Mon Jardin

Chez nous à Albuquerque, nous avons un petit jardin. En fait, c’est le plus petit jardin que nous ayons eu. Aussi, ce jardin est très différent parce que nous habitons dans le désert. Le gazon a une forme ovale et est situé au milieu du jardin. Il est entouré par un cercle de briques. C’est très facile de tondre la pelouse parce qu’il est minuscule. Mais j’aime bien faire un petit tour les pieds nus dans ce petit gazon vert.

A droite, il y a quatre arbres fruitiers. Maintenant, les cerises sont mûres. Cette année, il y a moins de cerises que l’année dernière. C’est dommage, toutefois, j’ai déjà fait un clafoutis. Les français préfèrent manger le clafoutis avec les cerises entières. C’est un peu bizarre pour les Américains, donc je préviens tout le monde au sujet du noyau dans les fruits. Les autres arbres fruitiers ; le pêcher, le pommier et le grenadier donneront des fruits plus tard dans l’été.

Mon jardin fait face à l’ouest et donc il y a du soleil. Il y fait chaud pendant l’après-midi. J’aimerais bien installer un store automatique pour créer plus d’ombre sur la terrasse. La terrasse est meublée de fauteuils de jardin en plus de trois tables. Nous aimons bien manger dehors quand le temps est doux. J’ai beaucoup de pots remplis de jolies fleurs. J’arrose les fleurs avec un grand arrosoir en étain. A mon avis, c’est une tâche agréable tard dans l’après-midi.

La lavande pousse bien au Nouveau Mexique, donc j’en ai planté. Les abeilles sont ravies grâce à elle. Le propriétaire précédent avait planté une douzaine de rosiers. Les rosiers se développent aussi très bien ici. J’adore profiter de ces rosiers et de tous les autres plantes et arbres de notre jardin. Merci beaucoup M. Propriétaire Précédent.

A suivre…

Memorial Day 2007

One of the great ways to see the state of New Mexico is by motorcycle. This past Memorial Day weekend, my husband and I drove up to Angel Fire, New Mexico. Along our route, we passed group after group of people traveling together on motorcycles. Each group had at least 6 to 8 people clad in black leather riding along in total bliss.

In the old days, we used to think of motorcycle gangs as mean, nasty, scary thugs who dealt drugs, drank and knifed anyone who crossed them. But times have changed! Today most motorcycle riders are men and women, many of whom are retired couples, who love to tour the great outdoors with the wind in their hair.

Jury Duty

Today I must report to the Bernalillo County Courthouse in downtown Albuquerque. I have been selected to serve as a potential juror in a murder trial. On May 11th, I met with 144 other citizens of our county and filled out a 15 page questionnaire. The questions were designed to give the lawyers for the Defense and Prosecution a good understand of an individual’s values and beliefs. Many of the questions were about opinions on minorities, drug use, selling drugs, and the death penalty.

Almost exactly 20 years ago, I served as a juror on another murder trial. It was one of the most chilling and disturbing things I have ever done. Hearing awful details on how this man executed 4 people as well as viewing the autopsy photos was not an easy thing. It was even harder to realize this man’s fate was our hands.

I consider myself a responsible citizen of the state as well as our country. It is a right to all citizens to have a trial and be judged by a jury of their peers. Although this isn’t an easy thing to do, I feel an obligation to this individual on trial. He deserves a fair trial. I believe in our court system. If chosen, I would do my very best as a juror.

But, I really hope they don’t pick me!

Mariachi

This morning at 5:00 am, my husband and I were awakened to the sound of music. No, it wasn’t our alarm clock radio. It was a Mariachi band, complete with guitars, trumpets and violin. The six piece band was playing in the front yard of my neighbor’s house. This was a surprise for my neighbor’s birthday. It was a surprise for us too.

Mariachi is a type of musical group, originally from Mexico. Usually a mariachi consists of at least two violins, two trumpets, one Spanish guitar, one vihuela (a high-pitched, five-string guitar) and one guitarrón (a small-scaled acoustic bass). They dress in silver studded charro outfits with wide-brimmed hats. The original Mariachi were Mexican street musicians. Today you can hear them perform in Mexican restaurants, weddings, festivals and in my neighbor’s yard at 5 AM!

After 6 songs, they put their instruments away, jumped into a truck and headed off to their day jobs. To me Mariachi music always sounds happy. Maybe it’s because I don’t speak Spanish. But it was a very pleasant way to wake me up this morning.

Only in Albuquerque!