting process like a hawk to make sure the chiles are not over roasted. Over-blackened chiles are hard to peel and lose much of the "meat" inside. 

Don't forget to buy quart size plastic bags at the store because you will want to freeze the chiles as soon as possible.  Some people take the skins off before freezing; others leave them on until they are defrosted for use.  Also be sure you have fresh flour tortillas on hand.  A drive home from the store with a box of roasted chiles in the back has an enticing aroma. When you arrive home, a newly roasted green chile, peeled, salted, and wrapped in a warm tortilla for a snack is a little bit of heaven. 

A quick peel, and these chiles are ready!

   

With the freezer shelves full of neatly stacked packages of green chiles, the next decision is what to do with them.  At our house, we make chile con queso, add chiles to scrambled eggs, use them as a side vegetable, bake them into cornbread, make salsa, prepare chiles rellenos (stuffed chiles), add them to a bean burrito, or put chiles on hamburgers and sandwiches. 

This season I may look for more exotic recipes on the web site Hatch Green Chile Recipes. Green Chile Pumpkin Pie?  Sinfully Spicy Apple Pie?  Green Chile Pasta Salad?  Green Chile Fritatta?  Why not?  I have a whole freezer full of green chiles and the rest of the year to enjoy them.

gave up on hot years ago.

Kudos to our Tough Desert Plants!

An El Paso weatherman announced a startling statistic yesterday—forty-three days of triple digit temperatures this summer.  I knew it had been darn hot lately, but hearing the official statistic set me to wondering how our much-loved outdoor plants have survived the season. 

Not all have, of course.  Returning from an 18 day trip abroad recently, I discovered a few plant casualties as I walked through our property on the first day back. The prissier plants, the ones bought for their colorful blooms, had succumbed to oven-like temperatures. But the majority of plants, especially native and adapted plants, were bravely soldiering on.

Below are images of some of our hardier plants  They may appear less attractive when on sale in nurseries (flowering annuals are so seductive), but they prove to be loyal friends when the weather turns inhospitable.

Candelilla

Number one on my list of native plants is candelilla.  I don't know what I find attractive about sticks coming up out of the ground, but maybe it is the uniqueness of the plant that keeps me digging up clumps to start new plants around the yard. 

Mexican Firebush

Some may say that the Mexican Firebush is invasive.  I prefer to think of it as being very generous.  From one purchased plant, I now have five good-sized plants in various locations on the property.  And when nothing else has the energy to bloom, the firebush is covered with small red blossoms that hummingbirds appear to appreciate as much as I do.  

Fairy Duster

One of the delights of desert plants is their ability to appear tough but produce amazingly delicate blooms.  Below is a close up of a red fairy duster.blossom.  Doesn't it look like it could dust a fairy's house?

Fairy Duster Bloom

Yellow Bells

Yellow Bells looks like a cousin of the common red trumpet vine, but I like the more unusual yellow blooms.  This plant, which has grown quite large, lives in our vegetable garden to give color to the area when the tomatoes and peppers fail to grow (which is unfortunately quite often).

Ruellia

And finally, my favorite plant, Ruellia, or Mexican Petunia.  My son, Clayton, discovered this plant when he was in college in Austin, Texas and bought it because of its delicate lavender blooms.  He soon discovered that the blooms last only one day. The good news is Ruellia blooms again every day under the right circumstances.  This Ruellia is partially shaded from the hot afternoon sun and receives a hearty drink of water every two days. Another Ruellia, which lives in a large pot in the courtyard, is still recovering from too much sun and too little water.  

I know I am not the first to comment on the challenges and rewards of gardening in the Desert Southwest, but I thank my desert plants often (does anyone else talk to your plants?) for their tenacity to grow and produce beauty in difficult circumstances.  

Our Crazy New Landscaping Project

When my husband, Wayne, and I signed papers to buy property and build a house, some thirty-odd years ago, thank goodness we were young and foolish.  We had no idea what it would take to landscape almost an acre of land. A large part of our property was a fairly steep hill leading up to a neighbor's land. Another strange area, which we called the "back forty,"was a barren strip of land separating our property from another neighbor. 

At first we did make several futile attempts to landscape both areas. Desert Willow trees went into the back forty but received almost no water or attention through the years.  Weeds successfully claimed the area. When the weeds grew so embarrassingly tall that we could see them over the back fence, we hired someone at great expense to chop them down.

The few native plants located on the hill, too far from a water source, soon perished. I did succeed in transplanting two small Palo Verde trees, volunteers from their parent trees in the front yard.  And I also bought and transplanted a rather expensiive Desert Spoon, not realizing it was the same plant as the Sotol plants that proliferate on the property.  

Fast forward to the present. We frequently discussed the fact that the hill and back forty were problem areas that added nothing to our lives.  I'm not sure how the idea of building a walking trail  originated, but one day we made our way up the hill and around to the back forty.  Shady areas, blooming native plants, interesting rocks, and fallen, twisted tree limbs greeted us. We were pleasantly surprised.

I thought a trail had to be perfectly laid out with small stones on either side to guide the traveler, an enormous undertaking. So I thought our dream of a trail would remain a dream. But one day Wayne took a rake, marked out a trail, and started building wooden steps to climb up and down the hill. 

We cleared away the worst of the brush so the trail could wind through the palo verde trees, now grown to great heights.

The Desert Willows were in bloom in the back forty as well as a colorful wild lantana plant that had miraculously survived on its own through the years.

Now an early morning walk on the trail is a calming way to start the day.

Trailhead

Up the hill

Through the palo verde "forest"

Around to the willows in the back forty

What our trail was lacking was a special name.  Wayne suggested "Santa Fe Trail."  He had recently had an opportunity to view part of the original Santa Fe Trail at an annual conference of the National Stage Coach and Freight Wagon Association held in Tubac, Arizona.  One of the presenters shared an old map of the area with a group of diners.

Conference Lunch

The map depicted the original trail passing just a few hundred yards from where they were sitting.  Wayne joined a small group to explore the area. The centuries old trail was still visible, complete with artifacts like pottery shards.  Wayne returned to the table, visibly impressed with his peak into the past.

Our trail can now be comfortably walked, although I do take a walking stick for the climb up and down the hill.  I planted one desert marigold beside the trail, which is clinging to life, and a Texas sage which has given up the ghost.  Wayne leans toward a wild, untamed look for the trail.  I can see in my mind's eye clumps of wildflowers or seasonal bulbs to admire on an early morning stroll.  And Wayne is cleaning out his garage, so the trail may be receiving some modern-day artifacts.  Will future trail walkers find as much to delight them on the trail as we do? 

A Southwestern Getaway Trip

How much fun can you have on a three day trip in the Southwest?  A surprising amount in a short amount of time, really, My husband, Wayne, and I recently traveled from El Paso, Texas, our home town, to Phoenix, Arizona to watch the Dodgers play the Diamond Backs at Chase Field. (Note:  Dodgers 2, D-Backs 1).

Driving the six hours to Phoenix was one option, but what a good excuse to take Amtrak instead.  We are train aficionados, okay train nuts, so a ten hour trip on the rails sounded exciting. (The first nine hours were great; the last leg, a shuttle from the train station to Phoenix, not so much.)  The significant differences between train and plane travel appear in almost every recent article touting train travel, so I'll not brag too much about the easy check in, ample leg room, and generous luggage allowance on Amtrak. And Wayne had a steak for dinner in the dining car that he pronounced as quite tasty. 

We caught the train to Phoenix at Union Station, an historic building in downtown El Paso.

Entering Union Station

 The ticket counter is wonderfully old-fashioned with wooden counters.

Ticket counter, Union Station

The westbound train was on time. We settled into our very comfortable seats and had plenty of time to watch scenes of the Desert Southwest before arrival in Phoenix. Wayne and I like to stay in a central location on our travels. A Courtyard by Marriott within walking distance of Chase Field was the perfect choice.  As we tumbled out of the Uber car, the Marriott parking valets greeted us and asked if we were going to the Justin Timberlake concert or the ballgame.  Now really, I thought, do we look like concert attendees? But their friendly welcome set the stage for a very pleasant stay.

On the second day of our trip, game day, we had the entire day to ourselves before the 6:40 pm starting time.  A short wander around the downtown area of Phoenix led us to the Breakfast Club.  The breakfast was so to our liking that we ate there the next morning as well.  Good food, good service, good people-watching.

Breakfast Club, Downtown Phoenix

We had plenty of time to explore what downtown Phoenix has to offer tourists.  Afternoon found us at Heritage Square, advertised as the last surviving residential block from turn of the century Phoenix.  A  guided tour of the Rosson House Museum, a meticulously restored Victorian house, let us daydream about daily life in another era.

Rosson House Museum

The elegant staircase in the foyer was a reminder of the lifestyle in Territorial Arizona for families of means.

Staircase, Rosson House

Heritage Square also offered a coffee shop, a gift shop, and several restaurants with outdoor seating.  A leafy, relaxing place.

Landscaping in Arizona interests me because of their skillful use of native plants.

Phoenix Landscaping

We have a section of our yard at home that we call the "Tucson Yard" that we could just as well call the "Phoenix Yard." No saguaro cacti though unfortunately.  Our Chihuahuan Desert doesn''t easily support saguaros. 

Our "Tucson Yard"

 Finally, it was game time.  We made out way through the jovial crowd of concert goers and baseball fans and easily found our seats in the stadium.

Pre-game, Chase Field

We searched the field for a glimpse of our favorite Dodger players.  The game was an exciting one, not decided until the last crack of the bat.

Chase Field

Our flight home the next day on Southwest Airlines was quick and uneventful.  The trip had been so short that our cat, Bitsy, didn't even bother to give me the cold shoulder on our return.

We pronounced the experience a great success.  A train ride, a nice hotel stay, good food, a bit of history, native plants, and a Dodgers win.  And all in a quick three days.  We will be planning another Southwestern Getaway Trip soon. 

Al fresco living in the Desert Southwest

"You just couldn't stay inside, could you?" teased my husband, Wayne, as he returned from running errands to find me wandering around aimlessly outdoors.  And I was guilty as charged.  When days in the Desert Southwest turn mild, I find every excuse to step out the back door into a world of sunshine, flowering plants, and contented animals.  And those mild days arrive early in the Desert Southwest.  Now just passed the Easter weekend, daytime temperatures are already in the 80's.

My philosophy is you can't be too rich, too thin, or have too many outdoor seating areas.  Here are some of ours.

 A great spot in a courtyard for enjoying morning coffee and discovering new bright orange flowers on the pomegranate tree.

Mid-morning is the perfect time for brunch by the kiva fireplace because the sun has moved on to the west and left this courtyard well shaded.

 A fire built in the horno provides a comfortable spot to relax on a chillier evening after the sun has set.

A pear tree provides shade for a vantage point to check out vegetables, herbs, and roses planted in the garden.

A seating area, complete with horno, is a welcoming spot for bathers seeking a little warmth as they emerge from the pool and jacuzzi.

A seating area in a native plant yard is THE place to watch the spectacular, colorful sunsets common in the Desert Southwest.

Ready for an informal chat with your significant other?  This front porch swing was made for relaxed conversations.


Outdoor living in the Desert Southwest provides a boost to the senses...

whether it be soothing sounds of a bubbling fountain...

the exciting prospect of seeing a hummingbird at the feeder outside the kitchen window...

or catching a glimpse of one of the outdoor feral cats we pamper with food, water, and a comfortable place to sleep.  This is Tommy, the tomcat.

I watch the nightly national weather reports and breathe a sigh of relief that our area of the country does not have rain, snow or ice to contend with.  But wait!  What did the weatherman just say about spring winds for the rest of the week?  40 to 50 mph?  Oh yeah.  We do have those spring days in the Desert Southwest as well.  So much for al fresco living this week!

Arizona Adventures

A perk of living on the western tip of Texas is the possibility of reaching Tuscon, Arizona in time for lunch.  Driving west from my home town of El Paso, the desert of southern New Mexico passes like a flash. Before you know it, you are entering the state of Arizona, where the dashboard clock rolls back to give you the luxury of one extra hour.  (Arizona does not observe Daylight Savings Time.) 

My husband, Wayne, and I were on our way to a new experience, the annual conference of the National Stage Coach and Freight Wagon Association, being held in Tuscon and surrounding venues.  Wayne was attending because of his interest in all things western. I was tagging along, hoping to get new inspiration for landscaping with native plants. 

Our Friday activity was held at the Tucson Rodeo Parade Museum.We toured the Buggy Barn, where carefully restored wagons of a variety of uses were on display. One of the most impressive was a coach used by Maximilian and Carlotta when they ruled in Mexico in the 19th century. It is currently valued at $500,000! 

Saturday morning found us rested and ready to drive south to Tubac, Arizona, with a stop along the way to tour the Historic Hacienda de La Canoa.

We visited restored buildings where one could easily imagine the lives of former inhabitants, both the prosperous and not so prosperous.

Native landscaping plants throughout the property, maintained by a local garden club, made me long to visit local plant nurseries. I came upon a delightful herb garden tucked into a space between two walls that could surely be replicated at our house.

Once in Tubac, a popular tourist town, conference activities were held at the Tubac Presidio State Historic Park.  We attended lectures on the history of the Santa Fe Trail and other related topics, given in a restored school house with classroom rules still written on the chalk board.  Do you suppose the setting enhanced the attention of the participants? 

A chuck wagon dinner, served outdoors, was a chance to meet fellow conference participants, many of whom were well versed on the topics of western history and construction and restoration of wagons. 

I ducked out of the afternoon conference sessions to do a little window shopping in the colorful village of Tubac. No purchases, but lots of decorating inspiration. 

Back at home in El Paso, we resolved to start on a landscaping project that we have talked about for  several years.  We want to build a walking trail around our property which is almost an acre in size.  The property is already planted with native plants.  All we need is a trail to view and enjoy them.  We dubbed the project "The Santa Fe Trail" in honor of the new knowledge we gained at the Arizona wagon conference.