Chimayó, Part Two

Here are more pictures that John took on Friday at El Santuario de Chimayó. These were all taken on the grounds around the church. It is such a peaceful place.






These next two pictures were taken in the outdoor chapel (John called it a grotto) behind the church. It is full of very tall cottonwood trees which make a kind of natural ceiling over the benches and altar.




The santuario grounds have many shrines as well as the stations of the cross and fences where pilgrims leave various items: handmade crosses, ribbons, rosaries, pictures, handwritten letters, poems and other mementos. This one had many baby shoes and bibs. Inside the church believers have left crutches and walkers. The first time I visited Chimayó and saw all the items visitors had left behind, I was extremely touched and amazed at the faith which inspired people to take time to leave something tangible of themselves or their loved ones behind.



(Remember you can click on all pictures to enlarge.)

My pilgrimage

El Santuario de Chimayó is a Roman Catholic church in Chimayó, New Mexico. Revered to be a place where believers can find healing, the shrine has a room where visitors can scoop up some Chimayó dirt to take with them: applied to the area of the body which needs healing, the dirt is said to have miraculous properties.

Soon after I was healed from salmonella and the accompanying complications in August, I knew I wanted to make my own pilgimage to the shrine at Chimayó: not to gather dirt for healing, but to thank God for saving my life and giving me more time for the future, and to give thanks for all the prayers I had from family and friends which saw me through this illness.

It was a very beautiful day to visit Chimayó. We wandered all over the grounds of the church property. They have made some really nice upgrades to make it better for visitors. But inside the little church it remains the same as always, timeless, stepping back into 1816, when the present church was built.

I was not prepared for the rush of emotions I would feel sitting there and talking to God. To be given a miracle, and know that my life here on earth is because of God’s mercy, is humbling, and a reason to rejoice.





Our visit to Chimayó included a couple of other stops in addition to the santuario. We ate burritos and tamales at Leona's Restaurant, where they have been serving up great food for many years, and we stopped at Ortega's Gift Shop, where we bought a lot of gifts for family members. It was just a wonderful day.

Down at the Fire House

El Dorado Fire/Rescue had their annual open house last Saturday. It was our first year to attend. What a wonderful event - the fire house and all the trucks, emergency vehicles and equipment on display, lots of exhibits and free goodies for everyone, fun things for the kids to do, and a great barbecue buffet.

John and I had a good laugh -- first condiment in line to put on hamburgers and hot dogs -- a big bowl of green chile -- only in New Mexico!

We met our next door neighbors there and got acquainted with them. Very nice couple.

And I had a chance to meet the Fire Chief. Actually it was our second meeting - he was in our house in August with the ambulance crew that came to my aid the day I needed to go to the hospital -- but I don't remember much about that visit; I had a chance to thank him for the quick response by his crew.

It was a nice afternoon. Eldorado sure has a lot of events for the residents and a wonderful community spirit.

Here's some pictures:

Fire in the fireplace - Life is good

Last night we had our first fire in the fireplace in our house in New Mexico.

Been a long time since we have had a house with a fireplace - almost 30 years!

So finally enjoying an evening in front of the fireplace was really cool.

This one's for you, Laurel..

We were at an Open House at the Eldorado Fire Department today and we saw this:





HINT: It is a dog.

Any idea what breed it is?

First time I had ever seen one of these; the owner said they are quite rare. Indeed.

Four months at La Casa Towanda

It's been four months today since we arrived at our new home in Eldorado. Been quite a summer!

Getting the house settled, watching our garden bloom, getting acquainted with the library here in Eldorado, enjoying nightly sunsets behind the Jemez Mountains, taking some drives around the area to see the sights, many trips into Santa Fe for errands, doctors appointments, meals at some great restaurants, and that weeklong stay at St. Vincent's in August.

We love it here! It's everything we hoped it would be. And now that summer is winding down, we look forward to the fall -- cooler days and nights, the golden quaking aspens up on the mountain, chamisa in bloom everywhere with that wonderful fragrance, the aroma of roasting chile all over town, chile ristras for sale at the farmer's market and shops in Santa Fe, the smell of wood fires in neighboring homes, and soon ... our first fire in our fireplace.



(That's Sugar in the doorway.)

Santa Fe Farmer's Market, Part 2