The 1st of December

We had about 5 inches of snow on November 29, just in time for my December 1 post. We also had some serious cold weather--it went down to 2 degrees on Wednesday night, and probably close to that on Thursday night. Today it was a bit warmer, and already the snow is starting to disappear. But here is a picture of my house in the snow--the green rosebushes against the side wall look a little incongruous, don't they?

Christmas in Santa Fe is (according to all reports) a spectacular season. So in addition to the "yes there really is snow in Santa Fe" picture, I've also included a couple of images from around town. You'll see the beautfiul courtyard at the Indian Museum--complete with holiday greenery and snow, a couple of images of workmen dangling in front of the Cathedral window with a big wreath that wasn't quite in place yet, and a shot of farolitos, paper bags with sand and candles (though there are electrified versions--like giant Christmas tree lights--that are heavily used these days.)

Apparently in some parts of New Mexico these bags/candles are known as luminarias, but the purists in Santa Fe use that term to describe small bonfires instead. The farolitos are typically placed on the parapets of flat-roofed houses, though you may also see them along walkways.