Whirlwind

Where has the month gone?

Two road trips,

(New Mexico and Michigan -

states so different, yet each one containing people I love);

multiple trips to doctors, various diagnostic tests 

and even a trip to an ER in MI

to test the limits of both my insurance 

and my patience.

Just rolling with life over here,

trying to keep my head above water

and partying on.

The road trip to New Mexico had the required stop in Lucas, KS 

to see the Garden of Eden.

 

These concrete figures, representing both biblical and political figures,

as well as the concrete 'log home' he built and lived in 

were created by SP Dinsmore, a retired Civil war veteran.

He began working on his passion when he was 64 in 1907!

I can only begin to imagine what his neighbors thought of him back then.

 

My niece had never seen it 

and its a must see when you're in the middle of nowhere.

There just aren't enough 'art environments' 

created by eccentrics in the world today to suit me!

After the wide open plains of MO and KS,

vistas through southern CO and Northern NW changed dramatically

and population centers starting falling away.

I hadn't seen my oldest since Christmas 2019 - and you know

it did this mama's heart good to hug him fiercely

and check out where he landed during a Covid move.

Studio - for painting as well as making fly fishing lures -

his two passions.

I suspect both helped him survive the past years isolation.

The view from his back deck.

There's a stream right beyond the willow banks - 

and across the creek on the other side is another willow bank,

but immediately behind that is the Historic Pueblo of Taos, 

one of, if not the, oldest continously inhabitated communities in the United States.

It's also a designated World Heritage Site by UNESCO and a National  Historic Landmark.

There are still many concerns about the impact of Covid on indigenous population 

and we were consciously trying to avoid groups of people, so I have no pictures of the Pueblo to share this time.

We decided to concentrate on the natural beauty found outside

and New Mexico has that in abundance.

I loved soaking up the sun and watching my boy in his happy place.
The fish were biting that day and even though 12 were caught in a few hours,

they were all catch and release.

We had Mexican food for dinner instead.

 After long months of solitary fishing, 

which my son is very familiar and comfortable with,

he seemed to enjoy having company with him.

Anybody else see a sleeping dog in this rock?

 

 We did go into Taos, 

but mainly to admire murals and hollyhocks.

Despite storms over the Sangre de Cristo mountains,

we remained mainly dry

Did I mention that I would like to always live near fields of lupine?

It wouldn't be a proper vacation without bringing back a folk art doo dad;

in this case, a vintage santos of our Lady of Guadalupe,

carved by NM artist ,John Tollardo, in 1989.

It was a lovely trip -

even if my mobility was hampered and my energy limited.

If all goes well, there'll be a return trip this fall.

Fingers crossed.