Constant commenter Lucas Machais wondered if the cover photo on the new ed of Querencia– the- book, seen below with my other new covers, was “generic”. I am afraid I got more indignant than I should have. We pay attention to the particular here, not the general. I answered that the cover photo “… …
Tag: Southwest
Another Image: Crook
I dug this up recently for a gun scholar and to refresh my memory. General Crook, famed in the Indian wars in the southwest, and a fair man, was also an amateur but serious ornithologist, and poses here with a “lifter” Parker, so combining at LEAST three blog themes.
Local Artist
Libby’s friend Happy Piasso is a Navajo silvermith who is not always traditional. The belt buckle design is based on a Japanese Goshawk portait in the Boston Museum of Fine Arts (notice the red coral eye); the ring is built around a silver bat skull.
Not New England
A lot of people think of New Mexico, especially southern New Mexico, as all arid. But our landscape is vertical; ecologically and biologically, we can go from the Mexican border to Canada, from Hepatic tanagers through Red faced warblers to Steller’s jays and Hermit thrushes to Clark’s nutcrackers, in a four- mile stretch. I need …
Great Local Photo
Shamelessly stolen from the Golden Spur Saloon website, which is replete with good stuff; a portrait of Lawrence Aragon and Johnny Krynitz playing at the Spur last summer. They both live and raise cattle 30 dirt- track miles north of town, near the ghost town of Riley, or as we are more likely to call …
La Loca
First there were my old friend John Davila, Catron County rancher, world traveler, jack of all trades… in the old days and today. and his then wife Becky… They were among the first friends I made in New Mexico. They are in Querencia- the- book in several places, and came up to Albuuquerque to comfort …
Ruins 2
As readers may know, we are Forest Service “Guardians” to a little pre and post- Columbian (400- 1700?) pueblo near town. Mostly we just visit and document any changes, whether caused by natural erosion or “intruders” from kangaroo and pack rats to blundering cows and teenaged Navajo partiers. Today we joined FS Archaeologist Matt Basham …
“But it doesn’t snow in the southwest!”
Actually said to me a few years ago by a New Jersey Nuevo, in July. As the property he bought was on a dirt road at 7500 feet in Catron county, where the winters can be positively Montanan, I knew he was in for a surprise… The illusion remains. I was idly watching morning TV …
“Mesabi”
Tom Russell has a new album coming this fall, called Mesabi after the Iron Range mining country of northern Minnesota (Hibbing, home of Bob, Dylan stands there). It’s one of the best yet from the man who might be America’s best songwriter storyteller. Tom’s work is unique. It is not just that he is hard …
Gallo…
… de Cielo!This whimsical portrait of Tom Russell’s celestial fighting rooster came to live at Casa Q for my 61st birthday, as Tom and Libby conspired. Or as he put it, “…that was one we kept in our private collection but it wanted to move to Magdalena near the other wild birds.” (In addition to …