ANCIANOS HACER SENDERISMO, EL BINGO, LES CEREZAS

By

Gypsy Rhapsody

 

There I go again...lapsing into my native tongue (not my native tongue at all, but I just like to say that it is...especially here in New Mexico).  If you can't figure it out...just Google it.  That's what I did...Google Translate is so much fun!  Vannie says I spend way too much time on the computer, but a girl's got to do what a girl's got to do.

 

Vannie and Dave have been in and out this week with work and play.  They will come home dead dog tired, and then in 24 hours they are up and going again.



The hike for this week was to Greenie Peak.  V and D left me early one morning and said they were heading down Road 134 out of Questa to Midnight Meadows...if anyone came by to give them the message.  Sure...now how am I going to do that.  I can think it, but I have a hard time saying it out loud.  The pictures they brought back are wonderful.

D said that the road to Greenie Peak is made up mostly of rock, dirt, and gravel.  There are numerous mud puddles along the way.  According the Vannie, the walk was kind of steep in places.  She said not nearly as steep as the "The Big Q" hike a couple of weeks ago.  She was thankful!

 



When I saw this photo, I could almost hear a little jiggle.  These are called Rocky Mountain penstemon.  I think I might rename them...Rocky Mountain Jiggle Bells.  Don't you just love how they are growing right out of the rocks!

Blue sky, Aspens, Firs, Clear Cool Air, Quiet...

My kind of place!

Here's proof that they made it to the top...11,200 feet above sea level.

I bet there was some huffin' and puffin' going on...maybe even gasping!  LOL

V said that Greenie Peak is north of Red River.  You can actually see the Red River ski area in the bottom left of this picture.

It is in the Carson National Forest in the Sangre de Cristo Mountains.

Those layers of blue...so beautiful...!!!

This is near the Midnight Meadows area.  Vannie said that they saw some cows and a chipmunk or two and some butterflies.

After they recovered from their hike, they visited some new friends in Questa...Bob and Jo Lovelady.  When I heard they were visiting some Lovelady's, I just knew they had to be related to Vannie's cousin, Janet Lovelady.  You just don't hear that last name often.  V said that they had not found a connection YET, but she felt like sooner or later one is going to pop up.

 

Jo has a cherry tree and invited us to pick.  Here is Dave picking away.

The birds had picked first, but there were still enough for a mess.

There they are...just sitting there on my counter...all washed and ready to make into jam.

...but first Vannie had to pit the suckers.  The experts on Goggle said to stick a toothpick in one end of the cherry and push.  Wow...there goes the pit.  Kind of a lengthy process!

The smell...The smell...yum!

Finished product...D is such a jam and jelly kind of guy.  He LOVES cherry jam on his toast in the morning for breakfast...or for dessert after lunch...or for a snack after naptime.  At this rate these 3 little containers are not going to last long.

 



WHAT...BINGO?  I thought that was for "old" people.  The Senior Citizen Place or Anciano, Inc. on Embargo Road in Questa serves lunch Monday through Friday at a cost of $1.50.  These two tightwads have started going on their days off.  Well, on Thursday everyone plays bingo after lunch.  Oh my goodness...this is too much.

 

Would you look at this...!!!!  Dave volunteered to be the bingo caller.  Vannie said he got into it like water off a duck's back.  He was "on stage".  Some of his calls..."B4, not after but B4"..."B12, like the vitamin, B12" ...

 

Remember to take your B12 and don't eat too much B4 you go to bed and B1 of the best you can B!

I think I could get into this "bingo thing".

 

 

 

 

A WEEK WITH THE AUSTN KIDDOS

                                                                                 by
                                                                      Gypsy Rhapsody

I have been in "hog heaven" this week.  Vannie and Dave's Austin kiddos (Emilie, Roy, Vincent, and Madeline) came for a weeks visit.  I would have loved for them to stay in me, but Vannie insisted that they would be fine in the timeshare in Red River.  Well, I guess there was a little more room there, so I gave in and said, "OK". 

Bet you can hear me giggling here...I was just so excited to see everyone.

 

Vincent spent three nights with me.  He is getting to be such a big boy.  He had just woke up and was getting his clothes on to start the adventures of the day.

 

 

Here he is eating popcorn for breakfast...I know...probably not the best choice, but he is kind of a picky eater, so Vannie said, "No problem, popcorn it is!"

 

Everyday was filled with fun stuff...The condo had a heated pool.  Sure wish I could get in a heated pool.  I think I would LOVE it.  Looks like they did.

Check this out...tiny cars that can scoot around all over the town.  I love that red color.  Do you think I would look good in red?

FINALLY...elk...V and D have been looking for these creatures ever since they have come to New Mexico.  Someone told them to check out Mareno Valley between Red River and Eagle Nest...and voila...a herd of about 200.  Vannie said that Vincent and Madeline were mesmerized.

 

Look at this cutie pie.  She had on a little pillow case dress that Vannie made for her.

Dave came home one night and said, "Gypsy, I wish you could have seen Vincent casting for trout. It was amazing. He is a natural."

Rock climbing, anyone? 

V said that Roy couldn't let Emilie out-do him, so up he went, too.  And look at that Vincent...not far behind.  Roy was reenacting the movie, "Rocky"...shouting "Adrian"!!!!

 

Just so you know...everyone has to attend the "shoot-out" in downtown Red River at least once.  Vannie said she was wishin' for that red wig.  Would be just the thing to wear at Halloween.

I wonder if he has a license for that gun!

Vannie said that she couldn't pass up taking the kids to the Community House in the middle of town for the best snack of all...s'mores!

 

Wowzer...A Beautiful Lady...and those hollyhocks.  Vannie and Emilie got to have a girl's shopping day in Taos.  The restaurant behind Em is V and D's fave...El Gamal.

Pretty nice place to fish...especially for a fishing expert like Vincent!

 

 

Girls in the Queen Ann's Lace

 

 

 

Madeline had a blast feeding the ducks at the condo.  Does that gray duck look a little strange?  He has a funny hairdo.  It's hard to see in the picture, but his feathers are all puffed up on top.  Vannie said she thought he was still back in the 50's or 60's.

...and then there was the jeep tour up Pioneer Trail.  Dave said the creek went right on the trail.  Looks like Vincent was getting into walking in the water. 

...and sitting on logs.  He is getting to be a real adventure man!

 

...and this is the family exploring an old mine.

 

Vannie said that Madeline didn't think they were going in the right direction...so she was trying to show them the atlas. 

 

Ice Cream makes everything right!!!

 

Madeline has on another little dress that Vannie made for her.  Cute!

Dad and Daughter...Sweet

 

Oh my Goodness...Not horses!  Vannie kept Madeline and the rest headed to the corral.

What's wrong, Roy...make that horse get back on the path!!!

Little Teacher...Playing at the Coffee Shop

Dave and Roy went on a big hike one day...Look at that Dave...He's hot!

Rio Grande Gorge...

 

 

 

Go Carts...Who is having more fun...Emilie or Vincent?

Ski Lift...Vannie said that this was one of the few smiles they saw all day.  They could check that off the list...not something that would be repeated...LOL

 

WOW...what a week.  They saw and did and came and went...and LOVED every minute.

 

I sure am missing little Vincent...Loved those sleep overs.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

THE BIG "Q"

by

Gypsy Rhapsody

 

I have LOVED this week.  Vannie and Dave's work schedule was on a slower pace, so I got to see much more of them.  They decided to check out a little more of our hometown (for the summer)...Questa, NM or "The Big Q".

Questa has a population of about 1800 people.  It covers about 5 square miles.  It's original name was San Antonio del Rio Colorado, but was changed by a postmaster.  To simplify the name, he was going to call the village "cuesta" referring to the ridge where the old church plaza stands.  But in his haste, he spelled it "questa", and despite the error, the village has kept the name.

 

One morning V and D had a hankering for a breakfast burrito.  They heard that the Chevron station had some great ones, but this little lady helped them out.  They said she did a great job...the burritos were delicious.

The Blue Bus...Would you believe this bus took Vannie and Dave to Taos Wal-Mart for FREE.  Yup!  They met it had the Chevron (after the burrito)...boarded and headed to Taos.  The driver dropped them at the Wal-Mart at 10:00 and picked them up at 11:00. They had their list and were ready to board for home at 11:00.  The driver had already told them..."Don't be late.  I'm on time and only will wait for 5 minutes."  I hate to say this, but V and D have kind of become tightwads this summer.  Taking the FREE bus is just one such instance!  lol

 

After their big trip to the Wal-Mart, they were ready for some relaxing.  Bob, a neighbor, built a fire.  Mrs. Gonzales, their landlord, came over. V and D brought the crackers, marshmallows, and chocolate, for s'mores...and a fun time was had by all.

 

The Big "Q"

Can you see it in the background?  I think I had a picture of the "Q" in a few blogs back.  When V and D hiked up to the cemetery, they could see it in the distance.  Well, they decided they wanted to see the "Q" up close and personal.  They are never satisfied! So here they go!

 

 

Got pretty steep as they got closer to their destination.  That's Questa in the background.

 

Made it...Vannie has a little vertigo. She said her tummy was doing flip-flops.

There's the "1".

There's the "4".  Remember the blog about the "seniors 14".

.

View from the top! 

 

It is hard to tell how steep this was in the photographs, but Dave was having to stick his walking stick in the ground and hold on for dear life just to keep upright.

 

Vannie had to use the "butt-slide" method.

 

Well, they made it back to me.  After resting from the hike, Vannie decided to do some sewing projects.  I love hanging with V and D on cool afternoons.  Our little screen room is so perfect for all kinds of projects.

  

St. Antony Catholic Church...Questa

Mid 1800's

Under serious renovation

The church had a partial collapse in 2006.

 

Adobe bricks just waiting to be placed...

Vannie said the church is being restored by volunteers in the community.  Anyone can come on Tuesday or Thursday evenings or Saturday morning to give of their time.  V and D are thinking really hard about this.  I overheard them talking about volunteering. 

Wow...check out those beams in the ceiling.

 

This is what the finished project will look like.

 

Questa

The Big "Q"

Cuesta

San Antonio del Rio Colorado

 

Whatever name it goes by, it's delightful.