Showing posts with label Santa Fe. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Santa Fe. Show all posts

Friday, October 6, 2023

September Anniversary Trip - Santa Fe & 58 Years

Because Santa Fe is one of our favorite places with lots of family memories, we chose to return after almost 25 years to celebrate our 58th wedding anniversary.  The last time we were there, we introduced this place of enchantment to our oldest grandchild, Chandler.


The old marker on the right side of the road that we always stopped and climbed on to take a picture has been replaced with this large overhead sign.  It is not nearly as much fun as the old one.


Cline's Corner was always a stop as it is where we would turn to go toward Glorieta.  It hasn't changed a bit.


The view on this road brought back memories as we always got excited when we could see mountains in the distance.  This trip was no exception.


The first thing we did after checking into our hotel was to walk to the Plaza.  They were having a big Labor Day Festival with all sorts of vendors.  It was quite a busy place on this Monday, but we didn't mind.  It was exciting to just be there.


We enjoyed an ice cream cone while people watching and enjoying the atmosphere.


We enjoyed visiting with this Native American jewelry maker and hearing about his history and heritage.


This lady was also very interesting as she told us that her disabled daughter was the inspiration for her jewelry.  Everyone has a story and most are eager to share it with someone interested in hearing it.


John and Michelle gifted us with a delicious anniversary dinner at a wonderful steak house.  We started with a complimentary glass of champagne, then an appetizer of roasted bone marrow before having the most delicious steaks.  We loved our special gift and are so grateful for their thoughtfulness.






Afterwards we walked around and enjoyed many examples of the extradentary sculptures along the streets.








After our long and wonderful day, we did feel much like this fallen Indian - exhausted and in need of some rest.


The next morning we met Prestonwood friends, the Clarks for brunch at the Laredo Hotel.  They have had a home there for almost 15 years and had sold it just a day before meeting us.  We so enjoyed this time with them.


We then began our walking tour of the town beginning with the Church of St. Francis of Assisi.  We had never been inside so decided it was time.



It is beautiful and we were so glad we finally took the time to visit.  It had a baptismal pool for anyone wanting to be emersed.


There were not nearly as many Indian vendors in front of the Governor's Palace as there used to be.



We saw the State Capital Building which was not far from our hotel before visiting the Poteet Victory Art Gallery.


My hairdresser, Kent James had been telling me about his father's best friend who is an artist in Santa Fe.  I knew when we visited this would definitely be a stop.


While I looked around, Dick had the best visit with Poteet's wife.  She is the most friendly and down-to-earth person you could ever meet.  It was a delightful time.





And this is the artist himself.  Such a high point of our stay in Santa Fe.



We ended our memorable day and stay in Santa Fe with a snack and the most delicious shake in this outdoor cafe right on the Plaza.  We could not have celebrated our special day, and relived memories in a better way.  Tomorrow we go to Moab, Utah.

Wednesday, August 7, 2013

Wednesday Hodgepodge: Peaches, Sunsets & Allies or Enemies

has again given us some thought provoking questions for our Wednesday.

1. The first week of August is National Simplify Your Life Week...what's one thing you could do this week to qualify as a participant?
Since retiring, I have done nothing but simplify my life.  I think I have about simplified all I can at this point short of simply stopping.

2. It's also National Peach Month...peach pie, peach cobbler, or please pour me a Bellini?  What's your peach pleasure?
Peach cobbler!  However, a friend did share her delicious fresh peach pie with us the other night.  But, I still prefer a juice laden, crisp crust, cobbler any day.  And in the south, it must be topped with Blue Bell Ice Cream.

 

3. Eleanor Roosevelt once wrote, "Do one thing every day that scares you." Agree or disagree...explain.
I don't know about every day, but I do think it is good to be challenged.  When I worked, I was constantly being challenged to go beyond what I thought I could do and sometimes, beyond what I wanted to do.  But this was a growing time for me and I can now look back and say with confidence, "I did it!" That being said, my matra or life verse is, "I am nothing without Christ!"  As a retiree, I think it is still necessary to challenge myself, to continue expanding, but maybe not e-v-e-r-y day.

4. What's your favorite household chore?  Yes-you have to name one.
I enjoy cleaning my kitchen.  I can't stand clutter, so I try to keep the counters clear, and polished; the appliances shiny, and cabinets well organized.

5. Fodors recently listed (what they've dubbed) the ten most beautiful sunset spots in America. Click here to read more and see the pretty pictures, but this is their list:

Butterfly Beach in Santa Monica CA, Mount Haleakala in Maui HI, Old Fort Marcy Park in Santa Fe NM, Laguna Beach CA, Hopi Point in Grand Canyon AZ, Four Seasons in Miami FL, Santa Monica Pier in Santa Monica CA, Gay Head in Martha's Vineyard MA, Ensign Peak in Salt Lake City UT, and Mallory Square in Key West Florida.

Have you seen the sun set from any of these spots?  If you could choose to watch the sun set this weekend from one spot on the Fodors List, which would you choose?  Where was the prettiest sunset you've ever seen?
Although I haven't actually seen a sunset from Old Fort Marcy Park in Santa Fe, NM, the most beautiful sunsets I have seen were in Santa Fe and other locales in New Mexico.  I have seen spectacular sunsets off the California coast, but nothing compares to the glorious depth of color and huge expanse of God's color palette than in NM.

We were invited to dinner at a home overlooking the city of Santa Fe.  This was our view from the veranda:

Artist Georgia O'Keeffe also loved the brilliance of New Mexico sunsets
6. What's your favorite or most used app?  If you don't use apps how about your favorite or most visited website?
I use my Bible app every morning, and sometimes in Sunday worship.  But, the most used app is Kindle.  This is where I do all my reading of ebooks.  I have quite a library storehouse of books I want to read.

7. We've recently passed the halfway mark for 2013...write a seven word sentence that sums up your year thus far.
Filled with joy, excitement, stress, lessons learned.

8.  Insert your own random thought here.
My heart is burdened, my mind confused, my faith challenged, as I think about where we are as a nation, and where we might be headed.  I plan to write more about this at some point in the future, but right now this excerpt from a fellow blogger and student of Bible Prophesy, pretty much sums up my thoughts today:
  
          Tuesday, August 6, 2013
Yesterday's allies, today's enemies, really?
It seems like just yesterday when the occupant of the Oval Office was making the case for intervention in Libya where Muslims were in danger of humanitarian crimes by long-time dictator Muammar Gaddafi. It was then that the occupant worked closely with al Qaeda in providing air support, supply lines and on-ground advisors to overthrow Gaddafi. He also supported al Qaeda in other countries as part of the Arab Spring uprisings that began in December 2010. His foreign policy partner the Muslim Brotherhood (MB) provided political organizational structure and al Qaeda the military aspect to spark civil unrest and threaten governments throughout the Middle East and Northern Africa. Curious how things change.  Or, stay the same......
What do we make of the current headlines that al Qaeda is now a threat to all US embassies and that the occupant's drones have killed four al Qaeda operatives in Yemen? There is great deception taking place. The current White House is in league with the MB, which is in league with al Qaeda. What seems to be is not. 2 Timothy 3:13 says, "But evil men and seducers shall wax worse and worse, deceiving and being deceived." The riddle before us is what is the motive of one who appears as both an ally and an enemy? Jesus says in John 10:10, "The thief cometh not, but for to steal, and to kill, and to destroy." The ultimate thief is satan. The thief before us is an elected official who is deceptive and treasonous.
Resources:   The Daily Jot
Never the less, I believe in the Sovereign God from whom nothing is hidden, and rest in His Word that His truth will prevail.

I leave you with the beauty and promise of a new day.
Sunrise - Georgia O'Keeffe
Also linking up with The Wise Woman Builds Her Home