Great Weather, Sun Tea, and A Palmetto Tree

Today's weather has been awesome! It is 77 degrees out there right now, at nearly 5:00. I have enjoyed the gentle temperature and slight breeze I have had all day.

On someone's blog I made a comment about the amount of sunshine we have here in New Mexico. Then I couldn't remember the information I've looked up before about how many days a year the sun actually shines, so I looked it up again. Here is what I found:

"SUNSHINE – Plentiful sunshine occurs in New Mexico, with from 75 to 80 percent of the possible sunshine being received. In winter, this is particularly noticeable with from 70 to 75 percent of the possible sunshine being received. It is not uncommon for as much as 90 percent of the possible sunshine to occur in November and in some of the spring months. The average number of hours of annual sunshine ranges from near 3,700 in the southwest to 2,800 in the north-central portions."

I assume this is figured on an average of 12 hours of daylight each day for the year. that would mean a potential of 4,380 hours if the sun shone every single hour of "daylight." The previous information I had referred to number of days per year that were considered to be "sunny" or "mostly sunny." I seem to recall the figure being around 285 of the 365 being "sunny," and that is 78%, so I suppose I'm close on that. Whatever ... today has been 100% sunny and glorious!

At any rate, I made the first jar of "sun tea" for the season at Mariposa. And it tastes wonderful! I'm enjoying my second glass now.

Oh, wow! The UPS guy just pulled into the driveway and beeped his horn. I love that! Out here in the rural areas, they do that to let you know they are on the property. I went to the deck wondering which of my mail-ordered goodies had arrived, and I chatted with him a few minutes without even looking at the box. He remarked that I'm doing well at clearing the boxes from the deck (Yay! It is noticeable!!) and that he is bringing me more. I replied that it's OK, that I don't know which of my "goodies" it is, but certainly one that I'm expecting. He looked at the box and said, "What are you expecting from (first name)?" I was highly surprised! Nothing I'd ordered, and I wasn't sure who (first name) is, anyway. I know several people by that name.

Well, the UPS guy took off, with another toot of the horn, I picked up the box, and . . . What? It was a box from Patti-Cakes!!! (First name) on the return address is her husband's name on the return address sticker!! I ripped into the package and found:



A beautiful stone with a palmetto tree, the official state tree of South Carolina. As Patti says, now I can always have a reminder at my new home of my friend in Carolina. I love it! Those colors are just beautiful. Thank you, Patti!! I'm looking around now, trying to decide where it will hang. I'll take another picture when it is in it's new home.

Ahhh. Lovely weather, yummy iced tea, kind friends sending thoughtful presents. Isn't life good?