Monday, July 27, 2009

Be It Ever So Crumbled And Tumbled Down

Chaco Canyon National Historic Park Northwestern NM


We visited these places during our Easter trip to New Mexico to visit my mom in Roswell.




Chaco Canyon was a major center of Puebloan culture between AD 850 and 1250. The Chacoan sites are part of the homeland of Pueblo Indian peoples of New Mexico, the Hopi Indians of Arizona, and the Navajo Indians of the Southwest.


"...pre-planned architectural designs, astronomical alignments, geometry, landscaping, and engineering to create an ancient urban center of spectacular public architecture."









Here's an interesting side note: William Henry Jackson; a famous photographer of Western landscapes and railroads visited Chaco Canyon in 1877 with the U.S. Geological Survey. Because he experimented with a new photographic process, all the photos failed. If you've seen this place, you would know how disappointing that would be.



Aztec Ruins National Monument (Anazazi site--not really Aztec) Farmington NM





Grand Kiva Looks like they're considering the place for a wedding reception, doesn't it? Hmmm. Where would you display the cake?







Well, good thing they're already married.
















Wednesday, July 22, 2009

Merry Montana


Quirky and surprising.









Right down to their pork chop sandwiches.





Yep. That is mustard you see on these sammies. Royce makes them like chicken-fried steaks.
And Johnny makes them with fish and chips batter.


But they are pork chop sandwiches, both.

Wednesday, July 15, 2009

Seven Deadly Secrets


Daly City Nancy (Hanaike House) "tagged" me on her blog and I usually don't play those games because I'm just a little bit too cool for them, but because it's Nancy, I'll do this one. Supposed to write 7 things about myself that might not be common knowledge. I know, huh? Penny and secrets? I guess I'll have to dig through the past to come up with something. Caveat lector: I probably won't answer any questions these revelations may engender.


#1. Childhood reputation: Poker face. I'm standing between my sisters...we're dressed for fishing. That's me being excited.








#2. Used to be a clown. "Shuffles." Had to give up the gig when I scared all the kids and the birthday boy ran and hid under his bed. I scared the parents, too. They all just stared at me. Fools.












#3. Even with summer swimming lessons as a kid, I didn't learn to swim until I was in college. And though I had taken a few trips to the coast, the very first time I ever swam in the ocean was in Korea at the East Sea. This is unusual if you know how much I love to swim and how I think the ocean is my real home. This wonderful event occured after a four-hour bus trip across the Korean country side, a 2-mile hike into hills to the farmhouse where we stayed, an agonizing wait to cook lunch over a wood fire and another mile-hike to the bus stop to ride a half hour to the coast! Yes, I love the seaside and I was glad it was "fun in the sunny 80s" so I could wear those giant-framed sunshades.




#4. I talk to strangers and I don't always pass up hitchkikers without giving them rides. 'Nuff said.






#5. My daughter and her friends call me a human lie detector. You can't lie to me. You just can't. You can try, but I will bust your lyin' bee-hind. Unless I feel sorry for your pathetic self trying to tell me stories. It's a gift.










#6. I found the end of the rainbow and I TOUCHED IT! With my sister who is no longer in this dimension with us, but I can't find the picture of her. (That's her in the fishing photo above with the curly little pigtails she didn't want to mess up with a hat.) She must have taken her rainbow picture with her like she took a big chunka my heart with her.





#7. What will I be in my next life? Hmmm. I think....Horse Whisperer.





Friday, July 10, 2009

"All Deep Things Are Song"

My baby grew up
and fell in love.

Just seeing them together makes the air ring with music...
but just in case that's not enough, check out his first official album (that features the tender little voice of his wife!)
http://djbrokkensoul.com/

Monday, July 6, 2009