Quick! Where's your camera?.

August 25, 2014.

It's been a while since I've written, but this morning found more good news in the yard ... Terry says, "hurry, get your camera!" Excited I immediately wake up, and fumble for my camera.  Terry leads me to the front porch and points to a tiny hole in the ground under the tree.  "Bunnies, there! he says."

I finally see Mama, she pops her head out of the burrow.  I get lucky and get a closeup, before my first cup of coffee.  He says, "wait, there's more..."

Mama bunny peers outside...

"More?" My mind still sleepy questions, "Bunnies?? As in more than one?!  Where?" I try not to frighten the mama, as I sneak closer, and my heart is probably beating as fast as mama bunny.  My eyes adjust and I begin to see...more...

baby bunnies? !

This is a first!  We see bunnies every day bounding and bouncing in the fields,,, but, a nest, outside our front door?

they awaken!

I'm afraid to breathe, to move or snap a picture... not wanting to frighten mama and her new babies.

a couple heads, a leg...

FOUR?

I begin to feel like a voyeur, and decide to slowly creep back onto the porch and give the little guys their privacy. Terry takes off for work saying "have fun!"  Not bad for a Monday morning.  

Snowed in...a trip down memory lane.

It's Saturday, December 7, 2013.  We're seriously snowed in.  Thermometer reads 19 degrees when Bella wants to go outside this morning.  She's back at the door wanting in sooner than normal.  A quick look at Facebook has lots of posts around the country talking about cold weather, and memories of Nelson Mandela.  Today remembers another sad day, the attack on Pearl Harbor.  My niece in northern California posts snow might jeapordize wine tasting in Sonoma.  I feel nostalgic and open my photo album and wander down my own memory lane.  Good time to write, I hear football is on downstairs.

This picture brings back happy memories of our last Christmas back home.  We'll be spending this Christmas in someone else's home this year, and all of these things are in storage now.

I remember this picture.  I saved it a few years ago as we were contemplating moving and leaving our friends and family behind.  It was a big decision.  This still speaks to me.

 

I do miss being able to see our wonderful family and friends...this is one of my favorite photos...a very special annual get together of Cynthia Miller, her mum, Rosalie, visiting from England with my godmother, Vania.  

Going WAY back in time...happy times celebrating something in a limo, with Sara and Wayne,

And more happy times back home when all my sisters, Lindsey and friends gathered in my home...

but, now, we are very happy to live in a forest outside of Santa Fe.  This is our back yard. 

A fire crackles in the fireplace downstairs.  It reminds me of the day, a few weeks ago, we knew we had to go find more wood.  It was a good day.  We found our new friend selling a 1/2 cord of wood by the side of the road.  We bought it, and he followed us in his truck and he delivered it for us.  

None too soon...more snow came as soon as Terry and I had stacked the wood on the deck.  It was fun.  

Life is very different now.  Terry says we're out of kindling, but his ax is in the back of the truck, but the cover is frozen shut.  The pond is almost frozen over.  Terry bundles up and goes outside to break the ice to let the Koi breathe.  

Good grief, I've lost track of time.  It's time to close the photos and leave memory lane.  It's time to go downstairs and see what game Terry is watching, and get back to the present.  GO BUCKEYES! Time to make lasagna.  Time to plan for special friends and family who are coming to spend Christmas with us.  Life is good!  Wishing all of you a wonderful holiday season!    

The sisters come to town!

A brisk fall afternoon, I headed out to find the Santa Fe Airport.  Marsha and Eileen were coming to visit and celebrate Marsha's 60th birthday!  I finally found the airport, next to a junkyard.  I'm not sure I've ever been to a smaller airport.  Well, maybe the landing strip in a small village in Belize, years ago. But that's another story.  Santa Fe Airport is quite sensible, easy parking ($3.00 all day) no parking meters, and entering the building I found one gate for arrivals, one for departures., and no security?!  Those of us waiting made small talk, as two planes were lined up on the tarmack.  Were you waiting for the flight from LA or Denver?  The doors from the tarmack open, and soon I see the sisters; it was the flight from LA!

Soon we arrived and the celebration began.

And, birthday dinner at Geronimo's in Santa Fe..

As you can see by Terry's face, what a fine dinner it was!  Thank YOU, to Eileen and Mike!

Always a sucker for a pretty horse, had to catch this gorgeous painting on the wall...

A rare treat to get together, we celebrated into the night, and then the sisters bunked up, just like in the old days...we did miss baby sister, Janie.

We all agreed we laughed so much more now, than we did in the old days.  Speaking of the old days, Janie was with us in spirit, when I took the girls to go visit Terry at the "farm".  We all stopped and looked at this goose.  We looked at each other and said, "remember when..." and we all cracked up, because we remembered!  Janie must have been 6 or 7, running and crying trying to get away from this big goose flapping his wings and almost airborne hanging for dear life to poor Janie's rump!  It's not nice to laugh at Janie's misfortune, but, this picture of the goose got us laughing so hard we almost cried!    

Poor Janie and the goose

More laughs as we visited the Shidoni foundry and sculpture gardens in Tesuque...

more silliness...

and sitting around a jig saw puzzle brought back good memories of those days long ago...

And best of all...the girls didn't have to do dishes!

And Bella doesn't miss an opportunity for attention, puzzles or not...

Ah, one of the best  things about getting older, is getting together with your sisters.  And, so sad to see them go.  But, they promised to return, and we're all really hoping they do.

Our new job!

They say one should strive to do what you love.  It's our good fortune Terry happened to find a flyer for the New Mexico Therapeutic Riding Center, "volunteers needed, will train."  Hmmm... should we, could we? Both Terry and I have a healthy love, and fear, of horses.  It didn't take long for us to say "let's try" and we contacted the Center. A few calls and a 6 page application later, we were invited to visit the NMTRC and observe what they do.  This is the view as we approached the center on Goose Farms Road...

The road to NMTRC...not bad!

The Center is a wonderful non-profit organization with an amazing and dedicated instructor, Ashley, that works to pair horses and folks with disabilities, and to teach volunteers how to help in the process.  The clients, to the degree they are able, learn how to take care and to clean their horse before their riding lesson.  We volunteers learn a lot as well.  We now have the confidence to approach the horse in the stall, put it's halter on and walk it out of the stall, and tie it up for the client.  

We've learned how patient and intuitive these special "therapy horses" are.  This is Terry helping one client, Thomas, riding Tosca, who patiently allows instructor Ashley to add more Halloween decorations that Thomas has chosen for Tosca.  Terry has a Masters degree in Special Ed, so it's a joy for me seeing him really enjoy his work with these clients.  It's all part of a carefully planned learning exercise for Thomas that Ashley has created for Thomas's special needs.  Ashley will tell you it's her life working with the disabled. We've seen how much joy and confidence the clients gain on horseback.    

Terry and I go home feeling we get much more than we give.  Speaking of giving, it was pretty cool to learn that Tosca was given to the NMCTR by the actor, Val Kilmer's daughter.  

Halloween at NMTRC, Instructor Ashley dressing Tosca, therapy horse 

As we were given a tour of the farm, we saw an incredible menagerie of animals, feathered and four footed. But, I was most touched when we saw this wild young colt, Mr. Bill and heard he was discovered in the wilds, standing all alone at the side of his dead mother. Lucky for him, they were able to rescue him, but he remains very wary of people.  He doesn't let anyone get near him, and he'll turn his back to you when you try.  

Mr. Bill

Well, as you can see, we really enjoy our time at the farm in New Mexico.    

Bears, Bees and a Benedictine Monk

It was another beautiful Fall day in Santa Fe, perfect for a Sunday drive.  I found an ad in the paper for Artist Studio tours in the nearby town of Pecos.  Pecos is in the local mountains and the first stop of the tour was at the Benedictine Monastery.  So, we set the GPS and headed east on Old Las Vegas Highway to find the monastery.

It was a lovely drive, the elevation increasing and the countryside changing and soon we were driving through beautiful thickly wooded mountains.   Soon we found the monastery and parked.  We entered the main hall which was empty except for a lone older man sitting at a table with some jewelry and wooden crosses he had made.  He had a big smile, long black hair, a cowboy hat and was wearing a beautiful Indian turquoise necklace.  He told me he had taught science at a high school in Gallup and that the necklace was made for him by a Zuni Indian as a thank you for teaching his son.   I was stunned by the time and craftsmanship it took to create the necklace and said “the father obviously loved you to make such a beautiful necklace.”  The man simply said “I know”.   What a kind and interesting man to meet in the monastery, I thought.  

Somehow the conversation turned to the beauty of the area and the plentiful animals that lived there.  He told me one of the monks at the monastery was into beekeeping and carefully tended the hives and harvested the honey.  Memories of Winnie the Pooh came to mind.

I was surprised to see the smile leave this kind man’s face, as he angrily said, “bears cause much damage and this one bear came and COMPLETELY destroyed one of the father's beehives!  I told the father that I would get my gun and KILL that bear!” 

My friend continued with his story, “I called Fish and Game and told them the damage the bear had caused and that I wanted to kill the bear.  They told me I had to wait 3 days to get a license to kill the bear.  How stupid, he said, in 3 days the bear would be gone!“  He shrugged his shoulders in disbelief, at the silly regulation of Fish and Game.

He told the father of what he had learned from Fish and Game, and the good father told him, “You must not kill the bear!”  “But father, he destroyed your beehive!”  The father repeated his wish that the bear be spared, and I was relieved that my friend said he honored the fathers wish and gave up his thoughts of vengeance.    

As we drove out of the monastery, I noticed the sign...

I couldn't help but think that the father understood that the bear’s nature was to love honey, and that the bear's life was worth saving.  He also understood that his friend wanted to avenge the bear’s damage to his hive.  It seemed perfect that this story of a conflict of natures had such a happy ending, in this very special place.

    

Lessons from the farm

Well, we wanted to get out of the city and experience living closer to nature.   At the end of our month on the little farm in rural Nambe, here’s a few of our lessons learned.   

Pay SERIOUS attention to weather reports.   

Watch the weather

Warnings of severe thunder storms and golf ball size hail flashed across the football games on tv, last night.  Sure enough, we watched the most dramatic lightning display we had ever seen.   Huge bolts of light, vertical and horizontal, sometimes several at a time lit up the night sky, for several hours.  Rain poured, and hail came down.    This morning, Terry shows me the new fallen snow on the mountain tops. 

Owning a farm is hard work.  Terry had a chat about the storm last night with our host, Leonardo.  Leonardo confirmed it was the worst lightning display he had seen in 40 years.   Leonardo told him the tree next to their house took a direct hit of lightning.  He also found the electrical to the barn had gone out.  Leonardo discovered the remains of an unfortunate squirrel lying next to the chewed and severed electrical wire which he is now trying to repair. 

I always enjoyed the TV news showing bears in someone else’s backyard.  Well, we move into the house in the foothills tomorrow.  Terry spoke with John, the owner, today and learned a 6’ metal fence post had been pushed over along with a good portion of the backyard fence.   John said nonchalantly that a very large bear just wanted to get to the cantaloupes and strawberries.   To reassure us, he said they don’t come down in the winter.  (Note to self:  Bella will not be going into the yard unattended!)

Learn to not be afraid of snakes.  John has asked us to remove any BULLSNAKES found in their koi pond.  

 

On the lookout for bullsnakes

As you can see, they are very large and sport the same color and pattern as rattlesnakes I’ve seen. Good thing Terry and I visited the Wildlife Center last week and actually saw a few live bullsnakes.  We spoke to a staff member who said, “oh, they’re harmless, nothing to be concerned about”.   Good news, staff said we can call the Wildlife Center to come and remove them.   Better yet, she suggested, we can join the snake group nearby and learn how to deal with them, and overcome our fear.  Or, there’s always Terry’s proposal of catching them with a rake and flinging them over the fence!   

Hummer at the farm

Hummingbird feeders attract more than hummers.  While at the Wildlife Center we learned about the many species of hawks in the area.  Peregrine falcons are the fastest animal on the planet, timed in excess of 220 mph in a dive.  I was stunned to learn that local falcons prey on smaller birds that are attracted to the feeders attached to your window.  They have learned a clever way to hunt.  Several people shared they have seen hawks wait for the smaller bird to come to the feeder.  Hawk then zooms in and forcefully strikes the smaller bird, knocking it into the window, stunning the prey.  Hawks sometimes recover the prey on its fall before it even hits the ground.  Gives a whole new meaning to watching the hummers feed.     

Well, farm life can be harsh, but it is fun, too.  This is Miss Daisy.  The more time you spend with her, the more you appreciate her.  She is very smart.

Miss Daisy

This is Blanca, resident goat, who we've come to enjoy.  This look means she wants treats.  If she's annoyed, i.e. if Bella gets too close, she'll head butt the fence.   We have enjoyed our lessons!  Until next time....

Blanca

  

What a difference a day makes

Today is a beautiful, sunny, football filled Saturday.  Not so on Thursday, as light rains were our companion as we we headed north on Highway 68 which runs by the Rio Grande for a drive to visit Taos....

Taos Plaza

 And the rain continued, and began to get heavier as we headed into the mountains, to Angel Fire (11,000 ft. elevation) to visit the Vietnam Veterans Memorial (http://www.vietnamveteransmemorial.org)  which was inspired by the parents, Mr. and Mrs. Westphal, who lost a son in an ambush in Vietnam.  The gray and wet day seemed appropriate for our visit.

Angel Fire, NM

A somber reminder of war

A touching tribute

A beautiful location in the mist

We left Angel Fire and continued east through the Sangre de Cristo mountain range, a spectacular drive into aspen groves, and beautiful pines, twists and turns and then ....Terry quickly pulls off the road and we quietly enjoyed the surprise sighting of ....

a beautiful herd of elk

Windows open, rain pouring, this was the best shot I could get of a small group ofo a herd of at least 30 magnificent elk.  We headed home, as rain was unrelenting and low lying clouds were creating a rather mystical driving experience.  We really welcomed the rain, but travel angels were with us, as we had no idea rains had unleashed boulders on Hiway 68 and the road had to be closed.  Today's headlines "State grapples with floodwaters, mud and rock slides as storm bears down".  Photo shows a hydrographer hanging over the Rio Grande river measuring the flow.  A few days earlier he measured water moving 240 cubic feet per second; Friday it was in the thousands of feet/second."  Driving home, we saw dry arroyos now flooding. Wild waters a result of a late arriving monsoon.  Morale of the story:  be a bit more mindful of how quickly the weather can change.