Sunsets and Elephants

facing west at 6pm

The huge Arizona fire that started 10 days ago is still raging out of control. We get these plumes of smoke and ash when the wind kicks up.  Advised by the NWS to close windows, turn off coolers.  The sky gets to be a strange color and the sun and the moon turn orange.  It's a bit post apocolyptic looking.  The heaviness of the ash in the air, and the mountains and valley disappear from view.  I have only had my phone on me when I have seen these red sunsets.

Nicholas

Ethan and Nicholas in the pouring rain.

I haven't had a moment to write a proper elephant blog. However, I will share a few pics from our trip.
Thanks for reading.
Each day is a gift. Open now.
xo,
Suz

4 More At The Door

Australorp chicks

Last night I got an email from a chicken farmer in the East Mountains of Albuquerque.  I had contacted him in March about getting some of his Australorp chicks.  He was out of them but said he'd have some mid May to late May.  I wrote back saying I needed them before of after our trip to see the elephants.  However, I never heard from him again.  I also left several voice mail messages.  Imagine my surprise when he emailed me!  

Full sized Australorp hen.

So here we go again.  I now have a broken foot, and am in a walking cast. So I can't do the things I normally can do.  I will enlist help of Lloyd and Ethan to move the nursery back into the walled patio area.  There will only be 4, so that is much less clean up or work. They are a large breed, and will grow fast.  Eventually they will be commingled with our flock.  Of course Ethan is thrilled to have chicks again.  

I could have told him no.  But these are a favorite gentle breed of mine.  And for another week, I have a 13year old farm hand. :-)

Thanks for reading.

Each day is a gift. Open now.
xo,
Suz

Big Trees

The Dogwoods were just beginning to show their colors.

We have just come back from visiting Big Trees, the Sequoias in northern California.  We stayed at our friends ranch while we were there: Scott and Barbara Slobodian.  Scott is a Japanese sword maker, and his wife Barbara an engraver.  Barbara fixed us beautiful meals.  We enjoyed their two Rotties, and a young Great Dane.  As you know I broke my foot before our trip.  But I "played through" walking a mile long trail with a cane and boot.

Grandma and Ethan in the drive through tree.

The weather in California was cold and rainy.  When I booked the trip months ago I expected hot and dry.  The trees defy description.  Really.  One has a feeling of Natural History taking place right before their eyes.  I loved seeing Ethan's face as he eyed these giants.  They are magnificent in every way.  I knew he would be impressed, and he was.

One of E's photos with new camera.

E in the fallen tree.

Me taking a picture of Scott taking a picture of E tree hugging.

Barbara taking a picture of me taking her picture!

There was a car trip out to dinner with "Cochise" their 2 year old Boston Great Dane, and Kiowa their Rottie/Australian Shepard.  Cochise was rescued from a horrid past. He was shy, and didn't like eye contact.  We would say to each other: "I don't see anything." :-)  We began referring to him as 140lbs of invisibility. Eventually he began to trust us.  Sitting on Ethan's lap for the 1/2 hour car trip!

140lbs of invisibility :-)

Ethan has quite an eye. So I handed down my set camera that has taken thousands of continuity photos for TV/Movie work.  The beauty of digital is that there are no mistakes.  Only deletes.  He went to town with it, and got quite a few stunning photos.  I taught him how to use iPhoto in the airport on our way home.  The proud Grandma thinks he will do right by his new camera.  It has great history.  He practiced on the "trees" in preparation for seeing the Elephants the next day.  That will be my next blog.

E in the trees.

E's photo of tree tops

Abe framed in a knot. Ethan composition again.

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

xo, Suz

One Step At A Time

Remember my blog about not chasing the FedEx truck 10 days ago?  Today I went to the emergency doc at Bob's insistence for an xray. I broke the cuboid bone in my left foot. So I am in a boot, with a walker.  Tennis balls and all. :-(  On Monday I'll see the specialist.  I've been walking on it for 10 days, so the ER doc referred me.

I leave at 6 am for Denver to pick up my grandson and go see the elephants in California.  It's been a trip that has been planned forever.  Nothing can stop me, and the ER doc said I could go.
More from California.
Thanks for reading.
Each day is a gift. Open now.
xo,
Suz

A Trip To Shidoni

3 men, and some molten bronze

This weekend we had a visitor from the Chicago area.  She had never been to New Mexico before last Friday.  It was interesting to see her  looking at the adobe, landscape, mountains, and vistas.  I always take visitors to Shidoni in Tesuque, just north of Santa Fe ( http://www.shidoni.com/html/home.asp. ) On Saturdays they allow you to watch them pour bronze.  Hot molten bronze pours out of a crucible like melted butter. We were offered a private tour by Daniel Kronberg, the man who introduced me to Bob.  He's a phenomenal sculptor, and person.  So informative, so excited about sculpture that Daniel.  It's almost contagious. He has a shop on Etsy at my insistence: dpkministat.  Shidoni sells his work.

Daniel (on the right) explains positive and negative process to Sandy and Charlie

We also visited Tesuque Glass Works which is located at the mouth of the entrance to Shidoni.  This time I got to see the owner, Charlie Miner blow HUGE glass platters.  He spun the piece of glass like pizza dough. It was incredible.  We ate at Tesuque Village Market, on the porch.  One gets the feel of northern NM sitting watching the cottonwoods sway in the breeze.

"Alien pod hatching zone"

A close up of the sign

a woman's shirt and feet in wax

Love the cigarette in this wax sheep's head

Both places promote alchemy.  All over the foundry are wax parts of sculptures. Random body parts being worked on in positive and negative form.  The workers there have quite a sense of humor.  I have included various photos of this. It was a great day.

hanging above a door

Wax crock pots keep the wax at the perfect temp

This is someone taller than "Yoid", JFK

We live in a place filled with artisans and craftsmen.  I feel blessed to be here.

Thanks for reading.

Each day is a gift. Open now.

xo,

Suz

From The Garden

The Crows greet me daily at the gate.

This spring has been a tough one.  The winds have blown 40-50 miles an hour.  The temps were warm in April, and then near freezing in May.  Gardening in New Mexico is a humbling experience for even the most seasoned gardner.  I had to enclose the large back garden on 3 sides with shade cloth.  Partly for sun protection, and partly for a wind break.  I planted tomatoes, and they were instantly bleached by the sun.  We moved the shade square umbrellas (see photo) to the back. I rotate my tomato crop.

Shade cloth and umbrellas up to brace against elements.

Most of the seeds are in.  Beans, cucumbers, mustard greens, broccoli raab, lettuces, beets, radish, eggplant, green chili, sweet peppers, cherry tomatoes, basil, flat parsley, onions, chives, chard, spinach, peas.  There are a few more seeds to plant.  I will have to get more tomato plants from the farmers market, as I think some of mine that got bleached won't make it.

onions,spinach,sugar snap peas, radishes in small garden

A crazy bug of recycled materials

pea flowers...so delicate

Our newest tenants Karen and Lloyd have been a helpful duo from above.  Their yard is really been cut back, and Karen is taking up the grass bit by bit.  I hope to have it with flagstone and perennials by end of summer. Lloyd ("yoid" the Spanish pronunciation) is very tall. He is able to prune trees without a ladder.  Amazing.  Bob and I feel blessed to have them here as friends also.  Karen is an excellent cook and we have shared many a meal and lively discussions on the patio.  She refers to herself as "Prunella" because she has pruned most of the trees and vines.

Karen attacking the grass!

"Yoid" pitching branches in the arroyo

Sadly we lost our big peach tree near the pool.  Our below zero temps and the idiot who planted it so close to the house/pool took it from us.   I will miss it, but not the constant dropping of peaches in the pool area. 

the end of the peach tree :-(

chard, leeks, radishes for dinner

oil lamps I will recycle for garden markers in my Etsy shop.

Thanks for reading.

Each day is a gift. Open now.

xo,

Suz

Chicken Love

I am changing my Facebook profile to this pic of Talullah. !

I am not going to hold back.  No self editing, shoulds, wouldas, the straight story.
I am in love with my chickens.  I will post pictures and try not to gush like the obnoxious grandma ("G-Dawg") I am.   I LOVE THEM !!!!!!!!!!!

Giving me Chicken Eye Contact

She's really feathering out nicely.

 "Irma" a black Cochin hen

Thanks for reading.

Each day is a gift. Open now.

xo,

Suz