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. 

Pagosa Springs!

We will be camping near Pagosa Springs, Colorado this weekend, so check back in after the weekend for photos and stories from our trip. Our original plan was to go to Jemez Springs and Jemez Pueblo, but smoke from "controlled burns" has settled over the Jemez area and we are simply going to drive in the opposite direction! 

Have a wonderful weekend, and we'll "see" you soon!

Burning Trees

Yesterday, when Tina and I went for a mini-hike in the Santa Fe Forest,  I was alarmed to see large plumes of billowing smoke close by.

En route home, the smoke had circled around the city, forming a sunset illuminated by smoggy clouds in the west. I later learned from Keith that the fires were intentional. I had no idea there were controlled burns in the nearby mountains! At first the smell was light and lovely, titillating my senses with tree essences, but soon unpleasant physical symptoms set in as the clouds persisted and loomed over us.

With headache and eyes burning by evening, Keith and I closed up all the windows to our casita, turned on the air purifiers and exhaust fans, hoping for the best. It was a peaceful, albeit fragrant, night. When this morning greeted me with New Mexico's usual blue skies, I was naively surprised to be met with the thick smell of smoldering wood when I opened the door.  Immediately, my body started producing excess mucus and my lungs reminded me of how I have asthma attacks under such conditions. Dammit! Just when my chemical sensitivity had really improved here over the summer, this smokey air surprise hits me from behind. Unable to find my "I Can Breathe" carbon filter mask (because i have not needed it in so long), I calmly put my air ionizer around my neck and gave Tina her brief morning perambulation. With all my throat clearing sounds happening outside, I became more disheartened to see a fog haze covering the mountains with very little wind to move it along.
 

Back in the casita, I am doing all I can to alkalize my system more--plop, plop, fizz, fizz, Alka Seltzer Gold, that is, with plenty of fresh lemon water. Aware that I need to stay inside on this gorgeous autumn day, yet also venture out to buy a new and better mask, disconcerting questions plague me about the long term implications of nearby controlled burns such as, "How often do these burns happen? Will we be able to live here long-term with b.o.t. (burning of trees)? How is the wildlife impacted by the burns? Other people? How will the winter be for my health with wood smoke burning around us? Will it set our health back?" and so forth.

We're becoming rather attached to our community here, and the old thoughts of, "Where can we go where it is safe to breathe and be?" sadly return and begin to deflate the highs of late summer at The Commons. The recent stirrings of excitement and hopes for a longer stay here hang in suspended animation, much like the haze of smoke that covers Santa Fe Skies that is blurring my vision as I type---or might that be from the tears?

~Mary

A Weekend of Community

This past weekend was the 19th annual fall celebration here at The Commons on the Alameda cohousing community, and we are so blessed to be here and to have taken part in such a wonderful event!

First, on Friday night, the members of the community gathered for a fire circle, potluck, ritual tree-planting, and the sharing of stories about life in The Commons. Since its inception in 1992 from a scrubby field of cactus along the Santa Fe River, The Commons has been home to more than 300 people, and the current census is now at 81 adults and children.

This is a truly special place graced with much heart, community spirit, and the willingness of dozens of people to create a functional and thriving intentional neighborhood that enriches the lives of all who come into contact with it. And this annual day of feasting and revelry is our way of giving back to the wider community with food, drink, music, dancing, and gratitude.

These are some photos from the weekend's events. Enjoy a taste of The Commons at its best!

Mother and Child

Hope-HOWSE Hugs

This past Sunday, we participated in Hope-HOWSE Day here in Santa Fe by giving free hugs on the Santa Fe Plaza. Hope-HOWSE is a local non-profit organization in New Mexico that brings music, laughter, outreach and rehabilitation to inmates in New Mexican jails and prisons. The founder and director of Hope-HOWSE, Jane Davis, was also the mastermind behind our recent visit to bring Laughter Yoga to the Bernalillo Detention Center near Albuquerque. Jane is a true hero, and she has walked more than ten inmates from death row to their executions, bearing witness for them as they paid the ultimate price. Jane does amazing work in the world, and she is one of our newest Santa Fean friends. 


Sunday was actually Hope-HOWSE Day as declared nine years ago by the Governor, and a great deal of love was spread around downtown Santa Fe......


Here's Jane, on the right.....

Mural

Fun Friday: Close to Home

Today's Fun Friday activities again kept us close to home after a very busy work week with lots of driving for Keith. Mary, on the other hand, commented on how she spent the last four days without even leaving The Commons, making us realize just how satisfying life in community can be. With kids, dogs, friendly neighbors, community meals and the spontaneous socializing that community engenders, one can stick around the neighborhood for days and not feel isolated or out of touch with the world.

So, the day began with a relaxing morning at home, a bike ride to town, and a leisurely swim with time in the late summer sun by the poolside.

Biking through town, we noted that Santa Fe is still crawling with tourists who continue to throng the streets, sidewalks and hotels, and there is no outward signs of economic turmoil here in "The City Different". At a local hotel, we came upon a group of housekeeping employees having a field day in the parking lot as they pelted their managers with water balloons, laughing uproariously. Some seemed less shy when the managers had their backs turned and didn't know who was throwing! In her infinite wisdom, Mary went up to the supervisor who had masterminded this "team building" exercise and gave her our card, inviting her to consider Laughter Yoga for their next team meeting or retreat.

It was a glorious day here in Northern New Mexico, and despite a weather forecast calling for "the possibility of late afternoon thunderstorms", the sun shone brilliantly from dawn to dusk, as usual. There has been precious little rain this summer, and the "monsoon season" amounted to little rain, but we were indeed rewarded with numerous breathtaking sunsets and rainbows.

After our outing to town, we were taken out to dinner by our neighbors and friends Bob and Ann, who graciously treated us to dinner in return for us dog-sitting for their beloved Barney while they were in Europe. Even the dogs came to dinner!

It was yet another glorious day here in Santa Fe, and we are grateful---as always---for the abundance of blessings in our lives!