Clicking each photo, you can see a larger view. (Photo credits to Russ Butner andSuzanne Walker)
This spirit journey was in my head long before it was set in stone. I just didn't know it.
September 13, 2013
Growing up, I was my mother's daughter, but I was the son my father never had. He taught me much. First and foremost he said to follow your instincts, do what is right and true, and above all be true to yourself. I got off of that path many times. I never really got back on it until lately. I have always been responsible TO or FOR someone. Now, it's just me.
A new era in my life is just beginning.
I am alone, but not lonely.
It is quiet, but not void of lives around me. The spirits of my now deceased family are here.
In two weeks and twelve hours, I will be taking a vacation to Colorado and New Mexico. They are calling me. Nothing can stop me now. I will be following my dear friend Sandy and her friend to Trinidad Colorado for a few days, then we will venture down to Santa Fe and Taos New Mexico.
September 14, 2013
It does my soul good to be focused on just one thing. When I'm not behind the viewfinder of my camera, my mind may go fifty different directions, but to focus on my subject I must leave all extraneous matters and problems somewhere else.
We started out going through:
OKLAHOMA!
ENID, OK
Love Art Deco
Well, there are some things in Oklahoma that are surprising to say the least.
Oklahoma and Colorado have many abandoned farms and buildings. I always wonder who lived there, what their lives were like and what happened that these places were left behind.
COLORADO
Four Friends Out on an Adventure
Dog Bar and Grill, Cuchara, Colorado
Love these old Retro buildings
NEW MEXICO, DAY 1 October 3, 2013-Santa Fe
I picked Russ up from the Sante Fe airport and we went to LaFonda Hotel to meet the girls and have dinner. What a rustic, historical city Sante Fe is. I love ALL of New Mexico.
From there, we went to the Historic Loretto Chapel
The Loretto Chapel in Santa Fe, New Mexico, USA is a former Roman Catholic church that is now used as a museum and wedding chapel.[1] It is known for its unusual helix-shaped spiral staircase (the "Miraculous Stair"), the name and origin of the builder has still not been verified. The Sisters of Loretto credit St. Joseph with its construction.
It has been the subject of legend and rumor, and the circumstances surrounding its construction and its builder are considered miraculous by the Sisters of Loretto and many visitors.
The light is always warm and inviting, especially at dusk.
NEW MEXICO, DAY 2-OCTOBER 4, 2013 - CHIMAYO-
Although this is a tourist destination, once inside you forget you are surrounded by people. Everything is quiet and subdued, as it should be in a mission such as this. Each year, thousands of people journey to this small mission church. There is much history here. When you walk into the small chapel, the first surprising thing you see is all the crutches and artifacts people have left, testifying that they have been healed by the "holy dirt" at this mission, and have no need for their devices.
While my husband and I were traveling, Bill always said he wanted to go to New Mexico. We both loved Spanish and Native American history and architecture. He passed away before we were able to fulfill his wish. When I made plans to go to New Mexico, the next best thing I could do was take his cowboy hat there, the one he wore every day when he was a tour guide at the Grand Canyon.
I kneeled in front of the altar and said a prayer for his peace, placing the hat in front of me. Amazingly, there were no people in the chapel at the time. What a wonderful peaceful few minutes that was!
I couldn't find a suitable place to leave the hat, so I took it to the small river that runs in back of the mission and threw it in. It wasn't until after I got home and viewed the photos on my computer that I realized there was a memorial directly across the river from where I placed his hat. Miracles are all around us, if we take the time to see them.
Russ and I wandered around the grounds of the Mission. Of course, they have a gift shop where you can buy tiny canisters to fill with Holy Dirt as a souvenir. The grounds are interesting as they have many different historical stops along the way.
After visiting the mission, we stopped at Rancho de Chimayo Restaurante for lunch. Because it had been so many years (over 30) since I had any wine, Russ helped me pick out a wine that he thought would be to my taste.
Russ spotted this Descanso on top of the hill. Being the rock climber he was back in the day, he just tripped right on up there with no problem. Once he was on top, he proceeded to capture some great shots. He eventually found a less rigorous path and came down, took my hand and let me up there too.
This is what we captured. It would be interesting to know who this person was and why he died at this spot. There are so many Desconsos in New Mexico, many many on the sides of the highways, most died due to heavy drinking.
I just turned around and realized how high up we were.
