Chama, Pagosa and Horses!

Although we’d been planning a trip to the Jemez area this past weekend, controlled burns occurring north of Santa Fe caused us to rethink our plans and consider heading north towards southern Colorado instead. Since the smoke from the recent burns had thwarted our plans to enjoy the natural hot springs in Jemez, it seemed only natural to take ourselves to Pagosa Springs in order to soak our water-hungry bodies.

After a swim at Lake Abiquiu, the next stop was the charming town of Chama, where we ensconced ourselves at The Little Creel Campground where we had spent three lovely days back in May. The river was noticeably lower, but we were able to sleep all night with the sound of the nearby rushing waters, the windows of our rig open despite the temperatures dropping into the 40’s.

Saturday morning, we enjoyed homemade apple and blueberry pie accompanied by fresh decaf coffee at the nearby Elk Horn Café. Lined with wood paneling and filled with hunters in combat fatigues, the Elk Horn and the many nearby lodges all cater to hunters and fishermen looking for their autumnal fix of the outdoors. Pickup trucks filled the parking lot, and the testosterone level in the dining room was palpable as was the cloud of the overpowering scent of Tide detergent that sent us outside to eat our pie in peace.

Leaving the Elk Horn unscathed (bellies filled with quintessentially American coffee and pie) to the farm stand next door, we befriended the friendly Texan proprietor who gave us a sweet deal on some New Mexican gifts destined to be set aside for the holidays. A stray kitten appeared to fall in love with us, and even though the farm stand owner did his best to get us to take the cat with us, we pawned him off on the folks at the gift shop next door who immediately, began the work of finding him a proper home. Phew!

Moments after leaving downtown Chama, we spontaneously picked up a bright young Oregonian hitchhiker named Mary, and we enjoyed the gloriously unrolling landscape, enriching conversation, and a brief encounter with a herd of cattle being ushered down the road by a group of hardworking cowboys and cowgirls. (For all you Easterners, this video is well worth watching for the sheer novelty of traffic stopping for such a spectacle!) 

After dropping off our young passenger in pursuit of her next ride, the balance of this glorious autumn day was spent soaking in the waters at Pagosa Springs, where a downtown resort perches along the river and offers more than a dozen mineral pools ranging from 89 to 113 degrees Fahrenheit, as well as quick dips in the chilly river.

Luckily for us, a friend and neighbor from The Commons invited us to spend a few nights at a ranch where she periodically boards her horse, and we made our way deep into the San Juan National Forest to the very remote Snow Angel Ranch, a slice of Coloradan heaven on earth more than five miles from the nearest neighbor or paved road.

To share some equine history, our friend Ellen’s horse, Snow Leopard, usually boards at a stable located an easy ten-minute walk from our casita, so Mary has frequently cared for Snowy in Ellen’s absence. Having established a bond over the last few months, Mary and Snowy were ready to engage on a deeper level, and their relationship as horse and rider was established this weekend under Ellen’s very kind and patient tutelage.

Missing the splendor of October in New England, we were heartened to find one small imported sugar maple on the ranch, imported and transplanted by the owner to remind her of her years in Wisconsin. This lone maple was resplendent with orange and red leaves, and we breathed in the familiar color like kids in a candy shop.

After several days of horses, walking the land, and sharing delicious meals with Ellen and the ranch’s gracious homesteading owners, we returned to Pagosa for a few more hours of soaking before landing back at The Commons where Tina had been in the care of kind neighbors all weekend.

It was a wonderful weekend that took the notion of “Fun Friday” and stretched it into a 72-hour odyssey from the high deserts of northern New Mexico to the lush beauty of southern Colorado. 

Fun Friday: Nambe Falls

Well, our second "Fun Friday" was as successful and enjoyable as the inaugural "Fun Friday" last week. This time around, we drove north of Santa Fe with the goal of swimming at Abiquiu Lake, but we took a spontaneous detour to Nambe Falls (located within the tribal lands of the Nambe Pueblo), and spent the better part of the afternoon frolicking in the water, having a riverside picnic, reading the paper, and spending time in nature. A cold beer and peanuts in the shell went a long way towards satisfying our thirst and the need for a salty snack on a hot day.

The hike to the falls was beautiful, moderate, and relatively flat, but I had to carry Tina upriver several times when the trail basically dead-ended in the water. She was a compliant good sport, and rested in my arms or on my shoulder when she had to be carried. We were told to watch for coyotes, but none made themselves apparent, although they may have been waiting in the shadows for a moment when Tina might be left unattended.





The Nambe Pueblo is picturesque, small and shady, with neat adobe homes, an old kiva in the central plaza and a lovely mission church. (No photographs of the pueblo are allowed.) The people of Nambe speak the Tewa language, and Nambe is translated as "The People of the Round Earth".

Driving through the pueblo, we took a wrong turn and ended up on someone's driveway, and the perplexed owner and his two dogs came up the driveway to greet us as they returned from a walk. I opened the van door and the dogs practically jumped in and covered me with kisses while the kind gentleman gave us directions for getting back to the main road. We remarked how beautiful the pueblo is, and he said "Yes, our ancestors chose well." That about said it all.

On the way home, we stopped at a local winery for a wine-tasting and admired the tidy vineyard. The proprietor invited us to bring a picnic any time and supplement it with a glass of their fine New Mexican wine. We will certainly take her up on the offer sooner than later.

After a brief rest at home, we went to a potluck birthday party here at The Commons, where we got to know some fellow community members a little better and feasted on delicious food and homemade cake.   And much to my chagrin, two little girls discovered how ticklish I am (thanks to Mary's prompting, of course), and we spent more than half an hour in an all-out tickle fest.

Fun Friday, indeed!

---Keith

Currents 2010 Video Exhibition

Over the weekend, we twice attended the Currents 2010 Video Exhibition here in Santa Fe. Many of the installations were outstanding, and this free exhibit is an example of the vibrant contemporary art scene here.

This piece artfully and powerfully depicted the trauma and inhumanity of the Japanese internment camps during World War II.......

Some images were just visually stunning or captivating.....

This piece (for which this photo does no justice) involved headphones, beautiful music, and slow-motion video footage of an elephant gracefully swimming. The reflection of the elephant's image that you see in the photograph below is actually a shallow pool of water at the base of the video screen.......

A live audio-video performance on Saturday night was the capstone event of the exhibition....

And here's Mary playing with an innovative video installation that actually responds to movement in front of the screen.......

A Santa Fe Saturday.......

In an attempt to stay somewhat in travelers' mode in Santa Fe despite the fact that we're living here now (at least temporarily), we're still sometimes remembering to bring our camera and video camera when we go out on the town. Today was a day when having our cameras in tow was truly a blessing, so here are some videos and photos that convey some of the spontaneity and cheery summertime energy that permeate the city.

A group plays marimbas on the sidewalk near the famous Santa Fe Railyard.......

And a spontaneous dance breaks out right in the middle of the farmers' market....

A gifted and entertaining banjo player and singer plays to an appreciative crowd......

This water tower seems to be the symbol of the revitalized Santa Fe Railyard, which is a very human-scale plaza where shops, restaurants, the farmer's market, art galleries, museums, and the popular  commuter train to Albuquerque all converge. The Railyard is also the site of many outdoor summer events and concerts........

A human and canine water fountain.....

The balloon man.....

A Tina Video Update

Here's a video update of Tina's recent adventures from the road.

Tina had to undergo a veterinary appointment today, complete with two vaccines and some other undignified poking and prodding. It's been confirmed that she does indeed have liver disease of some kind, something that we'll certainly need to follow up on once we're more settled. Until then, we need to switch to special food and decrease her protein intake so her liver doesn't have to work so hard. She's a real trooper and we love our old gal.......Enjoy!

Los Musicos en Mexico

Here's a video that Mary shot of a group of talented and friendly musicians in Palomas, Mexico where we had lunch last week. This song is a really catchy tune and is worth listening to all the way through.

Apparently, these three gentleman have never been videotaped playing together before, so we plan to share this video with them so that they can use it for promoting themselves.

Enjoy!

---Mary and Keith

Mary Dances Atop El Morro

 

Mary Flushes A Raven!

Hot Water and The Rio Grande

Today our dear friends Pam and Bruce brought us on a sensational hike down into the Rio Grande Gorge, the goal being a soak in the natural hot springs nestled along the banks of the river. With the wind whipping across the mesa, we wore warm hats and many layers, but the New Mexican sun and the exertion of the hike warmed our bones as we descended into the gorge.

The two natural hot springs (probably ~99 to 100 degrees Fahrenheit) are situated right along the bank of the rushing Rio Grande, and after a brief soak, we each took a turn dipping our bodies into the freezing water, returning to the hot spring to feel the tingly numbness and rush of sensations as our bodies again acclimated to the dramatic difference in temperature.

Along the walls of the gorge high above the surface of the water, the remains of an old stage coach road can still be seen switch-backing along the steep incline. Stage coaches used to bring riders from Santa Fe so that they could soak in the healing waters of the natural springs. Our friends also told us that these springs are where a scene in "Easy Rider" was filmed.

Leaving the gorge after fortifying ourselves with fruit, nuts and dark organic chocolate, we returned to our car where three men and two young children were doing target practice with a .22-gauge rifle and a shotgun. Texan that she is, Mary sauntered over and asked if she could take a turn with the .22, and after only a few tries, she hit a beer can at 50 feet. She's her father's daughter, after all. Keith had a try with the shotgun but didn't manage to hit much of anything, which might be expected from a middle-aged nurse with bilateral astigmatism. At least he didn't shoot anyone.





At any rate, while the natural beauty and friendly people of Taos continue to beguile us (even though we're each taking turns being sick for the last 2 weeks), on Sunday we head to Mora, New Mexico to visit Hummingbird, an intentional community that we have heard a great deal about. After Hummingbird, we'll visit friends in Las Vegas, New Mexico before heading to the Santa Fe area.

Stay tuned for further adventures from the road, and greetings to all from magical Taos.

Snowy and Sunny Greetings From Taos

Palo Duro Canyon

Today we spent half a day at Palo Duro Canyon near the town of Canyon, Texas. Mary lived in Canyon when she was ten years old, and she will hopefully share some thoughts and a few videos and photos from that walk down Memory Lane here on our blog soon.

Palo Duro Canyon is a wild and beautiful place, the second largest canyon in the United States, and is often called “The Grand Canyon of Texas”. It is approximately 75 miles long and 6 miles wide, and 800 feet deep. It was carved into the Texan earth by an ancient river many millennia ago, and the layers of rock and sediment visible in the canyon walls is impressive and breathtaking.

Here are a few photos, videos, and impressions from our hike: 

We had a wonderful drive through the canyon, and a great hiking experience with Tina, who simply came to life with all of the smells and tracks and scat that we found along the red clay hiking trails.

It was a long haul from Georgetown to Canyon---about 450 miles---but it was worth the effort, providing us with a peak hike experience despite the cold, cloudy weather that ended with a blue sunny sky as we exited the park and drove west towards New Mexico!

Rainbow Hearth

Yesterday, we drove north of Georgetown into what Mary's father calls "real Texas hill country" in order to visit Rainbow Hearth Sanctuary and Retreat Center. While Rainbow Hearth is not exactly an intentional community, we did indeed find it through a listing on the Federation of Intentional Communities website. The wonderful woman who owns and runs Rainbow Hearth views it as a "virtual community", and her intention of creating some form of community certainly attracted us to her door!

Rainbow Hearth is a very special place, perched on a ridge overlooking picturesque Lake Buchanan, where heron, egrets and bald eagles nest and fly throughout the year. We had a wonderful visit, and we're exploring how we might return to Rainbow Hearth for a brief stay next week, further exploring our connection to central Texas and the possibilities for settling in at Rainbow Hearth for a little while. More on that soon.

Here's a lovely video of the flora and fauna around Rainbow Hearth and the meditation circle on the hill above the center, aptly named "Medicine Rock". If you listen, you can hear the sound of the wind, the wind chimes, and the birds.

Tina Meets Some Special Friends

Here's a video of Tina meeting two special goats at Echowood who were previously injured and badly neglected. The kind souls at Echowood, who treat their animals with such tender loving care, took them in and offered them a loving home.

A Sunny Afternoon at Echowood

Flashback--Arriving to Texas Ritual!

Written by Mary on January 20, 2010

Here we are, our first night in Texas, having crossed the state line at sundown, yee-ha. A dog is barking in the background, keeping the coyotes at bay. It was less than a week ago that we were frolicking in Santa Rosa Island. Not hard to believe but awkward in my mind that is was several states and a good Gulf storm on the edge of the water ago from now. In an afternoon, we went from the state of half of my genes, Louisiana, “The Wetlands of America” to the state of the other half, Texas, "The Lone Star State". (And my vanity tells me I reckon' its time to get my cowgirl hat out and use it to shield me from these strong sun rays which may keep me from becoming a wrinkled up leather face.)

They say that everything is bigger in Texas, and I used to cringe at the plentiful, enormous trucks whizzing by while visiting via car here, but now that we are becoming Texas residents and sit up high in this here rig, it feels pdg to be riding through the lone star state in a big ol' truck, a powerful diesel at that. We're even sporting our new Texas license plates now and hardly anyone gives us a second look, so long as we don't set foot out of our rig which gives away that we are practically from another planet!

My dad gave me some sage advice about becoming a Texan. To that I tip my hat and welcome our experiences, guaranteed to being interesting here in Texas. 

Louisiana Flashback: A Swamp Tour on Lake Martin

This is only one of many short videos which we filmed as we floated peacefully on the still waters of Lake Martin in Breaux Bridge, Louisiana. It was a day we will always remember: peaceful, beautiful, and an example of Mother Nature at her very best.

Louisiana Flashback: Jay Cormier and Cajun Born

Here is a video of Jay Cormier and his band, Cajun Born, live at Mulate's in Breaux Bridge, Louisiana. These musicians are personable, kind, talented, and we thank them for their excellent music on a quiet Monday night in Breaux Bridge. Mr. Cormier shook my hand and welcomed us from New England, gently encouraging us to settle in Lafayette. He also dedicated this song to us! (And for those of you who knew our dear friend Woody, do you notice the resemblance when you look at the bass player?)

Sounds of Spring in Louisiana

A Bike Ride on Lake Pontchartrain

Videos From a Mississippi Storm

Here are two video segments of our stormy morning on the Mississippi Gulf coast. The winds howled and shook our rig all night, and this morning was a continuation of the crashing waves, howling wind, and driving rains.......Note how the wind almost takes Mary and the door away in one fell swoop! The video may not do it justice, but getting out that door was no easy task....