Recently, I saw a young man riding his bike as he held aloft a snakeskin several feet long. What a find, and yes, such a serendipitous sight is one of the things I will miss about Taos.

For those not following too closely, Hank and I officially leave New Mexico for New England on July 27. We’ve made Ranchos de Taos our home for 11 years. Next it will be Charlemont in Western Mass. (pop. 1,200), where we will be closer to much of our family.

What else will I miss? Certainly, our energy-efficient home complemented by Hank’s craftsmanship in wood, plus the grand vistas of mountains and sage beyond it.

I will miss the sweetness of people. For instance, Hank and I have been regulars at the recycling center to score boxes. This week, one of the workers asked us if we needed boxes and told us that the guy from the Family Dollar should be dropping off a load momentarily.

What else? In no particular order, here goes:

My vegetable and flower gardens.

Soaking at Ojo Caliente.

Sunny days and dark nights.

The big, big sky.

Shorter winters, yes.

Taos characters.

Eating Christmas at Orlando’s and the friendly staff at Elevation Coffee.

Ah, Pieces Consignment, where I bought well over half of my wardrobe, no kidding.

Feast days at Taos Pueblo.

Listening to the Spanish language.

So much creative energy.

Of course, those people I call friends.

That admiring look when I tell strangers I’m from New Mexico.

I bet there is a lot more, but that’s a pretty good list.

Alas, none of these are close to our family, most of whom live in Massachusetts. Fortunately, two of our children are in Florida and California — great getaways when winter wearies arrive.

What won’t I miss about Taos? Ha, there is definitely a list, but I will keep it to myself.

ABOUT THE IMAGE ABOVE: My vegetable garden.