Yann arrived last night, and our garrulous gaggle was there to greet him. My whole bunch plus Kimberly. Must have seemed like he'd stumbled into Mardi Gras unexpectedly. :/ He is so tall! Brian seems like a giant to my 5'4" because he is 6'3". Yann, however, seems to tower over him. And he is a very handsome kid. We are going to have to beat the teenaged girls in Albuquerque off. :)
We took him to dinner, at one of our favorite places, The Frontier Restaurant across the street from the University. I was surprised Yann wanted to try the enchiladas that Kimberly and I are so fond of. We have them with cheese, but he had his with chicken and red chili. He seemed to enjoy them... I think this young man will be very pleasant company this summer!
My all time favorite flower is the sunflower, and they grow wild and thick here in midsummer. For all that New Mexico has a reputation for being a desert, there is an abundance of color, weather, life, and differing climates that truly make this a place of surprises and beauty. I always tell people that this place is unusual because it is not simply another place in the US. Even other bordering Southwestern sates don't have some of the cultural aspects like we do. It's like a whole country of it's own.
A surprising percentage of the state is reservation properties belonging to Native Americans. Hispanic and Native American cultures are very predominant, and flavor the food, the architecture, the language, the holidays, and more. Combine the people and their culture, traditions, and dreams, with the beauty of the land and you have magic. Simply enchanting. :)
This is my first wild sunflower of the year. Popped up right next to the driveway, saying hello to everyone driving by! :)
Rain is scarce here, but the results are always welcome.
Never a storm I don't want to photograph.
