City of Rocks, Deming, NM

 Anna Lee had read about City of Rocks in a magazine several years ago and we never had time to see it.  The twenty-mile drive from Deming caused our enthusiasm to wane.  We drove through much of the same terrain as we have been seeing for weeks, so flat you could almost see forever, filled with varieties of cacti and mesquite and cattle and the occasional horse. When we reached the park we knew the trip was well worth taking.

Thirty million years ago volcanic ash was churned into monolithic blocks by wind and water.  The people who named City of Rocks imagined one-to-four story buildings, some with chimneys and patios, a few in disrepair.  Lanes, some leading to deadends, wander between the buildings.   Anna Lee saw the rocks as blocks left by a humongous child who was through playing and left them where the fell.  Continuing to enjoy the fantasy, our imaginations did overtime in finding formations that were like humans, animals and relics from antiquity.

 What we wish we knew, and had more time for, was staying at the campground in the state park.  The sites are so private and have magnificent views.  We wanted to park for a few days, take out our books, and bask in nature's splendor.

We can only leave it up to you to see what you believe is there.

This hawk watched as we left his city.

We spent the night at St. Clair Winery, another Harvest Host winery, and have some samples on the coach.  Our wine server not only gave us a taste of many of the lovely wines from St. Clair, she also acted as a tour guide, telling us sites to see, how to get there, and where to find the best sunset.  We watched as darkness shrouded the mountains in front of us and brought on the quiet of night.

We are glad we finally made it to the City of Rocks and had the bonus of wine tasting.