#12-Shidoni Sculpture Garden

Located in Tesuque, a village 8 miles north of Santa Fe, the Shidoni Sculpture Garden has long been a favorite of mine. It's part of a 3-part complex that includes the Shidoni Contemporary Gallery and the Bronze Gallery. It was established as a foundry in 1971 by sculpture Tommy Hicks. On Saturdays the public can watch as 2,000 degree molten bronze is poured into ceramic shell molds, one of the many steps in the casting process.

#11 The Best Sky in the World! Santa Fe Vacation

I took these four photos in the car while traveling down Highway 84/285 from our day trip to Bandelier National Monument. The photos clearly show why artists come to Santa Fe, the light and sky are spectacular...the Best Sky in the World!

#10-Cliff Dwellings-Bandelier Nat'l Monument

Bandelier is an archeological site preserved in as natural condition as possible. Evidence of human activity dates back more than 10,000 years. The people who settled in Frijoles (free-HOH-lace)Canyon are known as the ancestral Pueblo people. Anyone who visits the Santa Fe area should visit this canyon to get a greater sense of history. These photos were taken in the area of the cliff dwellings. If one is agile (I AM!), ladders can be climbed to view some of the interior rooms.

#9-Homage to the Burro-Santa Fe Vacation

This handsome fellow stands at the entrance to Burro Alley on San Francisco Street. A plaque reads: Wood peddlers, farmers and merchants used Burro Alley. Burros economically served the many cultures of New Mexico for many years. The people of Santa Fe relied on the burro for their welfare.

SF Vacation #8-Spanish Market

The annual Spanish Market has grown much larger since I've been here last. It's a two-day festival that celebrates the culture with traditional and contemporary crafts of extremely high quality: textiles, jewelery, furniture, paintings, tinwork, wood carvings, retablos, bolsos, straw applique, and sculpture to name a few. There also is a category for youth artists, beginning at age 7. In addition the Plaza has music and dancing throughout the day. This collage is a collection of photos of a fashion show, "Exhibicion de Modas" of 18th Century apparel, worn by descendants of early New Mexican settlers; some of the models were grandmothers as well as their granddaughters. The clothing all had exquisite detail, and the audience enthusiastically welcomed their show!

San Francisco de Asis Church #7

Just south of the village of Ranchos de Taos, this mission church gained widespread fame after Georgia O'Keeffe painted the backside of it, which is now a favorite church to photograph by both amateur and professional photographers. Since so many people have not seen the front, I snapped both. The top is the famous image captured by O'Keeffe, but the bottom is the front entrance of St. Francisco.

#6-Santa Fe Opera, 2008

 

John Crosby, 30, found the Santa Fe Opera in 1957 and its first production was Puccini's Madame Butterfly. Crosby retired in 2000, having built the Santa Fe Opera into one of the most famous companies in North America. The 2,126-seat theatre is 7 miles north of Santa Fe. After 4 decades the famous open-air amphitheatre was finally roofed in 1998 although the sides are still open to the nocturnal desert air. Because of its spectacular building and setting and the high quality operas, tickets are often snatched up months in advance of the opera season.

#5-The High Road to Taos

Last Tuesday we drove to Taos on the old highway, The High Road to Taos. It's one of my favorite things to do when I'm in this area. The vistas are breathtaking with a good deal of variety. Not to be missed!!

SF, NM Vacation #4 St. Francis Cathedral

Saint Francis Cathedral closes off the east end of San Francisco Street. It was designed in Auvergne, France by Antoine Mouly and his son Projectus, who journeyed to SF to oversee the construction. Before it was finished three different architects worked on it, revised the plans and completed the building which was consecrated in 1886.

Santa Fe, New Mexico Vacation #3

Several statues are in the courtyard in front of The Saint Francis of Assisi Cathedral, but this one is the most interesting. It immortalizes Kateri Tekawitha, 1656-1680, who is said to be the first Native American to be promoted to sainthood by the Roman Catholic Church.

SF, NM Vacation #2

I've discovered that the marvelous light in Santa Fe is VERY tricky. I think that I need to shoot either early in the morning or late afternoon. I continue to experiment!

Santa Fe, New Mexico Vacation #1

Yesterday afternoon we landed in Albuquerque and drove to Santa Fe in our rental car. The house we rented exceeds our expectations, and the owner is a PERFECT host! I still don't feel 100% but sunshine, ambience, and countryside will be wonderful tonics! I know that when I'm not out-and-about, I'll be spending lots of time on this patio.

"Alice Doesn't Live Here Anymore!"

A neighborhood private school is buying several blocks of houses in order to expand their campus. Many, many decades ago (a hundred years?) they originally owned the land but sold the property, which then turned into blocks of small bungalow-type homes. Because of limited space and increasing enrollment with a corresponding need to expand in the current educational climate, almost all of these houses have now been purchased by the school. The photo shows the tail end of the demolition of one house. The steps lead to blank space on the vacated land.

By the time you read this, my DH and I will have vacated our home (temporarily) to take a much-needed vacation in Santa Fe, New Mexico. It's convenient to have a son who will live in our house and take care of our dog and birds while we're gone. I'll post from SF during our two weeks respite! It is SO GREAT to feel healthier again!! And, I hope it stays that way!!

Cafe Cronies

For the past several years these four men (as well as a few others) have been regulars in the morning at a neighborhood cafe. Getting to know them and joining in their conversations on occasion always is fun. I've learned some valuable life's lessons from some of our conversations.

Window and Flower Box

Walking through my neighborhood at this time of year is a real treat. Because our winters are legendary (record snow or low temperatures) people LOVE the summers. Almost every house has an abundance of flowers, which makes the neighborhood colourful and very attractive. I'd love to live in a climate where these were year round images. Would you?

My Neighborhood

What an odd looking tree! Anyone know what kind it is? I suppose I could knock on the homeowner's door and inquire. If I see them outside, I'll ask. In the meantime, any suggestions?

The Catwalk

This well-maintained block long cement path sandwiched between several houses stretches from one street to the next, and is affectionately known as The Catwalk. When my children were young they used it for biking, skateboarding, and roaming the neighborhood. Now it's a convenient shortcut during my morning neighborhood walk...helps me recover my health as well as lifts my spirit.

My Morning Walk

I haven't posted for a long while because I have been sick with a short hospital stay. I'm on the mend (I hope!), and I take a leisurely early morning walk now since I am feeling better. This leaf from a Ginkgo tree with the early morning dew still on it appealed to me. These walks lift my spirit and help my recuperation so I'll try to post more photos in the future from my neighborhood.