Clifford Carnicom – Quiet Walk Photography

Wednesday April 24: Leaving as early as possible, Clifford and I say good-bye to our campsite at Percha Dam New Mexico State Park and head north, arriving in Socorro, NM, by early afternoon. The wind really picks up the last several miles, so we are glad to have made it here as early as we did. We go to the best-ever laundromat, a pleasant surprise in this small town, then park in the Walmart lot. After purchasing some needed items in the store, we walk to a nearby Subway for dinner. Much easier than preparing and cleaning up after a meal when enroute.

Surprising beauty in the Walmart parking lot

Thursday April 25: It is steep climb from the desert floor to the foot of the Sangre de Cristo Mountains where Santa Fe is nestled in. I’m happy to see these great mountains that were the backdrop to our life in Santa Fe for over fifteen years. Topping the last rise, it is kind of exciting to see Santa Fe spread out before us at the foot of the mountains.

Sangre de Cristo Mountains in the background – steep climb ahead

Topping the last rise – Santa Fe before us

We make our way to Rancheros de Santa Fe, the RV park/campground on the outskirts of Santa Fe where a site has been reserved for us. Most sites are quite close together, so we are pleased that we have a nice front yard with trees and a picnic table. We run into town for errands, including Trader Joe, my favorite, for groceries.

Friday April 26: We are busy this morning with CI business and trying out our Rhino (auxiliary sewage container) to see how it works, when a car pulls up. To our surprise and delight, it is our friend Diana who has tracked us down. We sit at our picnic table sipping ice tea with Diana and her housemate, Martha, talking over old times and current events.

Clifford finishes the final touches on his presentation and I help him organize his notes and trim his hair a bit. He has done a lot of work to organize his talk and prepare slides. We are feeling ready for tomorrow.

Saturday April 27: We are on our way by to the Women’s Center by 9:15 this morning, where we meet the lady who invited Clifford to this event and who made all the arrangements for us. We also join up with our long-time friend and fellow researcher, Elana Feeland, who will be the other speaker on the program.

The two hours of Clifford’s talk goes by quickly as he delves into Carnicom Institute Past and Present, from the beginning stages of research to the depth of where the research is at this point.

After the break for lunch, we listen to Elana’s talk on the dangers of electromagnetics in the environment. Once Clifford and Elana break free of all the questions that are being asked after the presentations, we follow our host to a retreat house in the mountains where we enjoy an amazing view and a fabulous healthy dinner. The talk at the dinner table is quite intense, as is fitting given the topic: Geoengineering-Bioengineering – The Unmistable Link.

About sundown, we head back to our campground, a beautiful sunset in the background as we drive down the mountain. Two messages on my phone are of special interest: a photo from my daughter Ang of flowers blooming in her greenhouse and a photo of new snow sent by my sister, both from western Montana.

Sunday April 28: This morning we meet with friends for breakfast at one of our most favorite restaurants – Harry’s Roadhouse. We have a tasty meal and a great visit before heading to the Women’s Center for the final presentations: Carnicom Institute-Future, and Elana’s closing talk. Another hour is devoted to a Q & A session. When the session wraps up, people continue coming forward to ask questions. People are eager for answers to the current health and environmental ills.

Back at camp we are joined by a group of friends. It is good visiting with everyone, as we sit around snacking on the leftovers of yesterday’s fabulous dinner. What with one thing and another, it is after midnight before I get to bed.

We pay for a couple more days at the campground, as we still have friends to see, including CI’s webmaster who has made the trip to Santa Fe from Albuquerque in spite of the rather chilly weather. It is a good couple of days, well worth the extra time here in Santa Fe.

Tuesday April 21: Today I have my last campfire here at McKay Crossing along Paulina Creek west of the Newberry National Monument in central Oregon.

Panther Flat 1 - G1x 001-LR — Last campfire at McKay

I take photos as I say good-bye before we have breakfast and begin the packing routine.

Panther Flat 1 - G1x 004 — Saying good-by to the tall ponderosa trees

Panther Flat 1 - G1x 006 — and to Paulina Creek

Panther Flat 1 - G1x 008 — Time to leave our McKay home

Packing takes a good three hours since we have become so settled in after being here for two weeks. Odds and ends of loose stuff go in bags; everything is packed neatly so it will all fit, but things are becoming harder to find. The next time we set up, a complete reorganization will be necessary.

Once we are finally packed, we head to the little town of Sunriver, a few miles down the highway. After a tasty lunch at the Village Bar and Grill, we find out way to Lori’s place, a sanctuary overlooking the Deschutes River.

Panther Flat 1 - G1x 017 — The Deschutes River

Lori is an artist and her paintings and sculptures grace every room of her home. Some of her work reminds me of Leaning Tree cards, and indeed, as we later learn, she is one of the Leaning Tree artists.

We warm ourselves at her wood stove and then sit in the sunshine on the deck overlooking the river as we chat about the environmental issues that affect all of us; Lori speaks from the perspective of an activist and Clifford from the perspective of a researcher. It is as though we are all words on the same page, each of us contributing to the story being told – hopefully the story of a return to wholeness for the planet and all life on it.

Later, after dinner and more sharing, we listen to the frogs (or toads) as they “rivet rivet rivet” through the night.

Wednesday April 22: In the morning I admire the lovely light that warms the trees and the meadows along the river bank, but taking photos through the screen does not work, so this picture is only in my mind. I accompany Lori down to the bank where she feeds the ducks, some domestic and a pair of mallards.

Panther Flat 1 - G1x 010 — Lori feeding the ducks

After breakfast, Clifford has a radio interview with a local station and then we take some time to catch up with email before heading out for the afternoon. Lori is taking us sight-seeing on our way to the place where Clifford will be giving a talk this evening. We go to the headwaters of Fall River, a place where a spring is the birthplace of a creek that soon becomes a river that flows into the Deschutes.

Panther Flat 1 - G1x 018 — Birthplace of Fall River

It is amazing that so much water can come forth with so little fanfare. The crystal-clear water is surrounded by mossy rocks and logs, creating a fairyland habitat.

Panther Flat 1 - G1x 025 — Moss and green grass

There is an old ranger station here, no longer in use but still maintained, which is perhaps the one where Clifford spent time with friends over 40 years ago. Inside and out, it looks familiar to him.

Panther Flat 1 - G1x 030 — The old ranger station

Further down the road, we walk along the Fall River, admiring its lovely clarity and the reflections on its surface as it flows gently toward the Deschutes.

Panther Flat 1 - G1x 044-LR — Reflections on the crystal-clear water of Fall River

Friends of Lori’s are hosting Clifford’s talk in their lovely home, also along the Deschutes River. From their back yard I am delighted to find a view of Mount Bachelor, which has been elusive. I have had only the briefest glimpses of it, even though it is one of the most outstanding peaks in the area, the view always being blocked by trees or the contours of the land.

Panther Flat 1 - G1x 049 — Mount Bachelor

There is a good turn-out for Clifford’s presentation, which is received with renewed enthusiasm and appreciation for the work that he is doing.

Panther Flat 1 - G1x 050 — Cllifford’s talk in Sunriver, near Bend, Oregon

It is late by time we return to Lori’s place and we soon retire to our rooms. Tomorrow we will head to Ashland for the next talk, but tonight the “rivet rivet rivet” of the frogs keeps us company, reminding us in their own way of the importance of restoring a healthy environment to the planet.

Quiet Walk Photography

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Tag: Clifford Carnicom

Santa Fe Conference – April 2019

Road Trip – Fall River, Oregon – April 2015