Santa Fe Love Affair

One week ago today John and I boarded a plane that eventually delivered us to the home of his sister and her husband in Colorado. For the third time we all gathered for a road trip to Santa Fe in time for the Indian Market.

So first allow me to introduce our cast of characters. John of course you know. His sister Judy E. is in the photo above. She (among other things) actually cooks out of the Julia Child cookbook. (yum!)

Her husband Jack you may have met on his blog, The Galloping Goose. He has also written about our trip there. He is a wonderful oil painter and does drawings that actually look like the things he means to draw.

Christine is John's niece and she lives near her mother in Denver with her husband Rick. She is a fiber artist.

Rick is about the smartest guy on the planet. He's got me schooled up on Woot (has an iPhone app), Edward Tufte, Snaptel and Evermore (both iPhone apps). My projects for the next few months.

So the three units of two manned three vehicles and tooled south through the high mountains until we reached Santa Fe.

There was a lot to see on the seven hour drive.

Most of the time we were at elevations of over a mile high. Santa Fe is around 7000 ft. elevation. The thin air has an extraordinary effect on one's body; you feel sort of stoned all the time.

You see things in a different light. For one thing the sky is so blue you can hardly believe it.

And for another the clouds are blindingly bright, white and near you. So opposite of Oregon.

The first night we tucked into our favorite haunt, Marias. Here you can choose between hundreds of kinds of tequilas and agave liquors. The food is classic New Mexican style Mexican. We love it.

The next day we hit Canyon Road with great vigor. Oh, the profusion of good art is nearly overwhelming. This is where you come to learn, to see, to enjoy.

I'm standing in front of my favorite find of this year; a painting by Don Quade. I love love love his work. You can enjoy the work at the link and see if it appeals to you.

Me me me. Well, it's my blog. ;-)

This work is by Michelle Y. Williams and it is an abstract on metal framed cleverly between two sheets of acrylic held by copper bolts.

I purchased one of her pieces although not one of the two pictured here. Yum yum.

I'm forgetting to mention here that a number of these shots were taken by either Jack or Rick. Jack caught me in this one running away from the monkey.

Pomegranate Margaritas were the drink of the trip. At that altitude it only takes one.

Rick shot this beauty.

About 5 minutes after John took this shot the clouds burst forth with a fragrant, cooling rain. We were at the Folk Art Museum.

On the drive back John and I stopped at this small hotel in Taos where we once spent a week in the early 90's. We were glad to see that the giant cottonwoods still shaded the patio and that all was as we remembered.

Driving back to Colorado.

A reader asked what my traveling art kit contained so I shot a photo for you. I love being able to see into the pouch so I know if what I need is there. I carry pens, a date stamp, a set of hand carved numbers in a tiny mint tin, 2 small rubber stamp pads, a glue stick and scissors.

On our last morning I journaled and we ate at Judy E.'s house; flautas, sweet melon and salad. The pot in the photo is a Hopi treasure that Judy bought at the market. She has a collection of Hopi pots; she is the one among us who collects while in Santa Fe.

Last night we returned to Portland, full of memories and glad to be home.

Here is my portrait for Self Portrait Wednesday. For once I unpacked my bag immediately; now to catch up with friends and family. Vaya con Dios.