Kewa Pueblo and Kasha-Katuwe Tent Rocks

Labor Day was Monday, 5 September, and after lunch we drove south to the Kewa Pueblo, formerly know by its Spanish-Conquistador name, Santo Domingo Pueblo, where they hold an annual Indian Market. The tents are manned by Native-American vendors from many of the southwest tribes, and dancers from various groups perform during the day. We headed west from there to Kasha-Katuwe Tent Rocks National Monument. The "tents" are soft pumice stone with a harder stone cap that erodes into a tent-like formation. We took the dirt road to an overlook that provided beautiful views towards Bandelier National Monument and the mountains to the west. The clouds rolled in and we were surrounded by lightning and thunder. Back home we ordered tasty chicken tacos from Parisol and ate more raspberry treats. Tucker and Rob made raspberry fudge, and Rob made delicious raspberry shakes.

Tuesday, 6 September, Rob started his new job, the kids went to school, we packed the car and headed home, and Anna and Bella hiked Sun Mountain. The ride home was beautiful and slick with no traffic issues on state roads. Podcasts kept us entertained and the time flew by.

Mission Church of Santo Domingo Pueblo

 The first group of dancers

 There were hundreds of vendor tents

 Looking at jewelry

 Another group of performers

 Last bit of shopping

 Admiring a beautiful $1,000 pot

 Kash-Katuwe: view toward Bandelier National Monument

The kiddos

 Mountains to the west

The crew at the overlook in a shower of rain

 Tent Rocks

 The storm closed in with thunder and Lightning

 There were repeated attempts to capture the lightning on camera

 Tent Rocks

 Raspberry fudge

 Raspberry shakes

 Cheers

School day

Thanks to Anna and Rob for letting us come before they are settled. We were so nearby in Arizona that we couldn't resist. We had a wonderful time.

La Cueva, Cerro del Orso, and Tsankawi

Shades of the England trip. With Rob at the wheel we headed northeast to Las Vegas, thence to La Cueva and the Salman Raspberry Ranch to pick raspberries, of course. After a delicious picnic lunch we drove northwest over the Cerro del Orso to Bandelier National Monument near Los Alamos, specifically to Tsankawi Prehistoric Sites where we had a delightful hike with a few rain showers. Returning home we had sloppy Joes, coleslaw, and a deconstructed raspberry trifle for dessert.

Off on an adventure

 Salman Raspberry Ranch

A spectacular day in a beautiful valley

 Grammy, Tucker, and Rob at work

 Straight off the cane

 Happy braceros

 It was almost impossible to stop picking

Food always tastes better al fresco

 Custom-made sandwiches to everyone's taste

 Up over the Sangre de Cristo Mountains near the Cerro del Orso

 And I get grief when I want a photo

 On the trail at Tsankawi

 A loop trail on top of the mesa on the right was our goal

 The old guy headed up the cliff

 On top of the mesa

 Acrophobia 

 Much of the trail is worn into the soft pumice-like stone

 Dickie and Louisiana on top of the world

 Beauty in every direction

 Sandia Mountains near Albuquerque looking lonely in the distance

 What goes up, must come down

 Haircuts at dusk

Chocolate cake and fresh raspberries smothered 

in custard and thick cream

A fitting finish to a great day

It was all fun and delicious, and there is more to come, but that's all for now.

OXO

D.

Saturday in Santa Fe

Friday morning, 2 September, we left Peoria and headed up the 17 to Flagstaff and the 40 east. In Albuquerque we caught the 25 north to Santa Fe where we visited Rob, Anna, y familia at their new home at the end of Caminito del Sol. Friday evening we had supper in town and a tour of the historic area by car. On Saturday, we took a short hike in the foothills and afterwards when all were ready we went to town where a crafts fair from Zozobra, the original Burning Man, the night before was still in full swing. That afternoon we went to the Museum of Indian Arts and Culture. In the evening the adults had supper at a Brazilian restaurant and the kids had sushi.

 Interstate 40 in beautiful New Mexico

 The new casa

 Santa Fe Bite for supper

 Short hike

 Home again, home again...

 Hastings in the hall

 Is there a computer in the house?

 Cathedral Basilica of St. Francis of Assisi

 Completed 1869

 This is a beautiful form of prayer

 Romanesque Revival style

 Troops at the door

 The Loretto Chapel, 1872

 Gothic Revival Chapel for the Sisters of Loretto

 Formerly a Catholic church, now a wedding chapel

 The Sisters of Loretto credited St. Joseph with the construction

of the "Miraculous Stair," built without center support

 San Miguel Mission, c.1610

 Claimed to be the oldest church in the US

 The reredos features a statue of San Miguel

De Vargas Street House claims the to be the "Oldest House" because

its foundations date back to a pueblo from c. 1200 CE

 

Parts of the visible house date back to the time of 

La Villa Real de Santa Fe de San Francisco de Asisi, founded in 1608

The house sits next to San Miguel Mission on 

the Old Santa Fe Trail

 "I'll sit here while you look"

 Portal on San Francisco Street across from the Plaza

 Water is best

 Palace of the Governors

 Shopping in the portal of the Palace of the Governors

 View up San Francisco Street to St. Francis of Assisi: the 

Plaza was full of Zozobra vendors

 Waiting and waiting and waiting for their lunch

Green chile relleno burrito: yummy 

SUPER-spicy grilled chicken

 He survived just fine

 Fry bread with honey

 Shopping selfie: this is how I like to shop

 View from the Palace Avenue portal across Cathedral Park

 Waiting for the grandparents

 The crew at the Museum of Indian Arts and Culture on Museum Hill

 Remembering Uncle Tony's rugs and blankets

 Back at the house, this ice machine is wizard!

The beautiful evening view from the family room

It was great to see that the Hastings are getting settled. Santa Fe is a fun place and it was good to be back after many years.

There is more, but that's all for now.

OXO

D.