Wordless Wednesday: The Photo I Wasn't Allowed To Take int Taose

retablo San Francisco Church Taos, found on line

Travel With Me Tuesday: Taos Farewell

Saying goodbye to my adobe in Taos, I finally took a photo of the omnipresent sunflowers, small ones but colorful. Behind them is the house on the adjacent property. Modern and well taken care of in contrast to my adobe stay which was a glimpse into the earlier days and a different way of life.

As I was going to a conference on Pope Francis and Saint Francis I decided to stop and visit this church, just at the end of my road into Ranchos de Taos.

I was the only one around on this early Saturday morning, but saw the cleaning woman arrive and she opened the church doors for me to have a look. The rest of the plaza was very quiet and empty. A nice feeling.

I never was sure of what these structures were but suspected they were there to contain water coming down from the roof.

Closer to town I spotted the Post Office where I had a postcard to mail to my young granddaughter. The woman on the left had the kind of outfit you don't see round Annapolis!

Again, another thing we don't have anymore in Maryland - outdoor pay phones. You see all sorts of things when you travel.

I had planned to eat at Leonel's Tamales for dinner but since I stayed in my adobe earlier in the week, I was thrilled they were open for breakfast.  I got my two tamales Christmas style, one green one red. I ate all my eggs and half the tamales and then got back to my car and the road south.

I love reading road signs and when I'm driving I stop at every one I can. Especially these which tell the stories of the land I was crossing.

I stopped and looked at the jerky for sale as well as the other dried items. The young blond made me laugh when she said "I never expected to see YOU get out of that orange Mustang!" No and I hadn't planned to be driving one either but it was often a fun source of conversation with people.While I didn't buy anything, I wished her well and silently hoped she'd get a handsome young man stopping later in the day to make up for the disappointment she must have felt when she saw Nana!

Travel With Me Tuesday: A Day in Taos

After the crowds as I drove into Taos, I decided I really didn't want to do much of anything on this day and definitely not 'go shopping in Taos. Even window shopping.  I wasn't very hungry so I just sat outside a lot while the neighbor was on his computer in the kitchen. He was becoming quite an unwelcome presence  However, for one day I could cope.

There were no signs of raccoons and a shut door did not keep 'computer guy' out.  

I did have some computer time at the kitchen table too but finally decided it was better to be in another room and not hear his swearing.

With such a nice day I took myself outside in the afternoon, to sit and read and then listen to my landlady's radio broadcast on astrology. Only in Taos!

Above, you see the outer door of the adobe which had no lock and led into a little vestibule, courtyard area. Below, I lazed out and enjoyed the quiet and the dappled light.

After I sent 'computer guy' home, a finally met my landlady after he radio broadcast. I asked her to tell me what some of her drying herbs were. Others I knew, as I had once worked in a herb shop and had also taken a course through the Smithsonian on healing herbs.

Then in the early evening, I decided to finally take a walk in the fields behind the adobe, and while the landlady had said I could just lay down in them, I am not that much of a nature lover.

Yes, the river is the Rio Grande, one of the many many wanderings it does in New Mexico on it's way south to become truly the rio GRANDE.

These flowers looked familiar to me, mostly because they seemed to be ones that give off a lot of pollen. However, I've not had hay fever for many a year and planned to keep it that way.

Looking along the property edge, I could see the distant distant mountains. I don't know their name but what wonderful views to see all the time. But really Taos is not the place for me. It must have been something back in it's earlier, quieter days, days when drugs did seem to be the answer.

I wondered what this was, took the photo but forgot to ask. It remains something to wonder about.

Travel with Me Thursday: Pueblo to Taos

My reason for going north to Pueblo, CO was on the recommendation of a friend. She had seen a chiropractor who also did muscle testing and really really liked him. After being really sick of the way my Annapolis chiropractor jerked my neck, I was ready to try someone else especially for the muscle testing. I knew about this from earlier energy work but had never experienced it.

Waking to sun again was a nice experience and even though it got overcast pretty early it was cool and very pleasant.

I didn't take any photos of my time with the doctor but it was a wonderful experience and he even asked how I felt about neck manipulation. When I said I hated having my neck jerked, he was very gentle but effective.  I wish he were closer! When finished, I did know to drink lots of water to continue getting the toxins out but I had to stop at the original  Taffy's candy and ice cream store.  They really did have it all including candies I recall from years ago as well as candied apples, popcorn of all flavors, you name it. I got a rocky road cone and managed to get a good drip on my tan slacks. That may be a sign of good food!

Then it was time to pack up my room after a short nap and head back south to New Mexico.  I was on my way to Taos where I had my first experience with Air BNB.

But there's always lunch to be eaten and this time I stopped in Walsenburg, CO at a Carl's JR for a bacon cheeseburger. Damn good I must say but no green chile which almost put me in withdrawal. Then it was back on the road and off I-25 eventually to veer west to Taos. I finally saw some animals and took this photo of goats for my friend Catherine. Not sheep but as close as I could get.

I finally got to Taos and eventually found the site of my little adobe. It was a bit of confusion at first with the tenant of the other house on the property sitting in the kitchen to connect to the internet. He was working there while waiting for the net to be installed in his home. I tried to stay in the flow and understood his predicament but he got to be a royal pain. The house was pretty special and I doubt that I'll have a chance to be in another adobe in this lifetime so I was glad to have the experience.

I did not sleep up in this kitchen bed but had I been younger I might have tested it out. At this point my knees said NO and I retired to the main bedroom for another good night's sleep.

With a candle in the kiva and a light down comforter,  I was off in dreamland And in Taos.