Perpetual succor

Though big expansive exploration is off the horizon (thanks bah humbug virus) small ventures still provide relief, vistas and inspiration.

Last Saturday the ostensible lure was a holiday market in Magdalena (population 870 in 2020) a small village on HWY60 some 80 miles north.

En route, I stopped off for a green chile croissant and coffee at M Mountain Coffeehouse in Socorro. I found myself sharing the cafe counter with one of the old timers.

After that delicious, quintessentially enchanted breakfast experience, I took a walk through the town in the warm morning sunshine.

I found a beautifully coloured tree, rivaling any seasonal, sparkly, yard decor.

Unfortunately my plant id app (free version) isn’t giving me satisfactory identification - perhaps because there are no visible leaves. Any input welcome. Regardless, it is a stunningly beautiful tree at this time of year.

I also found opuntia still wearing the last of their (somewhat desiccated) tuna: beautiful natural baubles and one can’t fault this desert version of the red/green colour way.

A mural on the town hall includes depictions of the same botanical beings frolicking at night under a starry sky.

I apologize for the lighting - the mural faces north and is in shadow in the morning at this time of year.

The historic San Miguel church was all locked up and going nowhere: seemingly indifferent on a Saturday morning

The succor, it seems, is no longer perpetual in bricks and mortar (or adobe as the case may be). Gone are the days of churches always being open.

Even the dragon slayer and St Frances were behind bars in their niches.

I did find a historic marker in the plaza which filled in with a little bit of history.

I’m sure there is more to this somnolent settlement with the best green chile croissants on the planet, but I had a date with a small town up the road. (Magdalena in next post).