This is our house during our recent big snowstorm. We had hours of fine snowfall, a pretty brisk wind throughout, and temps down in the single digits. The snow started in the afternoon and continued most of the night. Sustained precipitation of any sort is rare, but very welcome, here in the desert. When we woke, we found that the highways in every single direction going out of town were shut down.
In this part of New Mexico we get a bit of snow every winter, but people like to say that it is gone by 10 AM the next day, and that is usually the case. This storm encased our plow-less roads in ice until at least 11:30 AM, but after that, all was well, the sun was out as usual, and the roads were clear and dry. In the meantime, we just put some fragrant piñon logs in the kiva fireplace and had a lovely day.
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| A fire in the kiva, a glass of wine, and some bread dough rising--what more do we need? |
See those little outdoor lights in the first photo? They are the electric equivalent of the holiday lights traditionally made with candles set in sand inside paper bags. Around New Mexico there is a very geographically-based disagreement over what they are called. Up north around Santa Fe they are farolitos; down here in the south they are luminarias. [I'm telling you, I'm struggling with that automatic spellcheck thing, which tried to change the words in that previous sentence to frailties and luminaries!]. Folks in the northern part of the state use the word luminaria to describe the small vigil fires made along the road side during the nine nights of the celebration of Las Posadas, which culminates on Christmas Eve.
We have a very witty friend who believes he has solved the whole controversy by renaming them candle-baggios. We love it, and candle-baggios is what we plan to call them from now on, making a nice new New Mexico Christmas tradition for our friends and family.
22 comments:
The Candle-baggios are beautiful!
:-)
And, wow - you got hit with the same snowstorm that Carson did, didn't you...unbelievable! You should had everything looking mighty cozy on the inside, though.
What kind of bread were you making?
:-)
It was a mess of a storm huh? Where we live in Burque we didn't get much but all around us did. It's like we live in the donut hole.
I love the Candle baggio name. We had a neighbor who used to call the luminarias...lunchmas bags. Whatever they are called it wouldn't be Christmas without the golden glow. Happiest Holidays to the Zees, a mostly silent fan Oma Linda
Wow! You did get lots of snow! Looks so cozy with the fire in the kiva, and a glass of wine! Who could ask for more! Stay warm!!
Sylvia
Danni, that photo shows a batch of Orange Yeast Bread, but I have to say that ever since we tried Carson's Artisan Bread, that's the one we use the most! We make buns, loaves, and even pizza from the same dough.
So pretty !!! We've been cold but no snow yet. I love your lights ... we used to put them down our driveway but not now.
Our snow is quickly melting...all 15" of it. I don't mind the snow at all, but the minus 5F-8F degree temps and bone chilling winds I can do without.
When we go up to Santa for Las Posados at the Governor's Palace they have the little bonfires, set up along the pathways and then the farolitos are placed on top of houses and along walls. I had never seen the little bonfire before we started going to Santa Fe, because in Old Town they only use the farolitos to line the pathways....probably because they are less of a danger than the open campfire type of firewood/flames.
Personally, I like the name Candle-baggios, too. Maybe that will become mainstream one day?
Lovely photo of your kiva and bread rising. Now all you need is a horno to bake the bread. :)
~Lisa
Speaking of silly spell check, it's giving me Poppadoms in place of Posados. lol!
Such a homey photo...fire, wine, the promise of freshly baked bread! Love the whatchamacallits with the candles. Really lovely!
Hi Clair! Love your Candle Baggios-I will think of them when I go to Lights on the Hill this weekend, as all the paths are lined with hundreds of them! Your cozy fire looked so welcoming. Now that the weather is cooler, we have been baking bread too and the kitchen smells incredible! Our little feathered ladies love eating the ends!
Chris
I am laughing so hard over candle-baggios! OMG!!! Granted, it could be the wine on an empty stomach, but since I know they're luminarias, and I come from a long line of pseudo-spanish speakers (my brother-in-law is fond of a burrito joint called El Farro, which I understand means the fog, but since it's a ridiculous drive for him, he winds up going to the local burrito joint which he calls El Closo), I can't help myself. Candle-baggios. Can't wait to spring that one on the folks at home.
I enjoyed your comment on my blog, and looked at your profile, and we have quite a LOT in common. Steve and I considered Corrales, NM as a possible spot for our emigration before we decided to get where the water is, which is why we wound up in Oregon.
So Chiquita- I'm adding you to my blog roll.
Whatever they are called, we are the only ones in our MN neighborhood who have them on Christmas eve. Love 'em. Hope the temperatures rise about single digits when we arrive for our January and February New Mexico "fix." Love your banner!!
Gosh, I didn't realise you ever got that much snow!
'candle-baggios' is inspired.
I just love the outdoor path lights, the falling snow and the warmth of your fireplace. It looks like an ideal way to spend a cold day :-)
oh you got snow! well how do you like that. here in the Midwest we're still awaiting our first snowfall. all we've had are a few flurries, but farther north they do have snow on the ground. your snow is beautiful, and I love what you're calling the snow lights! I want your kiva...it would be all that I need. happy weekend to you Clair. (your new header is wonderful!)
I keep looking at your picture. We leave from the twin cities area to spend time in NM on the 19 of Dec. That means we will have our family Christmas time this coming weekend. We have a kiva fireplace just like yours and I'm anxious to try out a fire with a lot of piñon. This will be our fourth visit to our home. We hope to make it full-time in about three years. We have plans for the two of us and a vision of reading in front of a fire is at the top of my list. Sure hope big snowstorms hold off until we pull in, since we are pulling a trailer. We bring a few things each visit, and the place is beginning to feel like home. I already
have the lunch bags, and candles packed in boxes, and we'll buy sand (suppose I could dig some up from our
yard!) and hope to line up the "candle-baggios" on the top of the courtyard.
Nancy
I must say I was shocked to tune into your winter wonderland. Looks like you had way more than what we have so far. What do the single digits do to the pecan orchards? Hope the trees are okay.
Christine, the pecans are just fine. They even made it through our "big freeze" last February, when the temps stayed below zero for days at a time and caused so much damage to plant life and to plumbing. We all (plants and humans alike) prefer our usual winter weather pattern--cold at night, but warm temps well above freezing in the afternoons.
Hardy little buggers those pecans. Glad to hear it. I'd forgotten about last winter... haha. I meant to tell you how beautiful your place looked in the snow. The luminaries and everything...
LOL!!! Don knows what they're called, but insists on calling them bags. I love "candle-baggios!" I'll share with Don. :)
Beautiful picture of the snowstorm.
In Albuquerque we called them luminarias. I still miss the whole neighborhood setting them out on Christmas Eve. Pain in the butt with the sold school method of candles, sacks, and sand, especially if the wind is blowing. Electric is much better.
I like candle baggios. That's what I'm calling them from now on.
Merry Christmas!!
Hi Clairz! I love the name!! I think up in New Mexico the Spanish names are used even more than here in Arizona. We call them luminaries here.
Your comment over on my blog was so sweet and made me feel so good. It does my heart good to know I am sharing good info and ideas with with you. Have a wonderful week and a very merry Christmas.
xo,
Karen
Love the new word, 'tho I've never heard them called anything but luminarias. (Funny about the spell-check thing!)
We came through New Mexico before the storm. Briefly debated taking a sidetrip to the Bosque at one point, but Bill wanted to push on (he wanted to be warm and I didn't argue too much)...when we heard the weather later we were glad we didn't sidetrack -- the little RoadTrke is not a great Winter RV at all!
Candle- baggios, that is hilarious! I have called them both... with a tendency toward farolitos. OK, call me silly, but I did not know that you got snow so far south! Well, up in the mountains, yes, but La Cruces? Well, I learn something new everyday. (though my mom & gram get snow every once in awhile in the foothills of San Diego... so I guess anything is possible.) We're in for another winter storm... now I am curious about your weather... will have to check it! I remember my first winter drive across I-40 a couple of years ago. The high desert in snow was such beauty. I love your new header... and I think I want to move into your house.
:)
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