Road to Los Alamos
Sitting a thousand feet below Los Alamos is the community of White Rock. Officially part of the Los Alamos zipcode, it is its own world of 3200 hearty residents. This was where the construction workers who built the Lab of Mass Destruction in the 1940's lived and it still retains its working class ethos as well as its own stunning views of mountains and the Rio Grande.
Snowing at the Rio Grande Lookout
Wind swept in White Rock
A delightful wake up call - snow and enough moisture in the air to make my curls exceedingly happy
El Rey, Santa Fe, NM
With three hours to spend in the Mexico City airport I was getting a bit restless, so I gave myself a photo assignment. With my iphone my goal was to find three different view of airport life.
Trash can view
Red Face Ladder
Closed Shop Gate
The collective motion of thousands of birds in swirling patterns is called a murmuration. Scientists have many theories as to why they happen, but it is still largely a mystery - a mystery that makes for a wonderful sunset show. As we depart from San Miguel the brown headed cowbirds are passing through town on their way north and their murmuration was like a three act play. In the first act we sat and watched a small group of red legged stilts fish for dinner along the muddy shore. Occasionally one would wander into the yellow reflections of dried grass, creating an almost autumn like scene. We began to wonder if we had bad information about this event.
In Act Two, a few scout birds start entering the area from the south, then a few more. For awhile it doesn't look like much, but slowly the numbers begin to build. Just when we think it is the end, thousands more birds arrive in tight flying squadrons and then the dance really starts, high in the sky. Swooping, arcing coils of flight. A small group breaks off and starts swirling around a nearby island. We can hear their wings as they make their rapid turn around the back side of the island.
As the sky darkens, the third act begins, a slow descent over their nesting area. Gradually birds drop from the flock onto the trees until every last bird has its home for the night and it is too dark to see them against the trees.
It was a lovely farewell performance for our time in San Miguel de Allende
Sunday was a day of dance in the
Jardin. From the gazebo at the center of this town's meeting place
came the sounds of the tango and sambo. In front of the Parroquia were
"traditional" dancers enjoying a sunny day at last. A Mexican friend of
mine takes great umbrage at these performances. "In Aztec culture,"
he says "wearing feathers was reserved for only the very highest
members of society. "
Meanwhile, in between the two dance groups, young break dancers set up their own impromptu stage with a large piece of cardboard. With humor, grace, and the flexibility of young joints they gave us all a great show
We went on a little trip yesterday - a fundraiser for Casita Linda, organization
in San Miguel that builds houses for homeless families. The event - a
Folk & Blues Festival - took place in one of the most unique homes
anywhere. Ranchito Cascabel began as a simple project by Tim Sullivan but grew into something much grander. He says his inspiration was the work of Antoni Gaudi of Barcelona. More than one attendee could be heard making comments like, "Looks like it was designed by someone reading Alice in Wonderland on LSD. "
One stop service - no electricity for grinding wheel necessary.
March 1st was a cruelly cold day for the dancers. It is one thing to dance in 80 degree heat and quite another when it is 55. Accomodations had to be made for skimpy costumes on a chilly day.
On the first Friday in March the day begins early in San Miguel. Long before dawn we heard singing and then the unique sound of seed pod anklets as dancers began their predawn trek to Jardin. This Fiesta de Los Conquistador celebrates the adoption of Catholicism by Mexico's indigenous people. It is celebrated with incense, drums, an ancient corn husk statue of Jesus, and thirty three dances that take 24 hours to complete. And of course, fireworks....
Not the street sign I was expecting in San Miguel.
Don't miss the matching bow in the hair....
This door art is just across the street Andre's on Hernandez Macias. It was probably there before Andre moved his salon across the street, but you have to wonder about how the universe works. And by the way, if you have curly hair, Andre is the guy you want to see.
One of my favorite restaurants here is an outdoor cafe with a mesquite fired grill. The food is simple, unpretentious and wonderful. But best of all is the folk art tableaux hanging on the rest room walls.
