VIEW OUT OF THE WINDOW FROM   ALBUQUERQUE, NEW MEXICO, USA

               The winter started early here with severe snow storms in November and December. We normally have rather mild winters here in the southwest USA. But this winter we had so many storms, food had to be air-lifted by the Air Force, to feed farm animals in the countryside. The weather began to get much better in January. Now it is cool and sunny. I took my three dogs for a run today. I like to run along the irrigation dithes
near my house. These ditches are lined with cottonwood trees and are a
very popular place to run or take walks. New Mexico is usually very dry,
and we do not get enough rainfall to grow crops unless the fields are
irrigated.
                 We are about 1.5 km above sea level here. This altitude, coupled with the dry sunny climate, results in very cold nights and cool days in the winter. I wear a warm coat to work in the morning, but I do not need it when I go home in the afternoon.
               I am very pleased to have the chance to communicate with you. Since I will also be teaching the science portion of the space shuttle
simulation, I look foreward to visiting with you and your students on a
regular basis.