Saturday May 4: Clifford and I are staying another day to visit with our dear friends near Las Vegas, New Mexico, as it is not often that we get to see them. After sharing a potluck lunch, they take us on an outing to a place they call Hidden Valley. It is a fun drive into the deserts of New Mexico.
New Mexico landscape
Lourdes, New Mexico
The church at Lourdes, New Mexico
Visiting the church with our friends
Wildflowers at the church
Water flows in the hidden valley
Rocks and …
and a stone pathway designed by Nature
New Mexico Mesa
Later afternoon, back at their place, we watch a documentary on some of the relatively unknown, but very interesting, aspects of secret societies and other such stuff. We visit while sharing dinner, then Clifford and I return to Cougar. Clifford works on his music project and I edit photos before packing for an early start tomorrow, hoping to beat the wind as we head back to Santa Fe. It has been great visiting here with these special people, but it is time for us to continue the journey back to the CI lab in Utah.
Wednesday May 1: It is really windy today, but Clifford and I are leaving Rancheros de Santa Fe RV Park/Campground where we have been camped the last week for the Santa Fe event where Clifford was a guest speaker. Today we are heading east to visit dear friends from our Santa Fe years when they and we lived outside Santa Fe, getting together on a regular basis for breakfast at Harry’s or visits to their various homes. We are excited to see them, as it has been awhile, with lots of water under the bridge since our last get-together.
New Mexico landscape east of Santa Fe
As
we are traveling east on I-25 between Santa Fe and Las Vegas, NM,
right at the junction to highway 3, we hear a great loud bang and our
whole rig – Suburban and 24-foot Cougar travel trailer – swerves
nearly out of control. The on-ramp of highway 3 gives us a bit of
leeway to get slowed down and stopped. With adrenal pumping, I get
out to survey the damage. We have a bad feeling that part of Cougar
must have ripped off, but it turns out to be a blowout on the right
rear tire of the Suburban. It is not a good scene, but fortunately
there was no traffic as this was happening, we didn’t wreck, and
Cougar is fine.
Blow out!
It is a big deal to get Cougar unhitched, get to the jack and spare tire, and get Suburban jacked up. We put out warning cones and flags, and luckily the on-ramp gives us a little buffer from the traffic on I-25.
It is a big deal to get the Suburban tire changed
After we get the ruined tire off, the spare on, tools packed up, and Cougar hitched up again, we head on to our friends, much later than planned. There is no cell service in this remote area of New Mexico, so we can’t even inform them of our delay.
Iconic butte west of Las Vegas, New Mexico
Once we arrive, they happily show us their new place, a spot is found to park Cougar, and we have dinner together. All is well as we chat through the evening before heading to our respective beds.
A place for Cougar
The next couple of days are spent visiting and catching up on past and current events in their lives and ours.
She-shed at our friends’ new place
Wildflowers delight us at our friends’ new place
Clifford and our friend run into the nearby town of Las Vegas, NM, to look for tires for the Suburban. It is a bit time-consuming checking out places where the damaged rim can be replaced and new tires can be had, but eventually the right place is found and new 10-ply tires are put on. This is what we should have had all along. Live and learn. Learn and live, might also be said.
The days of Thursday April 18 through Tuesday April 23 are busy with the myriad of projects Clifford and I have going on while we are camped at Percha Dam New Mexico State Park. Some projects are Carnicom Institute related, including completing the newsletter (finally!!!) and sending it out to our email list. Clifford’s focus is on the presentation he will be giving at the conference in Santa Fe in just a few days. Miscellaneous projects include watching hummingbirds and creating a collage cover for a new journal.
Watching hummingbirds
Collage journal cover
I spend time walking along the river, though the wind and the Easter weekend crowds somewhat limit my desire to be outdoors.
Vertical reflection
Horizontal reflection
Most days are sunny, but one particular day, cumulus clouds built up and a dark storm moved in. However, like the previous storm, we get only the wind and dust, but no rain. Another day, while I’m at the river, a really fierce wind comes up, seemingly out of nowhere, blowing dust and causing the trees to weave about. I walk back to camp as quickly as I can with my sweater over my head to protect my eyes.
Dark storm clouds from the east as the afternoon sunlight lights up the trees
Occasionally we sit outdoors to eat and once we took a dusk stroll together, but for the most part, due to the wind, our projects are done inside.
A dusk stroll
Being at this state
park with electricity has been very productive for us, but it is time
to move on. We are looking forward to the conference where Clifford
will be speaking, as well as seeing friends from the years we used to
live in Santa Fe.
Artistic rendition of moonrise at Percha Dam at the moment of sunset
A moment later, as the sun sets and the moon rises, the glow leaves the buttes
Wednesday April 17: I go for my usual morning walk at Percha Dam New Mexico State Park where Clifford and I are now camped. The Rio Grande draws me, as the water, the reflections, and the great trees all feel good to my soul.
Reflections on the Rio Grande
The walk bridge at Percha Dam campground
Back
at camp, Clifford and I take care of CI business, most especially the
CI newsletter, which has been rather time-consuming. My daughter
Becka calls, and it is good to talk to her. I even have time for
playing the viola.
The afternoon light is quite nice, so Clifford and I decide to hike the trail along the Rio Grande, even though it has remained quite breezy today. With the nice lighting, I get photos that I like of the river and the light on the west-facing buttes reflecting off the river. It was especially nice hiking with Clifford.
Hiking along the Rio Grande
Clifford at the Rio Grande
Rio Grande
Reflections on the river
Once a mighty tree
I
had started chili earlier, so by time we get back, dinner is ready
and we sit out at the picnic table in spite of the breeze, glad for
the stone-walled shelter that protects us a bit.
Sunset at Percha Dam State Park
In
the evening, I start going through the photos that I took today,
culling some and sending a few texts with photos to family and
friends, a good way to end the day.
Tuesday April 9: After breakfast, Clifford and I go with our friends to the Botanical Gardens here at City of Rocks State Park in New Mexico where we are all camped. Then we hike through the rocks, not on the trail, but wherever our meanderings take us. We find a big “cave” in the overhang of a large boulder and spend time here in the shade as we visit.
Visiting the Botanical Gardens with our friends
Hiking in the rocks with our friends
Rock formation creates a cave of sorts
In
the afternoon, we all work on our various projects. Our friends make
dinner for all of us this evening, which I especially appreciate,
since I am most usually (like nearly always)
chief-cook-and-bottle-washer. It is nice to have someone else take on
this important responsibility.
We have been checking the weather frequently, as tomorrow was to be our leaving day. However, we see that it will be too windy for us, with gusts up to 60 mph on our intended route. There is sleet in Montana where my brother Rollie is headed, with a forecast for snow, possibly a lot of snow from the “cyclone bomb” that is hitting Colorado tonight and tomorrow. It is normal to be windy on the east side of the Rockies in the spring, but some of weather we are seeing and hearing about goes way beyond normal.
Wednesday April 10: It is windy and windier, with a temperature variation between the low last night and the high today of only 2 degrees. The sky is pale with dust, no doubt from the high winds. Our friends left very early to try to beat the inclement weather and high winds, but we heard later from them that it was a very harrowing drive for many miles. It would have been worse for us in the direction of our next destination. During the day we notice no one (other than our friends) leaving and no one coming into this usually active state park. We are staying beyond the 14-day limit, as are others who cannot travel today.
Cookes Peak nearly obscured by blowing dust
The wind is wearying and I head to bed as soon as the dishes are done. I have scarcely had time to fall asleep when Clifford wakes me up to find out where the mouse traps are. Traps are set and a mouse caught before I am even back asleep. Hope that was the only one!
Thursday April 11: It is not quite as windy this morning, so I go for a walk and take a few photos with plans to go back when the sun is in a more optimal position.
The “cave” where we all sat in the shade yesterday
However, by afternoon it is too windy to go hiking in the rocks again. We work on CI projects: MeWe, Friends of CI for our fund-raising platform, and start the quarterly newsletter. In the afternoon, we go for a short walk, very chilly, and back at the campsite, we pack up all the outside chairs, tables, solar panel, and so on, as we intend to leave in the morning. Other than the wind, we have enjoyed our stay here, but it is time to move northward. We have things to do and people to see!
Sunday April 7: Beautiful blue sky for much of the day here at City of Rocks New Mexico State Park where Clifford and I are camped. This is a real treat after several days of wind and scummy skies.
Beautiful blue sky at City of Rocks State Park
Our campsite at City of Rocks State Park with a great blue sky in the background
We have fruit for breakfast this morning, then go out to say good-bye to Rollie. He is packed and nearly ready to head out, on his way to Montana where he will spend the next several months playing bluegrass music whenever he can..
Rollie leaving for Montana
We have a CI business call and then I talk to my daughter Becka. Nice to have cell service here, but today the hotspot is very marginal, so I’m not getting as much done as I’d like. No blog posted today, but I do manage to get a couple photos posted on FB. I reorganize my bench, a big improvement, as anyone living in small spaces knows.
Bench reorganization project
Clifford and I are both able to spend time outside playing our instruments today – dulcimer and the long-awaited penny whistle for him, viola for me. An afternoon walkabout gives me a chance to admire the cacti that are beginning to bloom. I noticed the buds several days before, but now they are starting to open.
Painterly presentation of cacti blossoms
In the evening, Clifford has a call with his brothers, so dinner is late, but it is nice enough outside that we are able to sit at the picnic table to eat. I finish out the day with writing in the journal. Clifford has his ham radio and always has projects of one sort or another going on.
Monday April 8: This morning we are watching to see if an electric site opens up for our friends who are coming from Colorado, but none do. We pay for a pretty spot on the opposite of the rocks so that they will have a spot when they arrive. This park seems to fill up every evening.
Before our friends arrive, we make a trip to the Faywood post office, about 10 miles on up the highway, to pick up our general delivery mail.
A painterly Cookes Peak peaks over the foreground hills
Once our friends arrive and get set up in their campsite, they discover a swarm of bees in the tree right next to the picnic table, and then hiking through the rocks to visit us, they encounter a rattlesnake. So…. they pack up and move to the kokopelli site right next to us, which was not available earlier. This will be much more convenient for visiting and they come over to our site to have dinner with us. Later, we ladies head to our respective RV’s, while the men stay out until late, continuing their conversation. We will have more time to visit and hike tomorrow.
Friday April 5: Kind of a dark stormy looking sky when I go out this morning, creating a dramatic ambiance at City of Rocks New Mexico State Park where Clifford and I are camped.
The formation at the Visitors Center of City of Rocks State Park
Rays at sunrise turn the rocks golden
After breakfast, my brother Rollie, who just arrived yesterday, and I drive around the lava knoll, about a two mile loop. There are lots of sites tucked in here and there in the rocks around the perimeter of the loop, but not many are suitable for motor homes or even rigs as big as Cougar.
Rocks
And more rocks
Clifford
has an assurance that the missing penny whistle is at the Deming post
office, so he and Rollie run to Deming together and I have Cougar to
myself for a couple of hours. That is a rarity! I listen to CD’s
as I put away groceries from yesterday’s errand day, sweep, and
dance to music. When they return, Clifford finally has his penny
whistle. Rollie brings his instruments over and we get set up to play
bluegrass music outside. After only a couple pieces, the wind comes
up, so we pack everything up and move over to Rollie’s motor home
to continue playing inside out of the wind.
Rollie’s rig in the cul d sac near Clifford and me
We have a chicken dinner and then I play a game of cribbage with Rollie before taking care of dishes.
Saturday April 6: I have coffee with Rollie this morning at his rig while Clifford listens to his ham radio net. Back at our site as I’m making breakfast, the ham radio is especially static-filled, so I go out to the picnic table to eat and enjoy the sunshine.
Cougar at City of Rocks
After breakfast, Clifford and I take Rollie up to the viewpoint at the “Village,” as I call the nearby hill with the smaller cluster of lava rocks.
Going up to the “village”
Looking down at the City of Rocks
Yucca at the viewpoint
Great long views
Ocotillo blossom
Cookes Peak to the east looking painterly from the view point
Back down at the “city,” we walk through the Botanical Garden to a much smaller outlying group of rocks.
Clifford on the trail to the outlying cluster near the Botanical Garden
Clifford suggests lunch in Silver City, which sounds like a great fun plan, so off we go, driving about 30 miles to the Adobe Cafe, our favorite restaurant in Silver City.
After we return from Silver City, I take my viola over to Rollie’s to play music. We start outside, but soon move in out of the wind. Darn wind – it is warm enough to be outside, but the wind makes it hard. It is fun to be playing music with Rollie, whether we are inside or out. As usual, Clifford is our appreciative audience and we are glad he is there.
I walk in the rocks at sunset, my favorite time to be there, along with sunrise, which is also a good time.
Walking in the rocks near sunset
Before heading to bed, I review The Four Agreements: “Don’t Take Anything Personally.” Sometimes the events in our lives feel personally hurtful, but the wisdom of The Four Agreements is worth taking to heart.
Wednesday April 3: I walk in the rocks at City of Rocks New Mexico State Park an extra long time this morning, as it is calm for a change and the sky is a beautiful blue. I delight in each new and each familiar place where the meanderings take me.
Morning Light
Walking in the rocks
Rock formation near the Visitors Center
I spend much of the day on emails, editing, and get the next blog posted. Clifford and I work together on CI projects, updating the fund-raising campaigns that we have been working on in preparation for his talk in Santa Fe coming up later this month. He also works on music for the dulcimer, devising his own tablature system for it.
By afternoon it is
too windy to even be outside, so I’m glad I spent the time walking
this morning.
Token afternoon photo – wildflowers at the campsite
Thursday April 4: My brother Rollie and his little dog, Ninja, arrive mid-morning. I go around with him to help find a spot big enough for his motor home. He decides on the cul d sac next to where we are set up.
Rollie sets up in a cul d sac in the rocks
Clifford and I run into Deming to take care of errands, pick up supplies, and try to track down the missing penny whistle that Clifford had ordered from Ireland. It was not sent as instructed, and neither UPS or USPS seem to have it.
Back at camp, I go for an evening walk in the rocks with Rollie, as this place is all new to him.
Rollie and Ninja enjoy an outing in the City of Rocks
Nooks and crannies everywhere
Light from the setting sun
Sunset at City of Rocks
After the walk, Rollie comes to our place for chili dinner. I win the game of cribbage tonight, but win or lose, I am the one who does the dishes. LOL
Monday April 1: It is a chilly 33 degrees this morning at City of Rocks New Mexico State Park where we are camped, but not so windy as the last several days. I go for a short walk in the rocks before jumping into projects for the day: editing, answering emails, and sending a couple of agent queries in regard to Novels of Shannon, an epic fantasy written by Ang MacDonald, who happens to be my daughter. Definitely an engaging story for fantasy lovers. Then Clifford and I sit outside to start an outline for the book we anticipate writing — the story behind Carnicom Institute. In the evening I go for a longer walk in the rocks.
Looking toward Cookes Peak from the rocks
Another view of Cookes Peak
Labyrinth of pathways…
… designed by nature
Evening walk in City of Rocks
Tuesday April 2: It is cloudy and calm this morning, so I have a little campfire and sit out to write in the journal after a short walk in the rocks. Clifford is listening to his morning ham radio nets. Then he tries to figure out if the penny whistle ordered from Ireland has been delivered to the Deming post office where he is supposed to pick it up.
Morning walk in the rocks
Cougar tucked in
Campfire, coffee, and journal
Once he has exhausted the UPS search, we go to the Visitors Center, as they have an excellent display showing the exact location of the volcano that created City of Rocks.
One of numerous plaques describing the formation of the City of Rocks
After the Visitors Center, we drive to the smaller cluster of rocks that I call “the village,” located on a hill set apart from the main cluster. There is a great view of the City of Rocks from the overlook, but it is very windy up here and not really a great place to hang out.
Looking down at the City of Rocks from “the village”
We meet an interesting woman who is boondocking up here in her van. Then we go to the Cienga Trail, which is just off the road into the Visitors Center and camping area. We were thinking of only going in a quarter mile, but ended up doing the 2-mile loop…. hot, dry and windy.
I was glad to get back to camp.
Back at camp – the view from our front door
At sunset, I hike up to a high point in the rocks and take only a couple photos before I discover that my phone is out of battery. By time I get back to Cougar to get a small USB charger, the color has faded. It is still pretty, but too subtle for a good photo.
Hiking to the high point
One shot as the sun goes down
Pretty, but subtle now
Playing viola this
evening, I run through Suzuki Book II, a change from the usual
bluegrass tunes. I am tempted to finish the next blog, but it is
already close to bedtime, so let it go. Clifford plays his dulcimer
awhile, which is a fine and good thing at the end of the day.
Friday March 29: This morning at City of Rocks New Mexico State Park, I get up earlier than usual, still wanting to sleep, but also wanting to get photos at sunrise. Sunrise wins and out I go, taking quite a few photos, though the warm color doesn’t last long.
The warm color doesn’t last long
Artistic rendition
I walk to the Visitors Center and then around the loop as far as the Botanical Garden, taking a few photos before heading through the rocks back to our campsite.
Visit to the Botanical Garden
Trail through the rocks
Clifford and I work
on fund-raising campaigns for Carnicom Institute again today and I
finish editing the book proposal for an author that we know. I send a
few texts with photos and check Facebook, posting photos there, but
cell service is not great at City of Rocks, so don’t spend much
time fussing with the net.
We have to pull in the awning because of the wind, which is strong enough to topple Clifford’s radio antenna. In fact, it is so windy I don’t even go out to take photos at sunset.
Saturday March 30: The wind continues with jet trails marring the sky; I scarcely go out for photos today.
Our front yard
We both work on fund-raising campaigns and email for CI. I send texts with photos to family, finish a blog, edit more photos, and take care of phone calls. Clifford plays his dulcimer and works on the presentation he will be giving in Santa Fe. Chicken and left-overs for dinner. Although we accomplished some stuff today, it wasn’t exactly a fun photo-opp day.
Sunday March 31: It is a chilly 34 degrees this morning, but not quite so windy as I walk down to the Visitors Center this morning. I am happy to see a good blue sky as I walk.
A good blue sky this morning
Walking in the rocks back to camp
Back at camp during my morning quiet time, I read the poem by Mary Oliver about the golden snow geese, which touches my heart, as I had that same experience at Bosque del Apache in New Mexico many years ago when snow geese were flying in right at sundown. Anyone who loves nature should read Mary Oliver’s poems. She has such a way of resonating with the soul.
Projects include another blog and working on the campaigns in preparation for the talk in Santa Fe. In the afternoon, Clifford and I both walk in the rocks, which is more fun than walking by myself.
Hiking in the rocks
Clifford in the rocks
Me wearing my desert hat
City of Rocks State Park
It is not quite so windy, and when we get back to camp, we take a look at the awning to figure out why it has been hard to get in and out properly. We discover the side arm is jammed into the boom on one side. Once we get that fixed, we make a flow chart of the steps required to get the awning in and out, and post it on a 4 x 6 card above the door.
