Humble Adobe/Abode

Streets Around Santa Fe

Our new casita tree.




View of Sange de Cristo mountains from out hotel parking lot...





...and during the day along Cerrillos Road.
M

HSH

M

(Animal) House Hunt

First location: Gray cat from two doors down
I'll call him "Hola",
greets us as we drive up,
and jumps on the car to decorate with footprints.





Second location:
Gray-whiskered friendly black lab
greets me over the fence,
while his friend;
the champagne-colored
cocker spaniel walks out of the picture.

M

New Characters...New Setting...

The new characters in our adventure out West:
J will now be known as "Gringo"
I will have the character name "Shady",
and our car, previously known as "Silver",
Is now "Armadillo", or "Dil" for short.












Click on that bottom photo and
look very closely...
You might see antelope at play...
M

Bizarre Cattle Crossing

Name on an overpass bridge
along an interstate highway in Oklahoma...
Actually it was "Bazaar Cattle Crossing"...
Not that THAT sign makes any more sense.
Currently
on the way
to Santa Fe.
M

20 Days and Then Gypsies

Only a few more weeks to enjoy
my home library systems, then on to new libraries.
We will be gypsies soon...
although I consider gypsies
more of
"nomads
with an adventurous streak".
No job, no permanent place to stay yet,
but looking forward to the fun
of the unknown;
for a place to call home for awhile.
Friends ask, "It is warm there now, right"?
No, 7000 feet up = temperatures
colder than Illinois,
pretty much all year.
"An artist paradise",
is what is written in the guide books
and on the websites
but,
also more artists-per-mile
= more competition,
= more visual distractions,
= more difficult to display J's talents....
But we have been before,
and our breaths
were taken away,
and our imaginations will
soar again.
M

Ancient Spirits & New Creations

Southwest mountain magnet
pulling us, drawing us,
carrying us
closer
to more dreams.

Coyotes,
cactus,
roadrunners,
ancient spirits,
new creations,
hand woven patterns,
and turquoise from deep within the stones:
A new world
awaits.

Little Feet

Snow is melting here,
temperatures in the mid 40's ( 4 degrees celsius).
Same as Argenton Chateau, France...
M

River Frost

River frost - "frost" and "frosting"...



A coincidence that they both look the same?
I do not think so.


Frozen Mississippi River, Illinois, December 2007.




(Most) photographs compliments of John -




M

My Favorite Things...

I remember learning this song
for a Christmas Pageant at my tiny grade school;
not really knowing what streudels or schnitzel were,
but they must be pretty good things
to make it onto this list.
Heck, I had never seen "The Sound of Music"
when I was 6 or 7 years old.
Our music teacher/show director
was a Juilliard School graduate,
a pianist, who also happened to
be a concert-level harpist, but who
seemed very happy and proud
to be working with 50-60 school children
ranging in ages from 5-12,
who truly were not very good singers,
but loved to sing loud.
I still remember these lyrics -
Miss Goodwin taught us that well.



Raindrops on roses and whiskers on kittens
Bright copper kettles and warm woolen mittens
Brown paper packages tied up with strings
These are a few of my favorite things






Cream colored ponies and crisp apple streudels
Doorbells and sleigh bells and schnitzel with noodles
Wild geese that fly with the moon on their wings
These are a few of my favorite things






Girls in white dresses with blue satin sashes
Snowflakes that stay on your nose and eyelashes
Silver white winters that melt into springs
These are a few of my favorite things






When the dog bites
When the bee stings
When I'm feeling sad
I simply remember my favorite things
And then I don't feel so bad

M

A Boa Named Noah...

Luke's last day at work yesterday
and stories about his boa constrictor
named "Noah"
at the pizza joint last night...
I didn't believe you Luke,
so you called your brother
to verify the story...
He even knew the breed of your snake!
Good luck in Texas
Maybe we'll meet again on the road.



Found some funny lyrics by "Hot Snakes",
not sure what's their music sounds like,
but I liked the sentiment:


Your minutiae Your perks Your perspective
My paperwork Your system Your appeal
Your records
My paperwork
Your labor of love
My paperwork
It's pretty clear to me
Any upside I'll ever see Is gonna have to be
Underwritten by you Your place in history
Supposed to be
An incentive to me?
Your arrangements Your score Your standings
Your impropriety Your tenacity Your philanthropy
Your merits
My paperwork
It's piling up

-by Hot Snakes

M

Black-capped Chickadees

Snow dusting wooden steps
Tiny birds waiting for more seed
tip toeing
through fine snow
footprints.




This is my 101st blog!
M