in his viewfinder

today I spent some time at the farm. mom & I cleaned up & organized the garage/garden storage. we brought in plants & swept up drifts of leaves & peacock feathers. while my niece collected feathers, my nephew needed to explore. so I handed him my camera, showed him how to use it & told him to be careful with it.

I didn't look at the photos until now. the barn above & the pix below are his creations. they all make me smile.

handfuls

last night was the first freeze. tonight is the next.

so I picked the few zinnias still blooming. and my last handful of basil.

this is the time of year when things begin to slow down. and remember where the warm places are.

before I left, a new season started rolling in.

he came home from work late one night, coming inside saying, "you have to just see this!"

and so I threw on my jacket and stepped outside, forgetting shoes. and falling from the nighttime stars were huge, sloppy, soft flakes of snow. it was beautiful.

the next morning in the sunlight it all fell from the trees. looking like glitter.

I love that this will be my second Fall in New Mexico.


we bought locally grown Yellow Delicious apples from a farmer wearing a mustache & a cowboy hat. they were crisp & sweet. he told us to take a few "rejects" from the box on the ground too. so later I cut out the bruises, chopped up the good pieces, soaked them in cinnamon & sugar, and threw little piles in between layers of pastry dough. then covered in a sugary glaze, they were definitely worth that morning stroll to the farmer's market.

and, october.

cute, but nervous, pygmy goats at the wool festival.

beautiful wool in many shades of grey. from a farm in colorado.
didn't buy any wool. but bought things made from it.

Fall is in New Mexico. a view over the fence in the adobe's yard.

a very dark night. & walking into a warm home.

our middle september

campfire nights.
one or two rainy mornings.
perfect afternoon naps.
cooking big meals.
taking walks under the cottonwood & walnut trees, listening to bluegrass everywhere we went.
a memorable biscuits & gravy breakfast as the sky cleared.
on our last night, storms scared us enough to send home the kids.
but all was quiet.

one more winfield.

also, it was one year ago that little Fitz died. and I came home from the vet so sad. only to find an email from one of my favorite men finally asking me to visit him. and then started my new love in new mexico.

all set up

a lovely sunday morning at our campsite in the hollow.
and our still clean & organized kitchen area.

looking forward to campfire nights.
and long days under the walnut trees with friends.

but first today, work to finish.

away heat.

the heat faded. a magical cold front came through last night.
and we are all relieved.

my lawn is dead, and so are many things I so eagerly planted this past Spring.
but my geraniums are doing fine.

windows are open & the breeze is crisp.

feels like it is about time to go camping for a week on the Walnut.

sunday in august

in one small way, taking place in the season changing. 
gathering summer's basil. freezing it for winter months.
and making pesto for enjoyment now.

and recently this has become a favorite spot, for both of us.
though while she naps, I imagine & sew.

keeping busy to help the time pass into september.
in less than two weeks I get to see my slim man again.
& then we'll go to winfield.
where so many of our favorite people will also be.

here & there

zinnias in kansas.

hollyhocks in new mexico.

starting lists for winfield. hearing crickets in the morning. trees exhausted from heat dropping leaves. noticing how the afternoon light is becoming more hazy. all signs that summer is near end.

i'm looking forward to Fall.

a peak view

picture taken & then sent to me yesterday.

a pretty reminder.

truetone fun

i enjoy listening to vinyl on my little portable record player. first on an old classroom unit I bought years ago at a yard sale. and more recently, on a new one given to me by dad (thanks dad!).

I've wanted an actual turntable. but buying one meant also a receiver & speakers.
and that all seemed intimidating.

today on a whim, stopped at the antique store. went upstairs & immediately saw an old truetone turntable, with built-in receiver & speakers. it works well. & it looks like the previous owner loved it enough to take good care of it.

so screw buying something new.
I found something old. and pretty. and sounds good. and right now it is playing johnny cash.
and, it was on sale.

one summer weekend

evening on the deck with friends. children & a sprinkler.

the sun set on the way home to pack for a quick trip north.

a morning drive to k.c., after a night of soft rains.

with family at a very sweet wedding.

and an early drive back home. for our 4th annual garden tour.
more fun with friends.

august begins

 hot. dry. kansas. the heat is burning up the fields, my dad said to me last week.

and though dry for most of my visit, the afternoon rains hit new mexico right before I left.
as the train pulled into the mountains, I watched the land soak up the storm.

las otras fiestas de taos

little girl on the merry-go-round horse

I didn't take these.
Russell Lee did, of the Taos Fiestas, in July, 1940.
The collection are in the Library of Congress.

visitors to the fiesta

crowd of people watching the dance at fiesta

visitor to taos fiesta

las fiestas

this weekend is the annual las fiestas de taos. honoring the patron saints, santa ana y santiago.

music, mass & a carnival on the plaza. including an old carousel called "tio vivo".
watched a mariachi band play, but missed the azteca dancers. and the parades.

lots of little girls in ruffled skirts & flowers in their hair.

seemed like a lot of junk/carnvial stuff than stuff that would actually represent the point of the festival. like bedazzled t-shirts of pop stars & virgin de guadalupe instead of anything that might represent the patron saints.

I drank a lemonade one day. & a watermelon juice the next.

I also watched an old man use tiny metal saw to cut into a silver bracelet the words, "ad astra". which I'm enjoying having on my wrist. but that also I can't figure out how to unclasp.

& my niece will be getting a pink dress with embroidery of flowers & bugs.

july friday

a little bit blurry picture of where I live sometimes.
taken on a walk home after happy hour.

it just sprinkled.
wish it would in ks too.

today begins the town's las fiestas. am looking forward to all the colors.

sleepless & late. but a quiet ride. with traveling boy scouts.

house sitting a quiet house on the mesa. perfect for siestas.

last night clouds rolled over. and barely sprinkled.

wishing for rain. rain enough for the open plains, the wide pastures, the milo & wheat fields, the wide mesa, the pine forests & gardens of tomatoes. 

red

hot. dry. so hot. so dry. but still humid.
grass is crunchy underfoot.
drought-resistant wildflowers wilt.

these are the days that test a love of kansas.

but, my tomatoes are getting ready.
so, that's fun.

this weekend's freedom

wore hats. drank cocktails. chatted.
fun with friends.

played croquet.
watched a storm roll in.
enjoyed the little rain.

lounged in the pool.
to escape the heat. hot. heat. hot.
burgers from the grill with tomatoes from the garden.
got sorta sunburnt.

the smell of sulfur in the air.
constant explosions outside.

Life, Liberty & the Pursuit of Happiness.