The Good Fairy

On Valentine's Day, Victoria Adams gave a tea party for children at Farmers Market as a Valentine Fairy. There was excitement in the air as she told stories about the importance of love and read to them about the fact that love is everything. I was told by other vendors that she is there every Saturday, entertaining the crowd. The New Mexican newspaper featured a photo of her on February 22, posing as the Flower Fairy to help celebrate the 21st birthday party at the Children's Museum. She is  busy, energetic,  and highly entertaining as a very good fairy!

Museum Hill-#4 "Shared Knowledge

"Shared Knowledge"

Doug Hyde, 1981

Honor the sacred.
Honor the Earth, our Mother.
Honor the Elders.
Honor all with whom we
share the Earth:-
Four-leggeds, two-leggeds,
winged ones,
Swimmers, crawlers,
plant and rock people.
Walk in balance and beauty.


Native American Elder

Meet Tim and Maximus!

Tim, originally from Fond du Lac, WI has been travelling the world for 18 years.  I met him and his dog, Maximus, outside the Santa Fe Library downtown. Packs carried by both man and dog were highly organized. I wish him well as he continues his journeys!

“A good traveler has no fixed plans and is not intent on arriving.” – Lao Tzu

New Mexico Rail Runner

If God had meant for us to fly, he wouldn't have given us the railways. -- Unknown

I am totally captivated by the Rail Runner and can't wait to take it to Albuquerque to visit that city, too. I get a buzz whenever I travel on a railroad...guess it reminds me of childhood trips.  When I lived in Chicago as a young adult, instead of flying I often took the train between Green Bay, WI and the Windy City.  Amtrak just doesn't do it for me so it'll be interesting to see how I like the Road Runner, Rail Runner!

Museum Hill #3-"Dineh"/ABC WEDnesday, Fantastic Figures

"Dineh"

Allan Houser

Bronze, 1981

This splendid sculpture is also in the small courtyard in front of the Wheelwright Museum, and the  photos give you a slightly different view of the beautiful piece.

"F" = Fantastic Figures  To see more posts for this meme, please check here: ABC Wednesday

"Give thanks for unknown blessings

already on their way."

Native American saying

Museum Hill #2-"Heading Home"

"Heading Home"

Allan C. Houser

Bronze, 1980

Of the many fine sculptures of Allan Houser's, this is my favorite.  If you want to see it for yourself, it's in front of the Wheelwright Museum entrance on Museum Hill.

Grown men can learn from very little children

for the hearts of the little children are pure.

Therefore, the Great Spirit may show to them

many things which older people miss.

Black Elk

Museum Hill #1 "The End of the Santa Fe Trail"

To many tourists, temporary and permanent residents of Santa Fe, the museums are a major draw, and although I have attended many times thru the years, I always return to see what's new.  At the entrance to Museum Hill is this magnificent sculpture depicting the end of a journey on the Santa Fe trail that spanned many dangerous miles from the Missouri Territory to Santa Fe.  "William Becknell and four other men traveled from Franklin, Missouri for a distance of 1,203 miles to open trading between the US and Mexico in Santa Fe. In the next twenty years, about 80 wagons and 150 people traveled the trail each year." Trader William Becknell is affectionately referred to as "The Father of the Santa Fe Trail." Lightly dusted with snow, I stopped to pay homage to the traders,settlers,and animals that made the long haul. To learn more, go to this site: Santa Fe Trail

First Sunday of Lent

In a state where Roman Catholicism is an important religion, we have visited many of the area churches. Since I missed posting something for Ash Wednesday, I want to include photos appropriate to the church calendar.  This beautiful mosaic is on the wall of the passageway at Our Lady of Guadalupe Church, close to the Plaza. While attending the services, I and my husband were made to feel very welcome by both the clergy and parishioners. We have also noticed many other religious denominations and churches throughout the city.

This shrouded crucifix is in front of the Cathedral.  A definite reminder of Lent and the Passion of Christ.

Willa Cather

"The miracles of the church seem to me to rest not so much upon faces or voices or healing power coming suddenly near to us from afar off, but upon our perceptions being made finer, so that for a moment our eyes can see and our ears can hear what is there about us always." (Death Comes for the Archbishop, 1927)

Vistas

While driving to Los Alamos, I snapped these photos from the car window as we travelled down the highway.  I find the terrain in this part of the USA quite amazing.  It appeals to my heart and soul and always lifts my spirits.

“No one knows what causes an outer landscape to become an inner one.”

(Margaret Atwood Canadian Writer, b.1939)

Cerrillos Opera House

Long abandoned, I wonder what this Opera House was like many years ago? Cerrillos is a village on the Turquoise Trail  about 15 miles south of Santa Fe.  It appears to have changed very little since it was founded during a lead strike in 1879; the old hotel, the saloon, and other buildings look like an Old West movie setting.

Street Buskers

Very different from the summer months, Santa Fe in the winter seems to have less sunshine and more clouds, but the culture remains the same! I was quite surprised to see these street buskers entertaining in the Plaza on Sunday morning--it's not a common sight. If it's a festival or market, there is cultural entertainment, but I haven't seen buskers before; but then again, I'm not here year round. The music and song were a pleasant experience and brightened the cloudy sky that day.  Weather at this time of year is more than interesting.  The sun which seems to be constant in the summer by contrast in February shines brightly for awhile and then the clouds roll over the bright orb. It's a mixture of weather elements.  The sun, however, appeared to be brighter and lasted longer yesterday than it has since we've arrived.

ABC WEDNESDAY "E"-Eternal & Everlasting

Our Anniversary-48 Years Ago.  Who would have guessed?!

To see more entries for "E" from bloggers worldwide, follow the following link:

 ABC Wednesday.

Madrid on The Turquoise Trail

Because it's still the winter season, this is one of the few open shops in Madrid on the Turquoise Trail.  It's much busier in the summer when the  town is a draw for the tourists. Madrid (pronounced Mah-drid) and the neighboring village of Cerrillos, not far from Santa Fe,  were in a fabled turqoise-mining area dating back to prehistory. Gold and silver mines followed, and when they faltered, there was coal.  The Turquoise Trail towns supplied fuel for the locomotives of the Santa Fe railroad until the 1950's when the railroad converted to diesel fuel. Madrid used to produce 100,000 tons of coal a year but the mine closed in 1956.  Today this is a real funky town of craftspeople and artists, shops and import stores and ramshackle houses.  I've been told that it was a haven for hippies in the 60's, and by the looks of it, I wonder if any of them left?!

Southwest Chutney

Would you buy a jar of Southwest Chutney from this guy?  I would!

The Saturday indoor Farmer's Market is a great place for food and photographers!!

Be Mine!

Before I retired and when I was teaching Creative Writing, this poem was one of my favorites ...

"Valentine for Ernest Mann"

You can't order a poem like you order a taco.
Walk up to the counter, say, "I'll take two"
and expect it to be handed back to you
on a shiny plate.

Still, I like your spirit.
Anyone who says, "Here's my address,
write me a poem," deserves something in reply.
So I'll tell you a secret instead:
poems hide. In the bottoms of our shoes,
they are sleeping. They are the shadows
drifting across our ceilings the moment
before we wake up. What we have to do
is live in a way that lets us find them.

Once I knew a man who gave his wife
two skunks for a valentine.
He couldn't understand why she was crying.
"I thought they had such beautiful eyes."
And he was serious. He was a serious man
who lived in a serious way. Nothing was ugly
just because the world said so. He really
liked those skunks. So, he reinvented them
as valentines and they became beautiful.
At least, to him. And the poems that had been hiding
in the eyes of the skunks for centuries
crawled out and curled up at his feet.
Maybe if we reinvent whatever our lives give us
we find poems. Check your garage, the odd sock
in your drawer, the person you almost like, but not quite.
And let me know.

- Naomi Shihab Nye

Camera Critters-The Three Bears

The shop Gypsy Baby in the Guadalupe area had this display in front of their shop. The store was closed so I couldn't go in to browse.

Visit this link http://camera-critters.blogspot.com/? to see more Camera Critters from around the world.

Colourful Baskets

The Saturday Farmers Market is a great photo op! 

"A Tisket, A Tasket

A Green and Yellow Basket!"

Words & music by Ella Fitzgerald & Van Alexander

Meet Gary!

Judging from the reaction of the people on the street, Gary is a popular guy! When looking for an address, who better to ask than a mailman?! Gary, a native Santa Fean,  helped us find what we needed,  and we had a great conversation.  Since both Kate and he are Packer fans (notice the logo on his belt!) the three of us exchanged views and opinions on the recent championship games.  Always great to make a new friend!

"Friends are the sunshine of life."  John Hay

ABC WEDNESDAY-"D" = DODGE

It doesn't look like this Dodge dodged too many mud holes.  The spattering on the car is mild compared to others that I have seen in parking lots and on the streets.  I wonder where these New Mexican drivers travel??

To see more entries for ABC Wednesday, click on this link: http://abcwednesdayround3.blogspot.com/?

The Jokes on Me!

I left Minnesota to leave the ice and snow.  What greeted me when I awoke on Monday morning? Well, at least it doesn't last as long in Santa Fe as it does in St. Paul!  This is a view out my front door.  Pretty, isn't it?

“Nature has no mercy at all. Nature says, "I'm going to snow. If you have on a bikini and no snowshoes, that's tough. I am going to snow anyway." Maya Angelou

While on the Road -- #3 Self-portrait

We stopped to view Las Vegas, New Mexico, a small town of some historical significance, located off Interstate 25S not too far from Santa Fe.  Spying an espresso sign in a shop, I decided to get some latte. The cafe shared space in the same building with some weavers and displays of antiques. I spotted a free-standing mirror and decided to take a self-portrait that reminded me of a Theme Day  we had a number of years ago, which was great...we should do it again!!

While on the road-#2 "Rest Stops"

While travelling along the Interstates from St.Paul, Mn to Santa Fe, NM on Interstates 35E, 80, and 25, we stopped at a variety of rest stops--some really nice and others that were pretty rustic.  This one in Iowa had kiosks of glass that celebrated  various historical modes of transportation. Pretty impressive. In a few days I will begin posting photographs of our vacation in Santa Fe; stick around, in the meantime, enjoy the ride!

On my first post for this blog, "A Peek of the Future? I promised that I'd identify the subject in the photo. Several statues are in the courtyard of the St. Francis of Assisi Cathedral located in the Plaza, but the one I showed you on  2/3/10 is the most interesting. It immortalizes Kateri Tekawitha (1656-1680) said to be the first Native American elevated to sainthood in the Roman Catholic Church. Take another look!

While on the Road -- #1

While on the road I noticed that the state of Iowa had an inordinate number of wind turbines along interstate 80; the other states along the way did not. Most were rhythmically whirling and only a few were stationery.  Had to laugh because newspapers in Minnesota had just announced that the turbines in small communities close to the Twin Cities were not operating because they had been frozen by the winter wind and temperatures. A very good time to leave for more hospitable climates!

A Peek at the Future

Within a week we'll arrive at our winter vacation spot, going from snow to snow... St. Paul, Minnesota to Santa Fe, New Mexico, After we arrive, I will be posting photos on this blog.  Do you want to know more about this statue which stands in front of the Cathedral in downtown Santa Fe? Well, come back next Sunday, February 7, and I'll tell you all about it!   "Til then...

Added Later: We're leaving this morning, and if we stop in motels with wifi, I'll visit you folks.  I may be too tired after miles of driving, but I'll try!