Little Dog Clothes

I wake up in the morning

wearing little dog clothes

little dog above me, keeping my head warm

little dog below me, keeping my feet warm

little dog before me

and little dog behind me

it wasn't always this way

I don't even like little dogs

but someone had to save them 

from under car wheels

and cages of doom

and loveless situations

now they repay me

by telling me when someone stops at the gate

or when the coyotes pass by in the night

or when my hair needs rearranging as I sleep

and by giving me little dog clothes to wear

starting my day with a chuckle

and ending it with laughter

little dog clothes

and

little dog love

Dweezil and Little Pete

Centennial Parade, Las Cruces, January 2012

New Mexico became the 47th state in 1912, and all this year centennial celebrations will be taking place. You can read more about events all over the state at this website.

We kicked off the celebration in January here in Las Cruces with an amazing parade. Each decade in our century of statehood was represented, and it seemed as though almost everyone took part. 

 I loved seeing the school children dancing, singing, chanting, and marching by, school by school, decade by decade.

Parts of the state, including the land where my adobe house now sits, belonged at one time to old Mexico.

There were wonderful vintage cars throughout the parade. They keep so well in our dry desert climate, and are carefully restored and tended by their owners. We see them in special events all year long.

The parade made it clear that "multiculturalism" has always been a part of New Mexico's history. We tend to say that our population is made up of Native Americans, Hispanics, and Anglos. However, as we learned at a recent history lecture, many other cultures have an important place in the state's history. I hope to write a post soon about those cultures, as well as some of the other things that we learned from the history classes we attended. 

I loved looking at the faces of the people in the parade and those watching. 

Read more about the parade: Centennial Parade Las Cruces

See a video: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=DoK0zdM9d1w

See some more photos on flickr: http://www.flickr.com/photos/mattie/sets/72157628765834281/with/6655824457/