The spectacular scenery of the mountains themselves, whether bathed in sunset pinks or shrouded in swiftly moving fog against cobalt blue sky, was breathtaking and unforgettable.
For a lot of us, that first sighting is most likely to be a male black-chinned hummingbird, the common breeder here and freshly back from its winter haunts in southwestern Mexico.
A tree ordinance would be a great start for Las Cruces krwg.org - get the latest breaking news, showbiz & celebrity photos, sport news & rumours, viral videos and top stories from krwg.org Daily Mail and Mail on Sunday newspapers.