Back Road Whispers: AND THEN WE WENT.....

After we went to look at the fire damage we headed a little further up the road to Nogal (translation - Walnut Tree), a small community Actually that is its 4th name, it has worn three other name badges. Known as Dry Gulch in 1879 when gold was discovered, then Galena, then Parsons, for a miner in 1892 and finally to Nogal. When the mine played out Nogal didn't die as so many other mining towns did. It remains a small community, content with houses dotting the hills.

If you want a good read about small town happenings in the old west, take a couple of minutes and read this excerpt from Gary Cozzens book “The Nogal Mesa: A History ofKivas and Ranchers in Lincoln County”

We saw a pretty little church from the road and had to go check it out.

It was so simple and yet so beautiful sitting on top of the little hill. I've always liked a church that looks like a church and not a department store, so this was right up my alley.

Trish hollered from the car (bless her heart, she spent hours in that car with the girls while we looked around) that there were "hangy things on the tree" so I dutifully headed over to check them out. Glad I did.

Hangy things

Non-hangy thing

By going to check out the "things" I was able to get a look at the view the parishioners get to see every Sunday. Breathtaking.

As we left the parking lot we saw the back of the sign. Loved it!

The post office of Nogal, NM

and the merchantile

The sign above the porch reads:

Nogal

Post Office

Established 18??

Nogal

Merchantile

By the mid-1920s, Nogal had matured somewhat, and the Nogal Mercantile Company was distributing gasoline at twenty-three cents per gallon from a Haynes Visible pump. The Mercantile also sold lubricating oil and motor oil named “A and Arctic” that could be had for twenty-three cents a quart and eighty-five cents a gallon. Kerosene was sold for nineteen cents a gallon or for ninety cents for five gallons. The owners were quoted as saying: “Our prices are the lowest in Lincoln County, 20 cents saved on 10 gallons
of gas means 18 to 20 miles more of travel.”

Just some miscellaneous shots along the way.....

Peeking Bear Ranch Sign

I lost my Mother of the Year Award this trip....poor Scott was so worried about the bear and scared to death he was going to be eaten. Of course we had to really play to it and give him thunder all the time. When we stopped at a rest area to walk the dogs and have a sandwich I looked down and saw this bear print (if you use your imagination and are as gullible as Scott).

Scott bought it, and his head swiveled the whole time we were sitting there. I know, I am so bad. (giggle)

Speaking of picnics, I promised to tell you about the other picnic after we toured the loop. We went to a beautiful little natural area and found a table and settled in to eat our sandwiches.

Our table

Our view

Told you it was pretty there! So we are munching along and Trish says "there's a deer". Sure enough she was standing there just looking at us.

See her about center? And so close to the road.

The next thing I hear from Trish is "OMG, OMG, OMG there's a baby!!!" Mama came on down the hill and turned around to check on her baby, but kept a close eye on us too.

It was about this time that we realized this little fawn was newly born. It still wet and had the birth goo on it and would take two steps and stumble, get up and try again and stumble. Mom kept encouraging it and making sure it was ok, all the while watching us to be sure we didn't mean any harm

Once the fawn got down the hill and the doe checked it out, the doe crossed a small, very small, little ditch. To the fawn it was like crossing the Mississippi though and it took several tries on those wobbly little legs to make it across. Mom was cheering it on from the other side.