Balloon Fiesta occurred this last week, and also coincided with the conclusion of chile roasting season. I am sure we will see the occasional chile roaster out for a while yet, but the days of the entire city smelling like roasted chiles are done for this year. We of course got our 40 lbs stored away in the freezer, and Kris managed to get ristras from two guys on the side of the road over in the Hatch valley for a really good price (so much so I said to buy 100 next time and we can distribute). Another indication of the season, Sandhill cranes have been observed overhead.
The weather for Balloon Fiesta was good this year, only two events were cancelled because of wind, and the rest were sunny and clear. We awoke the first morning of fiesta to the sound of "whooosh wooosh wo wooooosh" coming from our back yard. "Is that a balloon?" we asked, and to our delight discovered a balloon almost terra bound in out neighbors back yard! We got a picture, but not before it had gained some altitude. But the burner sounds continued, and we found that the winds had brought the mass ascension to us. Our neighborhood had been invaded by balloons!
Torben has been into little spaces. He has conscripted one of our kitchen cabinets into his "secret hiding place", which is obviously not so secret especially when you hear him giggling away in there. But, he has stocked it with a flashlight, plate of food, blanket, pillow, pens and has decorated the walls with scribbling. He has yet to sleep in there despite he expressed interest to do so.
