Wearing a Hoodie in Late July
TAOS, NEW MEXICO — The Taos Farmer’s Market is held every Saturday from May through November in the parking lot of the handsome adobe courthouse. In previous years when we attended, it was held on the historic plaza, but apparently vendors ran out of space. The Farmer’s Market is a popular event in this small town, which holds great attraction to many visitors, including us. It has become one of our favorite places to visit in the summer — at 6,969 feet above sea level, summer temperatures are usually 15 degrees cooler than East Texas. A light hood
ie is pleasantly required in the morning, or in the evening after the sun has set, and the high desert starts cooling.
The farmer’s market is a melting pot of people, residents shopping for fresh produce, visitors like us admiring the crafts for sale, vendors of all ages and backgrounds, little kids, and dogs. Lots of dogs, one reason we love this town. It is as dog friendly as anyplace you will find.
Taos, population 6,422, has always struck us as a friendly, unpretentious place, filled with art galleries, historic sites, inexpensive restaurants, and a raw, beautiful landscape that we revel in visiting. The Sangre de Cristo Mountains, a southern subrange of the Rockies, dominate to the north of town. Spanish explorer Antonio Valverde y Cosio when visiting in 1719 (according to the Santa Fe library website) was struck by the red-tinted color of the snow-capped peaks at sunset and gave them their name, which means the “Blood of Christ.”
About 20 miles north of town, near the range’s tallest mountain — Wheeler Peak — is Taos Ski Valley. During the summer, the resort is pretty quiet. With temperatures consistently, because of the altitude, a dozen degrees cooler than down in Taos, we enjoy hanging out there in the afternoon, sipping a craft beer
and enjoying the view. A few years back, we hiked up the mountain to Williams Lake. This alpine lake sits at 11,040 feet. The thin air proved a challenge for us flatlanders. On the most recent visit, we were content to hang out on the deck, sitting in comfy Adirondack chairs and listening to a busker performing for tips.
We pass Taos Pueblo as we leave town on the way to the ski area. The pueblo, home to about 150 Native Americans, has been continuously occupied for more than 1,000 years. A 95,000-acre piece of tribal land attached to the pueblo is home to another 4,500 or so people. Guided tours are offered, something we will have to do on the next visit. Our stay here is short, since we are ultimately headed 
to Colorado this time around.
For the first time, we visit San Francisco de Asìs Church, on the main plaza of Rancho de Taos, an unincorporated village south of Taos. The still-functioning Catholic church was built between 1772 and 1816, with a full restoration completed in 1967. Artists and photographers Georgia O’ Keefe, Ansel Adams and Paul Strand all created images of this lovely church, which, of course, I am compelled to photograph. The interior is unoccupied on this Saturday afternoon, the pews illuminated by a single pair of arched windows. The thick adobe walls keep the interior cool even in the heat of summer — no air-conditioning vents intrude on the original design, though a few oscillating fans are perched on the window sills. Such a beautiful space in which to worship, I reflect.
That evening, our last in Taos for this trip, we sat outside and read our books while watching the sun sink below the Sangre de Cristo mountains. The air quickly cools, and I head inside to grab my hoodie.
Wearing a hoodie in late July while sitting outside is an ideal vacation, in my view.
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