Right out the back door, bushwacked up the mountainside, ran into two rattlesnakes (when you poke em with a stick thay make that cute little rattle sound...). When I crested the ridge, this is what I saw. Looking down into Talquetz Canyon. The waterfall is off in the distance and the ravens and hawks circle above. Lime green flowers on barrel cactus. Purple flowers on bushes, lizards scampering, amazing rock formations...Magical.
Archeologists have dated artifacts in this canyon from the Agua Caliente (Hot Water) Indians from 1600 years ago and legend dates it to over 3000 years. We headed up the trail around 8:00 while the canyon was shadowed and cool. It's 2 miles long and there is a beautiful waterfall at the back of the canyon.
The trail wound up the canyon between the vertical rock face, following a stream, wild flowers in full bloom. It was like we had it all to ourselves, only saw a few hikers in 3 hours. There are many special places, rocks with unique designs, plants and animals to see. Impossible to truly describe...
What an awesome place... I feel like I have used that description too many times in past blogs, but there is truly no other way to describe this phenomenal country of ours. We feel so blessed to have the opportunity to experience it.
(self portraits are tough....I really wasn't choking Connie.... well, maybe just a little.....)
We enjoyed the nesting doves and sparrows, the cardinal serenading us ( Big Red ), the bobcat and the pack rat, the Suerero Cactus ( Sheeba ), the hummingbird (Beezer) and the awesome view of Pinnacle Peak. Just for fun, I took a swim with my cell phone in my swimsuit pocket. ($50 later, I'm re-connected... oh well). Thick T-bone steaks, delicious curried chicken (5 alarm!!), champagne in antique stemware (Glen smashed one... BAD, BAD BOY), shrimp cocktail, asparagus on the grill, baked potatoes in the coals, homemade roasted pumpkin seeds... a veritable haute cuisine cornucopia... muchos, muchos gracias amigos.
Oak Creek Canyon was too much for Lulu. She gacked before we hit the spectacular red rock of Sedona... but bounced back quickly. It is such an oxymoron that this 7th wonder of the world is inundated with commercialism and gift shops. We quickly exited the "strip" and headed for the nearest "Spiritual Vortex".
Now on to enjoy the company and friendship of Lynne and John in Scottsdale. We're excited.
Holly encouraged us to check out the Acoma Pueblo just off Rte 40 west of Albuquerque. What a place... It is the oldest continuously inhabited community in North America, located on top of a mesa, surrounded by a huge desert, a great defensive location. Probably why the Spanish conquered it in 1610. The people still talk about it like it was yesterday.
Wayne and Holly told us about a remarkable event that occurs every year during Holy Week. Here's the history if you're interested.
It was 25 miles Northwest of Santa Fe to Chimayo and we drove up Rte 285 into the Native American territory/pueblo country. There was a steady stream of pilgrims walking toward the shrine. They were 99% Spanish and of every shape, manner and form. Families pushing baby carriages, bikers covered with tattoos wearing gang colors, people in wheelchairs, many people carrying crosses, some for great distances, old people shuffling, young people being carried, low riders, tricycles, people on horseback and one blue van with a Thule on top from Maine. 
We drove in the bumper to bumper traffic to within a couple miles to Chimayo, parked and joined the throng, an unique experience. Humble, faith filled people who found nothing remarkable about walking 25 miles through the desert to scoop holy dirt out of a hole. The dogs quickly tired in the heat and we ended up carrying them for much of the day, but, yet again, it was a blessing as we spent the day talking with people and interacting with kids who wanted to pet them. Unlikely that the gringos would have enjoyed much interaction otherwise.
Connie especially enjoyed speaking with a woman selling jewelry named Mattie. When they first spoke, she held our dogs and listened to Connie tell of how they were "healing dogs". They have spent plenty of time with Connie in hospitals, nursing homes and with hospice clients and have always been a joy, being stroked, cuddled, bringing smiles and brief relief to those suffering. 
After lunch Connie went back to Mattie to purchase some beautiful turquoise earrings she especially liked and Mattie said," I didn't think you would come back. I wanted to tell you that my back hurts me all the time, but since I held your dogs, it has not hurt. They are powerful healing dogs." Connie shared how healing they had been for us with the loss of our son and Mattie began to cry. She said "My 14 year old son died from a bone tumor on his leg." I will forever have the image in my head of Connie and Mattie on the streets of Santa Fe, crying, hugging little white dogs, speaking a language without words that only mothers who have lost children can understand.
Buddhists, Native Americans, Anglos... we are all the same... children of God.
