"If the only prayer you said in your whole life was, "thank you," that would suffice." -Meister Eckhart
And for all you football fans.
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November 2014
11/26/2014
11/20/2014
Our Winter Home ----- Apache Junction, AZ
We left Las Cruces and headed west on I10. We will miss our friends and the beautiful state of New Mexico but the warmth of the Phoenix Valley calls.
The clouds painted shadows on the mountains.
"Welcome to Arizona, where summer spends the winter - and hell spends the summer."
Booster slogan from the 30's.
We left I10 and took 191 to 70 to 60. A nice drive through several small towns with plenty of places to stop for breaks.
Dry, dusty mountains. We are back in Arizona. We don't shovel snow in the winter.
We have arrived at our winter home. Darn, we more than qualify on the age limit.
The streets are lined with palm trees imported from California and watered with a supply piped in from Nevada. And the people are from Canada and all points North.
One of the clubhouses. Activity Central. The calendar is filled with things to do every day.
Gypsy's little nose is peeking out.....3rd one down.
I picked a space for Gypsy that had two palm trees. Soon she will have flowers and bird feeders around her and we will feel right at home.
The view between the palm trees is to the heated pool and hot tub. Walt has already tried out the hot tub.
The exercise room is in the building behind the pool and I have enjoyed being able to do my stretches in there instead of in limited Gypsy space.
Lots of sunsets ahead and visits with family.
Sign courtesy of Tinkertown Museum.
11/14/2014
A Few Days In Las Cruces
We left Isleta heading for Las Cruces but you can't pass by Hatch. It is a must stop! Lunch at Sparky's. Everything green chile with a live country music band playing. At one in the afternoon. Too fun.
Then a wonderful get together for dinner at La Posta in Old Mesilla with Charlotte, Carl, Sylvia, David, Tresa, Jerry and Nancy.
They gave us our own little room so we could visit, laugh and enjoy to our hearts content. What a blessing to be among friends that are so kind and thoughtful.
The room was filled with beautiful pieces of art.
The walls are a heavenly shade of blue with magnificent silver metallic added.
I have been asked why I usually don't have pictures of people in my blog.
There are two main reasons that the human pictures are few and far between.
The first is simple. I do not take good pictures of people. They are always a moving target. Unlike the landscapes I love to take people do not stand still and are impatient waiting for me to get the right setting and finally get the shot off. Besides when I am with people I want to savor the time rather than trying to take photos. Places and things will wait all day for me if need be giving me the chance to "get it right".
The second reason is more complex and I am not sure I can explain it. It is probably a selfish reason. I am not sure I want to share "my" people out in the blogosphere. They are in my mind and memory and that seems to be where I want to keep them.
I read an article on memory and it indicated that photos are one of the main things that trigger memory. However, if you want to imprint a memory that you should look at the image as if you were setting it up for a photograph and it will train your brain to remember. That allows you to minimize distractions so the memory is clearer. I think that is what I try to do with people now. Then those memories are always there and I don't have to have a photograph to remember.
"When words become unclear, I shall focus with photographs. When images become inadequate I shall be content with silence". Ansel Adams
"The only thing better than right now will someday be the memories of right now."..AL.
The La Posta is a place that evokes many memories from the 1960's and on. Each time we are in the area it is a place I have to go. While Walt & I have always enjoyed their food we understand that it is not always up to par now. But it is not just for the food that I go there. It is for the memories and the atmosphere. How many restaurants can you go to that has parrots in cages in the lobby, wonderful arts and crafts every where you look, nooks and crannies, rooms that go on and on & if you make a wrong turn and end up in the kitchen they will guide you through to where you need to be? I can still remember the dress that I wore on the date that was my first visit to La Posta. I have no idea what I ate but the parrots and amazing walls are forever imprinted.
So thank you friends for offering your hospitaility to let me spend time in one of "my happy places."
And thank you to Carl and Charlotte for taking us back to Old Mesilla so I could get a few more photos. Nice stop on the way for a most delicious lunch at Andele.
Every old New Mexico town has a plaza. This gazebo is very different than most.
Each plaza almost always has a church. This is the Basilica of San Albino. The mission was established in 1851. This building was completed in 1906 and was constructed on the foundation of the original adobe church.
The bells of San Albino date back to the early 1870's.
Love to see territorial architecture. When the railroad came in the southwest could bring in heavy sawmill equipment and add milled wood to the adobe structures.
Josephina's Old Gate. It is an Inn and small cafe. We have not been there so it is on our list for "next time".
Sign Courtesy of Tinkertown Museum. We had several days filled with Happiness.
11/05/2014
Isleta Lakes and a Train Trip
We checked into Isleta Lakes RV Park for a week.
It is just a few minutes south of Albuquerque.
There are two lakes on one side of the RV Park and a rolling green golf course on the other.
The Lakes are a perfect place for an afternoon stroll.
There are quite a few geese and ducks. Must not be time to fly south yet. The fish were jumping. You can pay and fish if you want.
We have spent a relaxing couple of days staying pretty close to Gypsy. It was time for some down time.
Pretty and relaxing.
But the lure of the road (or the track) called us. Very close to the RV Park is a stop for the commuter train that runs to Santa Fe. Some who stay here complain about the whistle blowing and the train rumbling by but it doesn't wake us up and when it goes by while we are awake we like the sounds. Reminds me of days gone by.
I had wanted to do the Cumbres and Toltec Train Ride out of Chama while we were in northern New Mexico but their season ended Oct. 19th so we didn't make it this year. So we got up early and took the Rail Runner from Isleta to Santa Fe. You can never have too many trips to Santa Fe. We sat in the upper level so we had the best views. The train is so nice. The people who commute for work can start their work day on the train. Tables, power outlets, and wifi are all provided.
Bright and cheerful. ( I was lucky to get this shot before people started boarding). A super alternative to driving. Multiple stops along the way with commuter bus connection (at no extra fee) to get directly where you need to go. The round trip for both of us was $14. If we had purchased online prior it would have only been $12. What a bargain.
Nice views out our window.
In 2 hours we were in Santa Fe. We went to the Flying Star Cafe for breakfast. We shared a huge breakfast burrito.
We planned on taking the 4:15 train back to Isleta so we had 6 hours to wander around Santa Fe. We retraced some routes and tried some new ones.
Perfect fall day. Crisp but not cold.
The Plaza was practically empty. We found a bench in the sun and watched a little bit of the world go by.
Looks like they are waiting for something.
Nice to see someone holding down my dream job. As soon as she stepped into the Plaza the birds all flocked around her. They were very impatient until she got out the bag of food and started tossing it out. She must come very frequently because they sure recognize her.
The Cathedral Basilica of St. Francis of Assisi was built between 1869 and 1886. Before reading about it I was bothered by the unfinished look of the towers. The towers were originally planned to be topped with dramatic 160-foot steeples but due to lack of funds they were never built. The left tower is a single row of bricks taller than the right tower. Curious why after 228 years no one has taken on the project of having them completed.
So many details to see.
Time for another delicious pizza and salad at Upper Crust. End of season bargains on clothes, art and jewelry. So many things to dazzle our eyes.
Ooooh, a marquise diamond with opal (my birthstone) inlay. Wouldn't that be a wonderful souvenier of Santa Fe?
San Miguel Church is the oldest church structure in the U.S. The original adobe walls and altar were built by the Tlaxcalan Indians from Mexico under the direction of Franciscan Padres around 1610.
Back to board the return train. The sun was still good for another hour of splendor viewing the landscape. Another enjoyable day!
Thoughts courtesy of Tinkertown Museum.
11/01/2014
A Trip to Tinkertown on Primitive 165
We head south on I25 to Bernalillo. East on 165 through Placitas.
Just out of Placitas the pavement ends.
The road keeps getting narrower and narrower. Fall leaves border the road.
We are on the back side of the Sandia Mountains. We are climbing rapidly.
Soon we are amid the pines and firs. The road is very rocky with twists and turns that keep the view changing.
The map says we are at 10,000 feet. During the trip we did not meet one car. Walt did pull over a couple of times to let cars going in our same direction pass. Another amazing back road trip.
165 connects with 546 and then 14 for a nice view of Sandi Peak ski area.
We have arrived. Tinkertown, NM just out of Sandia Crest.
I have wanted to go here for several years.
Not sure how I first heard about it.
It could have been one of these or something I read.
A man named Ross Ward spent 40 years carving, collecting and constructing Tinkertown. The rambling walls that surround the 22 room museum are made with over 50,000 glass bottles.
It not only is a museum but the residence of Russ and Carla Ward.
He hand carved 100's of figures that he made into miniature displays depicting 100's of different settings.
He and his wife spent years collecting roadside relics, Old West items, and exhibits from closed down roadside attractions to add to the museum to go along with his carvings.
The wacky, colorful memorabilia was everywhere.
He carved this Cigar Store Indian in 1976.
There are hand painted signs everywhere. Many have his favorite positive thinking slogans or quotes. You will be seeing several of those on the blog in the days coming up.
There is no place off limits for displays. This one was up in the rafters. Notice the spider web in the corner. Halls are narrow, walls and floors are uneven, rooms wander willy-nilly, clutter is crammed onto every surface, including the ceilings and floors: tools, bones, horseshoes, farm and mining relics, old lanterns and license plates.
The highlight for me was his wood carvings. They were all behind glass so there was glare in the pictures but the intricacies of the displays are very apparent.
Several had buttons to push that brought them to life with action going on.
The Sheriff was his first carving.
His imagination must have worked overtime to put so much attention to detail in every exhibit.
Even Humpty Dumpty sitting on a wall.
The Law Firm of Gowgem, Hard & Deep.
My favorite was the Circus.
The display was HUGE.
It filled several rooms.
There wasn't anything in a Circus that was missed.
Look at this acrobat over a cage full of tigers. It inspired my imagination.
Many made us smile.
He must have been a very busy man. He was a show painter for carnivals for over 30 years, traveling the country painting on all the major carnival shows and in winter quarters from Texas to Florida.
In 1998 Mr. Ward was diagnosed with Alzheimer's Disease. Because of his symptoms it was unsafe for him to contine driving. His wife suggested he make an art project out of his car. His creativity kicked in and the Art Car was born. He used to say he was trying to turn his Jeep into a Lincoln. (Notice all the Lincoln head pennies)
Mr. Ward died in 2002 and I love this tribute to him. (I love ya honey but the seasons over is a book title of a Ringling Bros. circus performer) The Museum continues under the directorship of his wife Carla. We spent a couple hours there and just touched the surface of all there is to see.
Clearly I have spent way too much time watching TV.
Back on I40 west to I25 North with the other side of the Sandia's on view.