A Fairy Walk in New Mexico…(Toy On a Walk Series)

Hello from sunny New Mexico!  Today my fairy friend, Fae and I would like to take you on a walk to show you some of our favorite New Mexico plants. In the coming weeks we will have many more Natural Kids’ toys take you on a walk of their little corner of the world.  What a fun way to see the world, through the “eyes” of a toy!

Today we are walking around our neighborhood in the Land of Enchantment. We are blessed to live in this very sunny, warm, desert climate.  This evening it’s still quite warm at 80 some degrees.

This first beautiful Spring bloom matches Fae quite well.  It is the flower of a Cholla cactus.

 

Here is a larger view of it.

 

This is one of Fae’s most favorite desert succulents because of its beautiful red/ orange flowers.  These plants are giants and tower above us at about 15 feet tall.  She loves to watch the humming birds and bees weave in and out of the lovely flowers.

 

The Yucca, New Mexcio’s state flower, which is really a plant.   Aren’t these flowers so unique & beautiful? The Yucca’s spiky leaves were used by Native Americans as fiber for ropes & baskets.  The roots of certain varieties of Yucca were used for soap.

 

Fae thinks this Agave plant would be so much fun to slide down if it weren’t for those pointy spikes on the ends!  The agave has many uses.  Agave syrup for baking, Blue Agave is grown to make tequila.  We see tiny little Agave plants and giant 6 foot Agaves in our neighborhood.  They are fascinating plants and have an amazing and beautiful end to their lives.  I wrote about that here.

 

Fae loves this plant, not so much for how it looks but for how it smells during and after a rain.  In New Mexico it rarely just sprinkles, when it rains it pours.  And when this evergreen shrub’s waxy leaves are disturbed they become very fragrant.  They fill the air with a lovely fresh green smell.  Some people don’t like the smell but fairies love it!  The creosote shrub is fascinating.  They can live for two years with no water and most will live to be about 100 years old.  In the Mojave desert there is a creosote shrub that is known to be almost 12,000 years old!

I hope you have enjoyed our walk in beautiful New Mexico.

Visit Fae at my etsy shop, Mama West Wind.

 

Becca Thornton is a stay at home Mama of two sweet little boys & wife to her high school sweetheart. They are Northeast transplants living in the sunny Southwest.  A typical day finds them soaking up the sun playing, gardening, baking, crafting & homeschooling.  Find her at her blog, Chocolate Eyes, & visit her shop, Mama West Wind, where she sells Waldorf inspired toys & decor.