Goodbye for Now

 This morning we went to the flea market -- again! Same people, same stuff, same smells.

 Then we did something very different: a hayride (behind a tractor) through the Santo Domingo pueblo to see their new idea for growing crops -- sunflowers.

 A woman from the University explained that the tall sunflowers are for sunflower oil, biofuel and walking sticks. The short ones are for seeds. One Santa Domingo woman started this, and the tribe has  only been doing it for two years, but they are very excited about it.

 This is Mom and me next to a field of short sunflowers. You know how much Mom loves sunflowers. She was just as excited as the Indians!

Now we are packing up to go home. As usual I am sad to leave New Mexico, but happy to be going home to my couch and my friends the cats. I'll blog you next time!  Love, Sundance

The Big Laundry

 You'll know what kind of day this was when I tell you that doing the laundry was the big event. Pat left early for her next adventure, and we went into Santa Fe. Mom and Dad went to Farmers' Market (No Dogs Allowed), where Mom had a chocolate donut and Dad got his hunting knife sharpened. After the laundry was done, we drove back down Cerillos Road (the main shopping drag), stopping at stores for hardware, groceries and a new feather pillow for Dad. ("Finally!" -- Dad)

 Back home Mom and I hung out on the bed while Dad did projects involving a dimmer for the dining room lights, and hanging artwork. Mom fed me and cooked dinner for them (I got a bite of a turkey burger -- yum!).

After dinner we did some more hanging out, this time on the steps watching the sun set over the Rio Grande. They tell me tomorrow is going to have some more action in it, but I didn't really mind today. Even a dachshund needs some time off ...

Snoozin' in the Car

 We spent a lot of today in the car driving out to Chaco Canyon. This is what's left of an old old city that Indians built a thousand years ago. They were wicked good architects and craftsmen, according to Mom and Dad.

They cut stones from the canyon cliffs and made cement from river mud and carried trees from a hundred miles away. Even with the wild weather, their buildings are still strong.

 I had to look at it from the car because they don't allow dogs. Actually I spent most of the day in the car which was fine with me, because I woke up still feeling a little sick from our hailstorm adventure in the Pecos and I didn't even want breakfast. (If you can imagine!) But after a day riding around northern New Mexico I felt fine.

The four of us had a hearty dinner on the deck of the casita and watched a really beautiful sunset. Guess I'm just a car-trip dog because I really enjoyed today.

We climbed so high we almost touched the sky- then it came crashing down.

 Aspen grove the top of Round Mountain, Pecos Wilderness

Lee and Sundance on top of Round Mountain, Pecos Wilderness

Pam and Sundance resting on top of Round Mountain, Pecos Wilderness

Pam and Pat hanging out at campsite, Pecos Wilderness

Let's have a reality check here- I am a dog, but I was born for adventure. I haven't been keeping up with my blog because the latest adventure has taken me to the top of Round Mountain in the Pecos Wilderness. I am dictating to Mom as she types my blog on her blackberry. This place is really something!  We camped last night at 8600 feet and have just completed a hike almost to 10,000 feet. We are hanging out in a big meadow overlooking all the mountains of the Pecos Wilderness. I am quite proud I ran all the way up the trail with Mom struggling to hang onto my leash. Dad kept the rear up and took pictures.  Well it is clouding up, and the skies will open up soon for the daily monsoon. We will head back to camp and hang with our friend Pat and her cat Luz. This truly is  a place on top of the world.  

As we hiked down the Mountain ( this was added later) the sky let loose. It was torrential rain, hail, thunder and lightinng. I dashed ahead with Mom. Then we found a big rock and Mom picked me up and zipped me in her raincoat, Dad stood over us.   The hail started coming real hard and fast.  I was terrified!  It was just like the scene it City Slickers when Billy Crystal rescues Norman. We stayed put until the hail stopped, and we started down the mountain. We had rivers of mud flowing beneath Mom and Dads feet.  I was snugged in for life inside of Mom's coat. Finally the rivers stopped and I hopped out and we got down. Pat was real worried. We got all dry and the sun came out, I rested as Mom and Pat made some things with beads and string. We had an early dinner and the rains came again.  It was ok- we were in our tent. This morning we left early to go back to the casita. Dad and Mom did chores as I chased lizards. Tomorrow I hear we are off to Chaco Canyon for a day trip. That is ok Because I can snooze.  

El Morro

 Today we drove down to Gallup and bought Indian jewelry. Then we went for a picnic in the park. I waited patiently for table scraps.

 It worked! I got them! Then Mom and I had a frolic in the grass.

 We drove to Zuni and bought more jewelry, then went to El Morro -- my favorite park!

 We looked at all the petroglyphs and took pictures of the big cliffs. Then I broke a rule by taking a dip in the big pool.

Nothing better after a dip then a roll on a warm sidewalk -- perfect end to the perfect day!

Flea Day

 First up was the Flea Market. We saw many things! Including lots of logs turned into stone. They were loading one onto a pickup truck. We wondered if they ever made it home. Mom bought a nice rug.

 Then we came home and Mom and I supervised while Pat and Diane made pretty mosaics made of glass set in the ground. (Dad's job is to mix the concrete.)

 I ate early, and the humans dined out on the patio at sunset.

During dinner the hummingbirds never slowed down their dinner in the juniper bushes right in front of us.

Not Indian Market

 Well, I tried to go to Indian Market, but we only got about half an hour into it before a police officer told my Dad to get the dog out, so I spent the rest of the morning doing other things while Mom, Dad, Diane and Pat went to the Market.

 One of the things I did was take a long walk with Dad and found a good place to dig some holes. I spent a lot of time with Mom hanging out on street corners watching people.

At the end we posed by a VERY large bull sculpture whose head nodded in the wind. Then we came back to the casita where I hung out and chased lizards. Later we drove over to Lamy where the people ate dinner out on a patio and I relaxed under the table. All in all, a very nice day!

Cool August

 Hello again from New Mexico! Mom, Dad, Diane and I just arrived late late last night in a rainstorm (!). Today we went hiking on that same Santa Fe trail that was so hot that Mom and I almost died, but today was so cool that we just skipped along! (Well, sort of ...)

 Diane took a lot of pictures with her cell phone and kept sending them to all of her friends. Then the humans bought a lot of groceries and supplies while I got to sit in the car.

Dad and Mom bought sculptures back in New Hampshire at the Craftsmen's Fair from Larry Elardo, and they arrived in the mail today and Dad set them out next to our other sculpture. They look really cool! Mom says they are fancy garlic scapes. Early to bed tonight -- tomorrow's a big day at Indian Market (and I think dogs get to go now).

Goodbye for now ...

Today for our last day in New Mexico we went on a very nice hike up in the Pecos Wilderness. Best of all, we followed a stream, so I got to swim whenever I wanted!

We were going to go up to some caves, but Mom and Dad got to thinking about packing for the airplane, so we turned around early.

The Panchuela River valley was really really beautiful, calm and cool.

There were trees with flashing leaves. (Dad says "Aspen".)

And tall piney trees all bunched together. ("Spruce/Fir".)

And just plain HUGE trees! ("Ponderosa".)

Blog you next trip! Love, Sundance.

Stayin' Local

Today we didn't go very far, and stayed cool. Went to the Farmer's Market in Santa Fe, where guess what? Now they allow dogs! (About time!) Then to the Plaza.

They were having a fair with stuff to eat, cheap jewelry and art, some good jewelry and art. Mom got a very nice pair of earrings. A man who made dog hats put one on me. I hated it! "He hates it!" said Mom. "He doesn't hate it!" said the man and took it off. He seemed very offended.

Then we went back down to Madrid where they were having a "Gypsy Festival." One of the things they offered was "belly dancing." Lots of bellies! I didn't get it.

Then back home for a relaxing afternoon. I forgot to mention that we put a new window in the big bedroom. It completely give us a new view to the Jemez Mountains out west, and the room is really bright and light now. I love it!

Hot Hike!

Yesterday we had a hot hike, but I didn't blog because last night we went into Santa Fe and watched a movie outside on the grass -- City Slickers. A lot of cows (I didn't get it).

Our hot hike was the long version of the Cerillos Hills. Mom says 2.5 miles and 90 degrees. As you can see, she and I found every piece of shade we could. Juniper trees make good shade.

Last night before the movie we went over to Lamy which is where the train stops, the one that goes across the country, and Mom treated Dad to a Father's Day dinner at Legal Tender (used to be part of a Fred Harvey hotel). Mom snuck me a piece of Rib Eye (I'm not supposed to have table snacks) and it was excellent! We ate looking back at these tall Indian sculptures watching us. 

June Flowers

We're back in New Mexico -- in the beautiful springtime. Me and Mom and Dad went for a nice hike in the hills behind Santa Fe -- where all the rich people live, but they carved out some trails for the rest of us. That's a prickly pear flower behind me.







Then these are Cholla flowers. We have a lot of these on our land. We're up on top of the hill now and looking for shade -- it's getting hot.



If you look the wrong way up there, you don't get beautiful views but huge houses. Dad said about this one, "A million dollars would just about pay for the garage."

Sunset and Goodby

We started off the day with a VERY BRISK hike up the short trail on the Cerillos Hills. A beautiful day, totally clear, cool with a nice wind. Great view from the top as always, of the Ortiz Mountains. (I've posted that before, so didn't bother now.0

We were followed not long after by a riding train of elementary school girls. They were very happy and excited.

Cut from the 19th Century to the 21st Century: we needed to make our hike brisk, because Mom wanted to catch a Rail Runner train into Santa Fe, to go shopping for shoes.

Mom made her train with minutes to spare. Dad and I went to the dump. and then to Home Depot to buy an additional window for our bedroom. We caught up with Mom in Santa Fe, who had Very New Shoes, and they had lunch, but I at least got to sit outside at a table with them. We then drove up into the hills to a place with very wild outdoor sculpture, and another place with glass blowing and pretty glass. "No Dogs Allowed!" They have no sense of humor.

Mom and Dad had dinner at a place in Madrid. They said it was very good. I had to stay in the car, but they said that the Madrid dogs kept wandering in to see what was cooking.

Now we fly back tomorrow. We are sad to leave our Madrid casita ... but I'll be blogging you again in a few months to pick up the story.

Happy Trails!

Sundance