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Hello, hello! Bird is the word today. Witness the splendor of Cedar Waxwings noshing on neighborhood crab apples. They are such beautiful creatures! There were at least twenty of them flitting about the tree, and Greg, Juniper, and I stood for several minutes in wild wonder.
Let’s break for lunch! I was craving sesame chicken and got right to it. It did not disappoint, my friends.
Crow and hawk, mid squabble! Look at all the beautiful shapes, colors, and feathers. Love, love, love…
Moody light over Taos, so beautiful!
Taos Mountain enveloped in snow
Picuris Peak
Sangre de Christos
For our return trip home, we found a cool casita just a “block” away from our Taos land. We know the neighborhood, but this was the first time we actually set foot on the property, having bought it at the height of the pandemic, and walked the gorgeous views.
We also had a wonderful breakfast (how excited I am to have New Mexican style food I won’t have to make myself!) with our delightful realtor and equally kindly person, Yvonne Trujillo and her husband David, talking land and concrete and wells and everything in between. How real this is all becoming, thrilling and frightening, too. Please think good thoughts for us!
I am ridiculously content, sitting in the wood stove warmth of the Sugar Nymphs Bistro in Penasco. We love this place, as the service (our sweet server was named Colleen!!), all the food, and especially the desserts, are top notch. This is my absolute favorite seat in the house, right by the stove and with a great view of the art lined walls.
We also, for the first time, made a couple of wine and cider tasting stops at Black Mesa and La Chiripada. Both were marvelous, with super friendly staff. We bought quite a bit for two people who don’t drink on the regular!
Taos Mountain from Picuris Peak and zoomed from our neighborhood. We’ll have a view of this stunner from our back porch. Huzzah!
Tags: New Mexico, Traveling
Hi! I’m listening to a super chatty tour guide. Completely unrelated, my very cool necklace charms are Gemini and Cancer constellations (for me and my star crossed love) from the delightful Kayla at Fox and the Fawn. They have the most wonderful jingle! I am also wearing her rings. Here’s to supporting hard working metal smiths.
Greetings from Taliesin West, stop number two on places of architectural interest in Arizona. As you know, if you’ve been with me for a while, I am rather fond of Frank Lloyd Wright structures, and this is no exception. We visited Phoenix in part to see this great place, all stunning angles and sublime views, unlike the hordes of suitcase rollers we encountered post Super Bowl. We didn’t know it was even happening, which gave Cynthia (see below) a good chuckle! The pair of us are impossibly out of touch when it comes to sports and absolutely without apology.
No visit to the Phoenix area would be complete without a visit with Greg’s awesome cousin, Cynthia, who picked up her Texas stakes for Arizona at the beginning of the pandemic. We enjoyed tacos on an eye wateringly hot heated patio, walked in the rain, and caught up on stellar, in-person conversation. We are super proud of all she has accomplished and what is happening next. All the things, indeed.
She and Greg are not only looking good (seriously!) in the wee slice of afternoon sun, but standing in front of one of her multiple citrus trees in her beautiful back garden. She gave us a bag of fruit, and I made marmalade, no surprise. It is all the more delicious knowing the origin.
bird of prey and ocotillo
Fun Valentine lunch at Tonto!
Our final full day in Cave Creek was a cold one, rife with mist and fog, with our cozy Valentine lunch sandwiched midway. It was as delicious at it looks.
Juniper and I cozied up with sweaters and books while Greg did some fast typing. Have I ever told you about this? He is the fastest typist I know. So much so, I often call it fake because he sounds like a child hammering willy-nilly at the keys. He absolutely is not.
Boy howdy, the photos, save maybe the last one, absolutely do not display the horror of being on the roads of northern Arizona on February 15, 2023. We have never seen so many smashed vehicles: lying on their side, heading the wrong direction, upside down. We found, quite literally, the one artery to I-40 that was not closed and inched along at 20 miles per hour. The final photo is a mere smidgen of the at least three-mile long chain of vehicles stopped overnight and hoping to get moving westbound to Flagstaff. Yikes!
Our friend Mary said we must be living right to have such good fortune. Thanks for saying so and big hug.
Tags: Traveling
Another lovely drive, westward along I-40 to Gallup. If you may recall this is where Juniper was found all those years ago. One day we will time everything right to buy some moccasins for Greg (my feet are too poorly now) and some jewelry for me, as we keep arriving on quiet Sundays, when all the shops are closed. The eye candy is still worth a stop, oh, and lunch at Blake’s Lotaburger. Yes, yes.
Navajo Nation Land
Oh, yes he did!
From mountains to desert, and so quickly! My heart was aflutter at the geologic wonder.
Arcosanti has been on our list of architectural places to visit for ages. There is a certain hesitation knowing the whole history of the creator, Paolo Soleri, but for the countless others responsible for the magic of the place, we could not miss it.
A place of solitude and contrast to the desert landscape, yet wholly of it, it is quite remarkable.
So many gorgeous details and stunning views. This is a window to a private residence.
I spy with my little eye…Greg Cooper!
The bells! We did not take a tour, for reasons of timing and thrift, but did by a couple of the exquisite bells. The gallery is church-like, a perfect hall for bouncing sound. We tiptoed through, ringing each that caught our fancy, and after much discussion on size and shape, chose the perfect tones.
The view out our window!
We stayed in a super modern getaway in Cave Creek, well away from the hullabaloo of Phoenix and positively surrounded by saguaro of every height and armature. It was quiet with people and alive with birds and insects. Juniper was wild with excitement at the scent of every new step.
When we arrived, I worried a bit at the temperature. It was in the mid-seventies, and we packed long sleeves and pants for for cooler temperatures. My fretting may have jinxed the whole situation, as the weather took a drastic turn, feeling more like the Pacific Northwest than the desert, with rain and more rain, even a little hail. We made the best of it, however, as you’ll see in the next post!
Tags: Traveling
At the heart of every being lies creation’s dream of a principle that will one day give organic form to its fragmented treasures.
Pierre Tielhard de Jardin
Tags: Quoting
