Day 16,682 Gratitude

Synchronicity and Kate Cartwright delivered us to photographer Lenny Foster's presentation at the Taos public library on our first full day in town. It had been a whirlwind morning, literally and figuratively, so I don't think I sat down with any particular expectations beyond relief from the cold outside. I was not the least bit prepared to be so deeply touched by the candid glimpse into Lenny's personal journey and the power behind his deeply moving images.

Feast your eyes on the video that first broke my heart wide open to Taos:

Amy and I were eager to visit Lenny at his gallery and introduce ourselves. We were welcomed there with open arms. He generously offered his time to lead interested workshop participants on an early morning photo shoot at La Morada de Don Fernando de Taos, which we never would have located on our own. It turned out to be a magical morning of storm clouds rolling and I got some of my best shots there. Pure magic. Lenny even hosted our entire group at his gallery so that everyone could see the video and hear some of his stories. Not only did we meet another talented artist, but made another friend there as well.

That's how Taos rolls. Arrive a stranger and leave in love with everyone and everything in town. Time to put up a new countdown to our return in June 2012!

Day 16,680 Gratitude

Today I am grateful that we have been making belated progress on our spring weeding, planting, and mulching. When we first moved here 9 years ago, we were able to complete this project for the entire property in a single day. Older and wiser, we have learned to break it down by area and then further by specific tasks. (All things in bite-sized morsels work better for me these days.) The downside is that it never really feels like we've finished. But, thankfully, there are triumphs along the way, rewards for jobs well-done, like this year's zinnia and coleus taking root in their potted homes.

Today I am grateful that Amy is so beautifully capturing our Taos trip, one juicy day at a time. Looking back at my journal pages, it is hard to fathom just how much we managed to pack into each day. I had intended to do a similar day-by-day recap upon re-entry, but will more than likely delve deeply into specific stories when I finally land.

Yes, it's taking a long time for me to recover. Part of me is still on Taos time and in that state of mind ... and in absolutely no hurry to shake it. What's interesting is that I will be by the sea in less than one week. This should either bring me back into balance or catapult me completely out of my wobbly orbit. In the interim, I am grateful to know what helps with my post-transformational recovery ... cups of tea, naps as needed, and good books.

So grateful for breakfast with Amy tomorrow, so she can remind me (yet again) that it wasn't a dream!

Day 16,675: Beyond Words

I keep coming to this page
Hoping that I'm finally ready
To put the New Mexico experience into words
I could try to tell it like a story
But it's really stories within stories
And I'm not sure which of them are mine to tell
Or that any of them happened anywhere other
Than inside my own high desert drunken imagination
Magical, powerful, transformative
Some places have a way of redefining
Who we thought ourselves to be
Things happen there that defy explanation
Not one thing or three things
But the whole, holy experience
That's how this adventure unfolded for me
From the moment of departure
Until we landed, blinking and bewildered, back home
I thought I'd signed up for an art workshop
And got so much more than I had bargained for
My grateful heart has been broken open
And I have no idea what to do from here

Day 16,672: AAC Taos 2011 Photos

Day 16,671: How to Avoid Burnout Upon Re-Entry

Part of me landed in CVG on Friday night around 8:30. My husband drove that weary part of me home. Another part of me stayed behind in Taos. Amy forewarned me repeatedly that New Mexico is a powerful place. That it is. And then some. Once Taos Mountain welcomed us, I had no idea it would be so difficult to leave. I have so many stories and photos to share from our travels, the workshop, the field trips and adventures. All in due time. For the time being, I need to ease into full and complete re-entry ... staying fully present to the gifts of the in-between.

Day 16,660: Test Follow-up

***Learned after the fact that I can post a photo or write but, sadly, not both at the same time***

Blogger promises to make it easy to blog via e-mail.  I'm giving it a go before I hit the road on Friday.  Hoping it works!

The photo above (below-in the previous post) was taken with my Photojojo macro lens.  It had me frustrated and befuddled until I discovered that it needs to be VERY close to the subject before it comes into focus.  The wide angle and fish eye lenses are fun despite the photos capturing the edge of the lens due to the curvature of the iPhone GS3.  Sometimes I'm too lazy to edit.

Today I am grateful that my to do list is getting shorter and almost all I need to do at this point is pack.  I'm grateful that texting is the new walkie-talkie.  And I'm grateful for the juicy anticipation that precedes a great adventure!

Day 16,660: Testing Mobile Blogging