Sidetracked Charley

  I have not liked this this time of year since my mother chose Thanksgiving as her exit time. For years my sister and I would get together for Thanksgiving and haunt all the empty state and national parks. On the 15th my sister left this earth. There goes Christmas. Mother was always afraid of ruining Christmas.  On the 16th we had a snow squall. Sounds innocent doesn't it? My experience with squalls had been sailing on the outer banks. And fortunately I sailed with a cautious and experienced sailor. They were things we witnessed from safe harbors. I now they happen on land and you can sink there too. Red River, Enchanted Forest Cross County Ski Area, and the Town of Taos have already applied for federal emergency relief funds. In fact the whole County of Taos. A friend in Questa reported the power just came back on. Do not get rid of your wood burning stove. And since solar panels fly it might be wise to stay connected to the grid. Yes, it was down but it is now back up. Tow...

I need to take a long lonely drive to Raton to reflect. But life has been rather busy of late and empty road time not on the schedule. Frankly the schedule of late has not allowed a lot of space for reflection in the studio or behind the camera or walking with the dogs. So, oddly enough, I am looking forward to the dentist today. That is an hour drive to Questa through the Moreno Valley and over Bobcat pass and through Red River. And after the dentist it is off to Taos for the passport renewal before returning through Palo Flechado canyon to my side of the mountain. Without the errands and appointments this route is called the Enchanted Circle. For me it is in a lot of ways a passage through the past. I once lived on the other side of the circle in Questa. Red River was a frequent jaunt for work. And I drove the route from Questa to Taos more than I wanted. I hated Taos as much then as I do now. And, in fact, frequently went north to shop in Alamosa, Colorado instead. After l...