ASPENCADE...RED RIVER, NM

       The guide told Vannie there was a butterfly of aspens on this mountain.
      Do you see it?  He said the same butterfly came back every year.

      David standing behind the Red River Trolley. 

             

          ”Thar’s gold in them thar hills”...when I look left...when I look right...the leaves are shinin’ like new money.  Glorious Golden Gold...

Magnificent!

          Vannie and David headed up the mountain to Red River yesterday and today.  The town is having a big celebration honoring the turning of the leaves.  I thought they had seen enough beautiful leaves, but they said...”No way, Gypsy...we just gotta see more.” Vannie said that they took the Red River Trolley for only 2 bucks.  The trolley took them to the best photo op places.

          I’ve enjoyed the ones around Mrs. Gonzales RV park.  Vannie told me that she was bringing me tomorrow to a special spot for a photo shoot.  Now, that should be a hoot...where do I put my lipstick?  After the shoot, we are all saying “good-bye” to Mrs. Gonzales and Tinker and moving on down to Espanola, NM.  We will be hooked up at the Cottonwoods RV Park for about 3 days.  Vannie and Dave are meeting their good friends, Guy Wesley and LaRinda Cagle.  Guy married V and D’s daughter, Emilie, about 4 years ago.  He and LaRinda live in Nassau Bay, TX.  Guy is from Bernice, LA...Vannie’s hometown.  Dave told me to just ready...there will be a bunch of laughing going on.

          See ya later...got to get my beauty rest for the photo shoot tomorrow.

Vannie made a lot of more leaf pictures...hope you enjoyed them.  Seems to me, if you’ve seen one leaf, you’ve seen them all.  But obviously that’s not the case!

(ps...Dave’s eye appointment went great last week.  He got the stitches out and will be able to get new glasses in about a month.  He is already seeing much better.)

TINKER

Meow

(Translation...Yes, I am cat. and I am visiting my friend, Gypsy, so bug off)

 

Mew

(Translation...Where's the catfood?)

 

Meow

(Translation...Gypsy, are you smiling?)

 

Mew

(Translation...I'm so glad we had this time together...just you and me)

 

            “OK…Vannie and Dave have gone to Austin.  Dave has an eye appointment in Houston on Thursday.  They will be back on Friday. They have left me here alone…but wait…I’m not alone.  I would like to introduce you to my new BFF?  Tinker…  Tinker is belongs to Mrs. Gonzales, the owner of the RV park where we are staying.  As you can see in the photographs, he kind of matches me…silverish/gray.”    

            “Tinker, I would like you meet my friends.”

            “Meow”

            “Sorry, but Tinker, doesn’t seem to know many words…just Meow, Mew.  But, oh, my gosh, he can say a thousand words with his face or body actions.  I will be talking my head off, and he’ll just give me that look, and I’ll know actually what he is thinking.  It’s amazing.”

            “Mew”

            “There he goes again…Don’t you just love it when you find a friend that just listens and seems to understand you and all your problems so perfectly.  They never criticise or say hurtful things about you.  They just love you for who you are.  This is Tinker.”

            “Meow”

            “What’s not to love!”

YELLOW...GOLD...ORANGE...RED

the white-knuckle road

 

...and only God can make a tree

 

a babbling brook

 

one little beautiful aspen leaf

 

V and D taking a rest

 

a fairy land

 

 

 

 

 

 

          The mountains are on fire.  The world has turned upside down.  It’s magnificence.  All of this beauty reflects in my body.  My shiny body feels the warmth of these colors. 

          It’s Fall...Autumn...however you want to say it...and it’s beautiful.

          David and Vannie went for a ride up in the mountains between Questa and Red River.  I had to stay behind, of course.  Just too narrow for me.

Vannie said she was gripping the wheel and hugging the mountain side of the road almost the whole way.  She said it was a white knuckle experience. Lots of glorious fall colors, though....so it was worth it.

          Today they went on a hike down the Columbine Trail between Questa and Red River.  More beautiful colors.  They hiked in about 2 miles up about 9,000 feet above sea level.  I remember Lafayette is about 30 feet...no wonder they came back and collapsed in me.  I thought I was going to have to get out the oxygen tanks.

          God’s paint brush has been working overtime...and we’re enjoying the heck out of it!

FIRST YOU MAKE A ROUX

slicing the sausage for the gumbo

 

V and D with Jennings and Cindy Hamilton

Can you smell it?  Um-m-m-m good!  Sure wish this blog was a “scratch and sniff”.  With the way technology is going, I am sure we will have that soon.  You’ll just have to believe me...the smell from Vannie's gumbo is out-of-this-world. The roux, the trinity (onions, garlic, celery), the chicken, the sausage...bring it on, baby!

          V and D’s friends, Jennings and Cindy Hamilton from Bloomfield, are coming by for a visit.  I can’t wait to meet them. They have been visiting their daughter and her family in Colorado Springs. It’s, also, Jennings’ birthday.  I think I see Vannie taking out the raspberries...raspberry shortcake, anyone! 

This combination is a perfect setting for a good time....old friends, gumbo, cool mountain air, birthday, dessert. Move over, Martha Stewart!

I just want to hug myself!

         

AS FAR AS THE EYE COULD SEE

just look at those berries

 

Oh my gosh!

 

Vannie, Dave, Robert, Cheryl in front of Raspberry Store

 

Teresa's Tamales...just look at that NM sky

 

Can you see the Indian? The line the pic is an electric line.

 

Can you see the curvy mountain road?

 

Go, Dave! 

 

          When Vannie and Dave got back from the Salman Ranch in Mora, NM, they just kept say...”Gypsy, you shoulda been there. There were raspberries “as for as the eye could see.”  Several football fields full of raspberry plants..and the plants were full of berries.

          V and D went with our new friends from Henderson, TX...Cheryl and Robert Hollenshead.  They have their 5^th wheel parked in Gloria Gonzalez’s RV Park, too.  Robert lived in Homer, LA for a while and he graduated from La Tech, so he knows some of the same people that V and D do.  Robert’s roommate at LaTech was Loy Weaver.  Loy lived behind Vannie’s dad’s Esso Service Station in Bernice back in the 50’s.  Small world!

          Back to the raspberries...Vannie said that people could pick their own berries for $5 a pound and you could eat as many as you wanted for free.  Wow...even I was drooling from my water tanks just listening to the story.

          Mora is about 50 miles from Taos along a winding mountain road.  Vannie said that the scenery was breathtaking.

          They picked several pounds each.  There was a delightful little shop at the ranch with lots of raspberry stuff....raspberry jam and jelly, raspberry topping, raspberry candles, raspberry salsa, raspberry paintings, and on and on.  If only I had a mouth!  V and D’s grandson, Cooper, loves raspberries, so they bought him some topping. 

          After the berry picking, they were hungry.  Vannie said she didn’t know why they were hungry, because they had all eaten a berry for every one that they put in their basket.  But that was just fruit....

          As they were going back up the mountain road, they spotted a small cafe called Theresa’s Tamales.  Lots of motorcycles and pickups...so food must be good.  They stopped and indulged in some good Mexican home cookin’.  Teresa gave them some free sopapillas with honey...and to top it off, it was Teresa’s birthday, so she passed around strawberry birthday cake to everyone.  Can you believe that?  And I was back in Questa shootin’ the bull with that 5^th wheel from Texas.  He’s a good guy, but...

          Someone from the cafe showed Vannie the mountain right in front of the cafe...I included that pic, so if you can find the Indian, I’ll let out a big war whoop! 

          Vannie and Dave are now enjoying raspberries on their oatmeal or yogurt for breakfast.  I can hear their oo’s and ah’s while they are eating.  There goes my drooling again.  I heard them talking about raspberry shortcake this morning. Goodness gracious...I can’t take it anymore.

          Adios, Amigos...  

THE CALL TO REMEMBER

 

 

Hats R Us...Christian Women's Conference in Bloomfield..that's Cindy in the front

 

road outside of Pagosa on the way to Grace and Richards

 

waterfall V and D hiked to

 

Big Blue, Richard, David

 

sweet cousin, Katheryn, principal of Creststone Charter School

 

multi-purpose room

 

back of school...windowed doors from multi-purpose room...upsides high schol...looking at middle school area...taking pic from elem. school area...87 students total

 

 

Gypsy:  Ring..Ring...Hello...You are breakin’ up.  Hello..Oh, Vannie, I can

hear you now.   I been doing some serious relaxing while you guys have

been gone.  Things are good around here.  Very quite.  OK, enough about me.  What have you been up to?

Vannie:  Oh, Gypsy, I’m so glad our reception is better.  I have so much to

tell you.

Gypsy:  Well, let her rip, Girl.  I’m all ears!

Vannie:  OK...As you know, we left you last Friday and headed toward

 Bloomfield, NM.  Dave and I have old friends that live there, Jennings and Cindy Hamilton.  Jennings is the pastor of Bloomfield Baptist Church and Cindy is retired.  Cindy, along with several other ladies, had coordinated a wonderful women’s conference called Tapestries for Life.  The conference was Friday evening and Saturday morning.  The speakers were fantastic and

 it was so nice to fellowship with a bunch of Christian ladies.  The overall theme was “Hats R Us”, so all the ladies wore hats.  So much fun!

Gypsy:  I had a hat once, but I think a squirrel ate it.  Go on, Girl!

Vannie:  After the conference on Saturday, we headed for Pagosa Springs,

 CO.  Our friends, Grace and Richard Qualls, live about 18 miles outside of Pagosa up in the mountains along a long winding dirt road call Piedra Road. I taught with Grace at Broadmoor Elem. in Lafayette.  They live in Pagosa from May to October and then they go back to Lafayette for the winter.  They were fabulous hosts.  We had great meals and long fun visits.  They have a 4-wheeler that is called Big Blue.

Gypsy:  I’m so glad you don’t call me Big Silver.

Vannie:  Oh, Gypsy, I would never do that...well, anyway, the 4-wheeler

was a huge hit. They rode us up to the beginning of a trail leading to a waterfall.  We walked about ½ mile to the falls.  The trail got a little narrow in places, but I hugged the side next to the mountain and tried not to look down too much.

Gypsy:  I could use a big hug.  Can’t wait until you get back.

Vannie:   Won’t be long, Girl. One more thing about the visit with Grace...

They took us by a tree with bear claws going up the trunk. Amazing...

 Gypsy:  Amazing Grace...How sweet the sound...that saved a...

 Vannie:  You are cutting out...did I hear you singing?  Now I hear you...

 Gypsy:  Do you want me to keep singing?

 Vannie:  Nope...got to much to tell you and I want to say all I want to say

 before the phone goes out again.  Now, listen up...

 Gypsy:  I’ve got nothing better to do.

 Vannie:  Said “adieus” to Grace and Richard and headed to Creststone, CO

to tour a new charter school.  My cousin, Kathryn Green Brady, had a dream for this school and we wanted to see the finished product. 

 Gypsy:  Do I have to remember my times tables for this story?

 Vannie:  Hush, Gypsy...just listen...I don’t think they even teach times tables

anymore.  So...We made it to Creststone a little earlier than we thought.  We stopped by the Treasure Cloud Tea Room and had a delightful cup of tea at the foot of the Sangre de Christos Mts. Wow!  The school...unbelievable...Kathryn’s first words were...”It’s a God thing.”  As we toured we were constantly reminded of that sentence.  Creative teachers, small classrooms, colorful walls, open spaces, solar power, free dress, smiling happy teachers and children...I could go on and on, Gypsy.  My heart is overflowing.

Gypsy:  I love the place sight unseen.  Happy is my middle name...Gypsy Happy Rhap....

Vannie:  You are cuttin’ out again...I’ll be home soon...

               

COOL MOUNTAIN AIR

The Fisherman

 

Making banana bread

 

Emerald Lake

 

 

          OK...I’m getting relaxed...finally!  Vannie and David pulled me into my special spot in the Gonzalez RV Park in Questa, NM about 8:00 pm on Friday, September 07, 2012.  It was dark  and Dave was trying to  back me into my place.  You know...I’m not an ity bity thing, and he was having a hard time in the dark.  Well...all of a sudden two couples came running out asking if they could help.  You could see the smile on my face, because I could feel D and V’s nerves...they were shot!  They helped a bunch, but I still was not in my spot...and then, all of a sudden, again...Mrs. Gonzalez’s grandson (who is a truck driver) came out and asked if he could help.  He got behind the wheel of my BFF and zoom...I was perfectly parked.  Amazing!  Everyone cheered...and I could see the stars in the heavens, so I knew all of this was in God’s plan.  Hallelujah!..

          It was been about 50 degrees in the morning with a high of 78.  Makes you want to slap ya pappy!  Feels good...r-e-a-l good!  The two couples that helped park me are from Texas.  They own timeshares in the Caribel Condos in Red River, NM.  V and D also own there.  Red River is right up the mountain from Questa...about 12 miles.  Robert and Sheila...Bob and Jean...seemed like they are a part of our family.  Robert had a bunch of fishing stuff, so he took Dave fishing.  Now, from what I’ve heard, Dave is not a fisherman...but he had a really good time.  By the time Robert, Bob, and Dave caught some fish, there was enough for a fish fry.  It is a shame I couldn’t eat some.  I could hear them smacking their lips and saying, “um-m-m- good” a bunch of times.  Vannie had made a batch of banana bread to bring to the fish fry.  The baking of that bread in my oven smelled F-A-B-U-L-O-U-S...

          There is a beautiful lake in walking distance from me.  D and V enjoy walking around the lake in the morning and then coming back and doing their TRX suspension training.  They had learned about TRX from Anytime Fitness, but there is no Anytime Fitness around the area, so Dave ordered some straps online.  Sometimes I think they are going to roll me over, but I dig my wheels into the dirt and hold on tight.  It works.  Don’t have a pic of this yet, but will...maybe even a video.  Will be a must see!

          The internet is very slow in Questa, but Vannie is trying to work it out for me to tell my story.  She takes her computer with her and I just dictate what I want her to say.  Works for us...but some of my stories might not be the exact day it occurs, because of that problem.

          V and D are going to Bloomfield, NM...Pegosa Springs, CO...and Creststone, CO.  this weekend.  I’m staying put...Thank the Good Lord, but I am sure we’ll be up till midnight when they get back talking about all the stuff they saw and did.