new mexico

5:365:2011


Today I helped a friend move to the fabulous town of Placitas.
Old Placitas is a fantastic village... and if you ever get the chance... it's a "must see" kind of place.
That said... I didn't have the opportunity to take any photos until I was on my way home... and it was very quickly getting dark.
So... here are a few from the ride home...♥



*photos by Elaine A. Russell

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So today... after making friends with some of my fellow motel customers (a very nice couple from Tennessee and their newborn daughter)... and some of the hotel staff (2 very nice ladies in the hotel office that talked with me about rescue dogs and Smartcars and such...)... I got some fresh coffee for the road and headed out.

This overnight stay has sort of changed my perspective a little on Texas... and that is a good thing.

Driving through the desert is a wonderful experience. And I was rather surprised at how happy I was to be back in New Mexico. Not just because I happen to live here and was coming home... although that is certainly a crucial factor. But it was more that New Mexico seems to be such a sacred kind of place. Yes, the economy sucks. And yes, there are certainly distressing things about living here... but it is also a very serene kind of place... almost eerily so at times. It's like you can feel the land and the stories it is trying to tell...

And so... I got home late in the afternoon... and it was an awesome thing to behold.



*photos by Elaine A. Russell

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I am in love with water.... and yah... I live in a desert. Some things in life just aren't planned out... and moving here was definately one of them. That said... it is a gorgeous place to live.

I haven't been getting much done... at least... not as much as I would like to be. I am feeling a strong push to be more productive ... and my body just won't oblige.

This past week, my father came home from the nursing care facility he was at for the past couple of months. I am positive he is happier at home... but I am concerned about the amount of care that has been foisted upon my mother. She is getting some help from hospice... and a portion of help from her church community... and from family... but the majority of it has landed on her shoulders.

What do these three snippets have in common? They are all things in my life right now that are relatively out of my control. All three have been weighing heavily on my mind... some definately more than others... but there you have it.
As a working artist, and having my studio at home... life can completely overwhelm the time that is allotted to working on art. The lines of what is work time... and what is home time; often blur. It's easy to fall into the trap of not working on art because other things need done ... laundry... errands... etc. And I am as guilty of that as the next person. It takes alot of discipline to work from home... and I am working on getting more control over that time and trying to be more disciplined.

About my photos for today's post: While running errands today... I happened to drive by this spot way off on Unser Blvd on the westside of ABQ. I love this little pond of water... and it always suprises me when I come upon it. In this desert environment... it is completely astonishing... and out of the realm of what most people think of when they think of living here. Sometimes a little surprise and break in the "normal control" of things is good....

--->photos by Elaine A. Russell

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................artwork by Elaine A. Russell


I feel a little better about things today... mostly because we all went out to Starbucks for an iced coffee... and to Chili's for a light dinner... and then tonight I picked up a couple plants at Home Depot to fix up the pots on the front patio. The coffee was excellent... the food was delicious... and the plants I got are gorgeous.
Working in the dirt always has a therapeutic effect on me... and I always feel better when I have healthy plants around me.
As of tonight, I also have a huge pot designated for herb plants to cook with. I have always had an herb garden, but these past 2yrs I haven't had the time to prepare one as I have been traveling back to PA so much. I have missed that.

About my photo for today -- I did this piece almost 3yrs ago.. but came across a photo of it today. Using this photo, I added the vintage TTV layer to it... making it new and fresh. I had made it for a former friend... who may not even have it now... so I am glad I kept a photo of it. And while it was not that great an art piece... I do love yellow prairie cone flowers; which was my inspiration for the piece.

To see more about these kind of flowers: Look HERE

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*photos by Elaine A. Russell


"If the sight of the blue skies fills you with joy, if a blade of grass springing up in the fields has power to move you, if the simple things of nature have a message that you understand, rejoice, for your soul is alive..." ~Eleonora Duse (1859 - 1924)

I have been rather despondent as of late. Part of it is a change in my medications (*or more accurately, having been without them for several months.. and going back on them), feeling overweight and out of shape, and having been through the great turmoil of life that is my family...

I am trying very hard to change what I can and be as optimistic as possible.
Some days are easier than others.

However, today was my dear hubby's birthday. And after dinner we went on a drive... chasing the sunset as far west as it let us go before it faded into the hills. It was awesome.


I have no answers to the depression that fills some of my days... I have no words of wisdom. I only know that I must keep on doing what I love... and hope that everything works out in the best way possible. Art and the love of my family are what is currently keeping me going...
What do you do when despair knocks on your door?

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photos by Elaine A. Russell


Today my hubby, my daughter and I went to Madrid, NM. I have never been; in spite of the fact that it's only about an hour away from the house. Madrid used to be a coal mining town up until the 1950's.. when it became more or less a ghost town until it was purchased (yes the entire town) by a fellow named Joe Huber in the 1970's (he grew up there... his dad was involved in the mining operations). Joe got alot of artists and such to move there... and well... the rest is history. The film WILD HOGS was shot in part there... and we ate at the Mine Shaft Tavern where some of the filming took place.


Today there was a "Gypsy Festival" there... and so we went. The festival included lots of tents of vendors selling candles, scarves, jewelry, and more. Then there were the hula-hoop dancers, people in costume, a magician and his assistant, and tons of performances by belly dancers.


In spite of the heat (and it was actually much cooler this weekend than last)... we had a really good time. The road up and back from Madrid is really, really scenic...
and it is on my short list of things to do again in the future.

To see more on Madrid:
Look HERE and HERE and even HERE

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Today we started out in Oklahoma.... and made it all the way home to Albuquerque just after midnight. My daughter did alot of the driving.... and I am very grateful. It still seemed like I felt every bump in the road.. and in that sense... it was rough. However, it was still much easier (no doubt) than if I would have done the driving as well.

Oklahoma is a very pretty state in the springtime. All along the highways were gorgeous wildflowers. The photo above shows tons of the red ones.. .I think they are a form of fire weed.... and they were stunning. We also so lots of daffodils, tulips, dandelions, wild mustard, and a few poppies.


Throughout Oklahoma and later into Texas, we continued to see lots of beautiful farmland and ranch land. We saw tons of cows, and even the occasional goat, sheep and even alpaca farms. America really is gorgeous... and it's a shame we (as a whole) don't appreciate it as much as we should.

My daughter and I had an interesting discussion revolving around Route 66. We were discussing whether there was an equivalent to that kind of thing today (not that I know of). And we were talking about how people travel alot today... but not in the same context. At least the impression I got of the Route66 fame; was that it was treated like a trip... not where the destination is completely the goal... but more of the journey being the goal. I think most people today who are driving/ traveling are more focused on getting to a certain destination... as opposed to enjoying the journey.


We got into Amarillo around suppertime, and on impulse... decided to stop at "The Big Texan" for dinner. If you've never been.... it's an iconic kind of place. The Big Texan is totally kitchy, totally cowboy... and totally everything you would expect a Texas steak house to be. There is a huge dining room full of about 100 taxidermy animals on the walls... wood floors...country style tables... even an authentic cowboy band.
There is a saloon/ bar area... a massive poker room...a gift shop.... fudge and candy area... even a game/shooting range for kids.
There is a hotel/motel right next door that is owned by the same company.... and the building looks like a row of old buildings from a historic western town.

Needless to say, I had an awesome time. The band was fabulous... the atmosphere was fun.... and I had the best. steak. ever. Seriously. I had an 8oz sirloin topped with sauteed mushrooms and blue cheese crumbles and a side of fried okra. My daughter had a cup of chili, cornbread, and a HUGE appetizer that was comprised of fried okra, jalapenos, mozzarella sticks, and rocky mountain oysters. We didn't get dessert (cuz we were stuffed)... but the portions were enormous! and everything looked fantastic. ((Total cost of the meal was just under $40 for both of us))

The following photos are from the Big Texan....(see more on this place: here)




*all photos by Elaine A. Russell

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One of the other things I was able to do this past weekend; was to visit the VLA.

"The Very Large Array, one of the world's premier astronomical radio observatories, consists of 27 radio antennas in a Y-shaped configuration on the Plains of San Agustin fifty miles west of Socorro, New Mexico."

Essentially, a friend of mine happens to work there, and I was able to get a tour! We set out around lunchtime, and even though it was the hottest time of the day; it was still only 28 degrees out... and there was alot of wind. It had been snowing off and on for a couple of days there.. and there was quite a bit of snow about. We saw fresh deer tracks (actually -- they were probably prongehorn antelope tracks), bird and bunny tracks... and one of the biggest jack rabbits I have ever seen in my life!

Anyway-- back to the VLA. We got an "insider" tour of the facilities and visitor areas... as well as the joy of getting up close and personal with a few of the beasts themselves. The antenna's configuration changes every few months to provide different data of the scenes they are viewing. When we happened to visit, the configuration was shut down... so it was actually a perfect time to see the structures.

"At the end of the VLA D configuration in 2010 Jan the VLA correlator will be turned off, and the VLA will not be available for an interval of up to 2 months while hardware is moved from the VLA correlator to the new correlator for the Expanded Very Large Array (EVLA)."

And yes, we even got to see photos of Jodi Foster from when she made the movie "Contact" there....link: http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0118884/


--------->and so... here are the pix!






*all photos by Elaine A. Russell





For more info on the VLA; check out these websites:
Old website: (link:http://www.vla.nrao.edu/)
and their new website: (http://science.nrao.edu/evla/index.shtml)

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*photo of the VLA.... by Elaine A. Russell





I won't talk much... cuz frankly; I am exhausted. I had a wonderful weekend... and will no doubt tell more about it this week. Suffice it to say, that I needed a roadtrip... and it was good.

Today's adventures took me to the towns of Magdalena & Socorro, to the VLA (very large array), and to Bosque del Apache... then back to Albuquerque.

Now ... 'tis time for a shower, a cup of tea, bed... and maybe a little Leonard Cohen (as sung by Jeff Buckley)..... Hope you all had a wonderful weekend.

driving

Kind of an odd day today. One minute it is cloudy and overcast, the next minute the sun is trying to come out. Last night we actually had some snow flurries in and around ABQ. I know this, not just because of the weather report.. but because I had planted fresh mint into pots on my patio.. and had to go and cover them up. (kinda like washing your car, only to have it rain)

I feel like I have been driving alot as of lately. To and from doctor's appointments, to and from CNM, driving around ABQ. Over the weekend, I was with some friends and we drove down to the gallery in Tome(http://www.tomegallery.net/). I have never been to Tome... and would like to go again sometime. I took some random shots out of the back seat windows as we drove down the highways and back roads. It was cool. (http://newmexico.hometownlocator.com/nm/valencia/tome.cfm)

The first shot I did in a style not unlike when I used to do Infrared B&W shots and hand color them. At one time, I was one of only a hand-full of artists doing this style... and I still really enjoy the look. So--- a little "driving tour" photographically today.... enjoy :)



**all photos by Elaine A. Russell

Pueblo Montano park








photos by Elaine A. Russell

Fall is coming upon us. It is my favorite time of year. I love the chill in the air, how walks at night become a little more brisk, how the sunsets seem more vibrant, how the moon seems more full, how the leaves make that cool rustling noise when the wind blows... it all speaks to me.

Yesterday the hubby and I took a short walk around the Bosque near Montano bridge, and the open space park there that features wood carvings by Mark Chavez. Mark was a fireman back when the Bosque suffered a horrible fire back in 2003. Most of the cottonwood trees succumbed, and many suffered severe damage. Out of that catastrophe, Mark, who is also a wood carver/ sculptor.... made art from the remnants of tree trunks and fallen trees. It is gorgeous... and a testament to our own lives... how we can build beauty from ashes if we just try.


See this link: http://www.examiner.com/x-1972-Albuquerque-Travel-Examiner~y2009m9d10-Hidden-Albuquerque-Pueblo-Montano-park-and-the-wood-carvings-of-Mark-Chavez

the GO Arts Festival

on Gold Ave...


Court Lurie Fine Art

Ping Irvin

Kevin Eslinger

St. Clair Winery

*all photos by Elaine A. Russell



this past weekend there was sooooooooooo much we could have done. It was the last weekend of the State Fair, the Go Arts Festival was going on downtown, Globalquerque! was at the Hispanic Cultural Center on Saturday, and the Aki Matsuri (Japanese Fall Festival) was on Sunday.....

In the end, we decided to go to the Go Arts Festival, because we had never been before. It was in the heart of downtown... off of Gold Ave. About 150 artists from all over New Mexico... and a few from Texas, Arizona, and Colorado... set up camp and basked in all the best that is NM. The weather was perfect, the music was great... and there was wine from St. Clair !

Strolling around, I was overwhelmed with all the great art. Everything from paintings, sculptures, wood carvings, glasswork, jewelry, leather arts, metal lamps, furniture, marbles and more !

As a bonus: I got the chance to meet Brandon Maldonado... one of my fav painters. He did the murals for Masks Y Mas on Central, and has published a book that I just adore. He has been featured on the cover of the Alibi... and several other publications. Total coolness.

all roads lead to home




photos by Elaine A. Russell

...at least when you are on I-40. My niece was amazed when I visited her in Landisville, PA because my directions from her house to ABQ all fit on one page. This is because (in part at least) because you are on I-40 for over 500 miles. Kinda like the song by the Proclaimers ...






So -- my first stops were at the Cherokee Trading Posts in Oklahoma. There were 3 of them in a row.. somewhere in the middle of Oklahoma. Typical kitchy travel stuff. ... with tons of authentic and really nice stuff in the mix. I saw porcelain dolls, native flutes, moccasins, leather travel bags, taxidermy rattler snakes, tons of jewelry.....wow. Near the massive gift shops were always a restaurant (which I didn't go to) and a park which sported real live buffalo. Such beautiful creatures ! Sabrina even laid down next to the biggest one of them all (course, separated by a fence)... but it was amazing.
This was my major stop for the day.. and Brina and I took our time looking thru everything.

An early lunch was spent at a Braum's. I think this is a midwest type of chain... famous for it's burgers and old fashioned ice cream. They have a deal where you can get a bag full of burgers for only 5 bucks. I remember a few years ago when Michael went with me on this trip. He ate 2 bags of burgers... and washed them down with thick milkshakes.
(and then slept for a couple of hours )

Oklahoma scenery is full of farm land, fields, and the reddest dirt I have ever seen in my life. It is almost like watching super Technicolor tv when you see the bright green of the grass next to the bright red of the dirt. I even saw a couple ponds that could fool you into thinking they were pools of blood.

Texas. Ah Texas. You'd think there were be one ranch close to I-40 with Longhorn cattle.. but no. I think the people of Texas should make this a tourist stop. I for one, would like to see a Longhorn close up. Brina and I stopped for a drink somewhere close to Amarillo. We laid down in grass of a McDonald's and tried to cool off. I felt like the air conditioning wasn't working.. but in retrospect.. I think that it's just that it was 95 degrees outside... and I couldn't get cool enough.

Around 3-4pm, we hit the border to New Mexico. Almost immediately, the topography changes from totally flat .. to starting to get hilly and with arroyos. We saw 3 trains go by when we were near Cuervo, NM (one of my fav places)-- I just love trains. We stopped for gas in Santa Rosa, and a pit stop at a very skanky place that I will not mention. We also saw a herd of what looked like gazelles ! feasting on the grasslands fresh with rain.

We encountered traffic congestion to the west of the Sandias... there is alot of construction going on, couple with a fender bender... made life a little complicated. If you've never seen the Sandia Mountains.. I would consider it a must. They are the most awesome jutting monoliths of mountains... full of pine trees and deer.

By 7:30 I was home. I had been craving ice cream since Texas.. so the whole family went out to Coldstone for a treat !

the truth about gerbils and goats...

----------------------------photo by Elaine Russell ( store: Que Chula )

I have always had bad allergies. They came to a head when I was about 16years old, and would often lead to asthma attacks andmy face swelling beyond recognition. That same year, I was taken to an allergy specialist.. and back in those days.. they would literally scratch your skin with a needle in a circle about the size of a bigger pencil eraser, and apply serum with the allergen in it and see if you react. I got 160 scratches done in one day. I quit breathing. When all was said and done, they said I was allergic to 158 out of the 160 things they had tested me on, and they assumed I was "safe" with gerbils and goats... except that I had quit breathing before the testing was finished. so -- who really knows about the gerbils and goats....
I then took allergy shots, one in each --arm every week, for 8 years. In retrospect, they helped the first year, and that was about it.
The, for the following years, I tried every over the counter med, drops, inhalers, sprays, etc that there is. I then tried every homeopathic remedy under the sun. Mostly, accupuncture works for me.
That said... yesterday I had a pretty impressive allergy attack. I still am having it today. The only thing I can think of that may have triggered it, was that I was near a woman who was wearing perfume. .. and while she smelled good... my body reacted.

My daughter was commenting about me having to "live in a bubble." I am old enough to remember a fairly bad movie with a very young John Travolta playing "the Boy in the Plastic Bubble".... or some such. It was not a pleasant experience for him; and I don't think it would be one for me. I love being outdoors.... I just have to be a little careful. Heck.. I have to be careful indoors.. in the desert... in winter. Ah well.
It just makes me appreciate things more.

The photo above was one I took *(with permission) from the owners of Que Chula.. a local store that features alot of cool stuff from Mexico.