Albuquerque Balloon Fiesta and visiting Chelsea

Our youngest, Chelsea, is completing her masters degree in geology at the University of New Mexico. This year we visited her while the Balloon Fiesta is going on. It's a week long celebration featuring hot air balloons. We got up VERY early, 5:30am,you have to be there very early for the Dawn Patrol. If you go, you must get there to see the Dawn Patrol. It's so cool to see hot air balloons flying in the dark. It's very dangerous to fly in the dark, but, I was told the 550 plus balloons need to be able to know the direction of flights, etc for safety reasons. The people in charge of the safety and tell the balloonists when it is safe to ascend are called zebras. Then, once the sun begins to rise the other balloons begin to unfold and inflate anticipating the Mass Ascension.

You old time hipsters out there will recognize this balloon. They even had a quilted balloon. This is the raffle quilt made by the local quilt guild, all proceeds going to different charities.

I think there is probably nothing more exciting for fabric enthusiasts, than to walk out amongst a sew of brightly colored fabric rising around you like being in the middle of a bright colored bubble bath.

The Secret City and Museum Hill

So what can you say about Los Alamos? The place where a group of stogie, eccentric scientist did there part for home and country. If you would like a blast from the past, no pun intended, you should visit The Secret City. So much of it was hush, hush during the war. There were no real ID's for the people that served there. Before the project began, it was a mere all boys school for wealthy families with kids that needed extra guidance only life in the rugged frontier could afford, I suppose. The school wasn't given any option-your out, we are in and bulldozing began. Or so goes the guided tour scenario.

Oppenheimer, with his signature hat, helped plan the work for the people involved. They were moved here and lived on Bathtub Row. It was called that, because the men would not move there unless they could have a bathtub! This is a building That housed support staff then, but now is some sort of government building.

A letter, written by Einstine to Roosevelt, telling of the possible development of the bomb and how to go about getting it started is on display. This place is loaded with WWII history. These are some magazine covers of women, picking up the pieces at home...some things never change.

After a day at Los Alamos, we spent our time on Museum Hill in Santa Fe. No pictures allowed inside. These are statues outside one of the 5 museums located there.

Fly Fishing the Pecos River

Quilting, quilting and more quilting is what I most enjoy, but, wait, there might be room for something else. That something else, for me, is fly fishing. It is like watching women skaters, something beautiful to behold. And, I think, like bow hunting verses using a gun, it is very hard to bring supper home. Not that ever would, I'm strictly a CPR girl, Catch Photo and Release.

Driving along the Pecos River, more of a mountain stream that runs along a road, you will see many people fishing. I guess that's part of it, driving and finding just the right spot. Our "right spot" came after hiking up the stream and off the road. We found a little grocery store with a bunch of hummingbird feeders. The women told me she fills them twice a day and they start eating them as she carries them out. Bird feeders are wonderful cheap entertainment. We've been traveling so much this year, that I haven't put any out, but, I probably will again. Around here we have so many squirrels and raccoons that the birds sometimes don't get everything.

Anyway, it's just nice to be in nature. Like I said, fly fishing is hard, but, my great white hunter managed to catch a trout. It did flip off before he was able to remove the lure, which is great. On this day, I was not so lucky, no fish for me. I do, however, have the patience of a quilter and am not discouraged. I managed to fall in the water, but, you know the only thing that hurt was my pride. At least my husband got a photo of it.

Sant Fe with our daugher, Chelsea

Bob, my husband, drove 2 days with a trailer full of furniture from Kentucky. Chelsea and I drove 2 days from Menlo Park with all her intern living things, we met "half way" and got her settled in Albuquerque, New Mexico. Then she ditched us, as children of the older nest variety are want to do.

After giving her a breather from us, she chose to meet up with us in beautiful Santa Fe. Our Rock Girl is interested in meteorites and wouldn't you know there was a rock hound with a shop in town. This is a meteorite that was found by some freinds of the owner of this shop. If you like gems and fossils you will like this place.

Traveling on to Canyon Road, where most of the galleries for the very expensive artwork can be found, of course I was drawn to this particular sculpture, yes, it's been painted with some very durable paint. It's been for sale for 5 years and they want a little under 200k for it.

You can't go to Santa Fe without seeing the Palace of the Governers and the Indians that come to display their wares. Chelsea got the best deal she's wearing the necklace she bought. Bob bought something for me, I'll show it later.

You know when you see Aspens you are really high up and Santa Fe has a skiing area.

Also, I'm always struck by how difficult it must have been to blaze these trails. This is a sculpture of what things were really like when people traveled with a cargo loaded buckboard. You will notice there is no seat for the driver to sit in. He was riding on the last mule and had the reins of all the horses in his hands. This sculpture can be found on Museam Hill in Santa Fe.

Obligitory beautiful words can't say, Spanish Mission.

Santa Fe on our way home

Bringing children to their future homesites has it's perks. That being we get to visit all these areas we pass through. New Mexico is a beautiful state, Albuquerque is lovely but, Santa Fe is one of the crown jewels in the art world. Besides contemporary art works, they do the best job in preserving the history of there architecture and Indian/Mexican heritage.

Chelsea really didn't need us to help her move, but, we thought she did or rather wanted to believe she needed us, cause this nest thing is so hard. We left her in her new home and got a hotel in Santa Fe and explored around there for 3 days. If you can get used to the dryness, it is the most beautiful city.

First of all food. We plan our outings around this guy's recommendations. He's on the Food Channel's Diners Drivins and Dives show. You should watch it, it's very entertaining and when Guy says "that's money", then you know it's something good to eat. He has a map of all the places he's been and we tried out most all of them in New Mexico and weren't disappointed. Our favorite place was Backroad's Pizza. It's all about the green chilly peppers there and this pizza had those and a cornmeal crust that was "money", according to Guy.

Is there anything more beautiful and an old preserved spanish mission? This is one connect to the La Fonda Hotel with a beautiful staircase.

Our Lady of Guadeloupe is everywhere and this quilt was beautiful. Pictures never capture the true beauty of a quilt and I was never so tempted to buy a quilt someone else made as I was to buy this one. It hung in one of the 3 D's restaurant's recommended and I felt a bit guilty taking a picture, but, it was so beautiful. I would never copy it, but, if anyone wants to buy it, it's at Harry's Roadhouse in Santa Fe.