The Pacheco Fire

The Pacheco fire in the Santa Fe National Forest up in the Sangre de Cristo Mountains near the Santa Fe Ski Basin has been burning for over a week now.

The fire has consumed over 6,000 acres of steep rugged forested land, and at last report was 18% contained.

I took these pictures yesterday afternoon, when the visible smoke plum from my house appeared to have gotten much larger:

My tomatoes 2011

Despite the sadness and upheaval in my personal life, planting tomatoes makes me feel good, so I am considering this year's tomatoes a healing exercise. It is nice to have something healthy and growing on my portal.

June 2, the day I planted my tomatoes:


Today, June 25:






My first tomato:

Tony Hillerman's Landscape

I love this story ... it comes from the book "Tony Hillerman's Landscape" by Anne Hillerman ... this story is told by Hillerman and ocurred some years ago:

"Traveling on a train to Los Angeles, I walked to the observation car to take in the full expanse of the same landscape. The tracks parallel the highway for much of the route from Albuquerque to Gallup. Towering cumulous clouds cast deep shadows that moved across the plan and canyons. A thunderstorm growing over Mount Taylor looked ominous and powerful and the low angle of the late afternoon sun made the desert glow red.

I shared the car with two men from elsewhere wearing suits and ties. The businessmen stood silently for a moment, looking at the sight. Then one said to the other, 'My God, why would anyone want to live here?' From the tone of voice, I knew that he couldn't imagine it. But I was thinking, 'Why would anyone want to live anywhere else?'"

My husband John 1945 - 2011

My husband John died on May 5, 2011 after being healthy his entire life and then experiencing the brief illness that took his life. He was only 65 years old when he died. We thought we had many years left, and had many plans for adventures in the future.

He was a good man. Quiet, thoughtful, generous, and patriotic. He loved me and his kids and grandkids, and he loved the rest of his family and his many friends. He loved this country. I think he had a good life, and accomplished many things.

He spent many years as a research chemist at Midwest Research Institute and was always very busy on projects and business trips. Many of his research studies added to the base of knowledge of water and air pollution in this country.

In 2008, he retired and we moved to New Mexico, and I think the best part of his life began. He really blossomed as a community activist, a member of the Republican Party, and was chairman of the Santa Fe Tea Party. He worked on various local and state issues. He learned to speak in public, and to testify at the State Legislature. He gave his first interview to the press on April 16, and did a good job. He was committed to working for his country until his last breath, and he did just that.

He had two grandchildren, Victoria and Alessandro, whom he adored. They brought a new dimension to his life and brought out the playful kid in him. I regret deeply that he will not see them grow up and that they have lost a grandfather.

His funeral mass was at the St. Francis Cathedral Basilica here in Santa Fe on Tuesday, May 10, followed by a military ceremony at the Santa Fe NAtional Cemetery, where he was buried.

Oh, I will miss him! We were married for 42 years, and I never dreamed his time would come so quickly to be called by God to Heaven. I envisioned many wonderful years together, growing old here in New Mexico.

I have already learned some lessons: Do not wait a moment to tell the people you love how much they mean to you and express to them the good things they have done in your life. They need to hear while they are alive what impact they have made on you and the world around them.

And remember, life can be extremely fragile. Do the things you are planning to do. Make every single day and moment special in little ways and in big ways.

Rest in peace, my beloved husband. We will see each other again.

Santa Fe Tax Day Tea Party 2011

The Santa Fe New Mexico Tea Party held our 2011 Tax Day rally on Saturday, April 16 at the Plaza in Santa Fe.

It was a perfect spring weather day, we had excellent speakers and an enthusiastic crowd.

Got a few pictures, but not as many as other years:





Our veterans:



Suzanne J speaking:



Todd Hathorne speaking:



Brigette Russell speaking:

Up on Rowe Mesa

Rowe Mesa is located in San Miguel County, southeast of Pecos, New Mexico, just south of the tiny town of Rowe. The mesa climbs to a height of 8,048 feet.

The top of the mesa is ranchland, with piñon and juniper studded hills rising to pine trees at the higher location.

At the peak of the mesa, you can look out over miles of the Pecos Valley and the Sangre de Cristo Mountains.

We drove up to Rowe Mesa on my birthday on Easter Sunday. It was an unusually cloudy day with scattered showers around northern New Mexico, which were dropping rain in the valley and snow up on top of the mountain peaks.

The views were excellent. Here, take a look:

Scenery at top of the mesa:




Fresh snow on the Sangre de Cristo Mountains to the north:


From the top of the mesa, views to the north looking across the Pecos Valley to the Sangre de Cristo Mountains:

HAPPY EASTER!

A blessed Resurrection Day to all of my blogger friends and all the readers of my blog!