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?

Civil War Cemetary-Vicksburg

The primary reason for visiting Vicksburg, MS is as a Civil War buff/historian. I am not a Civil War expert nor do I believe that war is the answer to all conflicts between nations. However, I do have a real interest in historic cemetaries and what they tell us about those who came before. As I drove through the section of the Vicksburg city cemetary that is dedicated to the Confederate soldiers of the Civil War, I could not help but, once again, see that war is fought by the young. The causes of wars are many and at times, in retrospect, appear to be events that really proved nothing but a nations' ability to wage destruction on its enemies-both real and imagined. Regardless of the cause of war the sacrifices that are evident in these silent cemetaries should force us to reflect on the results of these wars. To the families who lose their children and loved ones the toll is overwhelming and is never forgotten. Regardless of whether it is Arlington National Cemetary, the military cemetaries found in most major cities, or the monuments to "glories past," I can not help from thinking about the lives that were never allowed to find their natural end due to conflict between warring sides. George Orwell wrote the following concerning the willingness of young men and women to defend their country: "People sleep peaceably in their beds at night only because rough men stand ready to do violence on their behalf." I am sad for these lives lost. And, at the same time, incredibly grateful that there are those "rough men" and women who gave it all over the years. Perhaps you will say that the Civil War is not an example of this sentiment,but none the less, on this day, in this cemetary, I was keenly aware that sacrifice is sacrifice.

Ruins of Windsor-Mississippi

Located between Natchez and Vicksburg Mississippi are the "Windsor Ruins." Personally, I had never heard of this place until a friend and native of Vicksburg introduced them to me. Located on a state highway off Highway 61 and near Alcorn State University one can find this magnificent relic of the past. As I drove down a small paved road and then turned onto a dirt "path" I wondered if I was about to go someplace I had no business going alone at 5:00 in the afternoon. As I rounded a bend in the "path" there stood these wonderful columns! Alone among the towering trees with dappled light coming through and the singing birds that seem to be everywhere in Mississippi, I could not believe what I was seeing. Today there are only the remaining columns of what was once a magnificent home. As the light began to change and the wind picked up, the columns took on new dimensions. I stayed on the sight, alone, for about 30 minutes trying to photograph every angle possible. This historic sight is so unlike anything I had seen in relation to old southern plantation type homes. If you are ever in Port Gibson, MS ("the town to beautiful to burn"), take some time to go to the Windsor Ruins. Here is more information :

http://home.olemiss.edu/~kcozart/ruins.html