THE SOUNDS FROM THE SILENCE

By

Gypsy Rhapsody

(a 1976 Airstream that is a good listener)

The beat of the drum...

Tom Tom Tom Tom

The chatter of the people...

The smoke from the chimneys...

The brick masons...

The bread bakers...

The musicians...

The construction workers...

The road crews...

The star gazers...

The hunters...

The gatherers...

The children playing...

The mothers...

The fathers...

The grandparents...

The sounds from the silence...

It's all there...

Tom Tom Tom Tom

Chaco Canyon

Vannie and Dave had gotten great reviews from Cousin Kathryn

about Chaco Canyon.  It was about a 4 hour drive from Questa,

and the last 21 miles was a bumpy, gravel, dusty road.

It is also very HOT in the middle of the day at Chaco.

But according to V and D, it was worth it.

They will definitely go back before the summer is over.

Chaco Canyon...

Chaco Culture National Historical Park

Northwest corner of New Mexico

V and D got to Chaco Canyon by this long dusty road.

There were times they could go only 5 miles per hour

because of the ruts and gravel and dust. 

This sweet little calf thought he owned the road.

Vannie said he was so adorable...it was as if he wanted

his picture taken.  He came right up to the car and

said, "Cheese."

Chaco Campground...

That's V and D's little blue "Amazon Prime" tent.

The red umbrella is attached to the picnic table for a teeny weeny bit of shade.

After setting up the campsite, they headed out to one of the rein sites.

There was supposed to have been a guide waiting for them, but no guide showed up.

So Vannie went into her teacher mode, and did the tour with the few pamphlets they had 

picked up at the ranger's station.  She is sharing some facts with their new friends,

Cindy and Ellen.   

On to the next site...

This area was developed between AD900 - 1100.

It was the main ceremonial center of the Anasazi culture.

Some of these structures were two and three stories buildings

with over 600 rooms.  

Population...800-1200 people

There were ceremonial structures called kivas.

Vannie said that there were so many things that reminded her of the Mayas

in Central America...the small square openings in the sides of the kivas

and the larger "T" shaped openings at either end.

V and D were hot as firecrackers after exploring,

so they were excited to stop off at the Ranger's Station to watch a movie.

They just wished that there had been popcorn and cokes.

Back to the campsite...

The sun had gone down and the air was starting to cool off.

Their campsite was very close to these reins along the cliff wall.

Petroglyphs

...so interesting

Time to sit back and relax and wait

till it was dark enough for the Ranger Talk 

about the stars...at 9:00pm...way pass their normal bedtime.

Dave said..."What a treat."

The area in the canyon where the "star gazing"

took place was gorgeous.

Vannie said that the Ranger was so knowledgeable 

about the stars that the heavens seemed to open up

in a new and more wonderful way.

The Heavens

The Stars

The Setting

The Beauty

...in awe of God's Gift...

Next morning the adventurers up early to beat the heat.

They headed down this path to a site that had not been excavated.

It was about a 3 mile hike, but on fairly level ground.

We were the only ones there...

No cell phones...

No TV's...

No sound...except for the "sounds from the silence".

Amazing what this culture could accomplish with

no beasts of burden...

no wheels...

no metal tools...

...no major water course...

...more petroglyphs...

You will have to look hard for this one.

It's reddish in color and right in the middle of the rock.

...Breakfast time...

Dave said he was starving after that hike.

Eggs, Bacon, Buttered Toast, Coffee

YUM.!!!

What a wonderful adventure back in time...

V and D are heading home

and are blessed once again with God's paintbrush.