About two years ago I wrote a little guide to Raton, New Mexico! Full of the quaint customs and unique experiences that one can only find in this jewel of a town!
Well, as spectacular as this town is, not to MENTION the whole state, there are- unfortunately-- some downsides. And I think it's only fair to arm you with the negative aspects, along with the good.
I was actually sparked into action because today my sister spied two very different but equally creepy animals IN HER YARD- three huge Bull-snakes and one long, lean, hungry-looking mountain lion. Very unusual, very beautiful, and more than a little troubling. Ahhhh, to be a New Mexican!
And with that in mind, I present: THE DANGERS OF LIVING IN NEW MEXICO
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BEARS- They are big and strong and dangerous, but the biggest threat from these creatures is to your dumpster. In summer months one can rise early and find trash can after trash can tipped over, garbage all over the street, trailing up a hill. In the evening, you can sit on your back porch and listen for the telltale dog barking that signals the bears presence. In fact, it's kind of a custom for Raton citizens to take their out-of-town relatives for a quick drive, listening to the barking and trying to spot as many dumpster-diving bears as possible.
CACTUS- New Mexico cactus (cacti?) is present just about everywhere, and is especially annoying because the cactus spines are very thin and pale and hard to see. You get one in your thumb and it is all but invisible, driving you crazy, and very hard to pull out.
CHUPACABRA- Half dog, half reptile, ALL BAD. These goat-blood suckers are supposedly "legends" but who can really be sure? You watch New Mexico news channels often enough, I guarantee you will see stories from time to time! Distraught farmers will come onscreen, lamenting the loss of their livestock and the news anchors try to put on a sympathetic face as they shoot holes in the story. But are these anchors really nonbelievers? THE TRUTH IS OUT THERE!
DEER- Bloodthirsty and VICIOUS, they can tear a family apart!
Hahahahahaha! Just kidding. But the creeps do pose a serious threat to your garden. People will say there are plants the won't eat... they're wrong. Others will swear by a method to keep the deer away... they're mistaken. Nothing will stop a determined deer.
EXTRA TERRESTRIALS- You may have heard of a little place called Roswell...? Area 51?
GOATHEADS- These little bits of vegetation hell are EVERYWHERE, impossible to kill, and the reason you don't see many New Mexicans walking barefoot in unpaved areas
METHAMPHETAMINE- This one is partly a stereotype, helped along by shows like Breaking Bad. But, I'd be lying if I said New Mexico didn't have more than it's fair share... Also, as a side note, Cannabis isn't hard to come across either, being a few miles from Colorado and all that.
MOSQUITOES- I think I'd take a Chupacabra over a pack of mosquitoes any day.
MONKEY SPIDERS- So this one is a personal one for me. People who, oh, I don't know, HAVE SPINES, are not afraid of these hideous, humongous "peaceful" spiders that pop up everywhere each summer. But, ohhhhhhh, I hate them with a passion.
MOUNTAIN LIONS- Ahhh! One of the two wildlife creatures my sister saw today, that inspired this blog! We don't see or hear a whole lot about Mountain lions, but we all know they are out there, and on days like this we are reminded just how closely they come. Raton isn't a very big city and we are surrounded by tons of space and trees and fields and mesas, which are all filled to the brim with living, breathing wildlife. Just the other day one of my sister's neighbors had a dog who got eaten by a lion, most likely the same one in these pictures, which were taken by my sister, Elizabeth Record!
SCORPIONS- The last house I lived in had a... scorpion problem. I saw a TON of them over the year or two that I lived there. After doing some research, I learned that some environments are just more appealing to scorpions than others, and I evidently lived in such a place! My cats caught several, and once, in a fit of panic, I used a spoon to kill a scorpion I found in my kitchen sink.
SKUNKS- True, skunks aren't gonna eat you, but they can make you plenty miserable. Especially when you have nosey dogs that are too friendly and inquisitive for their own good.
SNAKES- The other half of the YIKES experience my sister had today in her yard. I'll be honest, I usually don't consider myself that afraid of snakes... until I see one slithering around outside!! I sure don't hate snakes like I do spiders, though, and I think snakes have a creepy, slithering beauty about them, and awful as they are, I don't want rattlesnakes to go extinct or anything! Just... stay out of my yard, please? (These pics were also taken by Elizabeth Record)
WIND- My mom will sometimes laughingly tell me how out in West Virginia, a day will be a little breezy and all the locals go on about how windy it is, but she and I both know that you don't really know what "windy" is until you hang out in New Mexico for a while.
UNCERTAINTY- Ohhh, last but certainly not least, is becoming a New Mexican. Because for the rest of your life, you will have to correct people who think New Mexico is not a state, but part of Mexico, the country. Sounds dumb, but I promise you, it happens ALL. THE. TIME. You'll travel somewhere in the US, mention you're from New Mexico, and they'll ask if you needed a passport to get there.
But don't let me dissuade you! New Mexico is every bit as charming as it sounds!
Sarah
(Yay for Wordsday Thursday! I'm going to try to get back into the habit!)
