Spring Adventure, Days 3 and 4

This is what I came down here for. My Triumph Scrambler, loaded on the trailer, ready for the journey back to Wisconsin

Days 3 and 4 sort of ran together. We had so much fun and I couldn't get the photos to upload properly, so I just skipped posting separate entries for these two days. Day 3 did see us travel from Santa Fe on Tuesday morning after we stopped and bought some flower pots at the Santa Fe Jackalope shop. The Spring shipment was on display and we had so many beautiful pots to choose from.

We loaded the pots, went to Ohori's coffee shop, stopped at a convenience store for liquid refreshments and headed out towards Albuquerque. In Albuquerque, we went straight to PJ's Triumph Ducati motorcycle dealership and got my motorcycle out of storage. A very helpful service department employee helped me load my trailer.

Lobo, or Wolf, mascot of The University of New Mexico, Albuquerque

We took a quick driving tour of Old Town Albuquerque and the Nob Hill neighborhood, which is right close to the University of New Mexico, and settled in at a motel on West Central Avenue. We did stop and get a picture of the Lobo, UNM's mascot. The motel is a very clean and well kept family style Mom and Pop motel called the Sandia Peak Inn. Actually, the place was immaculate and we were treated like royalty.

I unhooked the trailer and left it in the secure parking lot and we traveled North to the El Pinto Mexican Restaurant on 4th Street. That place is beautiful and the food and service were second to none! I'll write the report about eating there soon after this trip is finished. For now, I'll continue with Day 4.

Anna and DJ posing with some of the folk art on the grounds of the Sandia Peak Inn. Both were wearing their UNM T-shirts that I bought them last time I was in town.

Wednesday had us traveling the 200 miles from Albuquerque to Roswell. We went downtown to the International UFO Museum and Research Center. After seeing the exhibits and taking some photos, we walked the streets and checked out the souvenir shops and bought gifts for the folks that stayed home on this trip.

Nothing like killing time swimming at the motel while Papa relaxes

Dinner was at a BBQ joint we scoped out while driving into town. We had reservations at a Motel 6 on Main Street. We checked in and swam. It was an indoor pool, but we could have easily swam outside today. The weather has been spectacular. Sunny and warm all over and the forecast seems to tell us the sun will keep shining and temperatures will be in the 70's all the way home as Wisconsin experiences a warm spell as well.

The car is running great, even pulling the lightly loaded trailer. The wind was at our back all day today and my gas mileage went up for the second day in a row. Gas prices are stable at $3.59 right now here in the high plains of New Mexico.

Tomorrow, we head towards home via US Highways 70 and 60 and will bring us through Clovis, NM and Amarillo, TX. We'll hit Oklahoma and head North into Kansas. We plan on continuing our vacation attitudes as we travel.

Peace to all

Spring Adventure, Day 2

Not too much new to report. Still no photos, but I did buy a new camera to replace the failing old one, and I bought the extended warranty too! So, photos tomorrow for sure.

In the meantime, we left Sterling, CO at a very respectful hour and went as far as Ft. Morgan, just up the Interstate. We ate breakfast there at a place called Santiago's. I had my first bites of Mexican food with the huevos rancheros. The kids both had pancakes, one with sausage and one with baon.

We moved on, making it through Denver, Colorado Springs and across the border into New Mexico. We arrived in Santa Fe and were in the pool at the America's Best Value Inn by 5:00 PM. We had a great meal at the Blue Corn Cafe and Brewery, the newer one on the South end of town, and bought a camera on our way back to the motel.

Weather for the day was fabulous for traveling. Bright and sunny, not windy, (gas mileage improved significantly), with temperatures well into the high 60's and low 70's. No clouds to be seen. We watched the sparkling snow capped mountain tops from more than 60 miles away as we approached Denver.

From the Journal:


"I didn't want to cry, but I couldn't hold back the tears as the music on the iPod played through the car speakers. The Rocky Mountains were brightly capped with the sun reflecting off of them. The kids were looking at them in wonder. They'd seen the mountains before, but it has been a while. This was quite a sight. I was listening to an old Beatles song, on Anna's iPod, not mine, called Golden Slumbers. I recalled how I listened to the words of that song as a soldier in Vietnam and wondered if I would ever get home. Then, my life flashed before me with all the heart problems through the years and I thought of last November and how I wondered if I would make it past that. Now, not only did I make it, I was living life again as I love to live it, and sharing it with two of the Grand children. For some reason, the whole experience made me weep. When Anna turned down the volume of the music and asked me if I was okay and that she had seen me crying, I told her that it was a good kind of crying and that everything was okay."

Day 3 will be shopping for some large flower pots to decorate the new front deck we put on our Spadoville home. After that, the short drive to Albuquerque and the reconnection with my motorcycle. We'll spend the night and find more amusement. Oh, and take photos!

Take care and be well my friends

Peace

Spring Adventure, Day 1

March 12, 2012

Eastern Colorado plains as seen from Interstate 76

It's Spring Break for the Grandkids. That means the two oldest get to travel with me. We're waking up in Sterling, CO this morning and planning on being in Santa Fe tonight. The kids aren't real excited about Hot N' Spicy New Mexican food, but I'm sure we'll find a place that serves tacos and hamburgers along with green chile, before we eventually get to Roswell to see the Aliens. I hope they know we have an important mission in Albuquerque before anything else gets done!

We were going to leave very early in the morning yesterday, but I had one of those rare nights when I slept until six thirty. Add an hour onto that for the Daylight Savings thing and we didn't leave until 8:00 AM. We drove through Minnesota and South Dakota, blasted through Nebraska and entered Colorado via Interstate 76 last night. We were tucked safely into our motel room at the newly remodeled Crest Motel by 10:00 PM, and when we moved our clocks back an hour for entering the Mountain Time Zone, it was 9:00!

Today, we'll drive through Denver and hope to be in Santa Fe late this afternoon. I'll post photos tomorrow. That first day of travel was just to get us out-of-town. Now, we can relax and enjoy ourselves.

The weather was fine yesterday. Sunny and warm most of the 818 miles we drove. Some drizzle and rain encountered near North Platte, but we drove out of it in Eastern Colorado and saw a sky filled with stars by bedtime. Expected to be in the 70's today and lots O' sun.

The new rig, our Mazda CX-9 pulling the lightweight aluminum motorcycle trailer, is doing a good job, although bucking the southerly headwind, the one that's bringing all the warm air North, is eating away at my gas mileage. Prices are around $3.70 per gallon all over right now.

Hope everyone is doing good. Prayers and good thoughts for all in need. A wish for Much Peace to all.

Peace

The Kitchen is Open

Stock photo of some really good-lookin' pot roast!

The temperatures went from a warmer and with less snow than usual Winter right into Spring. The over night low was above 45 degrees. That's Fahrenheit. Any residual snow piles we did have are just about gone. It's raining a little this morning. Mrs. Spadoman reported that the usual path taken for walking the dog is a "Mud hole".

That being said, I'm still planning on leaving next Sunday for New Mexico. I'll just have to closely watch the NOAA weather site for late Winter storms as I cross the Great Plains of Nebraska, Kansas and Eastern Colorado. I remember one year getting stranded in Liberal, Kansas on nour way home. We ventured North by three different routes to be turned back every time. Ended up getting a room, but we never did get stuck in the snow like many others we witnessed.

In the meantime, I'll be strapped to the kitchen today. I'm putting together a multi-ethnic meal to serve to the people who attend the Sweat Lodge ceremony. Even though I, myself, am not a Native American, I know some of the customs and traditions and participate with others in putting them to good practice.

One such custom is having a Wopila. That is the word used in the Dakota language for a celebration of giving thanks. I have much need to give thanks to these friends. When I was in the hospital numerous times in November and December, these people prayed for me. They prayed for my family, that they would be safe. They prayed that my wife had safe travel to and from the hospital. They prayed that no other sickness or tragedy fell upon any of us. It would be next to impossible to include everyone that prayed for us as we are so fortunate to have many friends and people who care, so this celebration, this Wopila is for everyone, even those that are not in attendance on this particular evening.

Today is the day I will host a Feast and Giveaway, a Wopila, and say Thank You Friends. This isn't unlike my own Italian heritage. As you may know, many cultures offer food and share repast with friends. My mother never went to visit anyone without giving something to the host or hostess, be it flowers, a candle or some kind of food. No one ever entered my childhood home without being offered something to eat, if not a full blown meal, then at least a sandwich or some kind of dessert with coffee.

On the menu will be an Italian favorite. Rigatoni, served with the red gravy heavily laden with sausage and meatballs. Talk about tradition! The old family recipe comes out for this one. But I will also serve a wild rice stew with wild rice harvested last Fall from the Bad River reservation in Northern Wisconsin.

A third main dish will be pot roast ala Spada. Boneless chuck roasts smothered with carrots, potatoes and onion, seasoned and roasted. No spada, or sword, will be needed to cut this meat. You can use your fork.

I'll balance the plates with a green tossed salad with home made Italian salad dressing, another family recipe, and serve rolls and butter. For dessert, my offering will be chocolate frosted chewy fudge-like brownies, some with walnuts, some without. Beverages will include ice cold apple cider and top quality freshly roasted and brewed J&S Bean factory coffee.

At each Sweat Lodge ceremony, we share a pot luck meal to thank the Spirits. Everyone brings a dish to share. We sit and eat together and feed each other's Spirit and send a paper plate full of food, sprinkled with tobacco, to put in the Sacred Fire that we used for the ceremony. I sent the word out that I am having this Wopila and that people should bring salads and desserts and that I was providing the main courses. So there will be a lot of food to eat. This will take place after the Sweat Lodge ceremony is complete.

After we eat, I will spread a blanket out over a couple of tables and place gifts for the people. I will have the Elders and Veterans come first and choose a gift. These gifts are small, but the giving comes from the heart. I have chosen small flashlights, bandanas, scented candles, bags of coffee and gift certificates to name a few of the items. I have a special gift for our leader, Gene.

He will get a dance stick that I made for him. I actually started on this project some time ago. I finished it in time to be ready for this Giveaway. Gene is the one who reminds the people who is in need of prayers. He asks people to remember the people that are having a hard time. He remembered my family and me many times during that two month stretch.

A Dance Stick gift for my friend Gene

So, today, I'll be in the kitchen, getting food prepared. The shopping is done. All that remains is the doing. I better get busy. I'll see if I can snap off a few photos as I'm scurrying about.

Mitakwe Oyasin

Peace

Some Fun on Tuesday

Here’s a great word game that was sent to me by a friend. You don't have to send it along to ten people or anything like that.

According to a major University, it has relevant social and scientific significance in this 21st Century. Keep track of your answers on a piece of scrap paper. Results are at the end. Don’t cheat. If you don’t know the definition of a word, guess at it. It is imperative that you do not look ahead or cheat.

Here are the simple rules:

Choose One word in each line. The lines may contain two or three words, pick just one.

Pick the one word that your mind wants you to pick. Use any criteria; how the word makes you feel, how they sound, what the word makes you think of, ANY criteria.

Just pick the word, NO explanations, excuses or discussions.

Tomato or Tomato      (Toe may’ toe or toe mah’ toe)

Potato or Potato         (Poe tay’ toe or Poe tah] toe)

Spado or Spado         (Spay’ Dough or Spa’ Dough)

Spadoman or Spadoman

Spay’ Dough Man or Spa’ Dough Man

Italian or Italian            (It tal’ ee en or I’ tal ee en)

(Okay, I added those for fun. Now begin the test)

Route or Root

Capital or Capitol

Foliage or Foilage

Elementary, Grammar or Primary

High or Secondary

Politics or Art

Fag, Butt, or Smoke

Spend or Save

Senior Care Center or Old Folks Home

Animal Shelter or Dog Pound

Janitor or Custodian

Building or Physical Plant

Dish Washer or Hydro-Ceramic Engineer

Railroad Worker or Gandy Dancer

Walmart or Kmart

Sears or Pennys

Macys or Nordstroms

Gasoline or Petrol

LP or Propane

Wood or Gas

To,Too or Two

Shit, Shat or Shut

Um,Tut or Sut

Cat, Kitty or Kitty Cat

Butch or Dyke

Gay or Straight

Homo or Queer

Red or Green

Black or White

Blanco or Negro

Mortal or Venial

Meat or Fish

Beef or Pork

Buffalo or Pheasant

Their or There

War or Peace

Safe or Risky

Winter or Summer

Spring or Fall

Fire or Water

Earth or Wind

Rain or Snow

Windy or Calm

Fantasy or Reality

Rent or Own

Good or Bad

Church or State

Freedom or Slavery

Scroll down for answers

Now, go back and look at your choices. 

You’ve been duped. Read on for an explanation. Many Americans, probably a lot of Canadians, and anyone living in the Free World need to think about these choices. Your word choices mean absolutely nothing scientifically or socially. Although it would be funny to see which of you say To mah’ toe, Po tah’ to, Spa’ Dough and I’ tal ee an.

Imagine you being denied your choice and forced to live with the word you did not choose as your freedom. How do you think that would make you feel. Would you like to live that way?

Would you like to HAVE to be gay or straight? Would you like to be able to choose whether to use a wood burning stove or a natural gas furnace to heat your home? 

When we vote one way, and the rights and thoughts of others must abide by how we vote, imagine if the way you want isn’t the way society wants things to be.

I may want Freedom, for example. The vote is for Slavery. I have to abide by slavery. I would not like this, but it was voted upon and therefore I have to live with it. I can work to change it the next time we vote, but until then, I must live with the choice of the majority.

Right now, many people say they are already living with the things they do not like. For example, someone doesn’t want abortions to be legal, but they are. They may say they are living with something they don’t like and want to work to change it in the next election. 

But this is different from making someone that doesn’t like abortion to have one. They can choose NOT to have an abortion and others can choose to have one if they so desire.

Slavery also is like that.  If voted back into existence, someone that wants slavery can own a slave, but if you didn’t want to own one, you won’t have to own one.

In the above instances, no one is making people do what they don’t want to do. But there are some people that want others to do ONLY what they want you to do. They want to make laws and rules that everyone must obey. In that case, people lose their right for Freedom. The right to make your own choices.

True Freedom is about being able to choose the way you want to live without laws defining your lifestyle and choices. That word, choice. It is volatile these days. Many feel it is only about abortion. But Choice is about everything. How we comb our hair, how we dress, what we drive, how we drive, what we eat and drink, everything.

During the Cold War, reports would come from the Soviet Union telling the American people how the Russians had no choices because of Communism. How there were so many loaves of bread baked by state run bakeries. They had no choice on the bread they ate or how much of it they ate. They told us how horrible that was, that they had no rights and no choice when it came to mundane things like a loaf of bread because of Communism.

Current political groups are wanting the people to vote on things that will take away our rights. If they vote for a law that says the poor cannot vote, as some politicians are suggesting, then some people lose their right to vote. As a Veteran, I sure don’t want to see people not being allowed to vote because they are poor. I saw death and destruction, I witnessed a literal bloody hell, for people to keep their rights, not to have them taken away.

If they vote that we must allow Christian prayer in schools, then what of the people that are not Christian? Must they start praying Christian prayers? Will other religions be allowed to pray in schools as well? If you were a devout Christian, would you like to have a law that says you MUST pray Jewish or Muslim prayers?

True Freedom is what you have when you have a choice. You take away the Freedom of people when you vote to not allow them to choose what they want to do and say.

My daughter Maggie, the one that was lost to us in an automobile accident in 1991, was involved with politics with her Four H and High School Civics classes when she was a teen ager. She once wrote an essay about flag burning.

I don’t have a copy of that essay, but I do know the first line by heart. She told us, “The best reason for NOT burning the US flag is because I can.”

The bottom line here is to allow everyone to be able to make a choice and have freedom to live as they wish within the reasonable assumption that their lifestyle will not interfere with others. That’s why we don’t shoot cattle rustlers any more.

Freedom, real true Freedom. Isn’t that what we are told, that our brave military men and women are fighting for Freedom in the wars our government chooses to fight?

Vote, but vote for candidates, and issues, that will not take the rights of people away from them, even if you don’t like what they choose. Vote for candidates that will make sure they vote on the laws and bills so you can make your own choices the way you want to, on every thing, every issue. But above all, VOTE!

Choose Peace

Cultural Phenomenon

Shadow Shot Sunday 2

March 4, 2012

Shadow Shot Sunday 2 is graciously hosted by Magical Mystical Teacher, Rose (Clubskulit) and Gemma Wiseman. The original Shadow Shot Sunday meme had a long running from its inception and a very large following. When Tracy of Hey Harriet’s Photography decided to call it quits, these three stepped up and came up with a plan to keep it going. I’m glad they did. Join in on the fun, or just drop by to see the great Shadow Shots. Visit Shadow Shot Sunday 2 for all the details.

This photo was taken with a Nikon point and shoot camera probably about 2006. It is in the color mode and not doctored, yet it almost can be perceived as a black and white photograph. Some days are like that along the Big Lake. The sky casts a grey pall and the ice reflects that. The trees are barren of green and sit in the shadows 

We lived along the shores of the Great Lake Superior and our view out this North facing window was literally 50 feet from the shoreline. I remember the day I took this picture. I had the camera and was shuffling about the cabin snapping this or that. The whole series of photos from that day included rocks on windowsills, pictures hanging on the walls, sticks and wood laid out in Zen gardens and even some of the fire burning hotly in the wood stove. (See below)

I had put the candle in an empty bottle the evening before. We used candle light a lot and still do to some extent. I didn’t realize until I was looking through the files of old photos that the shadowed south sides of the trees and the candle itself looked similar. Wish I could take credit for the field of vision and focus parameters of the trees being much farther from the lens than the candle in the bottle and both taking on the same form .

What intrigued me though, was that rotting stump that hangs over the water’s edge and how it looks like it very well could be the shadow of the candle and burning wick.

So, the title speaks for itself.

Come warm up by the fire and have a cup of coffee

Peace

Remembering

Haiku My Heart

March 2, 2012

Haiku My Heart is a weekly gathering of  people. We write and create our poetry and share it with each other. This weekly calling on each other to share our thoughts has a very healing effect for me. Stop on by at Rebecca's recuerda mi corazon blog, and see more Haiku and find out how to participate.

Rising rippling air

Warming heart, soul and woodwork

Good warm memories

This chimney is exhausting the carbon laden air from the oak, birch, maple and ash that is burning down below. Why do these hot exhaust gasses make the air ripple? It is so simple of an answer, light refraction.

Light travels faster in hot air than in cold. You are actually seeing the light ‘bending’, refracting, when the hotter air from the chimney hits the colder air of the outside. The hot air rises naturally up to the skyward portion of the pipe as it is lighter than the heavier cold air.

Not many think of this simplicity when they see the ‘heat’ coming from a chimney, and maybe less so while living life, but in it's simplest form, life, being alive, is just that, simple. We are born,  then we die.

More importantly than the reason why the light refracts and makes ripples to me is the memory of being outside on that cold winter’s day looking up at the chimney’s end and going back inside to get the camera to take the picture. Along with it came the fond memories of the cabin we lived in when all we had was this old wood stove and the gathered wood stacked outside by the big pine tree for heat.

Seems as though they were simpler days back then. Home ownership sure lets the money leak out of my wallet a lot quicker than renting a two room cabin in the woods. Health issues back then weren’t as much of a concern as they are these days. The Grandkids were younger, and therefore less complicated, and one of them was yet to be a thought. And old friends were still around to impart their wisdom.

These kinds of memories are what happens in between the lines of "We are born..." and "...then we die"

Why am I lamenting about this today? Maybe it is a simple case of getting older and wanting my load to be easier to carry. I’m heading into the weekend with plans to be in attendance to say goodbye again to a great friend and spirit man, Chris Leath, that passed one year ago. In his culture, someone has taken care of his soul for a year. Now, it's time to release it forever to the Universe. I’ll remember him and simpler times.

Peace