Taos

We walked off our Trujillo Burritos around the Plaza in the center of Taos. The ski season ended last weekend, and it's too early for the summer tourist madness. So it was quiet, desperate shopkeepers standing around, we gots great coffee on the corner at World Cup and sat in the square to enjoy.
The LOVE APPLE restaurant did not disappoint, great Pecos Valley grass fed beef steaks done to medium rare perfection, the ambiance was pleasant inside an old small church. This is a new restaurant, more modestly priced than many in Taos.
Our room at El Pueblo Lodge was large, quiet and quaintly appointed in a 1930s sort of way. We turned up the heat and left the room, toasty and cozy that night.
The next morning after a groovy breakfast at the Taos Dinner we headed up the high road to Arroyo Seco, looked around for a pottery shop Carol had heard of, found a fine art print shop, bought some cards and walked around the two block town. This picture is in Truchas which was at elevation 8,400 feet.
Well, what can I say? This is a New Mexico look.

On the way to Taos--Rancho de Taos

We had seen GEORGIA O'KEEFE'S famous painting of this church, so we parked there and walked around to the front. The workers were no doubt sprucing up the white details in anticipation of Easter celebrations. A local amateur historian grabbed us in the dusty street and started filling us in on the history of the Church of Saint Francis at Rancho de Taos. It had been a block square compound at one time, the pictures show the state of ancient adobe which has NOT been tended to on a regular basis.
Across from the church was a building Carol has admired over the past few years, FOR SALE, and forlorn but fabulously red.
Let's see does she look like a pilgrim?
The impromptu history talk related the story of Dennis Hopper's movie BACKTRACK , and this was in the scene where the drug dealers had been hiding out, however it was in better shape back in 1989. Starring Jodie Foster and other Hollywood notables......we looked it up on Netflicks, and it sounds so baaaaaaaaaaaad, we may have to rent it sometime.
More OLD ADOBE outbuildings. I wandered off to check out a small artist's studio and shop and when I walked in the owner/artist was talking to tourists saying that this Church of St. Francis is the SECOND most famous church in the US. He then queried these people with: "and the MOST famous church in the US is????????"........................they drew a blank and just as I was entering I chimed in: St Patrick's Cathedral in NYC. So I met Robert Cafazzo, a very nice man and excellent artist. I bought a lovely little piece on paper from him. After that we headed north to Taos, and Montes Chow Cart for the highly recommended Trujillo Burritos, which included a long chilie rellenos. Robert also recommended we dine at the Love Apple and our response: oh we already have reservations.

Georgia O'Keefe and the Plaza in Santa Fe

After a great american style breakfast at the Tune Up...we headed to the Georgia O'Keefe Museum, Carol has lived here three years, but this was her first visit. No pictures inside of course, so this is proof I was here and it was a gorgeous sunny day.
Then we took a stroll down the lane with Native sellers at the Portal of the Palace of the Governors on the Plaza. Plenty of turquoise and hand made jewelery, I was hoping maybe I'd find a replacement for the ring I bought three years ago and managed to loose at the Hollywood Farmer's Market about a year later. But I found out that not many man's rings are made, and I NEED a size 11, so could not find anything I liked, which is just fine.
We walked into the LewAllen Gallery and met Barbara whom I met three years ago. She's a REAL art dealer.....she took a phone call attempting to sell a $15 Million Giacometti in Zurich, I do so hope she puts that together, she could retire. We walked out during her phone call and then heard her calling up the street Caaaarrrrooooolll so they had a catch up chat.
Sweet government building near the Plaza.
Before leaving the downtown area, we slipped by the Cafe de Paris and Bakery, found an almond croissant and a pain au raisin, took them home and enjoyed with tea....oh so good and so very French.

YAK Burgers in Albquerque - onto Santa Fe

Actually, I got things out of order this first picture is from this afternoon when I waited for Carol to have her massage. The Tune Up is a pretty cute cafe, and it started getting almost too hot to sit out in the sun, I was just having a nice iced coffee and checking out my Santa Fe map.
I'm with Stan, one of the owners of the Coyote Dinner in the heights of Albuquerque where Tony, Randy and I had Yak Burgers (not on the menu-you gotta be in the know.) They were very delicate and delicious, I'll eat Yak again anytime.
I painted The Moffitt residence six years ago........and now it's on their pretty blue wall in the dining room.
Tony, Randy and Amos, after Randy and I had played 8 games of ping-pong (I won.)
The infamous JR cutting Carol's hair in her kitchen AFTER we had her fabulous Indian food for lunch. He cut my hair first and I love it, don't have a picture yet, next post.

10 years of Ping Pong and I never have fallen

My first time to fall playing ping pong in TEN YEARS, this Wednesday afternoon, Randy and Tony and I were playing. They have mats on their tile floor so that there was a bit more kush for Merimee. Well, when I was going for a backhand shot and the ball was below the table, my left foot just STUCK to the mat....and I went flying sideways, down on my hip, my left arm hit the baseboard heater and my shoulder made this great big dent in the wall. We all surmised that IF there had been a stud there, I might have broken my collar bone.
This is the side of my hip, good thing I have some extra flesh there....no broken bones, no concussion, and not too much pain thanks to ARNICA homeopathic and ICE packs. Which I used right away. It's actually amazing how little hurts today. Randy and I played three games this afternoon, without the mats, and I was at the other end of the table. But he beat me 2-1.

Tucson-Sliver City, NM to Albuquerque

I stayed in Silver City, New Mexico to break up the drive to Albquerque.....couldn't face an EIGHT HOUR drive.........so stayed here to check it out. Visited with Blythe, whom I haven't seen since 1969. I stayed in a small hotel called Gila House, took a short walk around the town. Had coffee in the morning at JAVALINA, a take on the wild animal of the same name. Met the owner, Polly, whose sister has lived in Eugene for 40 years and although I don't recognize her name, sure I might know her face.
Silver City, according to Polly is a third world country, but artsy with retired hippies.
Monday morning I think I was the ONLY person driving up the mountains and through the GILA NATIONAL FOREST. It had been 31 degrees when I got up in Silver City.....this was definitely the scenic route.
On the other side of the mountain, the first sign of life--------------CLOSED.
Going north on Highway 25, headed to Albuquerque. Cool and sunny day.

Saturday's Historic House Tour in Tucson

Laura and I went yesterday afternoon for a self guided walking tour of the old south of dowtown historic homes tour which was sponsored by the local Episcopal church, the proceeds to go to feed the homeless. Hum, irony? It was fun on such a nice 78 degree day to walk around about 7 or 8 blocks, some of the places only showed their gardens. Mostly the homes had been lived in the for the past 20 years and lovingly restored and DECORATED. Did I say gay guys????
Cute pink house, we were just walking by, I was thinking IF I lived in Tucson, this is where I would want to live, in the ACTION.
Water catchment at the back of a house owned by well known activist Nancy Bissell. She had pictures of how this house had been a burned out shell just three years ago.
Nice Tucson back yard, this was owned by a local professor.
Did I say gay guys? And their collections, and decorating, and great colors, and fun combinations of STUFF.

This morning in Sabino Canyon OUCH

The saguaro on the left is called a Crested Saguaro, I've never seen one before, so it was great to see such a big lovely specimen. We headed to Sabino Canyon because I remember being here six years ago. They have a tram that goes up the mountain side in the canyon, it makes NINE stops and when you buy a ticket you can get on or off at any of the designated stops.
Laura and I decided we would ride the tram all the way to the top and then walk back down, with the possibility that if it got to be too much, we could just jump on the tram.
However about half way up the tram hit a rock, and came to a sudden DEAD STOP and I zoomed forward, slid off my seat and my already injured knees went right into the textured metal seat back ahead of me. OH MY GOD, just what I didn't need (kneed) since I am not even fully recovered from my fall on the sidewalk in front of Cary's apt in Portland. That really HURT. Well, we just kept going up on the tram and I tried to assess the damage. Not really that bad, but oh it smarted. I knew I needed to get back home, ice and take Arnica. Kind of a real bummer to not take this much anticipated hike. I'll live. But maybe I won't really feel like going to the dyke dance tonight.

Thursday we went to Tubac, about one hour south

Just could not resist taking a picture of this beauty. Tubac is a small "artist" community one hour south of Tucson. It's the kind of place that is full of tourists, and I think they just didn't want to risk going to Mexico, so they came here. Lots of shops, a few galleries, we saw one real art gallery, too many gee gaws for me.
But we did have a nice lunch, looking out on the courtyard, SO SUNNY, can't be unhappy here.


I really won't bother coming here again, just too too touristy.

Wednesday morning in Tohono Chul Park

When in Tucson, it's required to go out and walk around in a desert park, hope that none of those cacti jump out at you.......the air is fresh and cool but the sun is warm, I'm actually getting a little tan.
And relaxed, this is a desert park with a lot of architecture right at the edge of Tucson, very pretty with a lot of flowers at this time of year.
We don't see these in Portland
Another view with the Catalina Mountains in the background. Not planning on going UP THERE.
This is a huge piece of malachite and azurite.......with Laura who has lived in Tucson since 1972.

Getting acclimated to desert air at Bill & Judy's

It's Saturday morning, I've already been up and out to get an oil change, ready to drive on to points south. I went out last evening to take these pictures around Judy and Bill's house. The back patio area looks out on the horse pasture. They are on about an acre of land, with orange and grapefruit trees lining one side of it. This is all in the middle of a Mormon enclave......not that you can tell by looking at the people, but Judy has told me this.
Judy did this painting, I'm going to guess at least 15 years ago of her great-great grandfather, funny he looks a lot like Bill.

The view of the pasture and huge palm trees, don't see them like this in Portland. It was about 85 degrees yesterday, and somewhat overcast, so not too hot, but feels so so very different from home. When I went to the local Starbucks and they asked if I wanted my coffee hot or iced, I murmured oh yes that' s right, I'm in Arizona now. So of course the barista asked when I came from and I said Portland, Oregon politely. That always gets a positive response, like oh it's so beautiful there, oh I want to go there.....anyway the conversation ended with "well, welcome to..............hell."