Other New Mexican Doorways

Religious icons are a part of every village and many of the homes. The more colorful, the better.

An artist's private home in the village of Talpa. This was the most luxurious home in the village. Notice the "private" sign. Tourists can be very intrusive.

A home on the San Isildro Indian Pueblo. Very typical of homes found through out the Santa Fe area. This home probably had 800 square feet. You have not lived until you have seen a 10,000 square foot adobe home. Those tend to be behind secure gates, but even from a distance, it is very interesting.

Splash of Color

New Mexico has such different building traditions from Texas, my home state. Living in a huge city with sprawling subdivisions and every fourth house is the same elevation, we are attuned to brick, rock, green lawns, and landscape crews running amok around neighborhoods. Once you are in the heart of New Mexico, the home construction begins to take on its on sameness. The construction method of choice is adobe. The adobe is almost always a taupe/camel/tan color. In order to separate their homes from one another and as an homage to the south of the border aesthetic, many of the doorways have one very colorful element. The doorways can be incredibly ornate with carvings, ironwork, and statuary. However, even in the most basic home in some poorer villages, the homes still have splashes of color. I imagine they tell their visitors to look for the third adobe on the left with the aqua door topper :) These doorways always open onto a small or vast courtyard depending on the size of the home. I will post some photos of other homes and their doorways as a point of comparison. Can you imagine having a door like this in some of our neighborhoods with the "deed restrictions?" Letters would fly; neighbors would stare in dismay;threats would be made...not near as much fun as painting your door exactly like you want, is it?

The Charm of a General Store

Long before Walmart, CostC0, Target, and other big box type stores, there were the "little box stores" known as "the general store." Located in small towns/villages across America they were the lifeline for those folks who lived in the far outposts of America. One of the beauties of leaving the congested, over trafficked land of urban America where the big box stores are on every corner is finding the "little box store" that still exists in many places in this country! On the High Road to Taos between Chimayo and Taos, is the mountain hugging village of Truchas. Literally , half of the village clings to a mountain side. One small jiggle of the earth could send houses, churches, mobile homes, and people plunging to the valley below. These villages are simple outposts where people have been born,lived, and died. They tend to be mostly Native Americans and native born Spanish speaking descendants of those who explored this special land. And, there are those who are escaping something in their lives...urban chaos, the police, life, or whatever has chased them up these mountains. Their homes are very basic. I thought Texas had a plethora of mobile homes, but New Mexico must be a close second. The drive into Espanola or Taos is time consuming and requires a great deal of sobriety/alertness. The switchbacks make for interesting driving. So, enter the Truchas General Store.
The residents of this small village can buy anything they need until the next trek into larger civilization. I am sure when the snow closes the roads and the ski mobs are winding their way up the mountain this store is a welcome sight. Inside is every type of need one can have...from food to batteries to birth control. And, yes...every type of alcohol known to man. That should scare anyone who has ever driven in areas like this. More on that later. Next time you are somewhere "away from civilization" drive off the beaten path and find the local "box store." Go in, buy something, and take a deep breath. It does not smell like the Target in the next block. By the way, this store is for sale. Anyone interested?

A New Wind "Rushing Down the Plains"

I have seen these huge structures from a distance on my travels through West Texas out by Big Bend National Park. And, as I drove towards Lubbock, Texas on HWY 180 I was astounded by the number of these windmill "farms." However, thanks to a detour for a photographic moment, I came across this grouping up close and personal. These windmills are huge! As I sat beside them, there was no sound but the wind and a soft "thump, thump, thump" sound. I am not sure what I think about this new technology. However, I was intrigued sitting right beside them. I have heard that these windmills can cause problems with some folks in the inner ear, sound convergence, etc. Myth? Truth? Just shows there is nothing simple.

Albert Einstein in the Rocks?

Look at the bottom of this formation. Can you find a frontal type "profile" of Albert Enstein? These formations in the Bandolier National Monument/Jemez Mountains were fascinating. With no traffic on the incredibly winding roads outside Los Alamos, NM, I could really take my time. I hope you can see Albert here for time (no pun intended) and eternity.

Sea Level vs. High Altitude

As one who has crossed over the Alps and the Rockies, I thought I was immune to altitude sickness. However, New Mexico got the best of me in this visit. Being the solo driver/traveler, winding thousands of feet in the air, and simply being 15 years older made a believer out of me. This picture makes me remember the rules of being in the higher climes...drink lots of water! Eat sensibly. Next time I go somewhere similar, I will have lots of water and maybe those little oxygen canisters one can get from outdoor trekking type stores. You do NOT want to have to stop at a National Parks public bathroom on the by-ways...trust me :)

More Blues from New Mexico

In the Jemez Mountains of New Mexico, there is a magnificent force of Mother Nature known as the Valles Calderas. This phenomenon is the collasped crator of an ancient volcano. As I drove down into the caldera towards the headquarters, there were hundreds of small birds that would rise up, like covies of quail, out of the tall waving grass. From a distance I could see flashes of bright blue color which would rise and fall with the small fast birds. I stopped the car (no traffic at all), shut off the motor and waited. The wind was blowing gently, no noise except for the wind, and suddenly this bird landed on the post. At first appearance, the bird is gray. However, look at the blue underneath the gray. When the bird takes flight the gray disappears and all one can see is blue. These birds also can hover in mid-air, like a helicopter or a hummingbird. I tried to capture that on camera, but these little suckers are fast! I hope you get to visit the Valles Calderas someday and see these fascinating creatures along with some of the most beautiful scenery in the United States.

I Never Saw Blue Like That Before

Not all places are created equal. As a native Texan indoctrinated into the Texas is best in all aspects, it is hard to admit that there are places that make Texas look shabby. Yes, there are portions of Texas that are similar to what I saw in New Mexico;however, they are rare. As I drove through northern New Mexico I was constantly taken back by the blue of the sky. There is a wonderful song sung by Shawn Colvin entitled "I Never Saw Blue Like That Before." As I drove along the highways and by-ways of New Mexico, I thought of that song. I wonder if the people who live under these intense blue skies ever grow tire of what they see?