By Suzanne English-Walker and Russ Butner
(Photo credits to Suzanne English-Walker and Russ Butner)
September 13, 2013
Growing up, I was my mother's daughter, but I was the son my father never had. He taught me much. First and foremost he said to follow your instincts, do what is right and true, and above all be true to yourself. I got off that path many times. I never really got back on it until lately. I have always been responsible TO or FOR someone. Now, it's just me.
A new era in my life is just beginning.
I am alone, but not lonely.
It is quiet, but not void of lives around me.
The spirits of my now deceased family are with me.
September 14, 2013
I'm working on honing my mind and my photography skills to chronicle each step of this spirit journey. Tonight, I journeyed out to a huge sunflower field with camera club friends for Sunflowers and Sunsets.
It does my soul good to be focused on just one thing. When I'm not behind the viewfinder of my camera, my mind may go fifty different directions, but to focus on my subject I must leave all extraneous matters and problems somewhere else.
VACATION TO COLORADO AND NEW MEXICO-OCTOBER 2013
Four friends have planned this trip for many months. First to Colorado to stay in a friend's cabin for a few days, then on to New Mexico.
After my stay at the cabin with them and our trek to New Mexico, my other three friends headed back to Colorado to spend their remaining days of their vacation surrounded by the beautiful serene mountains. I picked up my buddy, Russ Butner at the Santa Fe airport and we spent the next week, roaming the back roads of New Mexico. What a wonderful, spiritual journey that was. Russ and I met on the photo website Flickr many years ago, but had never met in person. We both have a love and passion for photography.
This joining of our two spirits wouldl either make or break our relationship. I am happy to say, writing this in 2015, the relationship is strong and has grown beyond what we could ever have imagined. So stay with me as I take you through this special time in my life.
After my stay at the cabin with them and our trek to New Mexico, my other three friends headed back to Colorado to spend their remaining days of their vacation surrounded by the beautiful serene mountains. I picked up my buddy, Russ Butner at the Santa Fe airport and we spent the next week, roaming the back roads of New Mexico. What a wonderful, spiritual journey that was. Russ and I met on the photo website Flickr many years ago, but had never met in person. We both have a love and passion for photography.
This joining of our two spirits wouldl either make or break our relationship. I am happy to say, writing this in 2015, the relationship is strong and has grown beyond what we could ever have imagined. So stay with me as I take you through this special time in my life.
My three friends and myself started out going first through:
OKLAHOMA!
ENID, OK
Love Art Deco
Well, there are some things in Oklahoma that are surprising to say the least.
Oklahoma and Colorado have many abandoned farms and buildings. I always wonder who lived there, what their lives were like and what happened that these places were left behind.
COLORADO
Four Friends Out on an Adventure
Dog Bar and Grill, Cuchara, Colorado
Love these old Retro buildings
Colorado Sunset - how beautiful it is. This cabin is miles from nowhere. No light pollution, no traffic. Just the wind in the pines, the call of the elk and the twittering birds.
On the last day at the cabin, the elk greeted us with their morning stroll. This is the day we are to leave for New Mexico. What a send-off!!
NEW MEXICO, DAY 1 October 3, 2013-Santa Fe
I picked Russ up from the Sante Fe airport and we went to LaFonda Hotel to meet the girls and have dinner. What a rustic, historical city Sante Fe is. I love ALL of New Mexico. After our dinner, my three friends headed back to Colorado. Russ and I spent the next week roaming the old back roads of New Mexico.
From there we went to the famous Loretto Chapel in Santa Fe
The Loretto Chapel in Santa Fe is a former Roman Catholic Church that is now used as a museum and wedding chapel. It is known for its unusual shaped spiral staircase. (the Miraculous Staircase), the name and origin of the builder has still not been verified. The Sisters of Loretto credit St. Joseph with its construction. It has been the subject of legend and rumor and the circumstances surrounding its construction and its builder are considered miraculous by the Sisters of Loretto and many visitors. Please visit this website for more information. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Loretto_Chapel
The light is always warm and inviting, especially at dusk.
NEW MEXICO, DAY 2-OCTOBER 4, 2013 - CHIMAYO-Sanctuary de Chimayo
Although this is a tourist destination, once inside you forget you are surrounded by people. Everything is quiet and subdued, as it should be in a mission such as this. Each year, thousands of people journey to this small mission church. There is much history here. When you walk into the small chapel, the first surprising thing you see is all the crutches and artifacts people have left, testifying that they have been healed by the "holy dirt" at this mission, and have no need for their devices.
While my husband and I were traveling, Bill always said he wanted to go to New Mexico. We both loved Spanish and Native American history and architecture. He passed away before we were able to fulfill his wish. When I made plans to go to New Mexico, the next best thing I could do was take his cowboy hat there, the one he wore every day when he was a tour guide at the Grand Canyon.
I kneeled in front of the altar and said a prayer for his peace, placing the hat in front of me. Amazingly, there were no people in the chapel at the time. What a wonderful peaceful few minutes that was!
I couldn't find a suitable place to leave the hat, so I took it to the small river that runs in back of the mission and threw it in. It wasn't until after I got home and viewed the photos on my computer that I realized there was a memorial directly across the river from where I placed his hat. Miracles are all around us, if we take the time to see them.
Russ and I wandered around the grounds of the Mission. Of course, they have a gift shop where you can buy tiny canisters to fill with Holy Dirt as a souvenir. The grounds are interesting as they have many different historical stops along the way.
After visiting the mission, we stopped at Rancho de Chimayo Restaurante for lunch. Because it had been so many years (over 30) since I had any wine, Russ helped me pick a wine that he thought would be to my liking.
Russ spotted this Descanso (roadside memorial) on top of the hill. Being the rock climber he was back in the day, he just tripped right on up there with no problem. Once he was on top, he proceeded to capture some great shots. He eventually found a less rigorous path and came down, took my hand and led me up there too.
This is what we captured. It would be interesting to know who this person was and why he died at this spot. There are so many Desconsos in New Mexico, many many on the sides of the highways, most died due to heavy drinking.
I just turned around and realized how high up we were.
I never would have made it up here if Russ hadn't come back down to get me. He's just so considerate in so many ways.
Another Descanso. We since learned that this murder was solved. There is a story here, I'm sure.
And just one more. As you can see, these can become very elaborate.
NEW MEXICO, DAY 3 OCTOBER 5, 2013-PENASCO
Where my battery died!! We searched my camera bag over and over, but couldn't find the spare battery. This is the only photo I got at Penasco.
No matter where we went, there was the ever present dog, even in the church courtyard. We went north to Taos hoping to find a Walmart or a camera store so I could buy an extra battery. No Walmart or camera store, so we headed back to Santa Fe. We knew there was a camera store close to the Plaza. A new camera battery set me back $80, which to my dismay I later found the extra battery hidden in the corner of my camera bag, so I now have three.
A turnstile at a cemetery? Only in New Mexico! I think it was to keep the wildlife out. It wouldn't surprise me to see snacks left at each grave.
Cemeteries in New Mexico are always a site to see. I know that seems quite irreverent, but they are interesting to say the least. So many decorations. The Native American and Spanish culture decorate the graves according to whatever holiday is coming up The following photo was decorated for Halloween. It is a family cemetery with no name listed but Russ talked to the lady that was decorating the graves. Discovering her name was Beverly, we named this one "Beverly's Cemetery" or Gravesite Bling. Beverly was pushing hard to sell us some land that her father owned.
Across from "Bevery's Cemetery", there were two curious horses just waiting for their photo to be taken. Russ obliged! But first he had to get acquainted.
On top of this very high shear wall are two crosses, invisible here because they are so far away and because the sky is so dark.
Same cemetery, but on this one, the crosses on top of the cliff are more visible. Barely!!
Up the highway from this roadside cemetery is a quaint road sign. I'm sure there is a story here, but no one around to ask. So you can go "this way" or "that way".
EMBUDO BRIDGE ACROSS THE RIO GRANDE
Just because there was a no trespassing sign across the beginning of this bridge, meant nothing to us. We (actually Russ) took down the chain, got our shots, put the chain back up and left.
Not far from the old bridge and the crazy street sign, there was a gas station/junk yard/gift shop. There were so many opportunities for shots, that it was sensory overload.
NEXT STOP, NAMBE. ANOTHER MISSION, ANOTHER CEMETERY.
So many of these missions are built the same way. But all are unique in their own way. No matter how many times I see these or how many I see, my heart fills with happiness that these have been preserved for all time.
The Nambe cemetery is like a trip through an art gallery. So many artistic grave stones or memorials.
You may note the large memorial on the left. The photo below is a closer view. Just Amazing!
And the inside of this... I had to get down on my knees to look inside the little door.
