May 1 - 4, 2025
Santa Fe, New Mexico
Starting out in the very nice visitor center the buggy is a no-go, making her way too anxious. I park it outside and she walks through the exhibits with us. Sherry graciously volunteers to push it along the outside trail, and I put Tessa in for short breaks from walking. It's not perfect, but it does allow her to go further.
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| The history of the area starts around 1325 when 50-100 small pueblos came together in one larger settlement. |
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| Trade between tribes became trade with settlers into the late 1800s. Nearby Glorieta Pass is the location of the most western Civil War battlefield. |
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| Actress Greer Garson spent over 40 years with her husband on their Forked Lightning Ranch, and upon their deaths the property went to the national parks to become Pecos Pueblo National Historic Park. |
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| The Trail of the Ancients includes information plaques overlooking expansive views and preserved ruins. |
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| The property is beautiful. |
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| The trail includes a couple kivas with ladders to explore. Sherry climbs down one, but not in my comfort zone! |
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| We find out half way in that we could have bought a trail guide that would have told us more about what looks to me like storage areas. |
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| The partial shell of the Mission Church built in 1717 replaced the first permanent church built here in 1625. |
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| Some walls are capped with adobe for protection from further deterioration. Adobe bricks are made from mud on the property for other repairs. The restoration gives us the opportunity to view the expansive structure, but it looks less authentic to me. |
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| I can feel the history much better among the uncapped walls. |
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| More views on the return trail. |
It's wonderful to be out in nature on Beltane, and to have a like-minded friend to celebrate in the evening. We enjoy a dinner of chunky guacamole with blue corn tortilla chips in PJ. Her first dinner party :-)))
Sherry heads out early Saturday for a bird walk at the Audobon Society and I get some housekeeping and errands out of the way. She's feeling pizza and it sounds great to me so we enjoy a couple pies and salads at Backyard Pizza. Fun to share a love of anchovies! Having parking away from downtown is a bonus. Can't believe I didn't take a pic.
We're both local bookstore fans so a stop at the popular, awarded Collected Works Bookstore is a must-do. Around the corner from the parking garage, it's an easy stop for browsing and a yummy chai latte.
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| I miss having a homey bookstore near me. |
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| Content to people watch, such a good girl. |
There's so much to do and see within a few miles so our next stop is Museum Hill where the Wheelwright Museum of the American Indian is open for free-first-Sunday. Smaller than I'm expecting, it's a nicely curated collection.
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| The Girls in Blue outside the museum. |
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| At Camp by Earl Biss. His paintings depict the richness of Crow life. |
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| Mavasta Honyouti has many fun pieces in the exhibit that includes 3D wood paintings and a children's book. |
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| This great description is why the piece is my favorite. |
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| The largest section of the museum is their permanent exhibit of Southwestern jewelry and other decorative pieces. |
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| The piece on the left is a decorative canteen by Elizabeth Abeyta, a well-known Navajo potter. |
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| Most of the basement is the Case Trading Post. A beautiful collection of very pricey jewelry, art and interior decor, it feels a bit claustrophobic to me. |
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| Bathing Beauties by Seferina Ortiz of the Cochiti Pueblo from the 1980's. Very cute :-) |
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| Cloudy skies greet us. |
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| I love the stoic sheepherder. |
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| Back home Tessa explores her backyard while the storm moves in. |
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| Not feeling much like May this afternoon. |
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| One of several cute bunnies in the park. |
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I always enjoy your grand kid section of pictures. They are growing up fast.
ReplyDeleteSounds like you and Sherry are having a great time. Enjoy
Sue
Thanks Sue. They are growing and changing so much, it's nearly impossible to keep up!! We're having a great time.
DeleteHi Jodee…Yiu had me hooked at National Historical Park. What a beautiful place and I love the parks with historical trails to meander. Those adobe bricks are gorgeous and although I understand the reason for capping them, I agree that the uncapped walls “speak” to me too. The canteen is quite unique and the jewelry is always so detailed. I’m not sure about the food delivery robots…And sweet Tesa…oh the love!
ReplyDeleteDefinitely add this park to the list for your visit to Santa Fe - you'll love it! Even Elliott's dad isn't sure what the story is with the food robots. Drones above, bots below :-)))
DeleteI find the pueblo life and culture absolutely fascinating. So much visual evidence, yet so much unknown.
ReplyDeleteAgreed. Even though many Pueblos are still active community, so much of their ancestral history is a mystery.
DeleteGood morning Jodee - We had just a day to explore Santa Fe. So nice to see you have the time to do a more relaxing time. We enjoyed walking the Plaza and of course the Loretto Chapel was a must.
ReplyDeleteThe grands are growing!
Come back if you can, there's so much to do in such a gorgeous location. My first time at the Chapel, and yes it should be on every list.
DeleteWe've managed to miss the Pecos Pueblo in all the times we've visited SF! Now, it's definitely on the list. Always so much to see and do there. Thanks for taking me to those museums, more things we've missed! I loved the "fat lady canteen", the modern looking take on a squash blossom necklace with coral beads, and the "At Camp" painting. Great stuff. Glad PJ is working out.
ReplyDeleteI don't think I had heard of PP park until I did a deep dive for this trip - you guys will love it. There are four museums on that "hill" and I don't think any of them are too big. Pretty location too. PJ is taking good care of us :-)
DeleteI remember touring the Pecos Pueblo Historic Park. Such a neat place. It's always extra special to be traveling with someone who has similar interests. You two are off the a rocking great start!
ReplyDeleteTaking my first solo trip with Sherry has spoiled me! That park is so well done.
DeleteI think you know that Santa Fe is one of my all time favorite places. How wonderful that you and Sherry are sharing an adventure there! All of the museums on Museum Hill are fabulous and worth visiting. As you said, the Wheelwright is small, but well curated, and it was fun for me to see your favorites. I've always loved that sheepherder bronze, too! I think the last time we saw it was with a dusting of snow, which added to the beauty. (But it was COLD, haha!)
ReplyDeleteI could easily be happy calling Santa Fe home, there's so much to do with endless beauty all around. We had hail and sleet but the snow stayed up higher. I'd love to see it in snow. A dusting though!
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