Sunday: A Feast and Family
The whole fam damily got together for a noontime meal at Rancho de Chimayo. Meal of the day: a departure for me! Chicken tacos with green chile instead of salsa to accompany. Natillas for dessert. The tacos were good, but I should've stuck with my go-to: cheese enchiladas, Christmas!
Why no pictures? That's what I'd like to know. We got nary a single selfie. And no out-the-window shots of the beautiful Northern New Mexico landscape either.
Being in the moment comes at a cost, and that cost is: no photos. Lame!
I carry wonderful memories, though, of good food and good fellowship.
Monday: All of It
What a wonderful surprise to be waiting inside Sugar and Cream, the cafe that is nestled in the NE corner of the building that housed TG&Y, and see gorgeous, wonderful, compassionate, smart Anne walk in!
Yes, we had coordinated our respective family-visit trips, but it was a fun small-town moment when she walked in unexpectedly.
Another small-town moment came when my Mom's lifelong best friend's granddaughter stopped by to say hello. 💖
When my brother-in-law Allan arrived, he and Anne and I all sat and chatted with a nosh 'n a cuppa until Anne went off to her hike and Allan and I set out for ours.
Allan is one of my favorite people on the planet. He took me to a new place to walk, at the west end of Pueblo Canyon, at the bottom of The Hill. We parked outside the gate on the road to the water treatment plant ("The Potty Place!" as li'l Little Sister Adventurer would call out whenever she spotted it on the drive home up The Hill). We had a wonderful chat and walk! Thanks, Pee!
Now, I have photos.
And a few mule deer in town:
After our walk, we stopped at El Parasol for lunch. Today's fare was veggie tacos. Just the right combo of potatoes and other veggies, plus guacamole and salsa. Really good!
After lunch I drove Poppy to her spot for the night behind Bathtub Row Brewing Co-op and after a short rest, I laced up my hiking boots and set off a few blocks to the Graduation Canyon trailhead. I walked through the shady canyon to the Pueblo Canyon Rim trail. I headed along the rim back east toward town, coming up along Canyon Road and back to Poppy. 'Twas nearly 3 miles all told, a nice cap to the afternoon.
 |
| ...even on a downed tree. Still trying to eke out an existence. |
 |
Coming out of Graduation Canyon to the rim always takes my breath away.   |
 |
 |
| I love seeing life in unexpected places. |
 |
| Mandatory Ponderosa-sniffing |
 |
| Fungus doing its job to lay to rest this hundreds-of-years-old Ponderosa |
I had time after my hike for another rest. This time I fell asleep, but woke in time to take the few steps inside to meet my fam for beer and pizza!
Super good time eating green chile pizza and good craft beer in the company of the best people: my two sisters Pagrs and Poss, my sister-in-law Michele, my brother-in-law Allan, my niece Xin, her boyfriend Jake, and good friend Anne again! Poss had made a delicious applesauce spice cake to celebrate sister BobBIE's birthday, but she wasn't feeling well, and didn't make it. We raised a glass and a forkful of birthday cake in her honor.
Again, no pictures. Gah! Where was my millennial daughter to take pics, or at least remind me?!
When the festivities were over, it was dusk and I walked past the Lodge and around Ashley Pond before turning in for the night.
 |
| This dad of a young family carried two ducks, ostensibly to release to the pond. Later I walked by, and mom and dad were consoling the little boy who didn't want to say goodbye to his friends. |
.
Next: my last day and the jaunt home. Stay tuned for Part Three.
