S H E L L Y!!!

 "Shelly" ate lunch on the project table in the shop. 

Yesterday morning I was leaving to do some errands and saw a shell in the middle of the road. Not a sea shell (I'd need more than coffee to see that in the desert), but a turtle shell.  I pulled over. Indeed, it was and I stopped traffic to pick it up.  A head popped out and looked me in the eye.  "Hello there.  You shouldn't be crossing such a busy street kiddo."  I swear the turtle opened and closed it's mouth.  I released traffic getting thumbs up from two drivers.  I set  it on the floor of the passenger's seat and drove back home.

"Look what I found on my way to the store" I said to Bob.  The one thing about Bob is that he is an animal lover too.  He has welcomed every beast brought home by me or the kids.  He got a big grin on his face.  There wasn't even a discussion about keeping it.  I put he/she in the walled back part of the yard.  I'd deal with food and such later. I did put a saucer of water next to the turtle.  I knew it's name would be "Shelly"...very androgynous because I don't know how to sex a turtle.  "Shelly Turtleman."   The internet would provide answers, but I had to get those errands done.  I even posted on Facebook that I'd found Shelly.

Shelly likes my tomatoes!

I was standing at the sink near the window that faces the mountains.  A black cloud darkened the window and I looked up.  It was no cloud...it was a hawk.  So I grabbed my camera and walked outside to try and get a photo of it. It was perched in a tree.  It saw me and flew away.  I could see Shelly in it's clutches.  The same shape I saw in the road, but this time flying through the air!  "Shelllleeeey!"  I yelled.  The hawk and Shelly flew out of sight.   Very sad.  :-(   I again posted Shelly's plight on Facebook.  Getting lots of support from friends.  Bob and I woke the next morning, both having dreams about turtles and hawks. 

Is this the cutest face?!  Shelly's belly.

I was out watering, as I do almost every morning.  When I came back through the gate...who was sitting there?  Yes, Shelly.  Tucked in his/her shell, the dog giving Shell a good sniffing.  I picked Shelly up and probably scared the reptile out of him: "SHELLLLY!"  I trotted into the shop and exclaimed:"look who I found when I was out watering?"  Again a grin.  Bob and I examined Shelly.  He has many marks on his top shell that look like a beak had tried to get in.  I gave him more water, carrot and lettuce.  Then he went and hid.  Smart Shelly.  I posted again on Facebook that Shelly had returned! Also Shelly's head shot.

Shelly looks concerned...as the dog is very close.

Later I got a call from a friend who said:   "It's a tortoise!!!"  Oh, uh, yeah...sure.  I don't really know the difference.  But the internet will provide.  I am off to look up what a tortoise eats. Tomatoes are on the list.   What will Shelly do when winter comes?  I have such a great visual for a story of "Shelly the flying tortoise."    I have wood and lathe laid out to make Shelly a porch to eat in safely.  No jokes about using the tortoise shell for a knife handle.  What a face!

Shelly's new view from our yard. The "Sandias" (watermelon).

I sent Shelly's photo to a turtle lover in Albuquerque who said Shelly is
a garden variety Desert  Tortoise.

Thanks for reading.  Each day is a gift...open now.

xo
Suz

Indian Market 2010

2010 Poster

On Saturday morning Bob and I will get up at 5am, make coffee in go cups, and drive north to Santa Fe. We will be heading to Indian Market. As the sun comes over the mountains in Albuquerque, we will be on the plaza in Santa Fe.  There aren't many reasons I would get up before the crack of dawn. Indian Market is like Christmas to me.  The energy is high, and the vibes very good.  Plus...by 10am it's packed with people.

I've been going to Indian Market since long before I moved to New Mexico.  Every year I buy something.  Which means a jewelry box full of gorgeous Native Jewelry.  I always try to seek out a new artist and purchase something.  When I look at my jewelry now...I have to laugh, as I couldn't afford to buy it.  Most of the artists I have purchased from have become quite famous.  Who knew?

This year Bob traded a knife for a painting by Mateo Romero.  Mateo was the chosen artist for the Indian Market poster last year.  Every year there is one artist among the hundreds chosen.  I loved Mateo's work long before he ever called Bob about a knife.  I have been visiting THE BEST Native gallery in New Mexico: Blue Rain Gallery.  They originated in Taos.  Now they are off the plaza in Santa Fe.  Tony Abeyta, Mateo Romero, Preston Singletary, Tammy Garcia, Randal Lagro, Marla Allison are among the many fabulous artists at Blue Rain. Mateo's painting hangs in our front hallway.  I walk by it 25 times a day...it always makes me feel happy.  Recently we went up to Mateo's studio on Canyon road.  He's an amazing person, as well as an awesome painter.  We have Tony's colograph "Night Fertilization" in our living room.  If I were rich...the place would be packed with these artist's work.

 The "unveiling!"

We had a dinner party to celebrate Mateo bringing the painting.  We had met Pat Pruitt and Marla Allison at a knife show.  So we invited them, and the man Lucas who introduced us.  Marla and Mateo had been doing some work up in his studio with their friend Ryan Singer.  So he came too.  We made a big Italian dinner, and all had a great time.  Mateo is also a printmaker and I believe we could have talked about printmaking all night.  I was honored and warmed by our guests.  We have to do it again soon.  We will see them all at Indian Market.  Every time I walk by Mateo's painting I think of that evening together.

"Butterfly Dancer" by Mateo Romero

I don't know the name of this piece or who Mateo is standing with!

Tony Abeyta

Above Tony's recent black and white piece, and Indian Market poster.

Marla Allison

A painting of Marla's Mom by Marla

Ryan Singer

Ryan Singer juxtaposes and places known characters in Native settings.

Ryan gave me a button with this image on it.
I have it pinned to my work bench.

Pat Pruitt at his CNC machine

A kick ass bracelet of stainless steel
  made by Pat Pruitt.
Wait till you see his stingray
and stainless concho belt!

Presley LaFountain sculptor.
His son Saige is a very close friend of

Bob's son Dan. 

These are just a few of the artists that will be up in Santa Fe this weekend.  If you are local, please go.  The Native artists and craftsmen come from all over the country.  It's a feast for the eyes.  

See you there!

Thanks for reading, I'm still amazed you do.  Each day is a gift.

xo

Suz

Back at the Ranch

Green chili, tomatoes, and basil

We don't have a ranch!  But we refer to our acre as the "ranch." As summer days wind down, and "monsoon" hits New Mexico: we are harvesting tomatoes and green chili from the garden.  I try to balance the garden, jewelry biz, and visitors.  Some days better than others.  We had 4 friends from Milano visit last weekend.  Such fun! With the doors to the shop open, we've had butterflies, birds, and lizards visit.  The dogs next door have gone from barking crazily at me out in the garden, to digging their way out under their fence and visit.  Buddy guarding me, has not been pleased to see those hounds in "HIS" yard.

 A Thrasher baby perches on the hose line to the compressor. 

A yellow swallowtail seemed to want Bob's company!

I decided that pictures would tell it all.  The B & W photo taken with a new App from Apple called "my hipstamatic photos." It's amazing.  Different lenses can produce different effects.  The digital look of photos gone back to the past  of analog photography.

 "My Hipsatmatic App in black and white" Only small photos work well.

Monsoon season is here. This is one minute of rain on our front porch.  The ground is so hard that is does not soak in. Just runs off and down to the Rio Grande River.  Arroyos that are normally dry ditches fill in minutes. 

 A watermelon with black "sugar bites" which are a true tell that the watermelon is ripe. The sugar leaks out forming these black clumps. 

Our friends from Milano 

Serena and Libe Model my raven pendants!

Night time or "vampire gardening" as I refer to it. Tomato Alley, a spider helping with pest control and my new head lamp from True North Knives!

Pesto to go in the freezer.  My husband Bob matched up all the lids of the plastic I have

been saving all year for garden goodies. 

My pesto recipe you have been asking for:

2 cups packed basil leaves washed and dried

1/2 cup walnuts, 1/2 cup pine nuts

1 cup cold press olive oil

1 cup parmesan cheese grated

1/4 romano cheese grated

4 cloves garlic

squeeze of fresh lemon (1 teaspoon)

lots of ground black pepper

Put basil, garlic, nuts in food processor making a dry paste.  While on, drizzle olive oil into paste.  When creamy add cheeses, black pepper and a bit of lemon to keep it green.  Toss in hot linguini, or any hot pasta.  Makes about a cup...use 1/2 cup pesto to one pound of pasta.  Enjoy!

Sunset from the Ranch.

Thanks for reading!

Each day is a gift!

xo

Suz