It's a Bird...It's a Plane....

It's the Albuquerque International Balloon Fiesta!



Would you like to ride in my beautiful balloon
Would you like to ride in my beautiful balloon
We could float among the stars together, you and I
For we can fly we can fly



Up, up and away
My beautiful, my beautiful balloon



The world's a nicer place in my beautiful balloon
It wears a nicer face in my beautiful balloon
We can sing a song and sail along the silver sky
For we can fly we can fly



Up, up and away
My beautiful, my beautiful balloon



Suspended under a twilight canopy
We'll search the clouds for a star to guide us
If by some chance you find yourself loving me
We'll find a cloud to hide us



We'll keep the moon beside us
Love is waiting there in my beautiful balloon
Way up in the air in my beautiful balloon
If you'll hold my hand we'll chase your dream across the sky



For we can fly we can fly
Up, up and away
My beautiful, my beautiful balloon
Balloon...
Up, up, and away.....



(Lyrcs : Up Up And Away

by 5th dimension)

Why I Blog Here

My original intent when I began this post was to share images and stories from my many trips around the state. But since then my trips have dwindled, (much because of my work and often because my kids are in school) so I haven't had as much to share. My new goal is to post something at least once a week and discuss or share something about New Mexico worth looking at, be you from the area or someone from far away who might be interested in our fantastic little piece of Heaven here. :)

I grew up here, playing amongst the tumbleweeds and cacti, exploring the mesas and the arroyos, traipsing the mountains and dry river beds. I moved far away more than once, but I always came back, either in person or in my aching heart which has always loved this area no matter where else I might be living at the time.

That may sound as if I just haven't traveled enough, and let me tell you that's not true. I've been to thirty two of the United States, and lived in eleven of them. I've been to four countries not including the U.S., and lived in Sicily for three years. I've found much to love about the world wherever I have been, and called many places home that i miss even now. But none of them were New Mexico. With her gorgeous landscapes, amazing food, and her unusual mix of cultures I have never found a place like the Land of Enchantment.

Spreading the Word

I decided today to find ten links to other blogs/ sites that talk about New Mexico that I think are worth taking a second look at: Here's what I found today:

Albuquerque Blogs: A free community blogging site for Albuquerque that also provides free forums, free classified ads, free job postings for employers and more. Good stuff here.

Alblogquerque: Local Blogger with good pics and lots of interesting topics.

Albuquerque Rising: A personal blog that offers often humorous and interesting insights and observations on the city of Albuquerque.

Buggs' Blog :This New Mexico Blogger and motorcyclist has an eye for photography that makes you stop and say ..."Wow..."

Moyen Age: Santa Fe Blogger "A personele blogge: (medieval) history, reading, writing, philosophy, folklore, slow living, nature..." Fun to read, great photos....

My Strange New Mexico: A neat column/ blog that discusses New Mexico's unusual history and lore.

New MexiKen : Great Blog, tons of wit and eclectic topics.

Picturing New Mexico: A New Mexico Photoblog, excellent.

Only in New Mexico: Former Albuquerque Mayor, Jim Baca blogs about New Mexico topics.

Tenacious Flog: Great read, tons of great recipes, what more can you ask for?

Summer Fog

New Mexico is notoriously dry, but every now and then we get moisture every now and then, and sometimes when the weather is just right, like this morning, we get fog....

Billy Joel and New Mexico

While scavenging the internet for good music which relates to New Mexico (not that I don't love the song I have had... Sting is great and Desert Rose is wonderful, but it isn't really about New Mexico, ya know?) I found some Lyrics by Billy Joel which I love... can't find the song yet... but I'm looking... so we'll see. ;)

I also found some lyrics that claim to be the State Song, (I have to check into this, as I have thought "O Fair New Mexico" to be the state song, bnut I like these lyrics better... ;)

New Mexico Lyrics
Artist(Band):Billy Joel

Today I'm living like a rich man's son
Tomorrow morning I could be a bum
It doesn't matter which direction though
I know a woman in New Mexico

Worse comes to worse I'll get along
I don't know how but sometimes I can be strong

And if I don't have a car I'll hitch
I got a thumb and she's a son of a bitch
I do my writing on my road guitar
And make a living at a piano bar, oh

Worse comes to worse I'll get along
I don't know how but sometimes I can be strong

(Ooh ooh ooh) Lightning and thunder
Flashed across the roads we drove upon
Oh, but it's clear skies we're under
When we are together, when we sing this song

Worse comes to worse I'll get along
I don't know how but sometimes I can be strong

Oh, fun ain't easy if it ain't free
Too many people got a hold on me
But I know something that they don't know
I know a woman in New Mexico

Worse comes to worse I'll get along
I don't know how but sometimes I can be strong
(Ooh ooh ooh, ooh, ooh)

Land of Enchantment - New Mexico

Official State Ballad
Song by Martin Murphy, Chick Raines and Don Cook
Adopted 1989

I met a lady in my drifting days
I quickly fell under the spell of her loving ways
A rose in the desert I loved her so
In the Land of Enchantment, New Mexico

As we watched the sunset by the Rio Grande
A mission bell rang farewell she took my hand
She said "come back amigo no matter where you go"
To the Land of Enchantment, New Mexico

From her arms I wandered, far across the sea
I often heard her gentle words haunting me
"Come back amigo, I miss you so"
To the Land of Enchantment, New Mexico
So come back amigo no matter where you go
To the Land of Enchantment, New Mexico.

Enchanted

Monday, November 7, 2005

I have been away. My son had pneumonia, and I have had some illness myself. But funny thing, when I step outside to go to work on a cool morning and see the beauty around me I am soothed. When I go home in the evening and see the bast wondrous stars above me I am uplifted.

The world is wonderful, and I live in the Land of Enchantment. :) What more can I ask for?

Red or Green?

Wednesday, August 11, 2004

Hola! I'm back! While I was away taking photos, taking notes, and every opportunity to sample and sup as much New Mexico cuisine as possible I pondered what I wanted to share and talk about in my journal when I finally got back.

In case the previous line didn't give hint... I decided to delve deeper into the topic of food.

New Mexico food is a country of it's own. It has it's roots, as one might suspect, in Mexican food, but if you sample the wares of our south of the border friends, or even our neighbors (Texas, Arizona, Colorado) around us, you'll realize that we have a flavor and a flair that is all our own. Part of it is because of Navajo food influences (Navajo Fry Bread and Blue Corn are two tiny examples) and other cultural influences as New Mexico has grown and changed over the last two hundred years.

New Mexican foods are present at almost every festival, celebrated occasion, and event. You can find evidence of it on almost every Native New Mexican table. Two staples you almost always find at a meal here are Tortillas, and chili. (red or green).

In June of 1999 New Mexico adopted the State Question: "Red or Green?" This does not refer to the traffic lights. It refers to our chili. (Read about the adoption of the Official Question, as Well as Our State Motto) Fabian Garcia, a horticulturist, is given much of the credit for the roots of what New Mexican's consider Our Chili. In the early 1900s Senor Garcia experimented with chili seeds. In 1907 he developed chili which became the standard chili for New Mexican chili. This is now known as the Anaheim. The chili has evolved since 1950 and is now considered a variety under the New Mexican pod type category. Understanding the difference between New Mexican Green and Red Chili's and other chili you may be able to purchase is hugely important because of flavor and results. Believe me when I say please don't try and use Bell Peppers when a recipe calls for Anaheim or New Mexican Green chili. Many a poor soul gave up on the wonders of New Mexican food because they used the wrong chili in a recipe.

So ... if I were going to host a dinner/buffet and have you all over to sample some of my favorites ... what would I serve you?

Green Chili Stew
Posole (Hominy Stew)
Tortillas (Mexican Flat Bread)
Sopapillas (Puffed, Hollow Bread)
Green Chili Chicken Enchiladas
Chili Relenos
Tamales
Navajo Fry Bread Tacos
Biscochitos (Anise Seed Cookies)
Flan Caramelisado (Carmel Custard)

Many of these recipes I gave links to come from the same site, but I tried to show you a few sites where the recipes are authentic. Really, if you are going to cook a lot of New Mexican food you should get a cookbook, and the one I love is called Simply Simpatico. (this link is to Barnes & Nobles).

Hope ya try a recipe ... if you do, I hope you drop me a line and tell me what you thought, ask questions.... lemme know what you think of our world famous cuisine here. :)

Great Links:

New Mexico Cuisine
Cosinas De New Mexico
Chili Information (The Chile Pepper Institute)
Hatch Chile Express
New Mexico Chili

Going to be away for awhile...

Wednesday, August 4, 2004

Hey folks, I have been away from computer access for the past week, and will be for another week. My postings will be few, if any.

The good news is, I'll have more photos, and some great changes to the journal... so peep in in about a week and see what I have. :)

Since I'll be away I have a recipe for ya. It's not much... but it's yummy and might tide ya over!

See you soon!

Acapulco Salad

Avocados festively accented with oranges, grapes and Jicama are dressed with a tart dressing to make an unusual salad that is beautiful, delicious and nutritious. The salad should never be made more than one hour in advance, but the basic preparation of the fruits can be done ahead.

Yield: 16 servings

5 large, ripe Haas or Fuertes avocados
¼ cup freshly squeezed lime juice
2 heads fluffy leaf lettuce
5 seedless oranges, peeled and sliced into thick rounds
2 jicamas, peeled and coarsely shredded
1 large bunch (about 2 cups) seedless white grapes
Acapulco Dressing (recipe follows)

1. Halve and peel the avocados and slice into long, thin wedges. Sprinkle lime juice over all, carefully stirring to coat each piece evenly.
2. Arrange the lettuce leaves on chilled plates or in a large bowl. Alternate wedges of avocado with slices of orange. Surround the edge of the salad with shredded Jicama. Sprinkle grapes across the top.
3. Prepare the dressing and drizzle over the salad just before serving.

Acapulco Dressing

2 ripe Haas or Fuertes avocados
2/3 cup freshly squeezed orange juice
½ cup fresh lime juice
2 tablespoons honey
1 teaspoon salt
½ teaspoon caribe, or other crushed dried red chile

Place all ingredients in a blender jar and process until smooth.

YUM!

Beautiful Sangre de Cristo Mountains

Thursday, July 22, 2004

This is the last of the photos for the day.... just a smattering of some of the beauty. Later I'll send photos of the trip home, the Mesas, plains, and sunsets. Rain and storms... barbed wire and soft clouds.

Photo descriptions:
1. Horses abound here. Many people bring their own equines, or rent for the day. There are even campsite just for horse owners.

2. Gorgeous wildflowers are abundant. The colors so bright they seem unreal.

3. Rocky cliffs provide shadow and landscape for the walls of this valley. Shrubs grasp where they can.

4. The water is shallow here in the mountains, but the rocks and logs make for beautiful falls.

5. Tiny bees, ladybugs, and other beauties light on flowers to partake in the feast of pollen.

6. It is hard to catch a photo of these fragile butterflies, they light so fast and are gone before I can blink!

7. Wide creeks and tiny streams weave their way down the mountainside.

8. Flower buttons and long grasses make the area lush and peaceful.

9. So many trails, and horses... it is like the old west everywhere.

Church and cactus...

Friday, July 9, 2004

Thanks for all the great comments! :) Such nice peeps out there. I'll visit everyone's journals soon, I have been really enjoying some of the ones I have visited. Almost like having a passport to someone else head and home, hey?

Yesterday was my birthday, (I am 39 now, but my horrid little family keeps wishing me a happy 40th. They evidently want to live in squalor and hunger. Heh.) So I didn't do any posting. This evening Aude arrives, and we've been making her welcome sign and getting things clean. It's been hectic.

I am going to separate my journal into two journals next week, one for New Mexico, and one for the family. I'll link em both here, so you can see what you are interested in. More room, and more focused.

Just a couple of photos today, more Monday if I can, maybe some this weekend. The first photo here is a Church in Golden Colorado. It is a favorite of mine. The front of it has this little cemetery that looks like something out of an old western movie. People still leave flowers, toys, signs, etc. Decorations are often colorful and festive. The second photo is a cactus in my front yard that is in the process of flowering. I didn't plant it, it came with the land. I love cactus,. because I can rarely kill it by accident. (::grins::) Some of the cactus I have flower yellow or orange. I'll show you more as I get them.

Thunderstorms and winds have been blowing through. No water, but what a great reprieve from the heat.

Have a great weekend everyone, I'll see ya later!

The famous white adobe church just outside of Madrid, New Mexico

A brilliant pink Cactus bloom opens, awaiting pollination.

Old Town Albuquerque

Wednesday, July 7, 2004

If you ever visit Albuquerque, be sure and see Old Town Plaza. Old Town is the heart of Albuquerque's culture and heritage, with roots going back 500 years. Founded in 1706, Albuquerque he center of an area that has known a European presence for over 500 years, in a city that was founded in 1706. The flags of Spain, Mexico, the United States fly in the plaza representing the past where each of these countries have governed the city. During the Civil War the Confederate States of America controlled Albuquerque for a few short weeks. Buildings around the Old Town Plaza and on the side streets are authentic adobes up to 300 years old, many built in Albuquerque's distinctive "Territorial Style."

Settlers built their first homes here, near the banks of the Rio Grande. The area
served as a farming community and a military outpost. The settlement was a
traditional Spanish town, with a central plaza surrounded by a church, homes and
government buildings. The buildings are adobe, a type of mud-clay brick covered by more of the same. Many of these "territorial" style buildings still stand today,
including the church. Some have been transformed into businesses, others are
still homes.

On holidays and special occasions the are parades, which our family loves to see. Of course the luminarios at Christmas are the most beautiful sight. These paper bags with sand and a candle inside glow beautifully and decorate the plaza.

We'll be taking Yann and Aude to the plaza soon, so I'll have more photos to show you.

If anyone has a special request for photos, or local history or information let me know. :) It'd be a pleasure to get it up here for you.

As for the temperature today, it is still a scorcher. Weather man says we can expect much of the same for a while, though we may get some clouds and thunderstorms by the weekend. One can only hope.

Other things you have to look forward to in the next week or so are:
New Mexico Flowers
Wildlife in New Mexico
Yummy food
Churches
Walking tour of Santa Fe
Native American Art
...and more.

Come by and check in, lemme know whatcha think, and if there is anything I am missing!

See ya laters!

Old Town Albuquerque combines beauty, history, and great shopping. This is the Church of San Felipe de Neri, on the square.

The Church of San Felipe de Neri has been used as a parish church for over 200 years. You can still attend a service today.

Heat Wave

Tuesday, July 6, 2004

It is hot today. The difference between dry heat and humid heat seems to me to feel like opening an oven door a feeling your skin draw tight against your face, and stepping into a sauna and feeling your clothes stick to you. I don't suppose I sweat as much here, but it is still very hot. Days like this I miss living next to the ocean so I can go dip my feet in the cool water and feel the ocean breeze on my face. The Mountains would be nice today. It is cooler up there, and really only about 30 minutes from where I work to where the temperature drops enough to enjoy it. Not to mention the Pine and Aspen trees provide a cool shade and the calm of the wilderness I've been in hotter places. Phoenix and Sicily get to temperatures that I didn't know it was safe to live in. It's not that this is unbearable, I just feel like whining. ;)

Logan left, as I already mentioned, on his way to Florida yesterday I have been worried about him traveling alone, because though he's flown alone before, he was young enough to have the airlines help him. This year he's just old enough to be on his own. My worries were not groundless as he had a change of flights in Dallas, and kept time on his own watch, which was an hour behind. Gratefully American Airlines put him on another flight and he lucked out and met a friend and his Mom who were also headed to the tournament. So not only did he arrive, but he had an adult to help him get there, get his bags, and get him to the hotel. I haven't heard from him today, but I am anxious. It's hard to let go and let them grow up, but I have to trust that he'll be okay.

I am off to help my father with his computer today, it's one of those afternoons where I have too much to do, but I am going to opt for a movie with my son instead just because I want to.

We're planning a camping trip to Colorado soon. That should be a bit cooler, eh?

Is this my poor dry skin or the dried earth at the end of my driveway? The heat is really in the WOW degrees today.

Welcoming Yann

Friday, July 2, 2004

Friday again. Wow how the weeks pass so fast. So much to do...

Yann arrived last night, and our garrulous gaggle was there to greet him. My whole bunch plus Kimberly. Must have seemed like he'd stumbled into Mardi Gras unexpectedly. :/ He is so tall! Brian seems like a giant to my 5'4" because he is 6'3". Yann, however, seems to tower over him. And he is a very handsome kid. We are going to have to beat the teenaged girls in Albuquerque off. :)

We took him to dinner, at one of our favorite places, The Frontier Restaurant across the street from the University. I was surprised Yann wanted to try the enchiladas that Kimberly and I are so fond of. We have them with cheese, but he had his with chicken and red chili. He seemed to enjoy them... I think this young man will be very pleasant company this summer!

My all time favorite flower is the sunflower, and they grow wild and thick here in midsummer. For all that New Mexico has a reputation for being a desert, there is an abundance of color, weather, life, and differing climates that truly make this a place of surprises and beauty. I always tell people that this place is unusual because it is not simply another place in the US. Even other bordering Southwestern sates don't have some of the cultural aspects like we do. It's like a whole country of it's own.

A surprising percentage of the state is reservation properties belonging to Native Americans. Hispanic and Native American cultures are very predominant, and flavor the food, the architecture, the language, the holidays, and more. Combine the people and their culture, traditions, and dreams, with the beauty of the land and you have magic. Simply enchanting. :)

This is my first wild sunflower of the year. Popped up right next to the driveway, saying hello to everyone driving by! :)

Rain is scarce here, but the results are always welcome.
Never a storm I don't want to photograph.

Taos

Friday, June 25, 2004

What a pretty drive! We drove up through Santa Fe, Española, along the Rio Grande Gorge and into Taos. Brian was sweet enough to take me to the Gorge itself so I could marvel and take photos. I haven't had time to get them all ready to post, so there'll be more on Monday. These are what I have for now:

The last photo is of the Rio Grande Gorge. A vital part of the states culture, history, and livelihood. Yet the river is endangered. The droughts have depleted her waters so low that we are in danger of losing her altogether, reports have said. There is a major battle between environmentalists, New Mexican citizens, and New Mexican farmers over water.

Chili Ristas hang from a shop along the main street of Taos. Red chilis are strung and dried, making for festive decoration.

Mural outside Taos gift shop. Reminiscent of art found on Native American pottery.

The Rio Grande Gorge. The river runs from into New Mexico, Texas and Mexico where it empties into The Gulf of Mexico.

Taos Trip

Thursday, June 24, 2004

We're on our way to Taos today. Brian is a Mechanical Insulator, and I do office work for him. He's invited me to go along to Taos on a job he's doing, and I am excited for all the photos I'll be able to get, so I expect I'll be posting some new ones today.

Toas is a very cool little village, home to many famous people, center for art, culture, and awesome skiing and white water rafting.

So, anyway, we'll see ya later, off to Taos. I'll see if I can find something cool besides photos to post!

Adios!

Some Favorite Photos

Wednesday, June 23, 2004

These are just a few of my favorite pictures of New Mexico. I take my camera everywhere, I find that there is probably fifty or more opportunities in a day to capture the personality of this place I love so much!

1) This is a black and white of the Sandia Mountains as seen from the road coming down from La Luz trail.

2) Here we are in the Sandia Mountains looking out eastward toward Moriarity and Edgewood. The rocky terrain of these mountains is so different from what I experienced in the Ozarks, the Blue Ridge Mountains, and other eastern and southern mountain ranges. The Rocky Mountain range has a personality that begs to be discovered and dares you to delve deeply into her deepest secret places.

3) Santa Fe is a wonderful mix of old and new, traditional and contemporary. Sometimes walking down the sidewalk I feel like I am in some old western movie.

4) Windows and walls say so much about this part of the country. Adobe is prolific here, and comes in colors that you'd have to see to believe. Some of these buildings have walls that are a foot thick, and some even still have dirt floors. It is a walk backwards in time, reminding you that while New Mexico is hip and modern in every sense of the word, it has roots and tradition as solid as the ground we walk on.

5) Life struggles and refuses to be held in check no matter where you look. Even in the rocky terrain of lava fields, yucca, cactus, and sage lay claim to every crack and crevasse, growing abundant and strong.

6) Albuquerque is home to the International Balloon Fiesta, and at almost all times of the year you can catch glimpses of these graceful hot air balloons drifting across clear blue skies.

7) The sunsets are spectacular. Sometimes fire, sometimes ice. Streaks of every color imaginable paint the horizon each evening, never the same twice, creating a canvas that soothes the weary soul.

My family :)

Wednesday, June 23, 2004

We are a large family. Larger than some, smaller than some, perfect for us. :) I don't have a photo of Patrick right now... but here are the rest of us.

Photo (1) is Mitchell, he's big into track as seen in this picture.

Photo (2) is Dawn (me) and Brian. Presently engaged to be married this fall of 2004.

Photo (3) is Logan and David.

Photo (4) is Keri.

Photo (5) is Patrick. It is hard to get a normal picture of him without weird faces ... so I only have this one where we made him up in one of our "weird photo" sessions.

**(Update: Mitchel is now 16 and in high school as a Junior, and stands nearly 5"9", he excels at guitar, enjoys wrestling and works weekends to save for a new car. Brian and I haven't married yet, we keep putting it off for financial reasons, but we're still as happy together as two peas in a pod. :) Logan is 19, going to CNM and working as an extra in some movies. David is 12, and growing like a weed, and hugely into skateboarding. Keri is 19 and living in North Carolina. Patrick is 14 and is a freshman this year in high school and has gotten over his shyness in front of a camera. )

The Sandia Mountains

Wednesday, June 23, 2004

The first photo here is the Sandia Mountains as seen from the east, coming from Moriarty. The plains stretch wide and flat, little to see except an occasional cactus, piñon tree, or perhaps a barbed wire fence. The setting sun colors the mountains a deep blue. In less than an hour it will be nearly purple, with the sky bright and wild with the colors of a New Mexico sunset.

This next photo is a stream in the Sandia Mountains. We drove up the backside from Placitas, a small community on the Northeast side of the mountain. Even during the hard drought, the stream still danced down the rocky terrain and gave life to the forest around her. We glimpsed rabbits and dear this day, but none of them wanted to hang around long enough for a picture. :)

Hello to Anyone who visits my Journal :)

Wednesday, June 23, 2004

Hello to anyone who visits myJournal. :) I hope you find in it, as time goes by, some of the beauty and joy which I have experienced living here in New Mexico.

I grew up here. I spent most of my childhood wandering the wild plains, thickets, and mountains. I explored every arroyo I could find, built forts under sprawling piñon trees, climbed the low hills at the edge of the Sandia Mountains, eaten cactus pears right off the cactus, (and picked stickers out of my lips and fingers for hours,) and enjoyed the multitude of colorful and diverse Fiestas that abound at every opportunity.

I moved away for many years, traveled the US and many parts of the world. But my heart could still hear the winds of the Land of Enchantment calling me home. Together my fiancé, Brian, and I raise our five kids in a place that is like no other.

Revisitig Older Posts

I began Enchanted Ramblings on AOL in June of 2004. I had more time to journal back then, and I did quite a few posts.

My journal made front page of AOL, and I enjoyed a great deal of traffic in those days, but AOL went through some major changes that I found disconcerting and offensive, and so I left their membership after almost 11 years. I found Blogger shortly thereafter and have been doing sporadic journaling here ever since. :)

I never transfered my older entries from AOL to here, and so I have decided to do so today. So many of those photos and thought still make me smile, so I'd like them in a place I can visit them sometimes, and perhaps you too can enjoy them if the urge hits you :)

I will inclue the date of the older entries on the top of the page so you can tell them from the newer posts. :)