Christmas in the Mountains

The Franklin Mountains are a succession of jagged peaks, as if the earth had sprouted the spiny backbone of a monstrous, petrified beast. Each tip pierces the horizon, creating a chaotic symphony of stone and sky. The mountains are chameleons, altering their attire with the passing of the seasons. In spring, they wear a verdant cloak of blossoming cacti and bright red poppies. Come summer, they bare their rocky heart to the blazing sun. Autumn adorns them with subtle oranges and reds. Winter arrives transforming the mountains into a serene wonderland covered in a blanket of snow. The mountains are a masterpiece of nature’s design, mesmerizing in their majesty. From the shimmering curtain of snowfall at its peak to the delicate dance of butterflies in the Chihuahuan Desert at its feet, the mountains command a silent reverence from all who behold it. snowflakes gently fall, silent night, peaceful and calm, mountains at Christmas The Franklin Mountains of Texas are a small range 23 miles long and 3 miles wide extending from El Paso, Texas, north into New Mexico. At the base of the mountains is the massive Chihuahuan Desert that covers parts of northern Mexico and the southwestern United States. It occupies much of far West Texas, the middle to lower Rio Grande Valley near El Paso, Texas, as well as the lower Pecos Valley in New Mexico (Wikipedia.com). For 20+ years, my husband and I taught in a border community outside of El Paso. Our daily commute included a view of the majestic Franklin mountains and their stunning seasonal transformations.