Sidetracked Charley

Tunnel end of growing season 2012 It did not seem that monumental at the time but this spring I committed myself to gardening again. I moved the neglected raised 4 x 4 beds and built a poly tunnel over the top of them. Except for the initial $150 in plastic and PVC and rope it was mostly sweat equity. But since the mechanics lien in November 2007 was placed on my property by the contractor I had hired to build the studio I have invested no sweat and very little time, money or effort in my property except to improve the rental unit for income. Why put anything into something which could be sold out from under you at any moment? I am not sure what moved inside of me to allow this investment, minor though it may be. And at the time it seemed to be that where I had put the raised beds was just wrong. They were so in the way. A total pain to mow around. And they collected all the blowing snow in the winter. So they had to go. And for a moment I considered doing just that; chopping th...

Manual Focus Required I like winter. Really I do. I have enjoyed winter sports more than summer sports much of my life. For over two decades I taught skiing. And when a skiing accident ended that I adopted snowshoeing as my winter sport. Photography takes me out when others stay in. I live in the mountains because I like moderate summers and most months of winter. I am, however, not fond of December snows. They just seem rude. They arrive with high winds and plunging temps. They come before I or anyone seems mentally prepared even if we have been wishing for snow for the ski area and the moisture it provides for the trees of our forest. And they come most years in one, two, three punches that hardly allow you to get your driveway cleared. The county plows struggle with the blowing snow and none of the drivers know where the bar ditches are. Hint - they are under the smooth snow just before the piles the plow has made on the edges. Osha Road And there are just more gra...

Fix-It-Upper Near Maxwell, NM My sister, Deborah Binford Baker, is up for the holidays with her jeep. And while all the tourists in Angel Fire are standing in ski lift lines we took off to our favorite places beyond Cimarron. There is Ponil Creek and the Elliot Barker Wild Life Area, Valle Vidal and its access through the Vermejo Park Ranch, and our new find this trip, the Maxwell National Wildlife Refuge. Just two women with camera, three dogs and a spirit of adventure. Lock Arrangement on Gate The entrances to are favorite spots are all within a few miles of each other. And surrounded by huge ranches.  Some people have kept up their fences and some only the pretense of a fence. The Vermejo Park Ranch has shifted over from cattle to buffalo which are very difficult to fence in. Maybe it is just the people that are suppose to know they are fenced out. I seriously doubt the big boy below could be stopped by three strands of barbed wire. Bull Buffalo on Vermejo Park R...

Duck and Cover of My Youth I am the generation of the atomic bomb so when people talk of the innocence of children and the efforts to keep them safe I really cannot relate. I was in the first grade when Dad, his crew and his bomber were reported missing in action over Korea. Mother cried herself to sleep every night and I had to be brave for her and my little brother. At recess I would go out behind the school and do my crying there. I thought my teacher looked like the Wicked Witch of the West (the Wizard of Oz I saw as a horror film), and I feared being locked in the supply closet (early onset claustrophobia). So Duck and Cover was merely another torture especially since my father, who dropped bombs for a living, told me to add "Kiss your ass goodbye" to the drill. After Dad was returned to the living (just mostly a military administrative paperwork issue) we moved to Roswell, NM land of aliens and SAC. Dad was constantly being called out in the middle of the night t...

First snow of season December 9, 2012 I was reminded that there had to be another snow before this or the snow we had to trudge through at the top of the pass to get the Christmas tree would not have been there. But if you live in snow country you know there is snow, and Snow, and SNOW. AND OMG SNOW. So the snow we got previously in, I believe it was October, was not Snow but snow and it didn't hang around nor leave us a promise to return any time soon. All of which gives you a false sense of security. We had all begun to talk of the non-winter. The later the first Snow or SNOW comes the more unprepared you are. Especially if the daytime temps are in the 50's and nights are not even freezing. One gets a bit lax in fact. Like where I placed the snow shovel. Against the garden wall Or for that matter that I and the neighbor share a snow blower now and it is behind her house. Yes, it can dig itself out but we have to shovel a path to get to it. And the shovel is 20 f...

This beautiful area of north central New Mexico where I live has been carved into counties as the population and terrain made it harder and harder to govern. What is now Taos, Colfax and Mora counties was once one huge county. Colfax needs carved again. I suffer the problems on living on its far southwest corner. I am in fact closer to the county seats of Mora and Taos than I am to that of Colfax. In my blog Off to Vote Early I mentioned the difficulty of voting early. It is an hour and 45 minute drive in the best of weather. A couple March's ago it was a 36 hour drive because of snow. I listed some statistics for the County of Colfax in that same blog. Raton is the county seat and the biggest city but has a declining population due to the downfall of mining and the drought which is having a prolonged downward spiral on ranching. As of the 2010 census it was barely over half of the population of the entire county. And my side of the county has grown in population to the point...

Junkyard Sculpture by J. Binford-Bell Cars and relationships break. Mechanics exist to fix your cars and inspire you with hope that it will roll again. Lawyers exist to not fix the marriage but profit from its breakdown. I will always need a car and ergo a mechanic. But if I never get married again I will hopefully not need a lawyer. At some incredibly early age I announced to my mother that I had absolutely no intention of ever getting married or having any children. The latter decision came from the infant science of genetics in my biology class and my exposure to raising pedigreed dogs. The first part of my declared knowledge came from my close observation of people. Most of the married ones I knew just did not seem happy. And Mother, when most unhappy, talked about all she gave up to marry my father. But I was married twice. I think of them as huge mistakes. So was just living together with Bruce after college. Tip: When you move into their house (owned or just rented in t...

It is often hard in this modern age to untangle confusion. I didn't give it a second thought when my ex-husband died that it would still be effecting my life two years later. We had been divorced for longer than we had been married and he had married his first wife again. I fortunately only met the sainted Elinor once. By Marc's death bed. She expressed regret that she had won the pitched battle between us. Such is life. It is hard to see ahead to the consequences of our actions. And my error was in keeping my name. I had garnered a reasonable reputation as an artist and writer working with the hyphenated Binford-Bell I still use. Add Jacqui to that mix and Google informs me there is actually only one of me in the world. Marc and I also worked really hard to separate our finances and credit ratings upon our divorce. But then he remarried the sainted Elinor of two chapter 7 bankruptcies. It was at a time I was not worrying about credit. Head injury. I was more concerned w...

Top of the World by J. Binford-Bell It is that time of the year again when my sister and I go off-roading in search of the perfect Holiday Tree. And admittedly we do a lot more searching than finding. We can be very picky. Besides which the searching is a lot of fun. It all begins with a trip to the Taos office for the Carson National Forest where a permit is obtained. Then you cannot go back by way of US 64 but must go through Talpa to take the backroads over the mountain while looking for a suitable tree. This you mark in your GPS so you can return on Thanksgiving day with the saw and tie downs, etc. The tree has to be cut on Thanksgiving which is why you just cannot cut it while going back over the mountain. But it raises two problems: finding the marked GPS location on the GPS, and then finding it in the real world. High Country Christmas Tree Lot Then, of course, there is remembering which of those trees at that location you thought was so perfect. This year none o...

Walrus and the Carpenter "The time has come," the Walrus said, "to speak of many things. Of shoes and ships and sealing wax and cabbages and kings." I confess. I was one of those kids whose parents read to her. And before Dr. Seuss, and other age appropriate literature. I remember Aesop Fables and Uncle Remus and Alice in Wonderland most specifically. Other kids were reciting nursery rhymes and I was doing renditions of The Walrus and the Carpenter. That behavior was seen as quite odd in the first grade and resulted in the first parent/teacher conference. And my Aunt Amy cautioning me at a family gathering, "You must watch it or people will think you quite mad." She would know because at times she fell under the same assumption. I have learned not to speak of why the sea is boiling hot or whether pigs have wings, but it would seem that I am living among people that do. And without fear of the consequences. Mind you I expect some conspiracy th...

Before you ask the above picture has nothing to do with this blog but no way was I leading off with a picture of Romney. And the topic has nothing to do with Obama. But it does occur to me in the Pirates of the Caribbean series that the pirates were good losers and the Brits weren't. My childhood was a lot about becoming a good loser or being good enough to not lose and wise enough to choose my contests. I had for a brother the absolute worst of winners. So it did not help me learning to be gracious at losing. I am not sure how many Monopoly boards Dad threw away before I learned to never play that game again. I am not sure how but I know my brother cheated. And I gave up tennis when I discovered it was never wise to go on a tennis date. Try as she might mother never convinced me of the wisdom of losing at anything to please a man. But I digress. This blog is not about my sportsmanship or even solely about Romney's lack there of. Though he is certainly a prime exam...

Grassland Conference by J. Binford-Bell As much as I might whine about taking those road trips to Raton there is something to be said about windshield time. And beyond the photo opportunities though those can be grand especially if the buffalo herd is close to the fence. But if not it can be 41 miles of flat plain with distant mesas and mountains. Empty space with endless skies. And lots of windshield time. Nemo jump drive shuffling between new loves and old time favorites on the car stereo and mind on free float. They say the memory is triggered most by scents and second by sounds. Sounds must include music. I am one of those people that can zero in on the time and place and event I first heard a song. And then there are the songs irrevocably linked to a person. So those 41 miles of open space can be filled with years of memories shuffling like the tunes on the stereo. And in that review of life sometimes there comes revealed truth. I have 40 year friendship with a wonderful ...

Frequent readers of my blog are much more familiar with images like the one above. I live in a very loose rural mountain area we collectively call Black Lake. I have joked about Tween and Twixt and Beyond Black Lake. Black Lake in the minds of its residents begins at El Bordo hill and runs south along hwy 434 and then 120 for some 20 or more miles not counting side roads. Many of those side roads are what we laughingly call rental car roads. Except for meadows it is almost all high mountain forest with remote "cabins" dotted at the ends of those rental car roads. There are definitely more cows and elk than people in Black Lake. There are some huge homes sitting in the midst of large lots of uncleared land. And many of them are not occupied the majority of the year. Vacation homes! This was the area where the Joker, yes that is his nick name had his two female companions drive him before the car ran out of gas due to a high speed chase into the center of Black Lake. He an...

Reflections by J. Binford-Bell Sandy came on shore. All the Aspen leaves were on the ground. The weather channel revised its long range forecasts and the drought continues. Well, except for where Sandy came on shore. New York and New Jersey would like a dry and warmer trend. Meanwhile I was walking the dogs around placid ponds and taking stunning pictures of reflections and ignoring all my email in boxes because they are full of messages from what seems a million Democrats. And staying off Facebook where I am bombarded by Republicans that want to tell me yet again how stupid I am. I am rather above the fray as I voted mid October. I have been more concerned about my renters as real estate agents began calling me asking for credit information about them. There lease is not up until the 1st of March. Nobody in the highlands of New Mexico wants an empty rental property in the winter. But I have to wonder what they were thinking as they are not current on their rent and most month...

Full blood moon tonight so maybe that is the reason I feel moody and am having trouble getting motivated. Or maybe it what all the work on my to-be-done-before-winter list yesterday. Or maybe it is that 1/3 of the United States in under siege by a hurricane named Sandy. I find myself thinking of Star Wars and Obi One saying there was a disturbance in the force. And Sandy colliding with the cold front that passed over us is a huge disturbance. The two of them are creating a super storm that will go down in the history books. It is peaceful here in my mountain home but that seems like a lie given what is happening on the eastern seaboard. The house feels chilly and I do not seem to be able to warm up but the thermometer says that is all in my mind. I am brewing myself yet another cup of hot tea and pulled another afghan over my lap and I sit at the computer - life line to what is happening outside my bubble. Nice to live in an area where there are no hurricanes or tornadoes ...

After the Ball by John Silver Tired but happy this morning back in my Black Lake residence. Away from the sometimes maddening crowd of the Willow Manor Masked Ball . I live such a solitary and reclusive life as an artist that meeting and greeting all those people was exhausting. But it left me with many wonderful memories to fill my days. There is unpacking to do but for now I just want to sit and sip my coffee, and sort through the grand moments. Must thank my hostess, Tess Kincaid, for the wonderful hospitality. And all the other attendees for wonderful inspiration. Find myself already planning for next year. Johnny had to get back to Monument Valley for some additional takes on The Lone Ranger. Our pilot dropped off him and early and they flew me over the monuments as the sun was just beginning to strike them. There had been a snow yesterday. The Angel Fire airport was a cold and desolate place. But it was only six miles from home and my fur kids. Hope all the other at...

Breakfast on Board My date, Johnny Depp, was late, but he did pick me up at the Angel Fire Airport. In the greatest of Leer Jets. I was all bundled up against the cold in my traveling outfit which included the Harlequin coat I will wear later to the ball. As soon as we took off and topped the mountains breakfast of Eggs Benedict was served. I thought I would be way too excited to eat a thing but I had skipped dinner doing last minute packing and was ravishingly hungry even sitting across from Johnny. He had brought along a couple of friends from the latest film he is working on. In fact the flight was late because of having to skirt the tails of Hurricane Sandy. He and his friends were all dressed as pirates. Does solve that worry about white Tonto makeup all over my gown. Cannot wait to see Willow Manor as this is the first of their famous balls I have been to. Going to have to be really grand to beat all the excitement of preparation and the fabulou...

Johnny Depp has accepted my invitation. But which Johnny Depp will show up - Captain Jack Sparrow or Tonto or just Johnny if there is such a thing. So now my gown for the event has to be perfect. And just when I think I have the decision made I find another possibility like this beautiful vintage satin gown below. I absolutely love the train on it, and the below waist stitching to cut down on flounce. And unlike my other two top runners it seems to allow more room to breathe. And no hoops to manage. Though I spent enough time with hoops during one theatrical production to be able to know the ends and out of them. And then there is this wonderful vintage reproduction. But knowing klutz me I would probably be snagging bracelet and purse on the detailing at the waist not to mention the delicate netting over the skirt. All together better for a more delicate person. Giving the gown below another look because of its simple lines, the detailing of the capped sleeves...

The mask is the biggest accessory for the ball but of course I have to have shoes even if my long gown will cover most of them up. I find as I age it is more an more about support for my high aches and balance. I like these because they had a sort of vintage look while providing a lot of support for the ball and arch of my foot. Not going to slip slide out of these. But they are a bit tall. The ones below are more sporty and shorter and will be perfect for wearing with my black jeans and silk blouse when traveling. I have my big black Epiphany camera bag but I obviously will want an evening purse. I hate the ones I have to hold on to. I want my hands free for the buffet and dancing and taking pictures. I have the bag below that I take routinely to art openings and receptions. Which leaves jewelry. Jewelry with feathered masks is an issue I have found. You do not want a lot of prongs that will snag on the feathers. So I was looking for something with a smooth surface a...