A Christmas Card

Dear Friends,

PQ in Laguna Beach last Xmas

This is our Christmas Card to all of you. A few days ago I realized that rather than a snail mail card I would like to share some of the events, people and places  that are most meaningful to us. I'm not going to say that these pictures are in chronological order, in fact this is just a collection of events and people that represent what we are thankful to have in our life.

We did some traveling. This time last year we were in Laguna Beach, CA visiting with PQ's friends Gary and Lisa Arthur. It was a great reunion for him and a chance to meet his California friends for me.

Dave and Helen with PQ

Dave Eastoe and Helen Guild from the UK came to Sedona to do another workshop, so we enjoyed hiking and visiting. They are becoming part of our Sedona family. This is the second year we've met in Sedona.  They keep us up on our British friends. This is what we love, a global family.

But before this we had PQ's Birthday on January 21, at our Home in Taos. Here he is jamming with a long time friend John Carry and his family. This has been a great year for getting together with old friends.This is a major theme this year, and we love it.

PQ's Birthday

On our next visit to Arizona we experienced our first Sedona Blizzard.  It was quite beautiful in Oak Creek Canyon. Here is a shot from the car with my iPhone.

Oak Creek Canyon Blizzard

When we got back to Taos, we had snow there as well.  Sometimes it seems we are driving down the same road as they all begin to melt together in my memory. Here is a photo when we were driving down Paseo del Pueblo Sur.

Paseo del Pueblo Sur

In April our friends Pamela and Thomas Riek bought us a ticket to Lake Tahoe Nevada so that PQ could be part of their wedding ceremony. What a great experience that was! Lovely people, new friends, a beautiful landscape, and PQ got to jam with Thomas and the officiating minister, all great musicians. I (Marti) was fighting a cold and PQ found the altitude daunting but it was well worth being there.  We were surprised to find several other Taosenos there, also.

Lake Tahoe in the Background

We had an adventure at the airport in Phoenix when we learned that PQ's oxygen machine had to be authorized by his doctor. We had to call the doc, he faxed his authorization to his office and they faxed it to the airport. Whew! It was pretty close but we arrived at the Reno airport right on time.

PQ and the Gorgeous Bride

We spent much of the spring in Cottonwood and Sedona. Spring was beautiful and our friend Carol ended up spending a lot of time with family in Louisiana which gave us an always welcome chance to house sit.  PQ feels so much better at the lower altitude, but now we also have so many friends there that it is home as much as Taos. I'm a Gemini so having two home states, (actually three with Colorado) feels just right.

Mark and PQ at Carol's House

Our friend Mark Gordon, the producer of the documentary "Awakening in Taos," about Mabel Dodge Luhan and PQ's great grandfather Tony Luhan decided to move to Santa Fe to be closer to the project he is working on and he stayed with us in Cottonwood on his way to New Mexico.  It was a lot of fun showing him some of the sights and restaurants of Sedona. Before he headed on to New Mexico.

Our old Cottonwood Living Room

While we were in Cottonwood we learned that our old house was for rent, so we stopped by the manager's office.  We can't afford to rent the house but we made the gesture for old time's sake. It always felt as much like our home as Taos does. We still have many of our household items in the garage if we ever get a chance to have a home there again.

 

Lenny Fosters Shot

When we got back to Taos, we met a couple who wanted PQ to officiate their wedding.  It was a wonderful experience.  They chose to have the wedding at the top of the gorge above the John Dunn bridge. Lenny Foster took the photos and since he wasn't able to be at our wedding he gave us some shots from the gorge.

 The next photo is of a jigsaw puzzle made from Lenny's photo of PQ's hands taken several years ago at a wedding PQ officiated also at the gorge .  Lenny has a number of his photos converted into puzzles.  I bought this one for PQ last year. We went to Cottonwood the next day and Carol, PQ and I stayed up until 3:00 am putting it together.

We did quite a bit of time in Cottonwood but we were home most of the summer. There wasn't enough rain this year, and my Taos garden almost dried up, but a few weeks of help and it recovered and we enjoyed our coffee on the back patio with the local wildlife. The sunsets were awesome.  It wasn't just one or two sunsets, but every day was a new show.

Sunset from our Driveway

We had a quick adventure in Denver, also. Friends Miles and Gail, the folks who hosted our wedding last year, spent most of their summer in Europe and upon arriving in Denver planned to drive to the northwest. They proposed that we drive their Jeep from Santa Fe to Denver and meet them at the train station.  It would be convenient and chance to visit and have a mini vacation. It all turned out pretty crazy, as most of downtown Denver is under construction and not yet on GPS. It was a comedy of errors but magically turned out well after all.  We gratefully got a chance visit our friend Rachel briefly. However, it was an example of how two days can seem like a lifetime. Our only regret was that we spent too much time trying to find the train station which left little time to contact Denver friends and relatives. At least we got to spend some time with Miles and Gail because their jeep needed repairs before heading off to the northwest.

I'm about to give up on keeping any sequential order for the events this year. It was a busy and very good year. We drove back and forth on I-40 so often that the different visits have melted together in my memory.  Some of these events occurred last year but they fit together so I'm including them. PQ was remarkably creative this year even though breathing in Taos is always a challenge. I think everyone is amazed at how healthy he is in every other way.  We believe there is a life lesson to be learned from this disease. The way of the wounded healer is a reality.

Here is a leather coat PQ painted last winter, but I think it's really cool so will add the photo. He did a number of paintings on drums this year. I, Marti haven't painted for almost three years.  I still haven't got a space for painting here in Taos. The last paintings I did were while we were still in Cottonwood. Maybe next spring I can work on clearing space in the garage again.  The good side of this is that my main creative outlet has been writing.  Its been good for me to come out of my shell.

Artist Ed Sandoval and Drum PQ painted

This autumn a Kitten decided that we were the people he wanted to live with.  We decided some time ago that it would be impractical to have a pet so we didn't encourage him.  We finally discovered that he did have a home and reconnected him with his human mom. However, he still hangs around and a friend has joined him..  In fact there are lots of cats visiting.  I decided that since I often dream of rescuing cats, these guys were telling me I had to integrate the inner cat into my conscious life.  The message was strong. The white one comes around every morning now with his orange tabby buddy. This morning the temperature dipped to 3 degrees but  the orange kitty showed up.  He is now checking out our house. I guess the white one's mom kept him out of the cold this morning.

The Breakfast Kids

After rescuing the Taos garden from drought, we got another opportunity to go to Arizona and catch up with that side of our soul family and also eat at Quince, an absolutely wonderful New Mexico style restaurant in Gerome, the old mining town on the steep mountain side overlooking Cottonwood. Owner/chef Vladimir invited PQ to do an art show in May of 2013.

It always take an adjustment to get back into the Taos spirit.  There is something about Taos that seems ancient with an almost medieval harshness about it.  No matter how modern or tourist oriented it tries to be there is something here that captures the essence and power of unvarnished nature   including human nature.  It is both beautiful and dangerous. Sedona is also powerful but the danger there seems to be to lose one's grounding.

Again this year the authors of the 13 Moon Natural Time Calendar asked to use one of my paintings in their 2012-2013 edition.  This is a remarkable Mayan calendar that spans July 26 2012 to July 25, 2013. If you want to know more about the Mayan calendar this is an excellent source; 13MOON.COM.

Renewal

For several years PQ has been planning to open his ancestral Pueblo home for feast days but it has been a gradual process.  Finally, this winter we are going to open it for Christmas Eve, and Christmas day.  It began with repairing the roof, taking down a disintegrating water damaged wall outside, pouring a concrete floor in the porch and finally we are cleaning up the inside. PQ repaired the old adobe fireplace and we are getting some furniture into the house. It hasn't been easy for him and sometimes I think he overdoes it physically, but this is balanced by the satisfaction he feels about doing this for his ancestors and the spirit of his parents and of course so that our friends and family can experience a traditional Pueblo feast day again.

Jamming at the Adobe Bar

Life has been fairly quiet back in Taos. This fall PQ finally connected with John Carey at the Adobe Bar in the Taos Inn and they jammed together.  It was amazing.  He sang beautifully and with ease despite his breathing issues. It felt really good to all of us because John has been inviting PQ to join in for a long time and usually he doesn't feel up to it.  This time it really worked.

Our friend Steve Grocki finally found his away back to Taos after many years away in Florida. So many of our friends have experienced major spiritual and emotional life challenges and changes.  Certainly our life has changed radically, as well. Steve It's good to have you back!

Steve and PQ

 We have favorite places to hang out and eat in both Taos and Sedona/Cottonwood.  I think one of the things I like about having a home base in two very distinct areas is that each place brings out different facets of our personalities and life style.  One of the best indicators is the restaurants that one is attracted to. In Cottonwood we like the Grill, and a mom and pop style breakfast restaurant, in Sedona our favorite is Szechuan a wonderful Chinese restaurant and the Wildflower Deli.  We used to save Mexican food for New Mexico then we found Quince in Jerome and life is complete.

Abe's Cantina, Ah! home

When in Taos our favorites are Orlando's a great classic Northern New Mexico restaurant, owned by a local chef. Doc Martin's at the Taos Inn is great but a little expensive, so we go for breakfast which is totally competitive with any of the greasy spoons around in price but very high quality. The Taos Diner has a very good breakfast also and they make great biscuits. And as soon as we return to Taos from elsewhere, the first place we go is Abe's Cantina in Arroyo Seco. They have the best breakfast burrito ever. Its a family place, very simple but has soul. We got some of the food for our wedding from Abe's.

When I started writing this I couldn't think of anything to say. It seemed like our life has been pretty quiet but when I got started I was surprised to discover how much happens in a year. Even having said that I notice that age changes perspective.  Our lives are quiet but rich with the experience of great friends, good food, interesting animals, gorgeous landscapes, creative bursts and interesting synchronistic encounters.

Halloween Visit from the Grandkids

Here are some pics of are everyday things that bring out great memories and cause me to be thankful for the people and places in our lives.

Here is PQ at lunch at Orlando's fresh from his studio. He's a wild man when painting.  Nothing is safe.  I try to keep him away from anything valuable, but he always gets a lot of attention when out in public so I guess its free advertising.

Someone in Denver who came across my White Deer blog emailed this photo of mule deer in the back yard and one of them is white.  It's really cool! I started painting white deer long before I knew there was such a thing and now photos of them pop up here and there.

PQ Singing on Bell Rock

While we were in Sedona last year, a Japanese woman tourist was killed in a fall from Bell Rock.  This is near one of our favorite trails and PQ decided to climb as far up Bell Rock as he could to sing her a medicine song in honor of her spirit and to put  her soul at ease.

About to take on Solder's Pass Trail

Soldier's  Pass is PQ's favorite trail in Sedona. We love to walk in the Red Rock's.  Sometimes we forget that all these trails are very close to residential areas. I admire the way Sedona has managed to fit the houses harmoniously into the landscape. As usual PQ likes to talk to the birds (they usually answer) and we keep our eyes open for wildlife.

Terry Marie caught us off guard

PQ Actuallly used a Camera!

When we are at Carol's place in Cottonwood, PQ uses our NetFlix and Direct TV accounts to watch his favorite shows with my iPhone, so I recently got him his very own iPhone for Christmas. He acts like he can't fathom computers and smart phones but he caught on really fast when it came to navigating his movies on an iPhone.

Here are two favorite Taos girls. Grandmother Jean, on the left is a Cherokee Ulunsuti (master crystal worker) and Lynn Wozniak on the left is PQ's source of the Taos drums that he  paints. Lynn hires drum makers from Taos Pueblo. I love this picture.  It was taken just before Jean left for Sweden last month.

Finally here is PQ looking scholarly in his new trimmed look. This fall he got the urge to have his hair cut.  I didn't like the idea much at first but it is his hair and it looks better than I expected.

Another new thing was a Grof Holotropic intensive combined with Jung's Red Book held at Taos Ski Valley.  It has been many years since I've done something like this and I felt I needed to revive that part of my life. I'm still integrating it into my current world.  Since I was gone ten hours a day for an entire week it was the longest PQ and I have been apart since we first got together.  I really appreciate the person my husband has become. We have aspects of our individual lives that are far apart but it seems that this makes what we have together even richer. We are blessed.

If you have made it this far through this wordy review, I will wish you the best of everything not only for the holidays but for every day that follows. Thank you very much for being in our life and on our email list.

Marti Fenton White Deer Song and Blue Spruce Standing Deer (Pba-Quen-nee-e)