Chaco Culture

Hi y'all. Just wanted to share a few pics of my recent visit to Chaco Culture. My family has been in town & we have been doing all the touristy things to do in Santa Fe... walk the plaza, go out for local cuisine, visit Taos, Chimayo, Tent Rocks & so forth. We had a really nice visit, & kept quite busy! After Mom & gram's left, my nephew stayed with me another 4 days and we embarked on a more strenuous routine- hiking high in the local mountains, & a long days drive out to Chaco to hike & explore. If you have never been, I highly recommend it. It was my second visit there, and I'll certainly visit again in the future- so much to see & experience,it is impossible to take it all in in one day! I took a ton of photos, but tried to narrow it down to just a few of my favorites to share.

(click on any photo for greater detail~ the top 2 are my faves.)

Exploring Chaco

Inside Pueblo Bonito

Pueblo Bonito

Kin Kletso

Hungo Pavi Wall

 Ruins at Chetro Ketl

Chetro Ketl 

My Nephew hiking above Kin Kletso Ruins

View of Pueblo Bonito (largest of the Chacoan "Great Houses") from the Alto Trail

Chaco is a most amazing place~ I wouldn't do it justice by trying tell you all about it,

so for lots of great info~ click on the National Park website here:

http://www.nps.gov/chcu/index.htm

There are wonderful links on the history & people of Chaco Culture, and anything you may need to know about planning a visit.

(just a side note~ I was completely "blog-free" during my family's visit... and I have to admit, I found it quite refreshing! I'll still be posting here & there, but I imagine it will be a bit less with my now hectic work schedule & upcoming life events. though fun, blogging does tend to take up a fair amount of time, does it not? i'll still visit when I can, though likely not as often. wishing you all a wonderful summer!)

Madrid, New Mexico~ A Stop Along the Turquoise Trail

My Mom & Grandmother have been visiting each summer for a few days for the past 3 summers that I have been working in Santa Fe. I am the self appointed "tour guide" & try to show them a little something different each time they visit. There is so much to see & do! Wednesday we drove out along the Turquoise Trail to Madrid. It's a tiny little town, rich in mining history~ turquoise, lead, silver & coal. (If you're interested, there's some really great history here: http://www.legendsofamerica.com/nm-madrid.html~ it even tells of a several hauntings!) After the coal bust it essentially became a ghost town... but it's since been revitalized into a funky little artist enclave & popular tourist stop along the Turquoise Trail National Scenic Byway.

I love old buildings, things that are funky, and checking out other artist's work, so poking in all the little shops & galleries was right up my alley.

We didn't eat here, but we all got a kick out of this sign. I mean, really, isn't it the coolest? While poking around, I also found this really simple, yet beautiful turquoise necklace. 

My birthday is coming up this month (already?!? It seems I just had one!) and my sweet Gramma saw how much I loved it & she decided it would be my early birthday present. Awe... thanks, Grams! It is by local Jewelry Maker & turquoise miner Rianna Newman~ you can read about her & her work here:

http://theroamingtumbleweed.wordpress.com/2010/07/31/the-gem-of-madrid-riana-newman/ 

Our last stop before heading back, was to photograph this little church a bit farther down the road, near Golden, NM~

I've photographed it before, in 2008... actually using it as a template for a Printmaking class I took this spring. I'll often photograph things/places repeatedly... there's always a slightly different angle, weather or season that can change the whole feel of a photograph. It's a great side trip if you're ever in the area!

Getting Hungry?

Just trying to make you all hungry out there. I had written in a much earlier post about my mom, the artist... so I just wanted to share this work of art... a meal prepared by mom. She put together an "early christmas" for me during my short time in San Diego, complete with a lovingly prepared meal & the company of my awesome family. Thanks, mom!