Monday, January 23, 2012

Frybread and Other Happenings

It has been a busy 10 days or so.  We have been to the Bluff Balloon Festival and were blessed with beautiful weather including the last day when we arrived at early, early at Valley of the Gods to see the balloons take off on Sunday morning from that amazing location.  The sunrise we saw that morning would have been worth the 8 hour drive north. It was breathtaking!  The balloons were gorgeous but almost an afterthought  to that sunrise.      I have gotten to be a slow riser in the morning.  But for 3 days I found I could be up and ready to go by 6:30ish and even fully conscious without 4 or 5 cups of coffee! We probably took a thousand photos between us, enjoyed frybread and Navajo tacos for 3 days and great entertainment at the Friday night talent show put on by the local school.  That is two of the young performers above.  We also sold our photography on Saturday.  Busy days but it is always a great time to be had with the nice people of Bluff and the balloonists that come in from all over the country. 

Sunday noon we were off to Mancos and stopped by Hovenweep National Monument for another photo safari.  Much better than the time we were there before when the paths along the canyon were covered with ice. This time I could stay upright!  I felt good about our photography there and it was just a neat place to see.   We journeyed on to Mancos, had the barbeque special at our favorite dinner spot ,woke up to a snowstorm  and visited with some old friends in Mancos at the community breakfast the next morning.   Like a couple of escapees from the snowbelt we headed south and were home by an hour or so after dark.  Don't like to travel after dark but it happens!  Particularly when you have driven through, snow,rain, and wind to find your way home.

 It was a couple of days of recuperating and laundry and getting reacquainted with Scooby Doo,Sophie and Fifi.  Not to mention processing all of that fun photography!   The Red Paint Pow-Wow in Silver City started on Friday and went on through Sunday.  We went for a only few hours on Saturday as we  both are fighting a cold.  Some of the ceremonies and dancing were considered sacred and photography wasn't allowed but there was much to see and photograph in what was allowed.  This event was huge!  And Native Americans from all over the country.  The Indian ceremonial dress was fabulous.  It appeared to be a very structured and well run event.  And we had. . yes. .more fry bread and Indian Tacos again!  They didn't call them Navajo tacos here.  I guess because there were many different tribes at the event. Quite a contrast between the casual performances that we saw at Bluff and the very serious, structured performances that we saw in Silver City.  Both events interesting and fun, just different. 

  We are back in a week of somewhat normal.  Getting the camper ready for using this year, catching up on what is going on with different happenings about town.  We are signed up for classes at Western Institute of Lifetime Learning that start the first of February.  Woo-Hoo-Tom and I are taking line dancing!  I'm excited. . Tom isn't.  .but I hope he will find it fun.  There are also some educational classes that we  both are taking and looking forward to.

  I am tentatively scheduled to go to Mayo for a checkup on February 9th.  I am not having any problems so am trusting it will be all good.   I am hearing of more people dealing with cancer and not doing as well as I have so I am very grateful for my prognosis.  Just wish they would figure this dreaded disease out so that so many did not suffer. Someday!  In the meantime, my heart and prayers goes out to them.    Love and hugs to all, hope life is treating you good. . . . Sandy

Wednesday, January 11, 2012

The Balancing Act

We were at a little theater performance last week and I saw this piece of art in the theater courtyard  that rather fascinated me. It appears to be balanced stones on a metal structure,although I imagine that some "super glue" of some sort was involved.  Actually, maybe not an illusion of balancing at all but still intriguing and yes,somehow artful.

  Although I have no reason to believe that I am not doing well, balancing all that needs to be done, and yes, that I want to do, seems more difficult as time goes on.  My energy leaves me too soon. I need a nap many days.  I appreciate being able to be here for my 69th year but I just want more from this 69 year old body than it delivers!  Right now, I am sitting on the couch next to my sleeping Scooby Doo, knowing that my bags need to be packed for our trip tomorrow to the balloon festival in Bluff Utah.  And the body is tired, and wants to do no more today!  Tomorrow  will be a day of travel and Friday we will enjoy the beautiful redrock country of Utah, hopefully sunshine and the spectacular show of hotair balloons flying high above it all.

 I guess I had better go pack that suitcase, cause when it all comes down to the nitty-gritty, I don't want to miss a thing!  Love and hugs to you all. Healing is still slow, but happening.   Teaches patience, I tell myself.. And I guess I had better work on gratitude for what I can do!

Sandy