Glorietta Trail

Hiked 7 miles today! Smelled and looked a lot like Maine. There were cicadas or something in the trees the whole way. When you paused, you could hear them sounding like rain or rythmic hands clapping. The new green ends on the pine trees felt soft like kush balls! They would make a comfy bed. So many nice places to camp! I saw several strange emerging plants and mushrooms, pictures to come. Happy I was healthy enough to go and I think the altitude and air helped kick the congestion. New friends met: there was Erin again from Alaska, her friend Julia from Chicago who's been here 9 months and recently lost her job, a couple: Brad, from New Zealand and Jessica from Lubbock, TX who have been here a few years and are moving to Austin in two weeks for new jobs. 

Connections

Every time I walk by this train, I want to take a picture. Finally remembered my camera this time. Energy is coming back today finally too. The homeopathic doctor helped - at least two more visits and sulfur pellets until the next check-up. ? . Grateful for some help. 

Last night: No Doubt with the Sounds and Paramore. No idea who Paramore was, but all the high school and junior high girls surrounding us certainly did. I'm still not a fan. The Sounds are from Sweden and they put on an energetic opening act. I was especially impressed by the videos and stage set up for No Doubt. Zooming in on an island on the planet like Google Earth. The island turns out to be the band members heads tilted up skyward. Highway night shots plitting apart and merging together. Ariel view of Drum sticks moving accordingly with no hands or persons attached.

Very good to have breakfast with Ramona and Andy this morning, my internship bosses from last summer. I am so lucky to know them :) 

I've been resting for the past 3 days so this eventful day was in order. Still have energy now so that's good. After doctor's appt. met my friend Sara from last summer for a sneak peak at an installation show by Sara's friend, Beth Rekow. Beth explained the intention of her work to us so articulately and passionately. I love her clear comfy lounge bench made of plastic bags. I'll go to the opening in a few weeks and get a better picture of that. After meeting several people in the gallery, I remarked to Sara how I always feel like Santa Fe is such an easy place to make connections and know people because of its size and transient nature maybe - people just tend to be friendly and interested in sharing their story and hearing yours. The gallery conversation for instance. And random people say hi on the streets. For example, one old man yesterday was in his back yard pruning a tree and he made sure to shout out "Good Morning" when I walked past the front of his house.

Oh, then to the Tea House on Canyon Road - first time. The girl at the counter said, "Hey, do you go to College of the Atlantic?" noticing my messenger bag with COA logo. As it turns out, she is dating the brother (who attended St Johns in Santa Fe) of a girl I went to school with at COA. And she met another COA student I had several classes with on a foreign exchange trip she went on during her years at Vasser. She's from VT and so is her boyfriend and they've been in Santa Fe for a few years. Small world and those connections again. 

I should mention, I went to the No Doubt show with a few people including my friend Andres, also a fellow COA graduate. I had one class with him at COA, but didn't know him that well until last summer when we realized via facebook that we were both in New Mexico. I'd forgotten he was born in Santa Fe, then went to United World College in Vancouver before attending College of the Atlantic. (College of the Atlantic only has 3oo students too) 

Introduction to Edible Communities Inc. Santa Fe, NM

.7 of a mile walk away from my house lies my new work space. I met three of my co-workers briefly this morning for a quick tour, even though I don't start work until next thursday. The tech guy is not coming until next wednesday to fix up my computer station. In the mean time, I was given a stack of Edible publications from across the country, some business cards, and a feeling of ease that this is where I'm meant to be working for the summer. The three women I met are wonderful people. Even though there is bound to be some tedious photo cataloging and not so creative stuff, there is room for lots of discovery and getting to know extremely interesting people. The more I peruse the magazines, the more I'm excited to be part of this organization.  

In the Portland issue for example, there is an article by Wendell Berry excerpted from his book "What are people for" That essay, written nearly 20 years ago, discusses the growing trend of people as consumer rather than  participant with food and how we can become active participants again. That essay could have been written this week - things haven't changed much. I'm happy that one of my housemates gardens and we have a garden in the back yard, and a compost, and recycling containers and one of my farmer friends here has already offered me as many tomato plants as I would like. It will be good to get back into cooking and planting things as a leisurely and enjoyable past time rather than a rushed grab something quick during twenty min. lunch break type thing. Today I mixed quinoa in with butter nut squash soup and that was yummy. 

Sometimes I don't even think I have anything to write about, its just a matter of getting something out of my head and into sentences, and then realizing that, hmmm, I guess there are some observations I can talk about. 

The weather was strange today too: warm and sunny on my walk to the introduction, and now mitten and hat time. My housemates are off for a walk, but I'm staying inside. Doctor appt. friday hopefully shed some light.

Findings

Found a new trail behind my house. Followed a worn path through a near dry acacia to a bike trail, which led me to Bacca St. a windy street of funky homes and artist shops. And then Bacca connected me to Hickox where one of my favorite restaurant's is located. Its called Tune Up now, but it used to be owned by different owners and at that time it was called "Dave's not Here." The new Tune Up restaurant features a tribute burger called "Dave's Was Here." I love not only the food at this restaurant, but the atmosphere and the cool colored shade mechanisms which create a canopy in front of the adobe building. Chris Taylor first told me to try the green chile at "Dave's not here" before I even came here. 

Found a new friend today too. Actually she responded to my housing wanted ad on craigslist way back in April right after I had already found a place to live, but we decided to meet up anyway for tea once I arrived. So that's what we did today, at a coffee place I hadn't tried before, called Java Joe's. Erin, my new friend came from Alaska for a two-year job placement a year ago. She's the first person from Alaska I've met here. We both agreed that this place kind of finds you.

Nicole's boyfriend left a random movie called "Cane Toads of Australia" from the early 90s maybe? on the coffee table. So Nicole and I just finished watching that finding. Guess the strange film comes from a great video library with an excellent documentary section that also happens to feed treats to customer's dogs. So I learned about the invasive species of Cane Toad brought to Australia in the 30's to combat the pesky sugar cane grubs that were driving the sugar cane croppers crazy. As it turned out, the toads ate everything except the grubs! And they have since spread like a plague because they have no natural enemies. 

fish in plastic bags

My house mate bought a coy fish for the small backyard pond. It was swimming around in its clear plastic bag so I had a good look at silver and orange scales. Whenever I see fish in plastic bags I can't help remembering that sad scene in Miranda July's "You, me, and Everyone We Know" film where someone leaves a newly bought goldfish on the roof of their car by accident and drives away. 

Mainly I just explored the vicinity of the house, figuring out where things are kept, taking in laundry when the afternoon thunder arrived, and watching disc I of Sigur Ros's stunning 2006 Icelandic tour documentary. I loved the shot of the boy riding his bike in the Ocean, of Icelandic ponies herded over rough terrain, of water seeming to go up instead of down the falls. The owner of the house who now lives in Virginia, bought himself a huge flatscreen t.v. for his birthday and left it here. Its a treat to watch such cinematography on. I haven't lived in a house with a T.V. for four years. Luckily my house mates use use the t.v. mainly for movies. Still getting over a cold, and, I guess, adjusting to altitude. 

nettles and ribbon candy

Last night was in the 40s and I wondered what would happen with my new allergy to cold. My legs felt tingly once when I woke up because they were cold, but no hives. Walking to Trader Joe's this morning my neck and fingers started to feel itchy because of the cool wind. I ducked in a store for a bit to warm up and was fine the rest of the walk. Discovered a natural pharmacy near trader Joe's, so I'm trying a new natural antihistamine from them. "You can return any product to our store if it doesn't work for you" the kind women helping me said. Tastes like nettles and you have to hold the losange under your tongue, but seems to be working. 

My housemate from last year, Wendy, 58, picked me up this afternoon. Introductions to her two friends, Kaki and Lori followed as we waited in the opening day line for the brand new New Mexico History Museum. Too crowded to really take in. An overall impression of artifacts, glossy graphics, costumes and tiny-waisted dresses. I enjoyed most an art installation on a foyer wall. A series of colored squares, reminiscent of ribbon candy, hung on this wall. They were delicately carved along one edge so as to cast shadows of human faces in profile upon the wall. Each square cast its own unique portraiture. Nothing else in the museum seemed presented in a new way except for this random display.

The sun was out when we got out. Wandered in some crazy expensive boutiques Wendy thought we should see. Watched flamingo dancers on the plaza for a little while, then I walked home in the hot sun. Did I mention, it hailed mid-morning and its raining again now at 10pm? 

Last year, the first time I ever saw NM, I remember thinking like somehow I'd always been here. Now that I'm back, I'm strangely feeling like I never left. This is the land of enchantment and entrapment.

I'm so happy to be back!

Hello! I haven't been here for a while, but it is my intention to write daily now that I am in Santa Fe again too. Arrived 4:15 Saturday 5/23. The plane was 15 min. early. The bathroom near baggage claim was closed. I asked the women at the desk if there was another one on this floor. I didn't want to go back up the escalator with my bags. "Yes, down that end. Its a really beautiful one too, I'm headed that way myself." A fancy New Mexican style bathroom and it was empty, unlike the long lines at the bathrooms in my Dallas layover. Out of the bathroom, both suitcases ready to claim, outside to the shuttle. So it was one of those breath-taking late afternoons with purple clouds flanking deeper hued mountains and sun shining through, leaves and pavement sparkly from rain. 

The taxi driver stopped at a stop light. To the right, a man, stopped on his bike, waved. "Hey Patrick!" The biker shouted at the driver. They exchanged news until the light turned green. "He's a cook at Tomosita's" The driver explained, "Known him for a long time. Good guy." We pulled up at my new house a few minutes later. A man and women were in the street about to get into a car. They hesitated, watching us. I had a feeling it might be my new house mate. (I found the place on craigslist sight unseen of course). I smiled and the woman came over and introduced herself as Nicole, my new house mate. "We were just about to leave for dinner, but I thought you'd be coming in about now." So it was perfect timing. 

First impressions: a quiet, good dog who looks like a red fox, a spacious back yard with garden and hammock, a lot of art and pottery in the house. Nicole is an artist. A number of pilates, yoga videos near the big screen T.V. The other house mate I have yet to meet is a yoga instructor.  Plants, light, clean, big kitchen! Compost, recycling, a juicer, communal spices and tea, glass sauce pans, wooden bowls, chopsticks and silverware, . My room to be is still occupied so I'm staying in the guest bedroom for now. Ahhhh. This is good.