A True Companion

Lucy on ranch patrol, Magdalena, NM, Nov. 2011

Drinking It In

Hollyhock bud after the rain, Magdalena, NM, Oct. 2011

Double rainbow in the Magdalena Mountains, Oct. 2011

Yesterday was a day of thick clouds and steady rain that gave trees and grasses and perennials a much-needed drenching before the weather turns cold. It revived my flower gardens that are bestowing a final burst of color on us, and today I noticed new cilantro seedlings around the herb bed just in time for that final batch of salsa. As frost approaches -- it's quite possible we'll get at least a light frost this weekend -- I feel (as always) that I just haven't had enough time in the garden. I will especially miss wandering through the rows with Maggie, both of us eating handful after handful of cherry tomatoes and little pear tomatoes; I had planted five or six different varieties to hedge my bets, and they all produced quite well. My favorites: the orange cherry tomatoes -- even sweeter than the red ones, which themselves were hard to beat. Summer is just never long enough for me.... Another gift yesterday: just before sunset, the sun broke through low clouds to give us a beautiful double rainbow. Enchanting, as always.

Tired Tuesday

Riley takes a nap, May 2011

No time for blogging lately, between the puppy (whose name is now Riley, for reals) and gardening and finishing my internship paperwork, which I got in a week early and just got approved for a July start. Other things I have not had time for: photography, jewelry making, and hiking. Not good. But with the garden mostly planted and my internship totally nailed down, I can start getting back to some balance.

Riley has grown quickly since we took him in 3 weeks ago; now about 9 weeks old, he has at least doubled in size, starting out smaller than our small cat Max and now (much to both cats' chagrin) bigger and heavier than our heavyweight cat Rocky. He is crate-trained, sleeping in there all night and going in frequently during the day for naps, and I've mostly trained him to stay out of my garden beds. Despite my best efforts (obviously not good enough) he isn't housebroken yet, and he still chases the cats and chews on shoes, so we have a ways to go. Good thing he's cute and seems to have a great doggie personality; he sure is a handful, though nothing like Lucy was at his age. Lucy is quite protective of the little guy and loves playing with him, though she does get a bit worn out and snappish by evening -- funny how little ones can do that to us old folks. ...So that's it for now; coursework beckons...

Recovery

Lucydog patiently awaits her water-bearer, near crest of Magdalenas (Oct. 2010)

My sweet Lucydog is recovering well from her leg surgeries and, fingers crossed, will soon be able to hike with me again. Dad and the kids and I have taken her out to the property a few times in the past week, and although she's not ready to chase jackrabbits yet she has been going a bit farther and faster each time we go. I'll take her to the vet in the next week or two for a follow-up X-ray, and assuming she's healing up well we can slowly ease back into hiking. I need to recondition almost as much as she does; I hate hiking alone, and the kids only seem to enjoy it in good weather (sensible, aren't they?), so I haven't gone much at all in the past few months.

Kelly Smithsonite hand-wrapped in sterling silver

As a sort of preview of how my first serious hikes will feel, my first yoga class of the year last week kind of kicked my butt. Yes, we have yoga out here in the hinterlands, thanks to a good friend who periodically holds community classes and is doing a "Spring Cleaning" series for April. The last time I was doing yoga regularly (2009) I gained amazing strength and mobility; everything kind of fell apart last year as Mom got sicker, but I can already feel my strength returning as I start moving and getting back out into the world. I'm so, so happy my big happy dog can come with me again. Maybe I can find more pretty rocks like this stunning piece of Smithsonite with calcite crystals that I wirewrapped for a friend a while back. Happy trails... soon!

Mosaic Monday: Vanishing Point

This week's Mosaic Monday is inspired by a poem I just read that seems to have awakened my winter-dormant brain and brought forth an inspiring jumble of thoughts and visions. I'm not sure this is the entire poem (I haven't bought the book yet; it'll be available for online order soon) but here's what I read:

my God, half the time
it's yourself you're talking to -
need ways to leave that behind,
become God knows what
so long as you cut deeper
pay attention
transform yourself to that narrowing
that vanishing point

-Bruce Holsapple, poem from Vanishing Act (2011), Magdalena, NM 

What amazing poetry, from a (relative) neighbor no less who is also my son's former speech therapist. I forget, especially in the winter when I (and many others) hibernate, that I live in a community brimming with artists. People who create are often solitary, but when they put their creations out in the world it feels like a divine gift -- a gift not just of something beautiful to soften the dark edges of the world but also of inspiration that helps all of us keep creating, for whatever reason. This poem seems to have so many layers, and the term "vanishing point" suggests to me not just a physical vanishing point but also a vanishing of the ego, of that too-present part of ourselves that critiques and dams up and dissolves creative energy.

So tell me, fellow creatives, what helps you get to that "vanishing point"? I know I get there when I'm hiking... Until Saturday I hadn't hit the trail in 3 months because I've been waiting for Lucy's leg to heal up... That one is healing, but as I'd feared the other rear leg is messed up, too, and I just want to cry because I can't bear hiking without her. She helps me lose myself, ditch my ego and just experience the moment, and I also feel safe with her because I know she would take down a bear or cougar or mugger to protect me. Anyhoo, Dad went ahead and told the vet to operate on that leg, too, which means another 8-week recovery that, fingers crossed, will then transition to slow but steady reconditioning and healing for her. In the meantime, I NEED to go hiking again, to leave the world and my nattering ego behind, to simply vanish... for a while at least.

Mosaic Monday... er, Tuesday: Winter Garden

I got a bit derailed this week; lots going on here, so Mosaic Monday is a day late.... January ended with a minor snowstorm for us, a storm that is apparently turning into a monster as it heads east and hits moisture from the Gulf of Mexico. We got a bit more than an inch of beautiful fluffy snow, and (here's why I love New Mexico) the sun came out just before setting so I could get some nice pictures and take Lucy out back to play. She loves the snow! She sticks her nose in it and eats it and chuffs it, then frolics to another drift to lie down and roll in it and eat some more; since she's able to put more weight on her leg now she really wants to play, but I am managing to keep her calm so she can heal up in time for hiking. I haven't taken her out back yet today and am sure she will just eat it up. What a joy she is.

So the storm headed east... and left a vacuum for another storm to stream down from Colorado, giving us another four or five inches so far, with perhaps another half-foot to come by morning. Good thing I have nowhere to be this week except home working; we're pretty well stocked on food and can walk to the local market if we really need to (I do have some amenities here in my little town!). As long as I remember to leave a faucet running tonight we won't lose water when the temperature dives well below zero(F) tonight. Even if we lose electricity, we have a fireplace... the only real inconvenience would be losing Internet access! ;-)  But I know others are far worse off as the main storm heads east and strengthens; I'll be sending you all good thoughts to get through it okay. Sheesh, what is up with all this weather??

Oh yeah, it's winter. Think the groundhog will see his shadow tomorrow? If he does, he might need a police escort back down that burrow of his...

New Starts

Lettuce Seedlings, Jan. 2011

For several months now I've been trying to motivate myself to make some cold frames for a small area just outside the dining room/studio that gets full southern exposure. Last week I decided that, since it's too cold to hang out in the garage using the table saw, I'd make a small start with some Jiffy mini-greenhouses (black plastic trays with clear plastic raised lids) so I could get some greens going. A week later, the mesclun (mixed lettuces and other greens) is going strong, the chard is just sprouting, and the spinach is... coming soon, I hope? Just having new life is so gratifying, and with the trays on this side of the window I can keep close tabs on everything.

"I do not like the Cone of Shame." (from Up)

In other news, Lucydog is recovering well from surgery. We have a hard time keeping her quiet and still because she's such an energetic, playful dog, and she has had to wear the "Cone of Shame" to keep her from aggravating the incision, but overall she seems to be on the mend and should be back to normal in 2 to 3 months. Fingers crossed; I don't enjoy hiking nearly as much when she's not with me and so haven't gone lately, and my midsection is starting to show that.... A few people have suggested getting another dog, but it's hard to find one so loyal, so friendly yet protective, who is happy to ramble and roam yet always stays within earshot and knows exactly where her people are. One friend noted that hunting dogs make terrible hiking buddies because they're bred to catch a scent and run with it, and it's the owner's responsibility to keep up; herding dogs, on the other hand, stay close to their charges and always know where home is. Being part blue heeler, a breed used to guard and herd cattle around here, along with pit bull (also a loyal breed) and who knows what else, Lucy is definitely in the "herder" category. In any case, I don't want to have to pick and train another Bestest Hiking Buddy anytime soon.

A Peaceful Solstice

Kelly Church, Magdalena Mountains, NM, Dec. 2010

The full lunar eclipse very early this morning was only occasionally visible because of moderate cloud cover, but I did get a few glimpses through occasional breaks in the clouds and also noticed the eerie silence that fell as totality began. I had no illusions of getting a great photo given the limitations of my 55-200mm lens (which I might sell), not to mention the inconsistent view of the moon, which kind of took the pressure off and allowed me to just enjoy it.
This morning Dad and I took Lucy to the vet and listened carefully as he described a surgery that essentially involves rebuilding tendons and ligaments, and will help her mobility a lot. The healing time isn't as bad as I thought it might be, so she'll be able to do gentle walks through the winter and (fingers crossed) start hiking with me as I gear up for my summer "quest for the crest" or whatever it will be. Is it possible to hike the whole crestline of the Magdalena Mountains? There's only one way to find out....

Winter Solstice is always such a relief for me. The sun finally stops slipping away, pauses, and slowly returns a bit more every day. Our weather has been quite mild and lovely -- in the 50s and sometimes 60s most days lately -- so the loss of light hasn't hit me as hard as it usually does. Hiking always helps my mood, too, and after more than two weeks of sitting on my butt (to finish coursework) I was aching to hit the trail and let everything else fall away. My hikes on Sunday and today were a bit lonely but now my heart has eased considerably, and I can look forward again to hikes with my best and truest companion.

Good Thoughts for My Bestest Hiking Buddy

Lucy hiking with me in the Magdalena Mountains, NM, July 2010

Tomorrow I take Lucy to the vet to see if we can do anything for her leg, which was injured when she was hit by a car in 2008 and is deteriorating fast. She's only 7, and she has so much happy spirit in her that it breaks my heart (literally, my chest hurts; sounds corny but there it is) to see her hobble and falter when she so very much wants to run. I hiked without her yesterday and felt terrible leaving her behind, and although I'll always love hiking it feels too solitary without her running along with me, chasing rabbits and deer, patrolling for bear and big cats, and just being my buddy. She goes on walks with my dad out on the property, runs along with the kids when they're out and about, and has helped me get more active again by being both a fun and a safe, protective companion. Not to be too maudlin about it but we can only take so much loss in a year, so please send Lucy good healing thoughts so she can have another 7 or more years with us. I want to hike up to and along the crest of the Magdalena Mountains next summer, and I don't want to do it alone....

Lucy hiking through a creek in Patterson Canyon, Magdalena, NM, June 2010