April 20, 2009 This past week-end was a big one for Literacy Link - Leamos. Saturday morning we held our annual Rummage Sale in the parking lot of the Chamber of Commerce. With donations made from the public, we were able to sell items for inexpensive and put some cash into the Literacy Account. This is important because many of our grants require us to spend their monies on certain items. With the Rummage Sale cash we can spend it where we need it. Commonly it is for office related items (supplies, equipment, etc.). In the evening, the Local Rotary Club held its Auction - -of which Literacy Link - Leamos was a beneficiary. The Rotary members collected donations from area businesses and private persons. Items included everything from artwork to a hearing aid to trips to boats to househo... 04/20/2009

April 17, 2009 Here are a few photos from around Silver City.   Since there are 2 Copper Mines in our area, it is common to see Mine Equipment used as Lawn Ornaments. This Ore Car is on a Business's Lawn on Gold St.               Ranching country means wells for water and that equals Wind Mills. This one is located north on Swan St.                       Silver City has a thriving arts community. This mural is located on the wall of the Silver City co-op off of Historic Bullard St.         04/17/2009

April 16, 2009 Please see my February 13, 2009 post regarding gardening. It talks about the soil, weather, etc. Today I'm going to discuss what to grow. Vegetable wise, here's what does well and what I grow: Tomatoes, Peppers, Chilis, Eggplant, Green Beans, Peas, Cardoon, Zuccini. Yellow Squash, Canteloupe, Basil, Parsley, Cilantro, Onions, Chives, Scallions, Oregano, Sage, Lettuce, Escarole, Spinich, Rosemary. My attempts at carrots and cucumbers have failed and I've given up. Other vegetables and fruits that do well: Strawberries, Blueberries, Peaches, Okra, Broccoli, Cauliflower.    Here is a photo of the first of my vegetable seeds started indoors. I won't put outside for another month.        04/16/2009

April 13, 2009 The Gila Cliff Dwellings The Gila Cliff Dwellings are located 44 miles north of Silver City in the Gila (Hee-la) National Forest. You travel up Highway 15 through a beautiful pine forest with sweeping views. The Mogollon Indians lived here over 700 years ago. You can actually enter the dwellings, see where they lived, look into some of the structures from above, and explore the cave walls where petroglyphs can be seen. The dwellings were built into cave walls 180 feet above the river floor. You can see the smoke where they had fires, round areas in the floor where they placed their pots, the old walls made of mud and much more. I enjoy hearing the Park Ranger discuss some of the details of how they lived, what they grew, etc. There are a wide variety of hikes to enjoy. Se... 04/14/2009

March 13, 2009 The Nature Conservancy owns and operates Bear Mountain Lodge just a few minutes from Silver City. They have several nice trails for the public to use on their 178 acre parcel. You can also go inside the lodge and review their maps, trail info, and other flyers. It's a beautiful place to stay - -check them out at: www.bearmountainlodge.com The lodge itself is a renovated 1920s hacienda. It features stone fireplaces, wood beams, a library and great room along with a dining room.   To get there take Highway 180 to Alabama Street. Turn north onto Alabama Street (this turns into Cottage San Road which turns into Bear Mountain Rd). The Lodge has a large sign on the road on the left - - it's a mile or 2 up. Parking is clearly marked. I went for a quick 2 hour hike there yesterda... 03/13/2009

March 11, 2009 Cutting Firewood in the Gila National Forest Many homes in Silver City have wood-burning fireplaces or stoves. Since we're so close to the Gila (Hee-la) National Forest, it's nice to be able to cut wood and bring it home. Here is some information on the process. You may cut and take firewood any time of the year. There are certain areas in the forest where you can take wood from. When you get the permit, they will show you these areas. There are "Dead Wood Permits" - -these are valid throughout the forest except in prohibited areas. You may take dead or downed trees with "Dead Wood Permits". There are also "Green Firewood Permits" which are valid only in ‘green firewood' areas {Wonder why anyone would want green wood? Me too! When I asked, the Forest Service explained tha... 03/11/2009

March 9, 2009 History of Silver City - Part 2 At the beginning of the 1900's the area became a haven for tuberculoses sufferers. Sanitariums popped up around the area. One road, currently named Cottage San Road, was the home of one: Cottage Sanitarium. Another Sanitarium was run by the Sisters of Mercy. It is now Fort Bayard, a hospital for patients unable to care for themselves. Fort Bayard began as a fort to protect the area residents from Indians. The first all-black regimen (the buffalo soldiers), protected the area. The fort has gone through several transitions including being managed by the Surgeon General of the Army, the Veteran's Administration and now the State of New Mexico.  You can still see many of the old buildings from the early 1900's. Currently, a new hospital is being... 03/10/2009

March 9, 20009 Below is a brief history of our area, intended to give you an idea of how the area developed. History of Silver City - Part 1 In approximately 1000 A.D., the Mimbreno Indians lived in the area. Many examples of their pottery can be seen at the Silver City Museum. There were also the Mogollon Indians - no visit to this area would be complete without a visit to the Gila Cliff Dwellings where you can learn more about these people.  http://www.nps.gov/gicl/ Way back when, the Apache used this area as a camp. Often, Indian artifacts can be found in the area. There are so many artifacts that I wonder if the population way back when was larger then than it is now! In 1860 gold was discovered in the mountains north of Silver City. Pinos Altos developed and for some time was the c... 03/09/2009

March 6, 2009 Happy 1st Birthday to my great-nephew Kevin! Today we are having some cloud cover and it's a great day to hike in the woods. In the mountains behind my house, there is an old dirt road that was used to bring the ore from Cleveland Mine to town. This is an nice, easy hike that is close to town, yet rarely has anyone on it. So when I don't have a ton of time, it's good way to get out.   When I do have some time, like this morning, my girl friend Lynn and I take this road all the way over to Little Walnut Rd and walk down until we are picked up by one of our guys. We figure it's about 4 miles.         We can let our dogs off leash and they get in a good run.      This is a photo of my dog, Cody.                                        No climbing through rocks, bramble, etc is... 03/06/2009

March 5, 20009 Happy 54th Anniversary, Mom and Dad! Below is a calendar of what's happening in Silver City this week-end. As for me? Hiking, cooking, sewing a wall-hanging for the Rotary Auction coming in April. My girl friend Margaret is sewing a Dumbledore costume for the Rotary Auction event - -so don't be surprised if you see me wearing a Dumbledore robe when showing houses! Now that's magic!    Calendar of events for Silver City, NM: Friday, March 6 Corrine West and the posse: $15. Singer-songwriter whose voice is described as full of emotional power and raw soulfulness. Mimbres Region Arts Council folk series. Buffalo Dance Hall. 538-2505 Saturday, March 7Gila Native Plant Society Annual Native Plant Sale. 9am-noon, WNMU Student Memorial Center, 3d floor. Info about landscaping wi... 03/05/2009

March 4, 20009 Yesterday's blog was more about etiquette; today I'll discuss hiking in the mountains and desert with more of a safety twist. My husband is a volunteer with the mounted (horseback) Search and Rescue. A large percentage of his rescues involve someone hiking alone. I know that some of you like solitude but it's just not safe. When you are going on a hike, for goodness sake, tell someone where you're going and when you are planning on being home. We used to just go out for the day and take a ride and then hike wherever we thought looked good. We quickly realized that no one knows where we are. Water. Books can be written on the need for water in arid country. I can tell you stories of friends who had to make emergency room visits due to dehydration. You need to carry a lot o... 03/04/2009

March 3, 20009 I wanted to talk briefly about hiking etiquette. Hikers are really good out here but I figure that it's a good idea to talk about once in a while. I like to feel like I'm the first one on the land I'm walking so I don't want to see a lot of evidence of other people - - like garbage, fire pits, etc. However, I don't want to go off trail either since that starts the breakdown of the wilderness (stepping on grasses and plants, occasional bushwhacking). That's why we're really careful to hike out everything we hiked in. We tend to hike in small groups - 4 is about my total. This is also a good number for safety. If one person gets sick or injured, one person can stay with injured party and 2 can go together for help. The low # is good for not effecting the landscape too. Avoi... 03/03/2009

March 2, 20009 Photos from my Fort Bayard hike.   Fort Bayard is a National Historic Landmark. The fort was originally built to protect settlers and miners from the Apache Indians. It is now a veteran's hospital - -with a new hospital being built. It also hosts a national cemetery. There are still many of the old buildings dating from the early 1900's. The 468 acre Game Preserve has many trails. There is a wide array of wildlife including large herd of elk. There is a Forest Service Center there with trail maps available. It is a popular place to hike since it is just 3 miles east of Silver City and the trails are easier since the land is rolling hills. Some suggestions of mine? Carry water and carry a camera - -the elk herd can often be seen. Please be sure to close all gates.     Sayi... 03/02/2009

February 27, 2009 Since yesterday's blog was about one neighborhood, I thought I'd talk a little about another popular neighborhood, Indian Hills. Indian Hills is located north of Highway 180 in an area full of rolling hills. It is just north of the city limits so it is close to town - -which makes it popular. Each lot is at least ½ an acre - -many are 1 acre or more. Most of the homes that are in the first phase were built in the 1970's - - many have all electric heat - - remember the gas shortage back then? As you get more north into later phases, the houses are newer. Right now, a house can range from $195,000 to $500,000. Please remember that this blog was written on February 27, 2009. Depending on where the house is located, you may have natural gas or propane. There are also a few... 02/27/2009

February 26, 2009 Wind Canyon Wind Canyon is a popular subdivision located approximately 3 miles west of Silver City. It features 10+ acres lots with custom-built homes. The estates are set within the High Desert area of Southern New Mexico. The land is mountainous which consists of ridges and draws. From the ridges, the view is breathtaking - reaching in some places all the way to Arizona. Vegetation consists of Native Bear grass, Yucca, Wildflowers, Side oats, Gramma grass. Trees are mostly evergreen-Pinion, Juniper, Cedar and a few Scrub oaks. The Gila National Forest to the north and the Continental Divide to the east border it. FREQUENTLY ASKED QUESTIONS Will the roads be paved? There are no current plans to pave the roads in Wind Canyon. They are presently being maintained by the ... 02/26/2009

February 20, 2009 Water in Silver City Being in the desert southwest, we occasionally get questions about water. Let me give a general overview. The ideal water flow looks like this: In the winter there's a good amount of snow pack in the mountains. It stays cold in January and February, holding the snow pack until spring. Then it melts slowly and runs down out of the mountains allowing use by the ranchers and farmers.  City Water: Residents in and near the town of Silver City are on ‘city water'. The water is obtained from several wells to the south of town. It is treated and tested regularly. It is stored in various tanks around town. You can see 2 tanks near the "W" mountain north of town. There is another up on Swan St, near the city limits sign. There are 2 on Highway 180 to the we... 02/20/2009

February 18, 2009 I have buyers in town just now who are not familiar with some of the southwest architecture. So I thought that I would explain what some of the terms mean. My dear friends and neighbors were kind enough to allow me to photograph their gorgeous home for this blog. Thanks Lynn and Julian!  Banco - Built-in Benches. They are commonly next to Kiva fireplaces     Canale - A water spout that drains water from a flat roof   Corbel - a supporting timber under a beam or arch       Kiva Fireplace - southwest style fireplace      Latillas - Small peeled poles used to form a ceiling.     Lintel - this is the exposed crossbeam above a window.     Nichos - niches built into the wall     Saltillo Tile - a clay or terra cotta floor tile     Talavera Tile - colorfully decorated Mexican... 02/19/2009

February 18, 2009 The 3.3 million acres of Gila Wilderness offers a playground for the adventurer. The area is rich in history including Indian dwellings, conquerors, ranchers, miners, conservationist Aldo Leopald, and hunter Ben Lilly. The beauty of the area includes indescribable vistas, canyons and caverns, rivers, arroyos, mountains and mesas. It is a hiker's delight any time of the year. If you want to enjoy a guided tour, check out: http://blackbearexplorers.com/?p=22 I know; you're feeling cramped in your neighborhood, frustrated by traffic, concerned about international travel. Come to Silver City, take a deep breath of fresh air and say, "Ahhhhhhhhh". 02/18/2009

The weather is blissful.  The sun is out, the temps are in the high 50's, low 60's and it's February 3rd.  Is it possible that spring is already here?  I won't be so sure of myself to say that, but I did see buds on a tree today.  O' glorious Silver City. 02/03/2009

January 27, 2009 Good afternoon! Thank you for reading what I hope will be the first of many informative posts. Silver City, NM is a small town in the southwest corner of New Mexico. We are at approximately 5900 feet in altitude. This enables us to have four gentle seasons. Not too hot in the summer (because of the high altitude) and not too cold in the winter (because of the desert). Hence the term, high desert. To give you an idea, today it is chilly at 43 degrees and sunny. Last week it was in the 60's. The U.S. Weather Bureau says that Silver City has the best annual median temperature in the country. You will find Silver City a good place to live if it is a true quality of life that you seek. Silver City also has excellent medical facilities and a four-year university. There is an ... 01/27/2009