valencia county, new mexico

ANNUAL PILGRIMMAGE TO TOME HILL

2009-04-10T22:48:00.000-07:00

This Good Friday, like so many in the past, graphically portrays to what extent faithful Catholics will go to to demonstrate their faith. Thousands have made this climb up Tome Hill, and this year was no different. The climb, from the base to the three crosses on top of the hill is a steep one mile, but that is just the easy part for most. The hard part is the trek by foot from their homes to the mountain itself. They walk from all parts of the county, central, north, south, east and west. Distance seems no obstacles. Some this year (as in the past) have walked here from Albuquerque, 25 miles distant. As you can see from this picture of the parents and three children on the lower part of the trail, pilgrims of all ages make this annual trek. Further up the trail is a group of five adults. This picture was taken at about 6:30 PM, plus the weather was cold and windy and rain was expected. Bad weather, tiredness and a later hour seems to make no difference to the faithful.

And when they get to the top and say their prayers and feel blessed and rejuvenated, what comes next? The long, cold trek home, of course.

A CRACKER JACK OF A SUBJECT

2009-04-09T22:01:00.000-07:00

WOW! I was totally shocked to see a shelf full of Cracker Jacks at my local Wal-Mart the other night. I had thought that they had long been discontinued - well, maybe they had been and were just coming back on the market, or perhaps I was so blind that I just didn't see them. I know that since I am older than the dirt that I walk on there is a lot of things I don't see. But how could I not see Cracker Jacks? Since I was a little boy back in the 1939's or -40's, I have loved Cracker Jacks. Saturday afternoon matinees at the theater were always a good place to eat them while my brothers and I watched the antics of Our Gang and the heroics of Gene Autry, and the latest Boston Blackie serial. Cracker Jacks always came with a toy inside. It was usually a toy metal car or gun, or a tattoo transfer that you could put on your arm. Sadly, the ones I bought yesterday all had little paper historical puzzles designed for 8 or 10 year old kids.That's OK. Being that I am in my second childhood, I enjoyed the Cracker Jacks anyway. After all these years they still taste as I remember them..........so the next time I go to the movies, guess what I am taking with me (besides my wife)?

A BASKETFUL OF LOVE

2009-04-08T21:09:00.000-07:00

Need some love in your life? Well, here's a basket full of love just waiting for you. These beautiful German Shepherd mix puppies are at the Valencia County Animal Shelter just looking for a home. There are six of them, and they are only about 2 months old. Take a look at them and you'll fall in love again! Adopt one --or two--all it takes is a call or a visit. Take him/her home with you, give them their shots, licenses, and some fun and easy training and you'll have a friend for life. By the way, books on dog training are available at your local library. A secret: Dogs are easier to train than children!

A PORTENT OF BETTER DAYS AHEAD

2009-04-07T13:50:00.000-07:00

Feeling disgruntled and depressed over the recent foul weather (cold temperatures and high winds), I happened to wander out in the back yard to a tool shed I have there. All my tools sat idle and forlorn since I am strictly a warm weather gardner who refuses to work in the cold or in foul weather. As I locked the tool shed door and turned to leave I happened to look behind the shed and what caught my eye was a patch of yellow tulips, and off to one side, some red ones. It occurred to me that as I was whining about the foul weather, these bulb were pushing their way up through the dirt. Cold, unfertilized, no water, and with very little sunshine, these bulbs were determined to live and bring their brand of beauty into the world.

It cheered me immensely and I recalled the history of tulips: originating in the steppes of the Persian empire, a cold and hostile land, they were brought to Europe and were the subjects of one of the wildest financial speculative manipulations known. Prices for even a single tulip bulb soared to as high as 4,200 florins, that is $57,279 in today's dollars. They were traded and treated as a sort of super-currency. Then, in February 1637 the bubble burst, and the effect on the European economy, particularly in Holland, was similar to what happened currently with the failure of so many banks and brokerage houses, and the stock market crash. The fortunes men made from the tulips evaporated, but the tulips were still there each year, and every spring they continue to push their way up through the dirt and forecast the coming of summer, better weather and hope.

HERITAGE PARK ACTIVITIES

2009-04-05T15:39:00.000-07:00

The wind here has died down quite a bit from the past week, so since nothing was happening at Daniel Fernandez Park, I drove on over the Heritage Park. It was happily crowded with kids and adults getting in their recreation while the sun was still warm and the winds down.

Pic#1 - the skateboard area. Pic #2 - a couple of kids on BMX bikes showing off their talents and skill. Pic #3 - riding one-handed and waving for the photographer. Showoff!! (I'm just jealous of their youthful exuberance and skill!) Pic #4 - meanwhile, over on the 3-net volleyball court, two games are being played side by side. Elsewhere in the park there was a softball game being played by youngsters who looked to be about 7 or 8 years old and were totally unorganized, but having fun anyway. A nice day in the park.

SMALLTOWN REVISITED

2009-04-04T21:18:00.000-07:00

On Tuesday, 31 March, I told you about a fascinating display of a model railroad exhibit. I visited it and enjoyed every minute, but was told that if I came back today, Saturday, I would find more to like. So today, dodging the high winds that seem to have plagued Valencia County for the past week, I went back. The display, which is in the Harvey House Railroad Museum, has been greatly enhanced by the presence of dozens of vendors with everything for sale (new and used) from model train engines and cars to model buildings, cars, people and models of everything you'd find in a real small town. There were even some hot dogs and soft drinks for the public. It was also crowded with visitors, and the children in particular were having a great time. The vendors will probably pack up their wares and go at the end of the weekend, but the basic display itself will remain. It is well worth the going...and the best part is that it is FREE!!

DANIEL FERNANDEZ PARK, LOS LUNAS -part 2

2009-04-03T21:57:00.000-07:00

What can I say? I was hoping to come back today with a whole bunch of pictures of activities going on at the park and in the building. To my surprise, the whole place was empty, inside and out. Of course no one with any sense wanted to go outside today with the winds whipping up to sixty miles per hour.

So today I can only give you a photo of the building taken from the back parking lot and showing just how big this place is. If the weather warms up, and if the winds die down, I'll try again tomorrow. Keep tuned in.

DANIEL FERNANDEZ PARK, LOS LUNAS -part 1

2009-04-02T18:36:00.000-07:00

This is the Daniel Fernandez Park on Highway 314 in Los Lunas, as it appears from the front.

There is a lot more to this park than can be seen from the front. I wanted to take some photos of folks participating in some outdoor activities, but a cold, blustery spring day like today is not the right time to do that. Instead, I'll just stick to words and try to describe it. Pictures will follow in a day or two, depending on the weather.

On the expanse of green in front of the building are several gazebo-like structures where families can gather for picnics. To the right there are a pair of tennis courts, and further right there are some bright yellow jungle gyms and some swings for the kids to play on. Behind the building there are a baseball field, a football field, a soccer field, and a lot more open space that can be used for about anything, plus ample parking.

Inside the building there is a gymnasium, convertible to an auditorium, a basketball court, or other uses. There is a large, rounded space filled with tables, chairs and snack/soft drink vending machines so people can sit and relax and watch, through tinted glass, the kids playing outside.

Cool and comfortable. This is a truly multi-use building and park .

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YOU WERE RIGHT, ANDREW CARNEGIE !!

2009-04-01T20:23:00.000-07:00

This month the Belen Public Library has started on it's 83rd year of operation. Located at 333 Becker Avenue in Belen, in an almost new and impressive building, it's director, Debbie Graham, is justly proud of the library's changes over the years. It was started as a project of the Belen Women's Club in 1927 and became the Belen Public Library in 1966. Now it has grown to include computers and other electronic means of communications and education. It is open to all comers who want to learn some specific facts or just enjoy reading some novels or other books. As a young boy I spent countless hours -days on end- at the local library and received a far wider range of knowledge that was being presented at school. For that I thank Andrew Carnegie.

Andrew Carnegie, born in Dunfermline, Scotland, was a great industrialist and an imaginative thinker, can be considered as the founder of the modern public library. He espoused the philosophy that those with great wealth use what was in excess of their personal needs to better the lives of others. Putting his money where his mouth was, in 1881 he started spending $56,000,000 to establish 2,509 libraries in the English speaking world. IMHO he should have a national holiday named for him, either on his birthday (28 November 1865), or on the anniversary of his death in Lenox, Massachusetts, on 11 August 1919. It would be much better to honor a man who has helped educate the world than some tweedle-dum tweedle-dee politician. What do you think?

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WELCOME - BIENVENIDOS -TO SMALLTOWN, NM

2009-03-31T19:44:00.000-07:00

A great big welcome to a really small town.!!!!!!

There's an advantage to being a writer; I can call any place anything I want. To steal a idea from Alice In Wonderland, a word can mean anything I want it to mean. You probably never seen Smalltown, much less have heard it's name. The secret is that Smalltown really is a small town; much of it would fit on the floor of your home. It is the creation of the gifted railroad buffs who are members of the Belen Model Railroad club. Hundreds of hours have gone into creating this model train layout; transcending history, here you will find steam engines alongside the latest diesel engines. Right now Smalltown (my name for it, not theirs) can be seen in the Harvey House Museum in Belen. This coming weekend (Saturday, 4 April, and Sunday) the display will be considerably enlarged by additional displays plus vendors from all over the state. It is unique, fascinating and colorful, and a once in lifetime chance to meet some fine railroad buffs and model builders.

All the above photos are by Jasmin Whitman , and copyrighted by her,

ADDENDUM TO MONDAY'S BLOG

2009-03-30T19:48:00.000-07:00

As my lovely and talented wife, Jasmin, reminds me, men are not the only earthly creatures who participate in team roping events. It is quite common to see ladies, girls and young children compete with talent equal to that of any man. Women are often involved in other western style events, such as barrel racing and so on and over the years have racked up some impressive wins in local, regional and national events of this type.
Being a male and having spent large chunks of my life in male environments, I don't always take into consideration the female side of things, and the contributions of women in all fields of life. I shall try to write more inclusively in the future.

LAST ROPING EVENT FOR AWHILE

2009-03-30T19:10:00.000-07:00

As you can see, I am back after a short vacation. This past Saturday, March 28, there was another team roping event at the Valencia County Sheriff Posse's Arena. As these events always fascinate me -and because they help perpetuate the cowboy mythology in America's history- I always watch them when I can. There are a lot of factors that have a bearing on the events outcome, such as the weather, the mood and feelings of the horses and cattle involved, and the interaction and timing between the header and the heeler (the man who ropes the head of the calf and the man who ropes the heels). The timing is very critical, so the ore practice the team has working together, the more likely they are to win.

The first picture is an overall view of the contestants checking out the calves and waiting for the event to begin. The second shows the team as they successfully lasso the calf. If you look closely you can see the ropes around the heels and the horns. The third shot, taken a second later, shows the calf thrown to the ground, and this team wins with the shortest overall time.

SPRING HAS COME TO THE COUNTY

2009-03-22T19:35:00.000-07:00

How can you tell that spring has come? Because today is Sunday, the kids are not at school, and for the first time there were several family groups with children and they were all enjoying the facilities of a newly finished park/playground in Los Lunas. In spite of the high winds today the kids all seemed to be having a good time. I did not see, however, anyone enjoying a picnic there, using the several picnic tables scattered about.

The park includes two fenced-in tennis courts, and basketball court that does not appear to be a standard NBA size, but still good enough for a good "pick-up" game. There are also several other jungle-gym type slide- and -bar combinations for the younger set. There are several with innovative designs, and all of them are painted brightly. I predict that when school is out for the year, and summer arrives in full force, this park will be jammed with kids from dawn to dusk.

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RAILROAD LORE

2009-03-21T20:23:00.000-07:00

Many people, especially those in other countries and those Americans who disliked history classes in high school, neither know nor understand the role of railroads in the settlement of this vast country. Its a long distance between the Atlantic seaboard and the Pacific shore, and after the upheaval of the American Civil War, thousands of people packed up and headed west, partially inspired by talk of our 'Manifest Destiny.' Going by wagon train and horseback took too long, and that is where the railroads came in. Lines like the Southern Pacific and the AT&SF pushed west, establishing small towns along the way, then selling lands to the pilgrims wanting to start a new life 'out west.' Belen and Los Lunas were two such towns that profited immensely from the railroads over the years. Belen became a hub city, with lines crossing it east to west and north to south An early Los Lunas wooden train station was saved from destruction by citizens who wanted to save some or the towns early heritage. It is pictured above, much the same as when it was first built. The town also uses a sketch of the building on its village license plate. Residents are not required by law to have or use the plate; it costs ten dollars., but many wear it proudly on their cars. to show others where they are from. Both the station and the license plate are pictured above.

THE RODEO IS BACK #4

2009-03-17T20:09:00.000-07:00

As I mentioned yesterday, this event was held under bleak rainy skies and in a cold, wet wind. Very unseasonable weather, but most contestants didn't let it overshadow their pleasure.

#1 - Warming up horses and shaking out the lassos in the main arena. #2 - Note the two young ladies who appear to be Navajos. Navajos are renown for their excellent riding skills and talents. #3 - Calf roping. In this event a calf and two ropers leave the chute at the same time. The object is for one team member (the header) to lasso the calf's head and the other (the heeler) to lasso the calf's hind legs and then bring the calf down, incapacitating it so it can be branded. The team doing this in the fastest time, wins. #4 - The chase narrows; the cowboys are right on top of the calf! #5 - The header throws his lasso and misses. The rope ends up on the ground in front of the near horse. The chase is over and the calf runs for the holding pen and safety.

This was not a good day for calf roping teams; most failed and no time records were broken. However, another event is just down the road a few weeks and they will all be back trying again.

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THE RODEO IS BACK #3

2009-03-16T11:54:00.000-07:00

The rodeo went on in spite of the unseasonal cold, damp and windy weather. February's weather was like May or June; March is starting out like February. Here's the info on the above photos: #1 - Horses tied up to their trailers while their owners have lunch. #2 - a young girl barrel racing. Four barrels (sometimes more) are spaced apart in the ring and the rider has to circle each one without touching or knocking the barrels over. The fastest time wins. 3. These cows are used in various events. #4. Contestents lining up at the announcer's booth to pay their entry fees . #5. A cute 5-year old girl exercising her horse in the ring.

THE RODEO IS BACK #2

2009-03-15T15:41:00.000-07:00

Today's photos are of some of the activities that go on before the contests actually start. What looks like pointless milling around is actually interacting with other contestants and renewing old acquaintances. Many of the horse trailers are divided into two sections; one for the horse(s) and an abbreviated apartment for the owner. The other part of the milling around is to loosen up and warm up the muscles (human and equine) and to double check the gear and to loosen up the lariats. Lariats (lassos) are made of very stiff materials and must be stretched and loosened before use. Coming in to popular use are colored lariats such as reds, greens and blues. They don't photograph as well as the traditional white ones. Photos from 1 to 4 are as follows:

#1. A horse having a quick snack. #2. Man sitting on his horse after completing a cell phone call. You just can't get away from those phones anymore! #3. A man riding a horse and leading another: Warming up two for the price of one. #4. Exercising horses, men and ropes in the ring just before the starting contest.

THE RODEO IS BACK -1

2009-03-14T16:33:00.000-07:00

In spite of the glowering unseasonable weather and damp winds, the rodeo is back. Situated on the grounds of the Valencia County Fairgrounds and Sheriff''s Posse arena in Belen , the sea of white trucks and horse trailers give a good idea of how popular the event is, come rain or come shine. May of the participants come from neighboring states but the vast majority are from New Mexico.

Pictures are as follows: #1 - Overall view of the fairgrounds.

#2 - The Sheriff's Posse 's Cafe, Bingo Hall and Dance Palace.

#3 - Cowgirls arriving with dog

#4 - Horses and dog all tied to their temporary home.

Stay tuned; tomorrow there will be some more general views and following that some real cowboy action shots.

HAVE AN EMPTY HOME?

2009-03-13T19:09:00.000-07:00

This sweet tempered little dog couldn't weigh more than three pounds soaking wet. In spite of that, he can help fill up your house with his love and funny antics. Ask Angel and she will agree. This little dog, who is about a year old, is a playful handful. A few minutes fun with him at the end of a hard day is better for your psyche than a psychiatrist -- and a lot cheaper, too. This is a dog that can really bring joy into your life.

Angel, who works at the county Animal Shelter, had a fun time playing with him today, and if you are interested in the dog, come down to the shelter and she will be glad to introduce you. Of course if this one doesn't fit your needs. there are a lot others, including a couple of litters of very young puppies.

Give both yourself and a lucky dog a better life: Adopt a dog today; it will be the best investment in companionship you can make.

A NOT SO ROYAL THEATER

2009-03-12T19:31:00.000-07:00

Back on 7 March Curly, in his post titled 'Act 1' showed us the Theatre Royal which is in Newcastle upon Tyne. It is a magnificent structure, one any community would be proud of. (See southshieldsdailyphoto@wordpress.com ) I went back to the site several times, realizing just how long it has been since I was actually inside a live performance theater, and how much live theater has affected my life. When I lived in New York I attended hundreds of plays, concerts and other life performances. Here in the great southwest live theater is not easily found. The closest venue for the performance arts is in Albuquerque which has (or used to have) 3 small performance spaces close to the University of New Mexico, plus the university's Popejoy Hall. In Valencia County I have found no live theater whatsoever, and just one movie theater now, the Starlight (pictured above. Photo by Jasmin Whitman). I envy readers of this blog who are within reasonable distance of an active performance theater. I have decided that someday I shall visit the Theatre Royal.

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Do not steal or plagiarize words of pictures from this blog site or I shall come after you with both barrels loaded.

MOON OVER BELEN

2009-03-11T22:21:00.000-07:00

Coming in from Belen's Neel Alexander Municipal Airport on Calle de Llano tonight, this is the site that greeted my tired eyes. I had to pull off the road, get out of my truck and try to capture the view for posterity.

The moon was full in he sky and casting its glow on the city of Belen, in spite of the hazy sky. A string of lights stretching north to south outlined the city. All told, a beautiful sight. But with the freezing weather and a string gusty wind, my shaking fingers had a hard time trying to hold the camera steady. So the picture you see is the picture you get. Sometime this summer, when the moon is full and the night is warm, I'll revisit the scene and come up with something better.

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NIGHT STAR OVER BELEN

2009-03-10T20:43:00.000-07:00

It was in mid-December 2008 when the city council agreed to put up electric star on the downtown water tower, with the idea that it wasn't just another decoration for the upcoming Christmas season, but that it would stay lit the year round. I thought it might stay lit for a month or two but then someone would get bored with it, or claim it was mixing religion with government (a no-no in this country!), and turn it off.

Driving by the area tonight I was surprised to find it still there, so I hopped out of my pickup truck and took a quick shot of it with my Canon DSLR. I think it would be nicer if it were up higher on the water tower so it could be seen better in some parts of town. I imagine all the Christians in town have already drawn the obvious connections between this cross rising above Belen and the Star of Bethlehem that supposedly hung over that town on the night Christ was born. After all, "Belen" is Spanish for Bethlehem. ...........and to all a good night!

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STORM CLOUDS OVER THE COUNTY

2009-03-10T10:51:00.000-07:00

As I wrote yesterday, after 73 days with no precipitation we finally got some rain on the night of March 8, and continuing on yesterday, the 9th. The rainstorm was gradually moving eastward yesterday afternoon so I drove up the east side to the Cypress Hill neighborhood and took a few shots of the rain heavy clouds moving away. In this arid part of the country you rarely see such large rainclouds as are in this photo. In the distance you can see the outline of the Sandia Mountains. A large amount of rain fell there, thankfully, which substantially reduces the fire danger. Last summer, because of a similar dry spell, there was a major fire on the mountains which took about a week to halt and which destroyed several homes and buildings costing hundreds of thousands of dollars and ruined hundreds of acres of forest lands.

RAIN AND THE RODEO BARN

2009-03-09T09:29:00.000-07:00

Last night, for the first time in 73 days, we had precipitation in Valencia County. This morning it is still raining; a light sprinkle to be sure, but still rain. A quick look at the sky tells me we are going to have a lot more rain today.

Since I am no fan of standing out in the rain and getting soaked, nor am I dumb enough to get my Canon DSLR wet and ruining it, I am just going to stay home and use another photo of the Bosque Farms Community Center. This is the Bosque Farms Rodeo Association's barn which is on the Community Center's grounds. This is the barn the BFRA members use for their livestock and equipment when they are putting on a rodeo.

Not very exciting, is it? But its better than a photo of me (or my wife) standing stupidly in the rain, soaking wet, and ruining a perfectly good camera!

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photo by Jasmin Whitman -

AN OUTSTANDING COMMUNITY CENTER

2009-03-08T19:11:00.000-07:00

The small village of Bosque Farms has one of the best recreational complex I have ever seen in a town its size. The focal point is the Community Center building, pictured above. Behind it there is a small shaded park area with picnic tables for a comfortable place to eat on a hot summer day. Across from the center are fenced in tennis courts, a baseball field/soccer field, complete with bleachers. Then there is the horse arena area and rodeo grounds. I've mentioned before that many residents of this village have and keep horses on their property. The main streets are lined with horse paths, which are also used by joggers and bicyclists. This recreational are is kept in immaculate condition and is available to all residents. Bosque Farms, though it lacks a grocery store, has more good living amenities than most towns 4 or 5 times bigger. I highly recommend it to anyone wanting to mix an equestrian lifestyle with small town life.

Photo by Jasmin Whitman

/the contents of this blog site -words and photos- are copyrighted and cannot be used without permission'\

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NEED WATER ?

2009-03-07T14:59:00.000-08:00

(Photo by Jasmin Whitman)
Need water? Are water costs too high where you live? Here's one solution. Dig your own well, then erect a windmill to pump it up into a large tank, add a pump powered by a solar cell and connect it to the house water main.
Simple and inexpensive and the cost of the whole setup can be written off in one or two years. This particular windmill is on the west side of NM Highway 47, about a mile north of Belen's River Road intersection.

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NEW HOUSING DEVELOPS IN LOS LUNAS

2009-03-06T15:03:00.000-08:00

On the far west side of Los Lunas, south of NM Route 6 and west of US Interstate Highway 25, there has been a building frenzy going on for the last 3 years or so. Several building contractors have been busily erecting a whole new neighborhood of single family homes. There is no formal area name as yet; Sundance has been one neighborhood name I have heard bandied about. Huning Homes is another. The city recently built a beautiful, large elementary school here and they named it Sundance Elementary School, presumably after the Sundance Construction Developers. On the other hand, the new school abuts a huge hill formerly belonging to the Huning family which they recently donated to the city for a park, not to mention that Mr. Huning has been Mayor of Los Lunas for many years. I personally think they ought to name the area after me, if for no other reason than I would like repaint half the houses red, purple, blue, green, white and something other than the horrible same brown sand color every single house is colored now. There must be a couple of hundred of these boring look-alike homes. Of course the homeowners can't do it. They have a neighborhood association and nothing on the exterior can be changed without the association's approval. Sounds sick to me. No individuality allowed.

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SAND STORM

2009-03-05T17:00:00.000-08:00

One of the costs of living in the desert southwest is putting up with the occasional sand storm. Today with winds in the 40 mile per hour range, and gusting up to 60, a dust storm was inevitable. The pictures here are representative of scenes all over the county, though they were taken on the western edge of Los Lunas in the Huning Estates area. One photo shows how sand had drifted over the broken down fence and the roadway, while the other shows a large group of tumbleweeds blown from the west to the edge of the roadway. With the next blast of wind they will roll across the road and into people's yards.

No matter; sand storms and all, this is still the best place in America to live!

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NEW MEXICO'S MYSTERY STONE MYSTERY

2009-03-04T18:26:00.000-08:00

One of the strangest New Mexico mysteries is called the Mystery Stone. Where it came from, what it means, and who wrote it are all mysteries. There are many different interpretations of the writing, and various explanations of who wrote it and why. The stone was known to the native American tribes before the Spanish conquest. One plausible explanation can be found in the book "New Mexico Mystery Stone" by Dixie L Perkins (1978), and other explanations can be found on the Internet. Let Google be your guide.

The writing seems to be a mixture of Phoenician, Greek and Canaanite, and is claimed to be written by an explorer named Zakyneros as he and fellow explorers were holed up and fighting bands of marauding natives. Zackyneros clearly expected to die in the attack.

The stone is on Mystery Mountain (appropriately named), which is on State Trust Land off NM Highway 6, about 8 miles west of Los Lunas, Valencia County. Specific details about the exact location can be obtained from the State Land Office and the payment of a visitor's permit, which I think is $25 for a family. Pictured above are Mystery Mountain and the Mystery Stone.

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DANCING WITH THE DAFFODILS

2009-03-03T16:58:00.000-08:00

"Spring has sprung, the grass has riz. I wonder where the flowers is?" Well, as my lovely wife Jasmin pointed out, they are growing right outside my office window. Sure 'nuff, there them pretty little yellow boogers were.....6, count 'em- 6 little yellow daffodils (botanical name, Narcissus), brought up from their bulbs and out of the earth by the unseasonably warm weather we had all during February. Month long the temperatures stayed in the upper 60's and up to the mid 70's. Fahrenheit degrees, of course; in Celsius/Centigrade that would be about 18 to 25 degrees.

In the song 'April Showers' the inimitable Al Jolson sang, "When you see clouds upon the hills, you soon will see crowds of daffodils." (Check it out on YouTube)

Well, Al was off a month, but of course he didn't live in Valencia County, New Mexico

As I said earlier, the daffodils are small, only about 4 inches (10.16 cm) tall. The picture would have been better if I could have gotten down lower, but my ancient knees would not have allowed that unless I wanted to lay in the yard for a few hours til Jasmin came home and helped me up. So I will enjoy their beauty standing, and (as Wordsworth penned) "Then my heart with pleasure fills, and dances with the daffodils."

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WELLNESS CENTER

2009-03-02T15:02:00.000-08:00

The Wellness Center, under the direction of Frank L. Otero, is part of the Community Services Department of the Village of Los Lunas, and is quite unlike what you would expect to find in a village the size of Los Lunas. Located in Heritage Park, the Center has many functions as part of its commitment to oversee the general health and well-being of the community. An important function is its outreach to reduce the incidence of alcoholism and underage drinking by establishing programs in the schools aimed at educating youngsters about the dangers of drinking, as well as treatment programs for alcoholics.

The Wellness Center also acts as a monitoring agency for the courts when they are required to wear tracking devices and/or ignition interlock after a conviction. They also offer counseling for a variety of problems that people have, especially problems that adversely affect not just the person, but the whole neighborhood.

Also of interest are recovering drug addicts or those who want to kick the habit. Director Otero's Wellness Center is responsible for identifying social and medical problems in the community and then setting in motion a program designed to solve the problem.

HAPPY LANDINGS TO YOU

2009-03-01T21:12:00.000-08:00

This is Belen's Neel Alexander Municipal Airport. The view is great from the spacious parking lot, as you can see from the photo above. Here a V-tailed craft (N4677D) has just landed and is on the taxi-way, passing the parked blue and white plane (N16SB). To the right and out of the picture, are fueling facilities, hangers and offices.

Located on the west side of Belen, off Calle de Llano and west of Interstate Highway 25, this airport is the largest and busiest of the two airports in the county. The Mid-Valley Airpark outside of Los Lunas primarily focuses on the airpark's residents, while Belen's Alexander Municipal Airport is more attuned to the general flying public, with various service facilities and fueling capabilities that would be expected in an airport of this size. It can also handle most single- and twin-engined aircraft. For the flying public looking for overnight facilities, it is reasonably close to hotels and restaurants.

EL CERRO MISSION NEIGHBORHOOD

2009-02-28T20:56:00.000-08:00

The El Cerro Mission-Montery Park area consists of a swath of land about 3 1/2 miles wide by 1 1/2 miles deep lying directly south of Meadow Lake. Read my blog of 5 February about Meadow Lake. The only difference between Meadow Lake and the El Cerro Mission is the name! All else remains the same. See yesterday's blog about Poverty Lane.

The only centers of community activity in the El Cerro Mission district that I see are the Mana Mart (photo above) and the fairly new community center (photo also above). Part of the community center houses an office the county sheriff officers , who patrol the area, use.

A half block east of the community center is a fire station staffed mainly by volunteers.

Incidentally, I have always known this district to be called El Cerro Mission. However, teh map I use calls sit El Cerro Mission-Montery Park. I had never heard of Montery Park before, but that is probably not the first thing in life I have never heard.

POVERTY LANE

2009-02-27T16:00:00.000-08:00

Poverty Lane is an actual place as well as a state of mind. To prove it, see the street name sign on the corner. You can see one home behind the sign. To the people living there it might just be a state of mind. Now look at the picture of the home on the left corner. That shows both a state of mind and a place.

In my way of thinking, being poor and living in poverty are two different things. You don't have to be ashamed of being poor; many honest hardworking people are. Living in poverty means you have lost all self respect and respect for your home. Living in poverty means you are too lazy and ignorant to even pick up the trash on the outside of your home; God knows what the inside may look like. Being poor may mean you can't afford indoor plumbing; living in poverty means having a bathtub in your front yard.

Why would anyone want to be seen living in poverty or on Poverty Lane?

HIGH HOUSE

2009-02-26T20:21:00.000-08:00

This is a very large and beautiful home, set in a neighborhood full of other beautiful homes. But take a very close look at the photo. This house is about 3 feet higher than the surrounding terrain. Look at the steps; they lead down to the yard, just as the driveway slopes gently down to street level. This is a type of construction that one sees more often in the county, and the purpose of it is to raise the house above the "flood plain level." The idea is to protect the home owner from having his house flooded. The 'flood plain' is an artificial area which is subject to flooding from the Rio Grande, says the government. In truth, almost none of the areas have had the slightest flooding in almost 100 years. It is merely a way to squeeze money out of people dreamed up by insurance companies and crooked politicians and endorsed by an inept, corrupt government. The federal government mandates that all homes in the flood plain area that carry a mortgage must be fully insured against flood damage. Monthly insurance rates in this area average $100. The only way to beat this robbery is to pay cash for your home or to build your home on a piece of land above the flood plain level, hence the style construction seen in the photo above.

TOME HILL

2009-02-25T21:21:00.000-08:00

First, a quick Spanish lesson: "Tome" is pronounced "toe-may." The hill stands there today, much as it did centuries ago when the Spanish priests, soldiers and settlers came up the Camino Real (the Royal Road). A landmark to guide by, rising as it does next to the Rio Grande. Except for the mile long path rising from its southeast side, and the three large crosses on top, it is much as it was those centuries past. It was named, they say, for Thome Dominguez de Mendoza, a survivor of the Great 1680 Pueblo Indian Revolt.

Over the years Tome Hill has come to mean much more to people than a mere road sign along the way. It has taken on a strong religious meaning, hence the crosses erected on top. The faithful come from all over the state to make annual pilgrimages to the top. Some attribute miracles of healing to their journey to the top. Good Friday and Easter seems to be the most popular times to make the pilgrimage, but true believers often say that making the climb on any day brings them a feeling of being blessed and deepens their faith.

BELEN OUTDOOR FLEA MARKET - END

2009-02-24T20:30:00.000-08:00

As promised, here are the last posts on the flea market. The market is quicly closing down for the day, which explains the lack of people. Generally -for the best selection- you should get there around 7:00 AM. At about 2 or 3 PM (depending on weather) the market starts to close down. The man in the hat is in a good bargaining position because there are not many potential customers left. The name 'flea market' arises from the fact that if you buy clothes, be sure they are not infested with fleas.

Friends in countries where they do not use American western style (cowboy) saddles, such as Korea, Japan, the UK, etc., might be interested in the close up photo. Western riding style is very different from eastern or English style, therefore, the different style saddles. The first saddle is a working saddle for roping and general use. The tall horn gives you a place to hang your lasso on, or to give yourself something to hang on to in rough terrain. It is designed for for use with two cinches (straps that go under the horse's belly; note the two "D" rings, although you can use only one for general riding. The 3rd saddle back (all black) is a dress saddle for use in pleasure riding, show rings and parades. Note the excessive silver decorations. All saddles shown are used but in excellent working condition.

MORE OUTDOOR FLEAL MARKET

2009-02-23T19:14:00.000-08:00

Yesterday I mentioned that one dealer arrived at the flea market in his motorhome, and here he is with his 'BUY, SELL, OR TRADE' sign and several tables full of merchandise. A comfortable way to go; he has a bed to take a nap in while his wife operates the sales end, plus a kitchen to prepare his snacks in.

Larry McKown is no slouch when it comes to flea markets, either. He is here almost every weekend. Here we see him comfortably seated and chatting with a friend. Good merchandise that sells itself, a good chair, a good friend to chat with, some food in the cooler and a refreshing drink................what more could you want?

Have a look at Larry's saddles and tack, framed against his trailer and pickup truck. He has saddles of all colors, sizes and designs, in addition to bridles, halters, custom twisted stirrups and other tack. Contrast his neat display with the display of the man in the motorhome. Each seller in a flea market has his own style of display; there are no rules or prohibitions except those mandated by law against pornography.

BELEN OUTDOOR FLEA MARKET

2009-02-22T17:07:00.000-08:00

At almost every Saturday and Sunday there's an informal outdoor flea market in Belen. This one is held off NM Route 314 just south of the fair grounds. This Sunday there were about 70 vendors selling everything from dolls to truck bumpers, CDs to saddles. Most vendors came by pickup truck, but there was one who sold out of his motorhome, and one who operated out of a converted school bus. Anyone is welcome; all it requires is a $5.00 entry fee from the sellers. Buyers can come in free. There are several vendors who are here every week, and some who may come only once.

I know of several flea market vendors who criss-cross the country, selling from a load of merchandise in a trailer they haul behind their motorhomes. For some people, this is a total way of life, similar to the gypsies of Europe.

I should mention that there is also another outdoor flea market in Belen, next to the ALCO store, plus one in Bosque Farms. Today I am posting 3 photos; tomorrow and the next day I will post some more, and show you a vendor who has some beautiful saddles and tack for sale.

LATE AFTERNOON SNACK

2009-02-21T17:38:00.000-08:00

I noticed these sheep in a field off NM Route 314 late yesterday afternoon. As usual I did not have my telephoto lens with me, so the photo is not the greatest. The sheep look small, and backlit by the sun due to the time of day, some of the sheep look black. However, I assure you that the only black sheep to be seen there yesterday was me.

My visit to the museum yesterday impressed upon me just how important sheep were to the development of the county. We generally think of Arizona, Texas and New Mexico as being big cattle ranching area, and they were. But the sheep raising industry was also vitally important; the were raised primarily for wool, but also for their meat, mutton. And today, long past the era of the 'wild west,' sheep are still an important part of Valencia County's and New Mexico's economy. I have seen several unusual animals in fields around the county. Llamas, for example. Also, one farmer has 2 mules that were crossbred with zebras, producing a striped jackass. Weird. I'll try to get a photo of them someday.

THE M.R.G.C.D.

2009-02-20T16:08:00.000-08:00

The MRGCD is a handful of initials that stand for the Middle Rio Grande Conservancy District, established in 1925 to control flooding of the Rio Grande and to reclaim valuable cropland. It does this by controlling the river waters in a 150 mile stretch of four central countys: Sandoval, Bernalillo, Valencia and Socorro. The MRGCD distributes the water over 1200 miles of canals, drains and laterals to provide farmers and ranchers a timely and equitable share of the water. Right now the farmers are starting to prepare their fields for spring planting and the canals that are empty and dry today will soon be flowing with life giving water that has been shuttled to where it is needed by an elaborate system of dams, gates and pumps.

These four central countys do not hog all the Rio Grande's water; part of it continues on down-river to fulfill the needs of various communities and agricultural/ranching users.

A NEW MUSEUM OPENS

2009-02-19T17:59:00.000-08:00

The Los Lunas Museum of Heritage and Arts opened its doors this month featuring a fabulous display of western themed paintings by famed artist Bob Lee. The museum is located at the corner of Main Street and Luna Avenue, under the old city water tower and in a building that has housed the village offices, library and police station in the past.

From the outside the building looks too small for a museum, but from its entryway and the life sized mannequin in western garb that greets you, the building just seems to flow from one room into another. Within moments you forget the 'hemmed in' feeling. Through paintings and authentic artifacts you are taken back into the 1800's and early 1900's and the real life of the men and women who led a hardscrabble life to bring New Mexico into the modern world.

The use of cameras with flash is restricted, but not totally forbidden; see the docent for details.

MORE ON COTTONWOOD TREES

2009-02-18T18:43:00.000-08:00

Even though I haven't counted them all, in Valencia County there are hundreds, if not thousands, of cottonwood trees. They are so common that you rarely pay any attention to them, unless a limb blows off one and smashes through your roof, or one falls across a road and squashes your brand new car. (Both of these things have happened!)

But every so often one cottonwood tree does something so different or is so strikingly different from its neighbors that is stands out from all the others. The tree in the above photo is a good example. It is in the Village of Bosque Farms.. With its entire weight of its bent-over body on one side it is defying all laws of nature!

Why hasn't it long since fallen? How can it keep bearing the continual weight and stress on just one side and not pull itself out of the ground?

Being warped and bent as it is, it provides a cool seat on the low horizontal portion of the main bough for passing pedestrians on a hot summer day....or a tree for kids to climb....or a place to tether the horse you were riding...and on and on. Just don't park your car under it on a windy day!

BTW, for those not familiar with the sight, the yellow thing at the base and left side of the tree, is a fire hydrant.

FENCES AND GATES

2009-02-17T09:16:00.000-08:00

The variety of fence and gate styles in this county is endless. The gate pictured here can be found in the village of Bosque Farms. These old metal wagon wheels are increasingly hard to find, and consequently, very expensive. Many of the homes in this village are sited on one or more acres of land, which allows the home owners space enough to have a pasture where they can keep horses or other livestock.
The most popular fence style around the county seems to be the standard chain link fence. If you are not familiar with the term, look at the fence on the left side of the photo. That is a chain link fence. Next popular style is the standard wire fence; wire woven in a square pattern. Wooden pole fences are also popular, and occasionally there are adobe block fences. Wooden picket fences are not too popular, probably due to their expense. Gates is where the real art comes in. Many gates have wrought iron decorations, others are made with old brass bedsteads. There is no limit to the imagination and how it designs new and innovative gates.

A NEW IDEA ?

2009-02-16T13:13:00.000-08:00

While visiting the Valencia County Animal Shelter on Saturday the van pictured above pulled in. I noticed the cages inside and saw a couple of dogs and a cat, all in small separate cages. Being curious, I started asking questions, and here is what I found. Periodically several volunteers take a load of dogs and/or cats to a local mall parking lot (or any place that has a lot of foot traffic) and set up the cages where they can be easily seen, and encourage shoppers to take a pet home. If necessary they will even take a dog/cat to the buyers home. This approach --take the pets to the people instead of asking the people to go to the animal shelter-- results in a lot of animals finding new homes. The volunteer can advise potential pet buyers of license and vaccination requirements and costs. Maybe this approach is old hat but it is the first time I have seen it; Its a simple, effective way that any animal shelter can institute. You don't need a fancy van. Any car or truck will do; all you really need is a willing volunteer who loves animals and can talk with people and has access to some kind of transportation.

GET ME OUT OF HERE !!! NOW!

2009-02-15T19:15:00.000-08:00

This handsome, but scared, yellow young dog is a prisoner at the Valencia County Animal Shelter. The vertical lines in the photo are from the bars on the door window. I know exactly how he feels because I, too, was once a prisoner.
At age 13 I ran away from home and attempted to hitchhike south to Florida.
I was picked up by the police when the found me sleeping in a train station in south-eastern Kentucky. They took me to a jail when I refused to give them my name and home address. There I stayed for about two weeks. Like the dog in the photo, my hair was blonde. Like the dog in the photo I had to sleep on the floor with only one blanket to cover me or act as a mattress. Like the dog in the photo I was well fed. Like the dog in the photo I was treated kindly. Like the dog in the photo I didn't know what my fate would be, so like the dog in the photo, I WAS VERY, VERY SCARED. After a couple of weeks I broke down and told the police my right name and address, and a day or so later was very happy to see my mother walk into the jail to get me. I knew I would always be loved and cared for at home.
What about this scared yellow dog? Will someone walk into the shelter and save him? Will someone love him enough to take that step? Would you?

ALL HE NEEDS IS LOVE, SWEET LOVE

2009-02-14T16:49:00.000-08:00

This is Valentines's Day, and puppies need love just like the rest of us. His fur is a deep black, except for some white on his chest and a bit on one foot. Going deeper inside his fur may be black but his heart is red and fresh, just like the owner of the home this he wants. This dog is both shy and inquisitive, the hallmarks of a dog that should be easy to train. This dog is not alone. There are hundreds of other just like him in shelters across the nation and over the seas. Search out your nearest animal shelter. If you can't take a pet home, consider doing some volunteer work there. Dogs generally crave human attention and affection. You can wash and curry the dogs, or exercise them. There is always something that needs doing, AND YOU CAN DO IT!!

I have missed two days blogs due to some car problems. I think and I hope that the problems are gone now, so I thank you for your patience.

COTTONWOOD TREES

2009-02-11T20:49:00.000-08:00

Ubiquitas throughout the southwest is the cottonwood tree (populus deltoidus). They are especially prevalent in the bosque alongside the Rio Grande. Its a wonderful tree for shade in the summer, but it the spring it can be aggravating because it spreads its seeds on the spring breeze, and each seed is suspended in a fluffy ball of cotton like material. If your home is downwind of a cottonwood tree, you'll find your yard so full of the tufts that it looks like snow.
The particular tree in the picture is just north of Los Lunas on NM Route 314. It is one of my favorites. It stands like a gigantic slingshot. one arm on each side of the power line that runs alongside the road. I like this picture of it because with no summer leaves on it you can see its structure better; a much better way to save the power lines than just cutting of all the branches on one side of the tree, making it lopsided and unattractive. Cottonwood trees are attractive, but during our springtime rains and winds it is not unknown for one or more tree limbs to come crashing down through someones roof, so its always wise to keep them at least 50 feet away from any building.

ISLETA RESORT HOTEL

2009-02-10T16:23:00.000-08:00

This is the Isleta Resort Hotel which was just opened in mid-summer, 2008. It is located just south of the intersection of I-25 and US Route 47. Directly behind the hotel in the picture is the casino. Across the street is the golf course and behind that lie the Isleta Lakes for fishing fun and a park for campers, motor homes and 5th wheel trailers. The Isleta Pueblo Indians have built a complete world class resort here. The casino boasts top line entertainment by some of the nation's top performers, the hotel has all the facilities you'd expect to find in a brand new hotel of this stature and the pro shop of the golf course measures up to America's best. Also, the weather is moderate year round; neither too cold in winter nor too hot in summer.

ISLETA EAGLE GOLF COURSE

2009-02-09T15:20:00.000-08:00

Even on a cloudy, windy day like today, the Isleta Eagle Golf Course is a busy place. This is especially true since they finished the construction and remodeling of the club house. People who have played the course are really enthusiastic about it, and about the facilities it offers. It is conveniently located just south off the junction of Interstate Highway 25 and US Route 47, and directly across US-47 from the Isleta Casino and Resort. You can play a round of golf in the afternoon then go across the road and enjoy some fine gaming and excellent food at the casino.

LA MIRADA RV PARK & HOTEL

2009-02-08T09:47:00.000-08:00

This is the only Recreational Vehicle Park in Valencia County, the La Mirada in Belen. There are other places in the county where you can park an RV, but those are generally for long term residents, with a minimum stay of a month. You can always park overnight in either of the 2 Wal-Mart stores, one each in Belen and Los Lunas. La Mirada is large and roomy, easy to maneuver any size RV, 5th wheel or motorhome. Having lived several years in a 5th wheel and traveling tens of thousands of miles in it I know how important it is to have a lot of space. Unfortunately, La Mirada does not have concrete pads, just gravel. However there is very little rain here, so the ground is generally firm and mud is not a problem.

To reach the La Mirada (if you are traveling on I-25), take the middle Belen exit (Exit # 191, NM Route 548) and turn west. Go about a quarter mile to the La Mirada. The entrance is well marked.

A TRASHY SUBJECT - #2

2009-02-07T11:00:00.000-08:00

To continue yesterday's blog, after the truck is full then it is driven to a local landfill. In this case (for the village of Los Lunas) it is taken to the Conejo Transfeer Station. There the truck is dumped and the trash sorted . Material that can be sold and recycled is put into one of several semi-truck trailers that are down slope and behind the small building in the photo. The rest is scraped into a pit and dirt is bull-dozed over it, hence the name 'landfill.'

The signs are for people bringing their own trash. For large heavy items, like washers, stoves, dryers, water heaters, etc.,there is a $5.00 charge. For items containing freon, such as freezers, refrigerators, etc., the charge is $10.00 since these require special handling. And who pays for all this? Generally the community arranges for a weekly pickup of trash and then bills the home owner once a month. In rural areas the homeowner can independently arrange with the trucking company for the service, or can just take his trash to the landfill himself.

A TRASHY SUBJECT #1

2009-02-06T15:41:00.000-08:00

This may be boring to most Americans, but I reader in Singapore wrote me and asked how Americans disposed of their garbage and trash. The method I'm showing is how we do it in Valencia County, but it is pretty much standard throughout the USA.

First, the community provides each household with a standardized trash can. Ours is blue plastic, with a rated capacity of 200 pounds (90.8 kg). (If you have something you want to dispose of that exceeds that weight, it is your responsibility to transport it to the dump.) During the week you put all your garbage and trash in the container. On the assigned day that trash on your street is to be picked up, you must roll the container out to the curb. Now, follow the photos above.

1. The truck comes close to the curb, then stops. A mechanical arm reaches out and encircles the container.

2. The arm lifts the container.

3. At the top the arm tilts the container, emptying it into the truck. With the trucks mirrors the driver can monitor the entire process. Inside the truck a large hydraulic press compacts the trash as necessary. Then the driver moves on to the next house.

Tomorrow: Here's what happens to the truckloads of trash.

WELCOME TO THE NEIGHBORHOOD - 3

2009-02-05T19:05:00.000-08:00

Today we visit MeadowLake, a community east of Los Lunas that stretches about 12 miles (19.3 km) along the southern border of the Isleta Indian Reservation, and is about 2.25 miles (3.62 km) wide. This seems to be the county's poorest neighborhood. Its 27 square miles (69.87 sq k) is filled (primarily) with mobile homes (house trailers' new name), many of which are situated on small lots filled with debris and junk and many of the trailers are in desperate need of repair I can think of many reasons for people being poor: bad things often happen to good people. But I can think of no good reason to live amidst trash. It doesn't take money to get up off your rear end, go out in the yard and pick up the trash. All it takes is self respect and a little of your labor.

But all is not gloomy in MeadowLake; the county has started a cleanup program to remove some of the worst abandoned and/or burnt out trailers and clean up some of the empty lots. Its a long battle with many legal battles to fight. A final word; throughout MeadowLake there are home owners with a sense of pride and who keep their homes and lots clean, pretty and inviting.

NEED A PIG?

2009-02-04T21:07:00.000-08:00

I was on my way to the community of Meadowlake this afternoon when I saw this blue truck parked in a field with the sign "PIGS" in the back. My eyes followed the arrow on the sign across the field . Behind the fence I could see the pig pens, right in the back yard of the house. At first it struck me as funny and I smiled to myself. All kinds of thoughts rushed through my head: Does his wife like the smell? Do the neighbors care? Who cleans the pig pens? Wouldn't he rather be in some other business where he could keep his hands clean and live high on the hog (no pun intended)? Something like banking, teaching, sales, or just about anything. But jobs like those are not available now.

Then I thought about my blog of 23 January when I talked about the determination and self-sufficiency attitude of this county's people and how in even the tightest of financial times they will do whatever it takes to survive, and do it with honor.

Now when I drive past that place I give a tip of my hat and a mental salute to the man who has pigs for sale.

THE RIVER, AGAIN

2009-02-03T20:11:00.000-08:00

Living in this high desert area has many advantages. Its a healthy climate and the weather is generally temperate. We do have one big bugaboo however, and that is the danger from fire. At a glance the river looks serene and harmless, and mostly it is. The danger lies with the bosque.

The bosque is the wooded area that frames both sides of the river . Trees of every sort, such as the cottonwoods, and brush such as the tumbleweed (Russian thistle) are nurtured by the waters of the Rio Grande. The trees and underbrush, growing thick and heavy, have provided shelter for wildlife for generations, and oddly enough, during the rainy season the lightening starts fires that thin out the brush. Now, careless man does it with cigarette butts, smoldering camp fires and just plain deliberate vandalism. Two years ago 3 boys started a fire in the bosque inn Albuquerque, which resulted in the loss of a brand new home, damage to other homes and the loss of hundreds of acres of bosque. Now a good part of the bosque is fenced off; no more riding trails, picnics, or walks in the woods. The pictures above show (1) the river as most people see it, and, 2, a close up of the matted, tangled brush (some of which shows charred wood from a previous fire). I hope you are caeful with fire; I like my walks in the woods!

DON'T COME HERE, EITHER

2009-02-02T11:36:00.000-08:00

Yesterday I showed you the medium security penitentiary and today I'm showing you the entry to the minimum security one, often referred to as the 'honor farm.' Prisoners kept here are generally non-violent offenders and are serving the last year or so of their sentence. Although abutting on the medium security facility, the honor farm is relatively open and, consequently, prisoners sometimes walk away. So far every prisoner who walked away has been recaptured. The longest a prisoner was free was about 3 years. He was brought back from Florida to serve the remainder of his sentence, plus additional years for the escape, in the tough main prison near Santa Fe. His relatives that abetted his escape were also tried, convicted and jailed for their involvement. Law enforcement agencies across the US are extremely diligent about recapturing escaped prisoners, and the penalties for escape are severe. Escaping from the honor farm, when you only have a few months to serve, is the mark of an exceptionally stupid criminal.

Both the minimum and medium security correctional facilities are on the southern outskirts of Los Lunas, right behind the new county courthouse. We hope you never become the guest of this facility!!

DON'T VISIT THIS NEIGHBORHOOD -1

2009-02-01T16:56:00.000-08:00

This is Valencia County's most exclusive and restricted neighborhood, but since a couple of hundred, (or more) people reside here I think it comprises a unique neighborhood that deserves some mention. This is a part of the State Of New Mexico's penal system, the Central New Mexico Correctional Facility. It is only slightly less grim than the main penitentiary located near Santa Fe, the state capitol. This is considered a medium security facility. Prisoners here are generally slightly less dangerous then those in the main facility. At a casual glance it looks pretty open and easy to get out of. Look closer: The gatehouse is fortified and the guards there are heavily armed. On both side of it, under the striped bar are three rows of tire spikes that can stop any vehicle. Prisoners are kept behind the fence to the right. Unseen, but effective, is the higher fence topped with razor wire about a meter inside that fence. The long straight clear road from the gatehouse in allows guards in the watch tower a clear shot at anyone coming or going on the roadway. There are other precautions to prevent escape that are not so obvious.

If you want to come live here for awhile, just commit some seriously obnoxious crime, and plan to stay for awhile.

WELCOME TO THE NEIGHBORHOOD #2

2009-01-31T16:53:00.000-08:00

Today we take a quick visit to the Cypress Gardens neighborhood. When it started out many years ago if initially consisted of a few attractive mobile and prefab homes. The developers quickly realized that mobile homes were not what was needed. Now they are mostly gone, having been replaced by conventionally built homes. Cypress Gardens, unlike the Meadow Lake area a few miles down the road, is now an attractive up-scale neighborhood. Homes here range from c. $100,000 upwards. Homes along Cypress Gardens Boulevard are protected from traffic noise by high concrete block and stone block walls, which is a nice touch. Notice also the street lights which are controlled by solar cells. Here again, as in Las Maravillas, all utility lines and gas lines are underground. The unique thing I like is because Cypress Gardens is built along a high bluff that parallels the Rio Grande, most homes have a full or partial western view of the river, the city of Los Lunas below and the large hill in the distance (El Cerro De Los Lunas Preserve), west of the city. Now, as the old movie travelogues used to say, "As the sun sinks slowly in the west, we leave beautiful Cypress Gardens. and the people who live in these homes along the river."

WELCOME TO THE NEIGHBORHOOD - #1

2009-01-30T18:42:00.000-08:00

Those who follow this blog may recall me saying that this county is made up of many communities, most of which are not formally incorporated. Today I am starting a series showing some of these communities. I am starting with Las Maravillas, which is about 3 miles east and south of Los Lunas. One photo shows the entryway to the area at Marigold Boulevard off Manzano Expressway. The Manzano Moountains are in the background. The second shot shows an overlook view of the area. It is really a pleasant place, nice homes on big lots; most home owners here take pride in their yards and expect the county to keep up the roads and maintain its other responsibilities to the infrastructure. The utilities (electricity, gas, cable TV, telephone) are all underground, helping the neighborhood look nice. Homes here range in price from about $130,000 to $30,000 (give or take a few thousand dollars. The nearest full service grocery is about 3 miles away, but there are a couple of convenience store abut a mile away. The name, Las Maravillas, can mean 'wonders', 'marvels,' or 'marigolds:' you pay your money and take your choice! There are schools close by and bus service is provided free.

EASY FAST FOOD

2009-01-29T19:53:00.000-08:00

This is the Sonic Drive-In Restaurant on west Main Street in Los Lunas, at about 8:30 PM on Thursday night.

There are still some drive-in restaurants, owned by private individuals, across America. As far as I have been able to find out, the Sonic Drive-In restaurants are the only national chain still in business.

Many fast food restaurants have drive up windows where you can place an order from your car and then take the food home, or some other place,, to eat. MacDonalds, KFC and Wendy's comes to mind.

But in a true Drive-In, you drive in, park your car by a menu board that is topped with a speaker and microphone, place your order and sit back and relax. In few minutes a waitress will bring your order out to your car. You can then sit back in the warm comfort of your own car, turn up your radio to listen to your favorite music, and eat your food. When finished you just signal the waitress and she will take away the service tray and you can drive off. I write all this, step by step, so friends in other lands can see how a true full-service drive-in operates, so American readers please be patient.

CULTURAL CENTER

2009-01-28T20:30:00.000-08:00

This newly remodeled building , the old Jarales School, is on Jarales Road. Its proper title is The Don Jose Dolores Cordova Cultural Center, and according to the sign board in front of the building it serves the communities of Jarales, Bosque, Pueblitos and Los Trujillos. Immediately adjacent to the building is the monument to veterans of the various wars, plus the T-33 Jet trainer that I have pictured and talked about in previous blogs.

I really don't know much more than I have already stated about the Cultural Center. I have never been by the building when someone I could stop and chat with was there. Someday I hope to find someone there who can tell me more about it.When I do I will pass the information on to you.

WELCOME TO BELEN, NEW MEXICO, USA

2009-01-27T20:48:00.000-08:00

This is how Belen looked during the past Christmas season. This is the City's gateway, an arch facing Main Street, welcoming visitors. In one photo above the building on the right, with the orange tile roof, is the Belen City Hall. Behind the arch is a gazebo, with tables and benches, where you can sit, sip a drink, chat, stay out of the hot summer sun, and watch cars whizz by.

Belen: this city of about 10,000 residents started out just 269 years ago (1740) with less than 50 farming families in a quiet place alongside the Rio Grande. It has since grown in population and in importance to the economy of the state. It is nicknamed the "Hub City" because with the coming of the railroads to New Mexico in the 1880's all east-west and north-south rail lines crossed here, where the railroad established a huge railyard and repair facilities. The trains still go through the city each day, but the main railway repair facilities are no longer here.

Belen, with its eclectic mix of building styles and interesting streets, has proven a draw to Hollywoood producers and several movies have been filmed here. More are expected.

THE MIDWAY GROCERY

2009-01-26T15:47:00.000-08:00

Shuttered down, gas and electric turned off, the old Midway grocery now only stands to mark the junction of Jarales Road and Mill Road. Now standing sad and dreary in fair weather and foul, this store once served hundreds of families in the Bosque, Jarales, Pueblitos, and other areas of the Rio Abajo. The shoppers would hitch up their teams or saddle horses, to the hitching rail on the right end of the store while they shopped. Later, perhaps they would sit a while on the bench to the left of the doorway and have a smoke, or a chew, and swap friendly lies and gossip. Those with an automobiles could pull up to the glass topped gas pump to fill up their tank. To the left of the store is an old corral where various events were staged on occasion.

Why did this old store finally die? One reason might be that like hundreds of other stores across the nation it fell victim to the ever spreading national chain stores that could afford to stock and sell a wider variety of merchandise (at a lower cost) than the small stores could. In any case, the Midway Grocery Store is gone now, leaving behind it a memory of a more relaxed time and a kinder, gentler life.

THIS IS FOR THE BIRDS !

2009-01-25T18:21:00.000-08:00

Yesterday afternoon (Saturday), during a leisurely drive down Jarales Road, I came upon a scene that could have come right out of the Alfred Hitchcock movie '

the Birds.' The skies were dark and cloudy and it seemed like it would rain any moment. The temperature was in the low 70's F (20-22C) so I had the car windows open, enjoying the springlike weather. Suddenly I heard a great screeching and cawing, and a huge flock of birds swirled up from a field on my left and took to the air, further darkening the already dark skies. Then another huge flock soared in from the field on my right. The sky was filled with literally thousands of these birds. They were feeding off the leftover grain in the fields abutting the road.

I am not an ornithologist so I can't tell you what kind of birds they are. All I can tell you is that they are about the size of seagulls and seemed very very hungry.

COLD TONIGHT?

2009-01-24T16:56:00.000-08:00

If you live where I do, you can simply turn up your thermostat like most of us do. But, if you don't have a gas furnace you are probably using a wood burning stove. In that case you simply buy a truckload of good firewood. Trucks like the one above are a common sight around Valencia County. Selling firewood is a good job that provides good exercise in the summer when they gather and cut the wood (primarily from fallen dead trees) and helps supplement the family income when it is sold in the winter.

Valencia County is not a wealthy county, but it is a county filled with imaginative, hard working people. Yesterday, driving down Jarales Road, I saw signs hanging on fences, nailed to posts, and on front porches. The signs were advertising the skills and talents of Valencia Countians. There were signs soliciting work as a farrier (horse shoer), plowing work, and many other things. One home even had a fully equipped machine shop. There may be a depression but the hard working families of this county don't let it get them down. The attitude here reminds me of a man I met in Pusan, Korea. His life work was walking up and down the streets picking up scrap paper. He soaked and formed the paper into thick sheets and sold it to a hat maker, who used the paper as filling for the bills of military hats. The old gentleman looked me in the eye and proudly told me he had sent his three sons through college on the proceeds of his labor. No work is beneath a man fulfilling a goal for his family. And that is what men in this county think!

A NOTE OF THANKS & MORE OLD FARM GEAR

2009-01-23T15:36:00.000-08:00

I owe a big "thank you" to my oldest son Michael, pictured here. The other day some rotten snake infected my computer with a virus. After being knocked off-line for a day and a half, I called Michael in Los Angeles. Following his clear, concise intructions I was able to eliminate the virus in just a couple of hours. Michael is a whiz when it comes to computers; in fact, he is an extremely sharp person in many areas, and I am proud to be Michael Kaehele's father. He is why you are looking at this blog today.

Now, back to farm equipment. The other day I was driving down Jarales Road NM Route 109) when spotted a house with the whole front and side yards taken up with old farming machinery.

This resulted in yesterday's blog about cutting hay. Today is another part of his yard, showing an old green John Deere garden tractor, probably from the 1960's, and another old farm tractor, brand name unknown to me, and it looks to be from about 1940 or so. All the machines here look old, rusted and tired. They have served long and useful lives, and when they are fully restored to like-new condition they will be the basis of a long overdue museum dedicated to the lives they have led and the farmers who used them.

THE BEST FARM JOB EVER

2009-01-22T17:54:00.000-08:00

The item above, for those 'city slickers' who may not know it, is a mower. Some call it a sickle sidebar cutter, or just a plain sidebar cutter. I would guess this one is a late 130's model or early 1940's. Mowers were used (and still are) to cut weeds along the roadway or along fence lines, but their most prominent use was in cutting hay (alfalfa, timothy, etc.) for winter use as feed for livestock. After the hay was mowed it was raked into winrows and allowed to dry for a few days, then, before it rained it was picked up and compressed into bales by a baler and transported to a barn or shed where it could be protected from the weather then fed to the livestock as needed. When I was a young boy growing up in central Ohio, I thought --and I still do-- that mowing hay was the best job in the world, especially if the mower was harnessed to an intelligent pair of mules. Mules are smarter, if properly trained, than horses. Unlike horses, mules will not founder (collapse) from hard work, over heating, and sweating. I like horses for riding, but mules are better workers. They keep up a nice steady pace to keep the blades cutting, and after having been in a certain field once or twice, you don't even have to guide them; just tie up the reins and they'll know when and in what direction to turn.

Now most farmers just hook a mower up to tractor, which is a lot quicker. But in my backward way of thinking, the pleasure of a job is not just a matter of how fast you can do it!

T-33

2009-01-21T14:31:00.000-08:00

(I was unable to post as blog yesterday due to a computer virus. I haven't completely beat the virus yet, but hope to beat it in a day or two. Meantime, I'll do my best.)

This T-33 jet was built in the early 1950's. For years the US Air Force used the T-33 as a trainer aircraft for jet pilots. We also sold them to other countries for the same purpose. There was even a few two-seater versions built It was a versatile plane in its day, but aircraft technology progressed rapidly and by the 1970's, as sleek and pretty as it was, the T-33 was hopelessly outmoded. This particular airplane is mounted on a steel pole outside the new Jarales Road (Valencia County) Community Center as a memorial to all those who served in the military forces of the United States.

AGRICULTURAL RESEARCH

2009-01-19T19:07:00.000-08:00

This quiet, clean entrance to a campus-like atmosphere, is the entrance way to theh Los Lunas Plant Materials Center of New Mexico State University/US Department of Agriculture's Natural Resources Conservation Service. A long title (as are most governmental titles!) to say this is where agricultural research is conductd. As you lookk at the entryway, large farmlands belonging to the NM State Prison honor farm are to the right. Behind the buildings and to the left is a patch of arbored grape vines, all neatly tagged. It could be assumed that the research done here is at least partially related to vinyards. New Mexico is getting to be recognized for the quality of its wines, and in recent years more and more vinyard are being planted. Who knows? Someday we may all be drinking a tot or two, fresh from a New Mexico vintner.

THE KUHN HOTEL

2009-01-18T11:46:00.000-08:00

This is the facade of the Kuhn Hotel, situated almost under the west end of the Reinken Avenue railway overpass, close to the Atchison, Topeka and Santa Fe Railroad (AT&SF) passenger station. The current owner told me of its fascinating history and her hopes for it to have a great future.
The hotel was built by Ruth Kuhn in 1906. Some years earlier Mrs Kuhn and her husband came to Albuquerque by horse-drawn covered wagon. Her husband turned out to be unfaithful, a gambler and a drunkard. Mrs Kuhn divorced him, hitched up her wagon and came south to Belen, where she found work as a waitress. By 1906 Ruth Kuhn's hard work and thrift found her with enough money to build this hotel. Belen was a major railway hub for the AT&SF Railroad and the hotel was a going business, catering to the traveling public, and later as a hotel for railroad workers. After Mrs Kuhn died the hotel passed to her daughters and several other owners. It also underwent several remodelings, including modern plumbing.
Joanie is the current owner and has been slowly remodeling the hotel's anterior again. The building is sound in structure, but needs a new roof and some minor exterior trim and paint. Joanie sees the hotel's future as a studio for artists (potters, painters, photographers, etc) of all schools and as a gallery and sales outlet for their works. Interested persons should contact Joani at
(505) 864-6411 in Belen.

GOLF ANYONE?

2009-01-17T17:31:00.000-08:00

What is a community without a golf course? Not much! Well, Rio Communities, which is just south of Belen city limits, has a full size course that winds attractively throughout the community. Rio Communities has two operations, one being the Country Club and the other is the Public course, open to all comers. There is also a driving range for duffers to practice on. Winter days may turn the turf slightly brown, but the temperature in the daytime is often in the upper 50's, with very little wind. Today, for example, the temperature reached 57 degrees Fahrenheit, with winds from the west at 4 MPH.

LAS BARRANCAS

2009-01-16T17:39:00.000-08:00

Sitting across the fence along NM State Route 304 (about 10 miles south of Belen), and overlooking a portion of desert now only populated by the occasional coyote, an emaciated jackrabbit or two and some rattlesnakes, this sign tells of an important event in the history of what is now Valencia County. It reads:
-LAS BARRANCAS-
THE AREA BELOW THESE HIGH BLUFFS, OR BARRANCAS, WAS SETTLED BY ANDRES GOMES ROBLEDO IN THE MID 17TH CENTURY. ROBLEDO'S HACIENDA DEVELOPED INTO AN IMPORTANT STOP ALONG THIS SECTION OF THE CAMINO REAL UNTIL IT WAS DESTROYED DURING THE PUEBLO REVOLT OF 1680. AFTER THE RE-CONQUEST OF 1692, APACHE RAIDS PREVENTED SPANISH RESETTLEMENT OF THIS AREA UNTIL SABINAL WAS ESTABLISHED IN 1741.

NOTES: Camino Real means Royal Road
Sabinal - A now small village just a mile or so south of this site.
Pueblo Revolt of 1680 - A revolt by native Americans against the Spanish who were moving into the area from Mexico and attempting to colonize the pueblos. It was the Indians most successful effort ever against European invaders, but ultimately failed.
The white 'X' marks the top edge of the bluffs; the bluff line extends left and right from the 'X'. The drop to the valley below is about 60 feet. In the distance the tree line is whee the Rio Grande flows.

TURN YOUR RADIO ON - - - - - -

2009-01-15T20:15:00.000-08:00

- - - - AND LISTEN TO THE MUSIC. Did you ever hear that old bluegrass gospel song? Its the kind of music generally played on small AM stations broadcasting to small local audiences. K-A-R-S, 860 on the radio dial is like that. It programs in both Spanish and English. Though not a religious station, it has regular morning devotionals. I've never heard rap music there, thank God, but they play a lot of the older country songs, plus a lot of rancheros. They have an interesting radio auction, where people can call in live with things they want to sell or buy. A small station can do those things. I got my start in radio in a station similar to K-A-R-S and did eveerything from rip-and-read newscasts, ad writing, continuity, traffic, ad sales, DJ and general announcing. If you want a career in broadcasting I suggest you start in a small radio station. TV pays more, but is more restrictive in what you can do, and is just not as much fun. Learn radio from the ground up. You can always jump up into TV after you get your basic radio education.

OUR FAVORITE RIVER, THE RIO GRANDE

2009-01-14T17:47:00.000-08:00

In the United States this broad, shallow river is called the Rio Grande (the Grand or Great river)and in Mexico it is known as Rio Bravo. Here you can see it flow in a late January afternoon (the 13th, to be exact), southward towards the Gulf of Mexico.
Formed in the mountains of Colorado, and fed by countless springs, creeks and small rivers along the way and by the rains and seasonal snowmelt along the way it flows leisurely through the state of New Mexico, dammed up once, mid-state, at Elephant Butte Dam, near the city of Truth or Consequences (TorC). From TorC it continues its journey to El Paso, Texas (USA), across the border from Ciudad Juarez, Chihuahua (Mexico). It then flows south and east forming the border between between Mexico and the United States.
Along its many twisting and turning miles it provides life-giving water for countless communities. It doesn't provide grist for romantic-song writers like the Mississippi, Wabash, Ohio, Swanee and other rivers do, but it is just as important to every household along its way. We who live near it, love it.

A TOY? A TOOL? YOU DECIDE

2009-01-13T19:19:00.000-08:00

Pictured is a little item I picked up at Christmas time. An Olympus VN-5000 Digital Voice Recorder. Thirty Seven dollars at Staple stores. You can operate it with one hand, easily. It comes with one of those large folding instruction pamphlets, which tells you everything except how to tie your shoes. But don't panic, the operation is pretty intuitive, unless you are a real dimwit. It records from 22 to 39 hours, depending on what type AAA battery (included) you use. I find it extremely useful when I am taking photographs for the blog. I can't always read my own writing so this recorder is good for taking notes, remembering addresses,etc., and with its folder system it is easy to recall anything recorded without having to listen to a bunch of unwanted notes.

It has a built-in mic and speaker, but can take an auxiliary microphone and earphone. It is small; the size: 4"h x 1.5"w x .75" d (also known in the metric system as 102mm x 36mm x 20.5mm) and weighs slightly less that 1/4 ounce (63g).

My wife thinks it is a toy because I recorded her snoring with it, but I think its a tool because I recorded a short interview with it. You decide, toy or tool?

SIGN OF OUR TIMES

2009-01-12T18:33:00.000-08:00

It is a sign you see much too often on the roads in New Mexico, a memorial marking the spot where someone died as a result of a traffic accident. All too often these memorials bear the name of someone whose life was tragically cut short before it has really begun.. Notice the dates on this memorial; Heidi Mason was only 18 years old. Who knows what wonders she might have achieved had she lived? On the other side of this memorial someone has placed a fresh can of orange soda; perhaps it was her especially favorite drink in life. Drivers whizz by in their fancy motorcars paying little attention to Heidi Mason's memorial on this cold January afternoon. Why should they? Well, as John Donne said about the knelling of the church bell, It tolls for thee.

Perhaps if you don't drive a little more responsibly, with less alcohol in your system, the next roadside memorial will be the one erected for you.

ANNA BECKER PARK MYSTERY

2009-01-11T17:06:00.000-08:00

This is the Anna Becker Park, looking from south to north. It is right in the heart of Belen on the main east-west street, Reinken Avenue, just two blocks off Main Street. In warm weather the park is swarming with people. Around noon time many people bring their lunches here and eat in the warmth of the sun. There is a set of overhead bars, swings, slides and other items for children to play on. Altogether a pleasant place in which to linger.

Now for the mystery. There is a rumor that before this was a proper park it was just an open uncared for field in the middle of town. In the rainy season it was quite muddy and sunk low, something like a saucer. It is said that a local resident mired his Model T Ford where the gazebo (bandstand) now stands. The Ford sunk so low that it could not be pulled out, so the disgusted owner walked off and left it. The town fathers then had the park filled, drained and leveled , then laid down sod. The gazebo was then built over the spot where the old Ford is buried. Now, when a band is playing on the gazebo they say the echo of a lonesome Model T horn can be heard, wafting up through the tons of dirt.

DO YOU THINK THIS TALE IS TRUE?

KEEPING IN TOUCH

2009-01-10T19:24:00.000-08:00

The picture above is of something that is, unfortunately, becoming increasingly rare in the cities and towns of America. Two complete, working pay telephones. For just 50 cents you can make a call to some local party, and for one dollar you can talk for four minutes! Does anyone but me remember when it only cost five cents to use a pay telephone (long distance calls were more)?

The demise of the public phone was inevitable. Vandals started breaking into the phone coin boxes, then the phone company did away with the street corner phone booths and mounted the phones on the walls of businesses where they could be watched easier. The vandalism and thefts continued unabated, even the telephone directories were viciously destroyed. I remember a late night effort in Tucson, Arizona, searching in vain for an hour to find a phone I could use. Then along came the portable cellular phone. Now it is rare to even find a public phone, working or not.

The telephone company in Mexico solved the problem years ago: Phones there do not accept coins so there is no incentive to smash the phones to steal a few coins. Just buy a phone card at a nearby store.

The two phones above are sitting beside a Conoco gas station on Bosque Farms Boulevard (NM Route 47) readily available to all who need them.

PARK HERE

2009-01-09T16:48:00.000-08:00

The Village of Los Lunas has 12 parks, as near as I can figure. A large number for a city this small, but American cities (at least those in the west) tend to spread horizontally instead of vertically like those in the east and in Europe. We have more land available. The reason I chose Heritage Park to represent the city is because it is one of the few parks I have seen with a Dump Station where recreational vehicles can empty their sewage tanks. Having lived and traveled full time in a 5th wheel trailer for several years I know how important this is, and since this city is on many tourist routes, its important for RV-ers to know. You can see the children's swings, slides and gym equipment. Beyond that is a large field, kept mowed and green in summer, suitable for games of softball or soccer, and in the far right distance is a concrete skateboard arena. There is a nice park in Los Lunas by the banks of the Rio Grande (complete with large shade trees and picnic tables); another park features a BMX course for bicyclists who like racing and jumping. In short, there is a park for about every taste. So come, park by a park, and stay awhile.

TOY/TOOLS FOR BLOGGERS

2009-01-08T18:51:00.000-08:00

I got the idea for this blog as I watched a man with a large 35mm camera and telephoto lens (and no tripod) trying to hold his camera steady in a strong wind. Taking pity on him, I lent him my Bogen Super Clamp which solved his problem. Like most people, me included, carrying a tripod around is a pain. This Super Clamp will carry a load up to 15kg (33.5 pounds). It is made by Manfrotto, in IItaly, and is sold under both the Manfrotto and Bogen names. I mount a Bogen 3025 tripod head (right, above) and use the other for strobes and/or umbrellas. My Bogen Super Clamps only cost about $20 each. The Super Clamp (without tripod head) is about 3.5" high, 2" deep, and 4.5"wide. It is compact enough to carry in my gadget bag or in my car's glove compartment, and it has saved my bacon several times when I really needed a way to stabilize my camera.

My wife calls it as one of my 'toys,' but I consider it an essential 'tool, 'especially for taking shots for the blog. I have a couple of other useful toys that I will show you one of these days.

GRACEFULLY BOWING OUT

2009-01-07T21:23:00.000-08:00

It was publicly announced last week that the 129 year old building is now up for sale. Earl Whittemore, who has owned the building for the past 32 years made the announcement. The graceful old building, located almost on the corner of NM Route 6 (Main Street) and NM

Route 314 was built in 1880 by the Santa Fe Railroad as a present for the mayor of Los Lunas, Don Antonio Jose Luna, for whom the village was named.

For many years now the Luna Mansion has been operated as one of the finest restaurants in the state. The restaurant operation has now been closed down. Who will buy the Luna Mansion and what will happen in the next phase of this fine old historical building's life remains unknown. What is known is that the next time you want to entertain your wife, your friend, or anyone, at an excellent meal, in a luxurious atmosphere and with the best of service, you'll have to look far and wide to equal what you could have gotten at the Luna Mansion.

IS THERE A TIGER ON YOUR TANK ?

2009-01-06T16:48:00.000-08:00

Here it is, another half-million gallon water tank. From time to time I will show other water tanks that I like. I do this in hopes to inspire people in other places to fancy up the tanks in their neighborhoods; otherwise the tanks are just an eyesore, a blight on the community

This tank is decorated with a tiger, the mascot of Los Lunas High School, which is across the street. The view from the other side of the tank is nicer ---you can't see all the weeds and clutter, and the cell phone relay towers and communication antennas are not so evident. The problem is that to take a photo from the other side I would have to stand out in the middle of US Interstate Highway 25, amidst cars and trucks zooming along at 75 + miles per hour. I have no desire to be squashed like a bug on I-25. If you want to see the other side of the tank, I suggest you drive there yourself.

GOT ILLS ? TAKE PILLS !

2009-01-05T16:21:00.000-08:00

In Saturday's blog I talked about the VA hospital in Albuquerque. It is an excellent modern facility with a really professional staff. I am happy to report that Valencia County is also well served by the health care clinics operated by Presbyterian Hospital in both Los Lunas and

Belen. The picture above is the Los Lunas clinic. These clinics can take care of many health problems, and when they can't adequately care for a patient here, the patient can be treated at the main facility in Albuquerque (emergency medical transportation can be done by a local ambulance company which operates EMT-staffed ambulances. Medical care in Albuquerque can also be taken care of at Lovelace Hospital, Presbyterian Hospital, University of New Mexico Medical Center, and many specialized private clinics and physicians. Additionally, a medical air transport service is available at the Albuquerque Sunport for patients needing cross-country transportation.

{all photos and text on this blog are copyrighted 2009 by rick whitman}

COUNTY ANIMAL CONTROL

2009-01-04T18:32:00.000-08:00

Above is one of several similar trucks used by the code enforcement officers of Valencia County Animal Control . These officers have the unenviable, but very necessary job of not only patroling the county and capturing stray dogs, cat, and every other variety of wild life, but of also answering citizen complaints concerning cases of animal abuse. Its unfortunate but during the past year they have had to rescue starving and abused horses on several occasions. Some livestock owners unfairly castigate these officers, but I think they should be applauded, just like any other law enforcement officer. Pet owners who let their pets run loose have no grounds for complaint when their dog or cat is picked up. Many do not understand that stray dogs tend to run in packs, and pose a danger to livestock. Where I used to live in Arizona we had a major problem with dog packs running cattle and sometimes threatening people. It got so bad that many law enforcement officers would shoot stray dogs on sight. I really don't recommend that in Valencia County's semi-rural area, but I do think that some residents here should be more appreciative of the county code enforcement officers.

VISIT A VET

2009-01-03T16:34:00.000-08:00

Today I had made plans to go out and test my now repaired camera, but a near friend if mine called me from the Veterans' Administration Hospital in Albuquerque. It seems he had been in there for at least two weeks and was lonely. So my wife and I drove up to Albuquerque to see him. By a happy coincidence his two sons also visited him today, so he was one the few patients who had visitors today. Two things were obvious: The visitor parking lots were nearly empty, and bored patients in hospital garb were aimlessly roaming the hallways nodding and saying hello to anyone they thought might stop and talk to them awhile. After a couple of weeks in a hospital with no one to talk with except nurses and doctors, and nothing to watch but mindless TV, it is easy to go insane!

So here is what you can do for our nation's defenders -- visit your nearest VA hospital or treatment facility today. You don't have to have a friend already there; there are lots of lonely vets and it doesn't take much effort to make a new friend. Bring a small gift --fresh fruits are always welcome-- it will help break the ice. But most of all, bring yourself, a friendly smile and an open mind. Don't forget those who defended your freedom!

( I know the Albuquerque VA Hospital is not in Valencia County, its just north a few miles, but almost every military veteran in the county goes there sometime.)

GONE TO THE DOGS !

2009-01-02T13:47:00.000-08:00

I'm back, and my camera is working now. Its time for another dog photo, folks. I hope you won't think I use too many dog photos, but I really hate to see the Valencia Animal Shelter so full of really nice dogs (and cats!), when they can make some family a wonderful companion. Today's dog is a case in point. Reina (means 'queen' in English) is a mixed breed female with beautiful markings. She is about 18 months old with a friendly, sweet disposition. She is also housebroken! She was so happy to be out of her cage for a few minutes that she couldn't hold still, so, two photos. One (with Nicole, a handler) so you can see Reina's face, and the other grab shot showing her unique markings. I sure hope someone takes the time to visit the shelter and adopts this wnderful dog.

A PAUSE IN THE DAY'S OCCUPATION

2008-12-26T18:19:00.000-08:00

Due to some unforseen circumstances, the Valencia County blog will temporarily cease, but will resume on Sunday, January 4, 2009.

In the meanatime my lovely wife Jasmin and I wish all of you good health, joy, love and prosperity in the year about to begin.

___Richard

BROTHER DAVE'S BAD JOKE

2008-12-25T20:09:00.000-08:00

SCENE: Tall, lanky Brother Dave Gardner (a popular comedian in the late 1970's) and his girlfriend are about to take a motorcycle ride.

GIRLFRIEND: Oh, Brother Dave, you are so smart!

BROTHER DAVE: That's right, honey. I know what is in every book in every library in the world!

GIRLFRIEND: What's that?

BROTHER DAVE: WORDS!

And here in the public libraries of Valencia County (in Belen, Bosque Farms, Isleta Pueblo and Los Lunas) are some of those words. Many people think that computers have outdated libraries, but that hasn't happened yet. In fact the Los Lunas Public Library (pictured above), to keep up with public demand for its services, just underwent a major remodel and renovation earlier this year. Through out the nation, the Bill and Linda Gates Foundation continues to pour millions of dollars into libraries for the purchase of new computers. You'll find millions of things in libraries that you will never find on your computers. Check out the library near your home.

WHERE EAGLES LEARN TO FLY

2008-12-24T15:47:00.000-08:00

This, as the sign so grandly states, it the home of the Eagles, Belen High School. This is where they learn to fly, we hope. We hope they learn well because someday, God help us, the kids that are here today will be leading the nation tomorrow.

This very day, however, this day before Christmas, these kids have reverted to a more child-like state and are safely home with family and eyeing the presents stacked under the holiday tree and wondering just whats inside those pretty packages. Time enough after the holidays to go back to the eagle flying academy. Good luck to them all !! May they all shine!!

WARM CHRISTMAS LIGHTS

2008-12-23T20:28:00.000-08:00

As I write this it is almost 9:30 PM (2130 hours), and the weather outside is bitterly cold and very windy. Less than 5 minutes ago I put on my warm winter parka, my felt stetson hat, and charged out with camera in hand to take a photo of my neighbor's light display. All over this county, this state and this country, people have set up various light displays in their yards and on their houses as a way of celebrating Christmas. This display is not the best, but it is a long way from being the worse. One thing that particularly amused me about this display was the way the wagon wheels appeared to be moving.

You may wonder why there is no snow; Its because in this part of Valencia County we generally only get snow about two or three times a year. It may snow in the late afternoon or evening, but by 10:00 AM the following morning the snow is gone and the streets are dry!

I moved here some years ago from Albuquerque (just 25 Miles north), where they have a lot of snow every year. I am glad the snow is there, not here. I hate snow, but I know that my many friends and family members living in tropical countries like it, so if we get a bunch of it I will photograph it for this blog. Do you like snow? Why?

BYE-BYE BIRDIE

2008-12-22T18:24:00.000-08:00

I finally got a photograph of the Railrunner commuter train leaving the Los Lunas station. Since December 17th the train now runs from Belen in the south to Santa Fe in the north. A new station has also been built on the Isleta Pueblo. A shuttle bus from that station to the Pueblo's casino and resort hotel is planned.

The train is free on weekends (Saturday/Sunday) until 4 January, and will be shut down on Christmas and the day after (25-26 December) and New Years Day (1 January) . As I understand it, fares from Belen to Santa Fe will be $6.00 with a graduated scale for in-between stations, and only $1.00 for senior citizens 65 and up, and children under 6 years. Check with your nearest station (or the New Mexico Department of Transportation) for confirmation of the above fares, and for departure and arrival times.

The train gets its name from our state bird, the Roadrunner, and the graphics on its engine and cars is a Disney-esque rendeering of the same. The little over two hour ride from Belen to Santa Fe is an inexpensive way to see a part of central New Mexico, but remember, the train is primarily set up for working commuters who need to go back and forth every day, and departure and arrival times are set for a normal working day schedule.

EDUCATIONS FOR ALL

2008-12-21T18:56:00.000-08:00

A great Englishman (Lord Brougham) once said, "Education makes people easy to lead, but difficult to drive; easy to govern, but impossible to enslave." If you live in Valencia County and want to expand your mentgak posers and physical skills, the Valencia branch of the University of New Mexico is the pkace to go to increase or update your education.

Its a very nice, new campus. The above photo was taken on a late Sunday afternoon. It is centrally located, in the shadow of Tome hill, and is fully accredited. It offers a wide range of classes in all fields of education, even including some vocational courses. Some of the courses are free, but if you need a student loan the school advisors can help you with that. Also, UNM-Valencia offers night and weekend classes and flexible course schedules. Increased educational level almost always is reflected in an increase in salary.

TOMORROW'S ANOTHER DAY

2008-12-20T21:16:00.000-08:00

This is --or rather, was-- the Onate Theater in Belen. For years kids could go there on weekends and watch The Lone Ranger, Rex Allen, Bob Steele, Gene Autry and other cowboy stars on the silver screen. Mothers and fathers would gather the family and watch the latest Disney creation, and boys would take their girlfriends to a hot romantic movie, and if they were lucky, could steal a kiss or two in the dark. But times changed. Television came to town. At first, black-and-white TV had a limited audience. Then came color, then came more channels and better programming. The movie audience grew smaller. Finally, the inevitable happened. Outgo exceeded income and the theater was forced to shut down.

But, as Scarlett O'Hara said, tomorrow's another day. People, buildings, businesses and towns can stay alive by constantly re-inventing themselves. So it was with the Onate Theater. It died and was reborn as Harla Mays, a place that may not fill your mind with exciting fantasys, but can fill your stomach with good food. Here today, gone tomorrow? Perhaps, but I am sure that in one way or another this building will continue to be an important part of the Belen scene.

OLD CARS AND OLD MEMORIES

2008-12-19T17:46:00.000-08:00

About 5 miles south of Belen, on the west side of NM Road 116, I ran across this old, sad and lonely vehicle sitting amidst the weeds in a small field abutting a small home. As near as I can determine it is a 1949 or 1950 International Harvester, Series L120. ( You can see one in the 1955 Austrian film 'Die Trapp Familie In Amerika).'

The front left wheel is gone and the axle is propped up off the ground. It looks like it will never run again. I had to stop and look at it because it reminded me of a fragment of my own youth. As a child in the 1940's my two older brothers and I spent a couple of summers on the farm , near Johnstown, Ohio, of a family friend, Gene Searfoss. The Searfosses had an old abandoned Duryea automobile straight out of 'The Grapes Of Wrath' set up on blocks out by the barn. It quickly became my favorite spot on the farm. Between chores, I would spend hours sitting behind the steering wheel, pretending to drive and soaking in the smells accumulated in years of service. The fragrance still lingers in my memory. I have a soft spot in my heart for old and abandoned cars that I don't think I will out grow.

PRETTY KITTENS; UGLY STORY

2008-12-18T18:35:00.000-08:00

My lovely wife and I visited the Philippines in March and April past. At one point, in the city of Dipolog, capitol of Zamboanga del Norte Province, I saw these two baby kittens playing in the street and took a grab shot of them as or cab whizzed by. I later asked a man about them and was told not to worry; someone would keep them till they got older and then eat them. That thought reminded me of the dog markets in Seoul and Pusan, Korea, in the years I lived there People would select a puppy from a cage full, and the shop keeper would butcher it on the spot and dress out the meat for the customer's meal. This is not a 'passed down story," I witnessed it with my own eyes severeal times. Then today, on Yahoo news, I read an AP dispatch about some

Chinese protesting the eating of cats. You can click on this link to read the story: http://news.yahoo.com/s/ap/20081219/ap_on_re_as_china_cat_protest I am not normally an animal rights crusader, but I think someone should bring this reprehensible activity to an end. HOW? Contact the Valencia County Animal Shelter (or your own local animal shelter) and adopt a dog or cat. You can get the address from my post a week or so ago. Make the effort, you'll be

glad you did. A few years ago the Jack-In-The -Box Restaurants imported a bunch of kangaroo meat to make their hamburgers with. Since that was stopped by the government, perhaps the next step will be to start rounding up stray cats and dogs (likse happened in Mazatlan, Mexico, five years ago) to sell to restaurants.

By the way, the dog I featured in my blog found a new owner the very next day after I published the pictures.

GOT MILK ?

2008-12-17T18:36:00.000-08:00

If you buy a quart or two of milk in Valencia County, it might just it might just start on its journey to you from the Shady Dale Dairy Farm. This large dairy farm operation is situated on an extension of Los Lentes Road,between Los Lunas and the Mid-Valley Air Park, (In the distance are the Manzano Mountains. Valencia County's eastern border runs along the ridgeline of the mountains.)

The cows have put their heads through the stanchions in order to eat the hay that is spread along the road. When it is milking time, the work crew merely push a lever, which locks the stanchions around the cows neck, holding them in position so the crew can hook up the milking machines. Just a modern day adaption of the old wooden stanchions farmers have used for years. And the modern milking machines sure beat the old manual ways. Sure wish I had one when I was growing up and working on a farm. To me, milking by hand was the worse chore on the farm, especially since it was done in the early cold hours before dawn.

A DYING DINING TRADITION

2008-12-16T20:06:00.000-08:00

A while back I extolled the glories of the fine Mexican food at Montano's on Main Street in Belen. Well, as much as I hate to admit it, Belen boasts another good eatery, the Rio Grande Diner. It operates in a building styled as a traditional railroad dining car, and since Belen was a major railroad hub of the southwest, the Rio Grande Diner fits right in. There used to be tens of thousands of this style diner across America, but they are rapidly fading away. The last two 'railroad car' diners in nearby Albuquerque (the Tic Toc and the Downtown) have long since gone, leaving the Rio Grande Diner the last representative of the genre in central New Mexico.

The Rio Grande Diner is clean, shining bright and cheerful. No 'greasy spoon joint' here. Being set just off I-25 (turn right on Camino Del Llano when exiting the freeway), its a convenient spot for drivers who want just a quick cup of coffee to brighten their spirits, or a complete meal, at a price that won't break the bank. You'll enjoy the ambiance, the friendly service and the good food.

YOUR TAX DOLLARS AT WORK

2008-12-15T19:07:00.000-08:00

Today started out cold with dry, fine snow falling steadily. At about three o'clock my wife and I decided to drive to Albuquerque to do a bit of shopping. Heading north on State Route 47, we left Los Lunas just as the snowfall intensified. Shortly after reaching Bosque Farms the road was blocked by an accident. I was too busy trying to drive around the accident to pay much attention to it. I did notice that there police cars from Los Lunas, Bosque Farms, Valencia

County Sheriff's office and the NM State police there and police officers standing around in the blowing snow.

I commented to my wife that I would have stopped to take some photos but it was too cold and damp, and I wanted to stay warm. About a half mile up the street we came across another

accident. This one attended by 3 marked Bosque Farms police cars, 1 unmarked BF unit, and paramedics from the BF Fire Department.

Withoout a word to me my lovely wife grabbed a backup camera from the glove compartment and took the above photos through the front windshield.

What I want to point out is that the police officers and the paramedic crew did not hesitate to get out of their nice warm vehicles and take care of the injured and direct traffic around the accident scenes in spite of the horrible weather. Two officers were not even wearing jackets.

Having been a police officer once, I know from experience that after the victims are treated, the wrecked vehicles towed from the road, these officers have, at a minimum, another 3o mimutes of taking statements from witnesses, measuring the accident scene and writing citations and reports. All this in cold, wet, miserable weather. When was the last time you voted against a tax increase for our police?

WANNA GET STONED ?

2008-12-14T18:53:00.000-08:00

If you want to get stoned, this is the perfect place to do it. Its New Mexico Travertine, Inc., on the far western reaches of Camino Del Llano in Belen. Here is where you can meet all your granite and marble needs for construction or decorative uses. As you can see, it appears they have an unlimited supply of large pieces of material.

The photo doesn't show it, but from their yard and office building you can see a fascinating panorama of the city of Belen.It may not be as interesting as a view of Alaska, but it is there.

With Belen being a natural railroad hub, and having immediate access to Interstate Highway 25, New Mexico Travertine should be able to arrange immediate shipping to anywhere in the state or the United States.

DISCLAIMER: This is not a commercial nor advertisement of the company or its products. I have no relationship, personal or business with New Mexico Travertine, Inc. I just think it is an interesting business!