Santa Fe, part one

 

view from Y-22

We've been in Santa Fe, at Santa Fe Skies RV Park, since August 10.   Since we last spoke, we left Big Timber, Montana. drove through Buffalo, Wy., Douglas, Wy., had great BBQ in Colorado City, Co., and enjoyed a short stop in Ft. Collins, Colorado. 

ugh....driving through Denver

pretty Meadowlark Lake near Buffalo, Wy

how'd she get on here?   Hi Annie!

When we arrived, several packages were waiting for us.   A couple with Taos' name on them....He quickly destroys his toys, and we quickly replace them with others we think will hold up to his mega jaws.   We're fools.    But.....he's sweet and willing to do and try whatever we ask, so we feel it's our duty to give him some fun toys for his down time.    Elk horn sections hold up best so far, as do leather "antlers".   And, oddly enough, small and very soft squeaky balls.     One of the UPS packages waiting for him contained three such balls.   

He also enjoys second cup and happy hour when he gets to suck, chew, lick, squeeze, bite, bounce and drop the little blue Kong in an effort to remove the goodies that we fill it with and freeze.    Oh...and ice cubes, they're his favorites!      Once the Kong is empty he turns his attention to the large blue Jolly Ball that we brought with us.   It originally had a thick rope through the holes but.....he chewed that off immediately.   Sigh.

slurp, slurp, slurp

We've been enjoying all that Santa Fe has to offer and at the same time giving Taos new and novel experiences.    As he lives with us, you have to know he has his restaurant behavior down pat......

entering San Marcos Cafe and Feed Store

crowded Clafoutis

very very good Margaritas at La Choza

stuffed sopaipilla and taquitos

waiting for green chili cheeseburgers

Cloud pancakes

Lobster salad!

This campground has lots of interesting things to walk around, under, on, and through during our daily walks.

ooof

We've taken some little road trips around the area.   One day we drove north to visit a National Historic Landmark, El Santuario de Chimayo.   It is often called the Lourdes of America because it brings almost 300,000 yearly visitors seeking cures from its "magical healing soil".      It was very quiet and beautiful the day we were there.    The parking areas are very large, reminding us that it isn't always this way.   

  

meeting of three cultures
(native American, white cowboy, Spanish vaquero)

A small prayer room off to the side of the main sanctuary contains a small hole in the floor, filled with the healing soil.    Its walls are lined with discarded crutches and photos of people who were healed or hoped for healing.

Outside, Taos met a new friend.   At first, he thought the statue of Father Roca was a real person, reaching out to offer pets.   He quickly realized the Father was not real, but he graciously accepted the pets anyway.

Another day we took our lunch and went off road in search of the River, the Rio Grande River.

Buckman rd. ended, unceremoniously, in the racing, silty river.   We enjoyed our lunch beside it and afterwards Taos blew bubbles and shopped for stones and sticks.    He was successful with stones, but the sticks he dredged up were quickly whisked away by the current.  It confused him.....

It's been very hot here, uncharacteristically so.   Usually, at these high elevations, the temperatures stay in the high 80's.   Not so these past few weeks.   We decided to go higher still, to Ski Santa Fe at about 10,000 ft. in search of more comfortable weather.     A dirt NF road caught my eye near the ski area so off we went into the forest in search of......what we might see!

A shady turn in the road asked us to stop for lunch and a walk.   Silence, pure silence that almost hurt our ears, rewarded our decision.   The rocks were filled with mica that sparkled in the sun, like shards of glass.   Rocky now has a few in his "collection" under my seat - I couldn't help myself, don't judge.....

We continued to follow this road, winding down the mountain and through the forest until we came to a paved road, civilization.    Google took us the rest of the way home.   I love those kind of days.   We all do.

We're tiring ourselves out and make sure to take time for short naps most every day!   

I think I'll close for now.    Time to get ready for our Anniversary dinner at Geronimo (on our actual anniversary we were in Douglas, Wy.....left over spaghetti and meatballs after a day on the road wasn't special enough for us!)  

  We're here for one more week, enough time for a Santa Fe wrap up blog post, right?

      

A Real Diamond Day

 We're here in Big Timber, settled in our site on the banks of the beautiful Boulder River.

clear blue skies today!

Dave's coffee came from Janna....our coffee maker just died
She's a life saver.

can you see the Merganser family zooming around?

Second cup outside is wonderful, water sounds, bird song, sunshine.    Well, except for the sound of a puking puppy.....the beautiful green grass is just too much for him to resist and the result is - well, you know what the result is.  

We leave in the morning, on our way south to Buffalo, Wyoming.   No particular reason to stop there, it's just on our way.

 

Yesterday was a Diamond Day for us.    We met Janna and Mike of restorationcowboystyle.com  at their beautiful and private home here.    We haven't spent much time with them, just a visit at their Arizona winter headquarters and a lunch at ours so we were looking forward to getting to know them better.    They have a new pup, Kaycee, who is just a month younger than our Taos so we were set for some fun!

Janna had a full day planned and she couldn't have given us a better day!   We loaded up our Jeep, turned on our walkie talkie (or whatever they're called these days) and followed their little yellow Jeep out the long driveway.

Once out onto the road we followed them to our first stop, Natural Bridge Falls.

 After a brief photo stop, we walked across the bridge and took a little hike (walk) around to the various viewpoints before returning for a picnic lunch, complete with a red checked tablecloth!   Oh Janna, you're too good!

 

big and little puppies

Little Miss Kaycee was the perfect hostess.   She invited Taos to play, batting him in the face and scooting around him.     He enjoyed her overture's and tried to play as gently as his huge self could, with a leash attached.     On the walk and during our lunch they were very well behaved and stayed calm.    Later, at the house, howe er, he became tangled in his leash and fell on top of her.....she didn't like that one bit and he was embarrassed so we decided it was time for their visit to end.   Sorry Kaycee girl, he's not in total control of his body yet!

I couldn't capture the grandeur of the falls with my little phone.   I tried, but these are the results.    The colors and the speed and the sound of the racing water were incredible.

 

It was a little smoky that day, I can only imagine how the mountain and river views would pop on a clear day.

Michael led us up the Boulder with Janna narrating along the way - perfect!    We saw (and heard about) the famous folks living in the area, Michaels early life and family homes, the huge church camps beside the river and anything/everything else that I asked about.   

Sage Grouse, aka stupid grouse (I know that isn't it, but I can't remember the right name, help Janna!)

that water looks mighty cold to me....

the wind caused that bay horse to shy, but his rider never lost her seat, or her hat!

They even led us on an off shoot to see the huge Palladium mine in the area that brings it's employees up those graded dirt roads in large buses daily.....because I asked.   How's that for being generous hosts?

At the end of the day we followed them home, back down the Boulder, to a lovely and delicious al fresco dinner on their patio.  

rhubarb pie! 
(and Dave's other favorite food, deviled eggs, for lunch!  Oh my)

 First, though, they took us up the hill behind their home, the hay field, to show us their views, and I was blown away.    I don't know why it affected me so, but it really did.     Silence, just the sound of the wind. expansive vistas in every direction, not a soul in sight, ahhhh, just ahhhhh.

Once again, my phone couldn't capture.....

Some days are diamonds.....