Rio Grande Nature Center

We spent some quality time this afternoon at the Rio Grande Nature Center - we had been looking for different trails to access the river, and this fit the bill!

Today the river was full, but not overflowing into the flood plain, and there is still no hint of green...

But it was sunny, and in the 60's, and we were together :-)

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Additional Info:
- Trails are well marked and easy - there were a lot of families around.  You can pick up a 1-page trail map for some minimal cost at the visitor's center, but it is not as necessary as at some places.
- Parking is $3 / car (more for vans)
- Biking and walking in is free
- Street parking a block away is plentiful and free
- Getting there is easy: Rio Grande Blvd, turn West on Candelaria until it dead-ends, and park!

Diverse Winters

It's all about diversity!

Friends in Iowa are celebrating their "finally here!" snow, and Boston friends have had enough already!

My folks in California had to mow the lawn after the almost year's-worth of rain all in December, but are happily arranging wildflowers and camellias in vases all around the house.

Costa Rica is in full-on Summer - soft breezes, sunny skies, fiestas, flowers.

Today in Albuquerque, it was T-shirt weather - shiny bright sun, but no flowers or greenery yet.

City Girl

Sitting here, in my downtown apartment, I hear the (somewhat) distant horn from the train, the rumble of traffic, and I remember...
Visiting my Great-aunt Rachel, who lived in town, tossing a football around in the street (!!), playing dodge-car with the lights at dusk, and falling asleep to the sound of passing traffic. None of that was possible out in the boonies, and it was always so exciting!
I guess this city- girl was formed earlier than I thought :-)