Final Day we went mission hoping

 

San Yselta Mission

Socorro Mission

San Elizario Mission

Big Bend Ranch State Park

 

Tinaja that has been carved into a kitchen.

Pictograph found very near the bowl.

This dog has stayed for 40 million years. 

And old wagon wheel from about 150 years ago.

Photos of Big Bend Texas and the Rio Grande

 

 Santa Elaña Canyon

On the left is Mexico and on the right is the USA. We ended up hiking on a trail to the right that was tucked I the cliffs. And amazing hike be any standards. We saw some shell fossils that were about 40 million years old. The cautionary tale is that one MUST walk in the cold water to get to the trail head.

Cool grasses found along the Rio Grande

The Rio Grande. The water is really very low and depends upon local springs to fill it. Most of the actual Rio Grande is emptied out in El Paso. My heart was heavy the whole time for the flora and fauna that depended on this water for a million years or more and now face extinction. I know that weather patterns change but humans add to the desertification by irrigating crops and controlling water supply.  I'm not mad so much as sad. Even knowing what we know to day, it is hard to change our ways. Perhaps future generation will figure out ways to return water to these fragile riparian eco systems. 

The beautiful Rio. 

View from an out house.

Me and my beloved Alex at the Terlingua Ghost Town. We only stopped for a short while.  

This ghost town has an active grave site for some young ones who died in 2014. 

Closed Canyon hike. It went all the way down to the Rio Grande but we could only get there part way due to the huge boulders. Someone younger and more spry could have handled it. Either way it was a great hike. You could see in the smooth boulders how historic floods wash them smooth. 

Fort Davis

 

Took a great hike around the palisades of this old Fort

We pretty much covered the US side of this map. It was sad that going to Mexico seems so off limits. 

Above is a list of people who died while at fort Davis. Note that no one is over 40.

A bust of John Casey, a Buffalo Cowboy. They were called Buffalo by the Indians because of their kinky hair. Many came from slavery and found themselves out west in pursuit of a new life. 

This was taken because you can see the fort way off in the distance. This trail was full of edible plants. I hope to do a nice review of desert plants in a future blog. 

My travels in Marfa Texas at the Chianti Foundation

 

Pear Play with Laura

My good friend Laura came over yesterday and we played in the studio. 

These were inspired by Anita Lehmans art lessons on beauty. 

 

Captain Crochet

 FOUND: Long lost footage from an early screen test for the role of Captain Cook. Apparently he took the character description of CRAFTY in a different direction. With some adjustments, he nailed the audition but insisted that name Captain Crochet be retained for French audiences.

Love from your French Cousins

 

Erica visiting Natalie at The University of the Puget Sound 

Sam and his Girlfriend Danika

Sandra feeding Dominic

Alex with Dominic

Alex with Mateo

Alex and Corey

Daniella and her boys

Keir And Emily in NYC

Colette

Eamon

Mark and David

Mark's and Henri's new Children's book in both French and English!

Comment Pierre Poire a eu même pas peur 

Merry Christmas

I hope everyone is enjoying moments of peace during the holidays. They are always a bit stressful for me. And to a large extent it has to do with a desire to nurture everyone. Buy all the right gifts, send money to everyone in need and cook incredible meals. 

 

However, this time of year, I am also reminded that this is an impossible task! I will get grumpy if I don’t at some point stop and take a deep breath! Our world needs mothers, yes! I get that. I try that. But we also need spirituality. We need to drop our doing and just enjoy the magic of being alive. This is where we find love and connection.

Finally I am humbled by the knowledge that I am not the creator. Even though I play one in this life time. Ha! And even though at times, I feel the spirit move through me, I know that I play a very small role in this incredible universe. 

Alder Trees in Summer

 

All 21 Collages in one place. Complete!

Well I did it! I don't think I've ever done a self imposed series before. 21 collages using black and white only. Much of the time I felt silly doing this but every time  by the end of the piece, I felt meaning and purpose.  Each one tells a psychic story. Thank to my muses who are always there to help me along the way. I know my life would suck without all those words of encouragement and love. 

 

Black and White Collage #19, #20, #21

 

#19 was a delight. Plants are little miracles and so it doesn't take too much effort to create an homage.

#20 This one took a long time to do. I love the jumble and could look at it for a good long while.

#21 is the last one. My grandson loves time and clocks. I have a feeling he will also enjoy learning about the history of our last century.

"Get it," Black and White Collage series #14 out of 21

As I head out to hike this weekend in Montana I am reminded by the Moroccan Proverb

"The moon and the stars are not above us, the earth is on the other side of our feet."

Black and White Collage in series #8 - #11

 

#8 Understand

This one is about the difficulty of trying to understand someone with whom we are completely out of sync. Instead of being able to read their mind, I feel completely alienated. Of courses  the reining wisdom here is to  take a deep breath and really listen. Often, then  I am surprised to finally understand. 

#9 Called Don't 

 Don't try to help me read with the bounding ball. The words still don't make sense.  

#10 Don't sell yourself short

The rabbit wants to run but finds the ground inhospitable. 

#11  Zero Hour

This one  is about geologic time and its relationship to the present moment. How if we look at today’s slice of the rocks we can start to untangle the mess and figure out what pieces were broken down, which ones were pulverized, melted or washed away to the sea to become the tiny’s grains of sand. Some are sharp and some rounded.

"Swirl," Black and White Collage in Series #7 out of 21

in memory of Alicia Moreano who breaks my heart open