Sunday, November 26, 2017

Autumn in Santa Fe

Last month I traveled to Santa Fe, New Mexico again to attend a workshop. Let me just say it up front: I love this town. There is something special about the wide-open blue skies and the light there, no wonder many painters, maybe the most famous one being Georgia O'Keeffe, felt and feel drawn to this area. The clean air, the rugged high desert nature, the Adobe architecture are simply stunningly beautiful.

Sadly, as usual, I didn't have much time to explore the town and take photos. But on my first day, I realized that I did forget to bring my house shoes and since I am always suffering from cold feet, I decided to buy a new pair. I stayed at a friend's house in one of the older neighborhoods of Santa Fe and to my surprise, I could simply walk from her house (didn't have to drive as it is usually the case here in America!) to an independent shoe store and get some there. So I took my camera with me and on the walk back and forth through this pretty neighborhood, I shot all the photos that you see in this post. Hope you enjoy them!



Did  I say I love the Adobe architecture, already? The organic forms of the houses and their surrounding walled gardens are so beautiful and their earthy brown color fits right into the deserty and rugged nature of Santa Fe. This house is oozing with charm and atmosphere. I could move right in.



This little plant was literally growing through some cracks on the sidewalk. Its silvery blue-green color is so pretty and the fallen leaves from the trees that got caught in it just enhance its beauty.



This enchanting decoration made out of all natural materials hung on my friend's wrought iron entry gate. In Santa Fe, it is common to decorate the houses inside and outside with all sorts of red peppers.



These unusual seed pods caught my eye. I wonder what plant will grow from them.



Spectacularly clear blue skies and another Adobe beauty. At the time when I was there, the trees had lost already quite a few leaves but the colors of the remaining ones were still mindbogglingly intense.



I have rarely seen so many beautiful wooden gates, old and new, like in this town. Some are quite simple like this one and others are very elaborate, but they are always very well made. Do you see the sign saying Beware of Dog? I wish we had such a tasteful sign at our garden gate.



This little aster added such a pop of color to the Santa Fean autumn color scheme. It was happily growing on the sidewalk, seemingly without much care.



Another Santa Fean beauty! In this case, the landscaping fitted the house so well.



The austerity of this entry spoke to me. Sometimes less is more. Do you see the bell on the right side of the door?



This house and garden had a wild and quirky vibe and I loved it for its untamed nature.

\

These dainty cosmos were also found on the sidewalk. I really, really have to try to grow cosmos in my garden next year...



Another beautiful gate, pleasing in its perfect simplicity.



Glowing orange berries. They were really eye-catching.


 

An eye-catcher of a different kind. This red gate is so perfectly echoed by the red leaves on the left side of the photo and it goes so well with the earthy brown Adobe walls.



Would love to enter through this white garden gate.



As mentioned, many artists and creative people are living in Santa Fe and they leave a very positive imprint on the town. This metal crow caught my eye because it is holding a turquoise in its beak. A little nod to the fact that turquoise was and is found in New Mexico.



This gate was certainly the most colorful that I came across and the turquoise colored carpet in front of it is just emphasizing its dramatic effect.



The hardware on it was so stunningly beautiful. 



I couldn't turn my eyes away from the lovely wood carvings and the strong colors it was painted in. Would love to know more about its history. Who made it? Where did it originally come from? Was it a door of a house? So many questions that will never be answered...



Loved these soft, fuzzy, lavender colored flowers against the backdrop of the grasses. 



Blue paint faded to perfection by the harsh weather conditions of Santa Fe. 



Simple and inviting. Love the stacked firelogs by the front door.



Perfect gate for my taste. Who wouldn't want to walk through these doors?



I didn't see many roses in Santa Fe, even though I know they are growing there. 



Admired the restraint of this scene. The tall cedar casts such beautiful patterns of shade on the Adobe wall.



I really like the color of this tatty echinacea.



Red, blue, and yellow, strong contrasting colors brought into harmony by the soothing warm brown Adobe walls.



Coming full circle I am ending this post with a close up of the entry of the house that I opened it with. I always think that I could live in Santa Fe, that maybe I even would like to. It doesn't look right now that this is on my cards, but who knows what turns and twists life will take on. But at least I hope that I will visit again, soon. Next time I am really planning to take some extra time to explore this wonderful town. 

The Thanksgiving weekend is coming to an end here in America and I hope that if you live in this country and celebrate Thanksgiving that you had a lovely one. No matter what the calendar says, to me Thanksgiving signals the end of autumn and the beginning of winter and the Christmas season.

I kinda surprised myself this year by ordering a flocked artificial Christmas tree. We stopped having Christmas trees for a couple of years because all of a sudden I wasn't in the mood anymore to do all the decorating. We were also afraid that our two rambunctious Dobermans would take the tree down when they chase each other in the house, but this year my desire to decorate came back and hopefully the dogs are a little less unruly by now. We will see. 

So we put up the Christmas tree this weekend. It is not decorated yet, but we strung in the Christmas twinkle lights already. The tree is lit as I am writing this post and I have to say it looks quite magical. I wonder, are you celebrating Christmas? And if so have you also started to deck the halls already? 

In any case, I am wishing you a wonderful week ahead. 

See you in the garden!

Warm regards, 

Christina


I am linking up to
Dwellings - The Heart of your Home - Amaze Me Monday //  Between Naps The Porch -  Metamorphosis Monday  //  Sweet Sensations - Celebrate Your Story  //  A Stroll Thru Life - Inspire Me Tuesday  //  Savvy Southern Style - Wow Us Wednesdays  //  A Delightsome Life - Home and Garden Thursday  // 21 Rosemary Lane - Share Your Style  //  Have a Daily Cup of Mrs. Olson - Share Your Cup  //  Eclectic Red Barn - Thursday Favorite Things  //  Rattlebridge Farm - Foodie Friday and Everything Else  //  French Country Cottage - Feathered Nest Friday  //  Shabby Art Boutique - Create, Bake, Grow & Gather  //  How Sweet The Sound - "Anything Goes" Pink Saturday  //  Ms. Tooday Goo Shoes  - Best of the Weekend  //  My Soulful Home - Sundays at Home  //  Rustic & Refined - Dishing It & Digging It  //      




37 comments:

  1. Thanks for the brief tour of Santa Fe, Christina! I appreciate adobe structures too. I think that silvery plant growing through the pavement cracks in your second photo might be Euphorbia rigida - I grow it here and expect you could grow it in San Diego as well,

    Best wishes with the Christmas decorations. I've put up a tree every year of my adult life with the exception of the year we moved into our current house merely days before the holiday almost 7 years ago. I'll probably hold off a week or 2 to buy my tree, wreath and garland so they stay fresh through the latter part of December. My husband's a little bit of a Scrooge so I also don't try to push the timetable too much ;)

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Kris, thanks for identifying the gray/green leaved plant for me. I will see if I can find it in the local nurseries!
      Yeah with a fresh tree it is probably best to wait a little bit. "My husband is a little bit of a Scrooge", you are so funny :-)!

      Delete
  2. Hi Christina!
    Thank you for sharing pictures from your walk, they are beautiful. Such a contrast to the weather we have here in the cold north. We have a Christmastree every year, but it will be decorated a couple of days before Christmas. To Advent I start decorating the house with wreaths outside and candlesticks and flowers indoors. I really enjoy Christmas, it is cosy inside and hopefully we get some white snow.
    Have a lovely day / Best wishes Marika

    ReplyDelete
  3. Dear Christina,
    thanks for the lovely tour! You should absolutely grow cosmos in your garden. I grew some from seed for the first time this year and it was a very rewarding experience. It was very dry and hot this year and many plants struggled, but the cosmos were doing so well. They grew and bloomed very vigorously and made great cut flowers too.
    Wish you a nice week!
    Lisa

    ReplyDelete
  4. Santa Fe is magical. I think if you ever moved there that it would be so difficult to leave all your roses. As my four children have left the nest one after the other for the past 7 yrs. my Christmas decor has become more and more minimal. We used to begin decorating the week following Thanksgiving but now I begin in mid December and leave the tree up past New Year. We have had an artificial white tree for four years now and it is my favorite tree ever! My entire life we had fresh trees from the Sierra Nevada mnts that we would go cut down ourselves. But then the allergies and so a fake tree was needed. I mostly use seashells to decorate our tree with. A few vintage silvery blue baubles. A calm atmosphere. I hope to see your tree on instagram. Enjoy the holiday twinkling magic.

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Seawashed, so nice to see your comment here on my blog! Yes, it would be very difficult to leave my roses behind, but realistically I don't see myself moving anytime soon.
      So glad to hear that you love your artificial white Christmas tree so much. To be honest I ordered mine online and had never seen it in person just photos, so I wasn't sure at all if I would like it or not. But I love the tree. There was an issue with the lighting though, but we fixed it I think.
      If I am brave enough, I will fulfill your wish and post a picture on Instagram. It takes some guts for me though...

      Delete
  5. Liebe Christine, vielen Dank für's Mitnehmen in diese Stadt. Bei uns herrscht ja mittlerweile winterliches Wetter und bei Dir scheint die Sonne :)

    LG Kathrin

    ReplyDelete
  6. Dear Christina, maybe you have to shopping by foot in the future! Lots of beautiful houses and gates. Thanks for sharing. Groetjes Hetty

    ReplyDelete
  7. Me ha encantado Santa Fe, las casas se ven preciosas. Saludos.

    ReplyDelete
  8. Beautiful photos! I've never been to Santa Fe but it is on my bucket list. Thanks for sharing your great eye for beauty on Share Your Style.

    ReplyDelete
  9. I am so enchanted by your photos! I was going to comment of my favorite one, but I truly can't decide. Thanks for sharing the beauty.
    :) gwingal

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Nikki, thank you so much for your nice comment, it made my day!

      Delete
  10. Your picture are just so lovely! I enjoyed the garden tour. Thanks for linking up with Thursday Favorite Things! We love having you join us!

    ReplyDelete
  11. I loved perusing your photos of Santa Fe! That carved painted gate door is splendid - and I am particularly enamored with the turquoise swiping crow! I have been to Santa Fe a few times...I always enjoy it. But, I must admit, I'm a New England boy, and I like the changes in the season - even the miserable snowstorms and cold that I complain about bitterly LOL. So I'll stay put. And enjoy the occasional journey outside my safety zone - and live vicariously through marvelous photos like yours!
    Happy Pink Saturday!

    ReplyDelete
  12. Your photos really show your love of Santa Fe. You make me want to come visit. I love the shots you're taking and the vantage point too. Just beautiful!

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Christine, aaaww, you are so kind! Santa Fe is well worth the visit. I hope you can go one day!

      Delete
  13. I so enjoyed your tour of Santa Fe! I have always wanted to go, but just haven't gotten there yet. Thanks so much for sharing this post at Best of the Weekend!

    ReplyDelete
  14. Liebe Christina,
    ich hoffe es geht dir gut?
    Ich wünsche dir alles Liebe und
    ein wunderschönes und frohes
    Weihnachten und einen guten Rutsch
    in ein gesundes neues Jahr :-)
    Ganz liebe Grüße von Urte

    ReplyDelete
  15. I recently found many useful information in your website especially this blog page. Among the lots of comments on your articles. Thanks for sharing.
    Sindh Irrigated Agriculture Progress

    ReplyDelete
  16. Beautiful place. Landscape and garden fits it so well. Regards from our team:

    https://www.landscapingwellingtonpros.kiwi/

    ReplyDelete
  17. All the greenery and plants really add to the overall feel of the place.

    https://www.treeservicescv.com

    ReplyDelete
  18. Below we share some ideas for how to celebrate autumn in Santa Cruz County with plenty of frights, food, and fall color to last the season. hardwood floor refinishing bellevue wa

    ReplyDelete
  19. Whenever I'm not busy with my tile contractors Milwaukee business, I decorate my mom's garden. That is one of my hobby. Glad I bump in to this artcle.

    ReplyDelete
  20. Underneath we share a few thoughts for how to commend harvest time in Santa Cruz County with a lot of dismays, food, and fall tone to last the season. | storage containers

    ReplyDelete
  21. Transportation can be a problem when you shop at a conventional shopping center. You need to burn through cash on fuel, battle the traffic, find a parking space, and convey all your bought things to the vehicle. With web based shopping, you don't need to stress over transportation bothers and frequently your bundles are conveyed right to the entryway. In the event that you don't have a vehicle, taking a transport can be a genuine problem while going to a online shopping center.

    ReplyDelete
  22. Buy Nitroethane 99% Buy Nitroethane 79-24-3 Online

    ReplyDelete
  23. I learned something new from this post. It expanded my knowledge. https://www.sidingcoquitlambc.com/siding-installation

    ReplyDelete
  24. This comment has been removed by the author.

    ReplyDelete
  25. What a delightful journey through the landscape of Santa Fe! https://www.landscapewellington.com/

    ReplyDelete