November in New Mexico is the time to turn on the fireplace. (Still not used to that coming from a house where we burned wood in our fireplace.) Still, the “Tree of Life” looks great in front of this “new” one. Bet it would look even better in front of your fireplace.
Today is November, the start of the holiday season. Really. I can’t believe it either, but yesterday was Halloween, so it must be true. Which means that I better get a move on. High on Hooking’s got two big events in the coming weeks:
Guess what? I’m not ready for either. There are several rugs in the house here in various states of (in)completion. Yep, I’ve got days of work ahead of me till November 19 comes and I can breathe. (We won’t even talk about how I’m hosting Thanksgiving here and have to plan for that too.)
Tynan and I enjoying the grass and fall weather somewhere on a Missouri highway.
I might have been further down the road with the rugs I need to still finish, but real life got in the way. Tom, Tynan, and I were gone for just over two weeks driving back east for the first time since moving to New Mexico back in 2015. We’re tired now, having been on the road all that time, moving between Connecticut, Rhode Island, and Massachusetts to see family and friends. But it was well worth it. There was lobster, colorful foliage, a trip to the beach, and on and on. Tynan even provided a travelogue for our Instagram page for all but one of the days away. If you didn’t see it, pop on over there.
Not the usual “What’s on the frame” this week. Though, technically, the rug is still on the frame; one of many. Actually, this is what I accomplished on the road. One rug started and one crocheted shawl finished.
Must head back to the hooking and sewing now. Hope to see you at one of our events this November. Mention the blog and get 10% off any rug.
Wayne in front of the Old Town Hat Shop & Accessory Boutique. Nice hat!
This is the time every year that New Mexico is rocking. The Balloon Fiesta is happening, and the state is filled with folks laying eyes on it for the first time. Last week those folks included my college friend Wayne. He arrived late Tuesday, took some down time Wednesday, but was up and at’em come Thursday. Time for me to slip into my tour guide hat.
Thursday we met another New Mexican friend of his in Old Town. We chatted, shopped a little, toured the Rattlesnake Museum, and had lunch of yummy posole. Afterwards we headed over to the Indian Pueblo Cultural Center on the other side of Interstate 40.
Meet George. He was running away from the Rattlesnake Museum manager when we got there. You know, he could be an excellent model. I sold my last turtle rug. Maybe it’s time for a “George” rug.
You know, guests give you a chance to look at “your place” with fresh eyes. And that’s a very good thing. I hadn’t been to Old Town in a while, had never eaten in the Hacienda del Rio Cantina. Things do change. Wayne purchased a hat at the same shop, the Old Town Hat Shop & Accessory Boutique, that I bought my own – and my father before that! (Being of Celtic heritage, I am skin cancer just waiting to happen. And yet, I did choose to live in the desert at high altitude, yes.) They agreed to visit the Rattlesnake Museum! I love that place, and Tom still refuses to go back with me. After five years I found myself some willing compadres!
Have absolutely NO idea what this guy’s name is. But he also gives me an idea. I sold my “Bohemian Rattlesnake” rug. Perhaps it’s time for another. Or not.
Like I said, after lunch we decided on the Indian Pueblo Cultural Center for our next venue. Should you make your way to ABQ, this is an excellent place to learn all about the 19 Native
Poem by Simon J. Ortiz in the Indian Pueblo Culture Center. Tell me that doesn’t affect you.
American pueblos here in New Mexico, something I never learned growing up back in Connecticut:
The Indian Pueblo Cultural Center’s museum is the preeminent place to discover the history, culture, and art of the 19 Pueblos of New Mexico. Our permanent collection houses thousands of rare artifacts and works of art, including a world-renowned collection of historic and contemporary Pueblo pottery, as well as baskets, weaving, painting, murals, jewelry, and photographs.
-Indian Pueblo Cultural Center website
Artwork by Ricardo Caté. And, yes, you’re supposed to be laughing your ass off. And maybe crying. You should’ve seen the others! See more info on Ricardo Caté of the Santo Domingo Pueblo.
Famous Loretto Chapel staircase without nails.
Friday was Santa Fe day. Wayne and I had a big breakfast and said “see ya later” to Tom and Tynan who would meet up with us later for a late lunch in Madrid on the Turquoise Trail. Again, I experienced something new. I hadn’t managed to visit the Loretto Chapel with its mysteriously constructed spiral staircase. The story is that when the church was built, they neglected to include a way to get up into the choir loft. The nuns pray and this mysterious stranger comes in and builds the staircase for the nuns then…disappears. Oh, and there are no nails in the thing. You can read more about it here.
A Georgia O’Keeffee painting unlike any others we saw. It’s an untitled (Horse) oil on cardboard (1914).
After that, we made our way to the Georgia O’Keeffe Museum which I visited right after moving to New Mexico. It’s always a joy to go there, and this time it was filled with pretty much only the lady’s work. When we went back in 2015, there was a American modernists exhibit. The museum did not disappoint. Afterwards we puttered some, in and out of shops, ending our Santa Fe visit at the Cathedral Basilica of Saint Francis of Assisi which is just a beautiful and very accessible church. By that, I mean it’s understated, not at all stuffy.
“Paul’s Kachina” (1931) is an oil on canvas.
My absolute favorite O’Keeffe piece that I saw Friday. “Tan, Orange, Yellow, Lavender” oil on canvas. (1959/60) Guess what it is – or at least what it’s based on – and tell me in the comment section below.
And then we were on our way to Madrid to meet Tom for lunch at our favorite place. (That’s Madrid, New Mexico, pronounced mad – like when you’re angry – rid.) I almost always get the same thing, the seared ahi tuna steak sandwich. Who knew you could get seafood like that in the middle of nowhere (read no cell phone coverage). Best tuna I’ve had in the Southwest, bar none. Plus there’s rustic ambiance, good wine, and even a menu for the doggies! The place is Tynan-approved. I highly recommend the Hollar if you get a hankering for eats in Madrid. And even if you don’t. It’s that good. See the menu!
And lastly but not leastly…
Next week we’re off on some travel, our first time back to New England since we moved here. You might remember that we were supposed to do this last year, but there were some, er, technical difficulties. No worries this year. I won’t always have access to my laptop, and I doubt I’ll have time to blog. I will, however, be able to post on Instagram and Facebook, so subscribe to my feeds and keep an eye out for the lovely and leafy (it is fall!) and the weird and wacky. I’ll try to make it entertaining. Happy fall, all! No more AC needed in ABQ! Woohoo!
Instead of my “rug on the frame” this week, we have a finished rug by Adobe Wool Arts Guild member Catherine Kelly. She was the featured artist this weekend at Hip Stitch here in Albuquerque. Cathy hooked this Multicolores(Guatemalan rug hookers cooperative) design in old t-shirts. Nice, hm…
Tynan putting on his best face. Looking good, man! He’s bringing you one of the rugs “on the frame” for this week. “Australian Welcome” is just about done; there are just 12 more little triangles to color in. For some reason this rug seems to have taken forever!
Hey, it’s me Tynan! I’m back again. She couldn’t come up with a good topic for this week’s blog,so she put it on me. Thanks for the favor, Mistress. Not! As if I just have a ready-made post just sitting around my in dog-bed. I’ll take some advance warning next time, sister!
Things haven’t changed much since I last wrote. My fur is still a problem. We live in New Mexico. Sure, it’s high desert, not as bad as Pheonix or Tucson where they close the airports when the tarmac melts. (How is that a real thing???) But Albuquerque is nonetheless in a freaking desert. It’s been in the mid and high 90s for a few weeks, and they still haven’t taken me to the groomers. Again. A long walk that they took me on one morning a week or two ago almost killed me. Thank God for Starbucks! The master, he goes in to buy our refreshments. Leaves me to wait with the mistress. After a l-o-n-g time – do they not see my tongue hanging our of my mouth? – he comes back out with: 1) an iced coffee for himself; 2) a white iced tea for her, and 3) a cup of ice water! What? Not only is it not the iced caramel machiatto that I requested, it’s a cup of water. Just water. No whipped cream, no caramel drizzled on top, no nothing. Poo! Blech! And have you ever seen a dog try to drink from a cup? Not the easiest thing to do. My swollen, over-heated tongue loses half of the liquid while she holds the cup in front of me. At least she went in and had the cup refilled. Thank God for small, miniscule, itty-bitty favors.
Just look at all the fur on me! I wish she’d put the ceiling fan on high. And the AC even higher. This High on Hooking Dog deserves more respect. And a damn haircut!
Not that I want to bore your with my grievances, but they’ve been promising me that we’d go hiking all spring-into-summer. And yet, and yet, we haven’t done any hiking. First there was her big RA flare-up, then he had to one-up her with a big, old gout attack. Both feet. I did kind of feel sorry for him. No walking really for weeks with me and the mistress. But he’s feeling much better now. Finally talked to a doctor, and she’s getting by enough, but are we going hiking, preferably somewhere cooler, like up the Sandiasor to Nambe Falls where we could even get wet? No, not at all. And now that this stupid New Mexico drought had gotten so bad, they’ve closed all the national and state forests and such. Didn’t want to, but people are stupid with campfires and cigarettes, and forest fires are a real thing here. So, we’re sh… out of luck. What’s a dog to do but lie on the bed in the air conditioned air and under the ceiling fan…
I’ll tell you though, there’s a definite bright spot in this hot, summery, New Mexican dog’s life.
Sorry, couldn’t find a pic of my new best friend Darlene, but here’s one of her rugs. Ask her who the designer was. I’m a dog, not a rug hooker.
Vacation’s coming! Yesiree! Yep, the humans are going on vacation in August, the two of them alone on a river cruise. (Can’t wait to hear how they resolve the whole problem of her light sleeping and his industrial snoring. If you have any ideas, write’em down in the comment section below.) Me, I was supposed to go to one of those doggy “resorts” – resort, my ass! – but one of my lovely hooking ladies – Darlene – and Rex her husband have offered to let me bunk at their place. You should see it: Trees and real grass! Not that fake putting green like we have here. I burn my pads on it! Their yard’s bigger than ours too. Lots of places to sniff out geckos and rabbits. And to do my business in private, if you get my drift. Best of all is their liberal offerings of treats. One time I was there and Rex brings me out a big-ass bowl of lunch. Lunch! Mistress up and tells him, Oh, Tynan doesn’t eat lunch, Rex. Bitch queered my action. Still, I got a half of that bowl and some other treats from Mary, another one of my hooking babes. She lives near Darlene and Rex and might take me for a walk or something that week. She has a good house too. Lots of birds; always an excellent thing. I might catch one one day. If I try a little harder. Maybe. When it’s not so warm.
That’s my story. Today. Tune in again to see if she lets me have the laptop again. Hope you’re
No. it’s not too exciting. Yet! Slowly working our way around the perimeter of the “Big Boucherouite.” Hoping to have more time to work on it in the coming month. Remember that it’s got a due date – March 1 – in order to enter it into next year’s Fiber Arts Fiesta here in Albuquerque. Check out the into here. Can enter starting January 1. You don’t have to be local!
cooler than I am. Or at least have good AC and a haircut.
Tynan, the High on Hooking Dog
Notes from Laura:
Tynan has a haircut scheduled for later today. he’s just not aware of it. He’s not usually too excited to go there, though it’s not as bad as going to the V-E-T.
Apparently, Nambe Falls is open, and they allow dogs. We’ll try to get up that way later this week. Don’t tell the High on Hooking Dog, though. It’ll be a surprise.
No, of course, I won’t cry because it’s my birthday. But what I will do is keep this post brief. And write it up on Monday the 4th to post Tuesday. Because, peeps, I am très busy on my birthday. After a mimosabreakfast of champions, I’m off for a visit with the rheumatologist. Then I’ll meet friends for lunch after which we’ll head off to Edna Fergusson Library for an afternoon of hooking. Which is good, as I need to finish a piece that’s nowhere near done for Sunday’s Rail Yards Market here in Albuquerque. What the evening will bring is still up in the air, but Tom’s promised to get me gluten free carrot cake from Flying Star. This excites me to no end as I haven’t had cake on my birthday in years. Oh, and there will be wine. Good wine.
Happy birthday to me! What might your birthday traditions include? I’m always looking for new ways to celebrate…anything!
Tynan brings you not just one rug, but two! Yes, there are two rugs on the two frames. The Anderson holds the BIG Boucherouite which is on the l-o-n-g plan. Ty’s keeping his paws on the one that needs to be done for Sunday’s Rail Yard Market. (That might require a little miracle.) Come visit us there. Mention this blog post and get 10% of a rug!
A new mug rug set: “Meanderings.” And it’s all wool! Not a t-shirt or bedsheet loop in sight. It “debuted” at Albuquerque’s Rail Yards Market Sunday.
So last week’s post was all about making changes; not necessarily BIG life changes, but the small ones that you hope really take hold. This week is about the progress I’ve made in the last week. Or not made.
The good news:
I did not turn on my laptop two whole days last week.
I managed to make one journal entry. And one is better than zero.
I did NOT freak when I decided not to pass on various blog and Facebook posts.
After such a busy two months, I finally got to clean up some of the dirt and clutter piles that had grown in my house. I have more to go vis à vis “life clutter,” but more on that later.
I’ve realized that looking at Pinterest just before I go to bed results in brain-racing and too many ideas all at once which in turn results in no sleep. Knowledge is power…when I choose to use it.
Today I took a whole day to make a field trip with friends. Cathy, Melinda, and I headed up to Española Valley Fiber Arts Center to drop off some guild donations. After that we investigated a thrift store (where they were selling four – 4 – iced tea spoons for $600!) and had a leisurely lunch in Santa Fe. No one looked at her phone during the meal. (I think.)
The bad news:
I spent more time on my phone and tablet on the days that the laptop was off. At least I can’t play Scrabble on my phone. Thank goodness; the game is a HUGE time-suck.
While I’m glad about being off the laptop and doing other non-electronic activities, certain things haven’t gotten done that need to be done, particularly, updating my Etsy shop. That’s a definite negative especially as I’ve sold a couple of listed items at shows.
Since I can’t seem to come up with another negative, it appears that there’s been progress. We’ll see what happens this week and beyond.
How about you? How do you manage the whole balance thing when it comes to electronics, real life, and what you really want out of that real life?
Tynan brings you “What’s on the frame” this week. It’s long and narrow. Hang it horizontally over a door or vertically down a wall.
