The Land of Enchantment: 2

This being a desert, it doesn't rain much. Otherwise it wouldn't be a desert, would it? Most years about 11 inches/28 centimetres descend upon Our locality. However, that rainfall comes during the monsoon season in the summer. It is a true monsoon pattern, something We've always associated with tropical settings. The anvil-shaped thunderclouds (cumulonimbus anybody?) form over the mountains every afternoon after a day of blazing heat. Eventually they let go with a lot of noise and enough rain to cause flooding. Despite the fact this has been happening every summer for centuries, local government hasn't caught on yet. Storm drainage in town is still inadequate. We are fortunate though. Our street slopes down to a large arroyo which used to be a river bed anyway. All that water just rushes past the front garden (why yes, it does happen to be gravel, thank you for asking) and ends up right where it feels at home. We will only start to worry when the arroyo fills up. The people who live at the *bottom* of the arroyo will worry sooner than that.

It also frequently gets windy in the Land of Enchantment. Wind speeds can range from a gentle breeze right up to hurricane level. Any wind that doesn't blow small dogs or children off their feet is considered a gentle breeze.There are actually two specific windy seasons. The Spring Winds last from March until September. The Autumn Winds go from September through March.

People are often surprised to find that it also snows here in the Land of Enchantment. The Rocky Mountains (and various offshoots) run through the state; no mystery there. Not to mention it is also the home of the Continental Divide. Those of you who aren't smarter than a 5th-grader can look that one up. There are several good ski areas whose snowfall can be measured in metres. It's usually dry enough for decent powder and there's plenty of sun. Unfortunately, a certain number of tourist skiiers from the Nether Regions (the flat parts of the country) end up needing medical attention due to the altitude. People don't seem to associate mountains with heights. Strange, isn't it?

www.skinewmexico.com/

Budget recipes of the day:

http://notecook.com/soup/southwestern-cooking-posole/
http://notecook.com/bread/southwestern-cooking-sopaipillas-fried-bread/