Desert Exposure

20 years later, world changed but heartache stays

Twenty years ago, on a Tuesday, I was getting my boys ready for school, shaking them out of their sleep and gently encouraging their eyes to open when from the other room I heard, “Elva, get in here quick!” more

By Elva K. Österreich | 9/9/21

Many Afghans starting their new lives in Southern NM

Thousands of Afghan refugees whisked to safety during the massive evacuation that concluded this week experienced their first taste of freedom here in Dona Ana County. more

By Walt Rubel | 9/2/21

LGBTTTQQIAAPNBGF Say what?

First, there was GLB, which was changed to LGB in order to not continue the sexism that constantly puts women second. Then under some protests and debates, the “T” was added. The … more

By Susan Golightly | 9/1/21

Ara, the Altar

Never getting more than its northern half over our southern horizon, the small constellation Ara, the Altar, is 63rd in size out of the 88 constellations. Ara can be found directly beneath the tail … more

By Bert Stevens | 9/1/21

So you want to be part of the Green Rush in NM?

If you have been paying attention to the news, you must know by now that in April 2021, Gov. Lujan Grisham signed a bill legalizing recreational cannabis in New Mexico, effective April 1, 2022. Many think that it is already in effect and legal. It is not! It is evolving, as we speak. more

Hilda Luz Chavez | 8/20/21

August marks awful anniversary

Dear Editor: August brings with it two awful anniversaries. The first is on the 6th, the 76th anniversary of the atomic bomb detonated over Hiroshima, Japan, by the United States. Three days later, … more

Tom Vaughn | 8/4/21

Hercules, the Son of Zeus

A little east of overhead is a star of television and movies. He has been in the sky since ancient times, with this constellation appearing in Claudius Ptolemy’s astronomical treatise, the … more

By Bert Stevens | 8/4/21

Serpens, the Serpent

We in the desert southwest are used to snakes, but our July sky has an actual serpent. Serpens, The Serpent is divided into two unconnected parts, separated by the constellation Ophiuchus. Serpens … more

By Bert Stevens | 7/1/21

Chloride Day Trip

Whether you believe in ghosts or not, ghost towns are fun. We headed out to Chloride, a two-hour-plus drive from Las Cruces on a fine spring day without any wind in the forecast. As soon as we … more

By Gabriele Teich | 7/1/21

A Tale of Two Kitties

Every Saturday I go to Las Fuentes restaurant and buy my father the family pack of red cheese enchiladas, with sides of rice and beans. My father is one enchilada-eating kind of guy. If I’m … more

By Jim and Henry Duchene | 7/1/21

Quilts Are Wild Things

This story begins many years ago, when my best friend forever, Yolanda, and I were in grad school. She was a single mom with two young children whom she would bring to seminars. Olivia would house … more

By Mia Kalish | 6/27/21

Pandemic in an Enchanted Land

My grandfather, Ignacy Golub, was a great storyteller. He loved to talk about events in context, big events, the war in Eastern Europe, the destruction caused by Stalin, his work helping others … more

By Mia Kalish | 6/2/21

Hydra, the Water Snake

A long, jagged, region ranging across our southern sky represents the water snake, Hydra. This constellation snakes southeastward from a small circlet of stars two-thirds of the way up in the … more

By Bert Stevens | 5/1/21

DEX Propels Career in Writing

I’ve written for a long time, but never had the time, courage, or inclination to do a lot of writing until I happened to be in Washington DC on 9/11. At that time, I saw the plane that … more

By Jeff Berg | 5/1/21

Short Stops in SNM

Sometimes, when you’re traveling through Southern New Mexico on a tight schedule, you don’t even think about stopping to sample some of the local color, local flavor and local … more

By Richard Coltharp | 5/1/21

Reconsider Travel

I used to jump in my car some Saturday mornings, drive to Ascension to have lunch and then move on to Casas Grandes. Or I might spend my day in Juarez, which had lots of marketplaces, both inside and … more

By Marjorie Lilly | 4/1/21

Monoceros, The Unicorn

If you have never seen a unicorn, all you need to do is look halfway up in our southern sky. Just above Canis Major and its brilliant star Sirius, you will find the constellation of Monoceros, the … more

By Bert Stevens | 4/1/21

Bigger on the Inside

Whether watching your nanny pull an umbrella from her carpet bag or traveling in time and relative dimension in space (TARDIS) accompanying an alien with two hearts, the concept of something being … more

By Elva K. Österreich | 4/1/21

Music remains very much a part of our lives

During this last year, we have been able to listen to our favorite recordings as before. The pandemic, however, has precluded the possibility of many in-person performances and gatherings in which music figures prominently. more

By Rabbi Karol | 3/4/21

Desert Exposure readers write

I was surprised and excited at the prospect of wheelchair-using mini figurines for Dungeons and Dragons and while I was playing World of Warcraft this evening, I made the mistake of looking for resources on representation in a game that I love. more

3/1/21