Neat Gemstones

Happy Winter Solstice!

2011-12-21T17:30:00.004-07:00

The Shortest Day

by Susan Cooper

So the shortest day came, and the year died,
And everywhere down the centuries of the snow-white world
Came people singing, dancing,
To drive the dark away.
They lighted candles in the winter trees;
They hung their homes with evergreen;
They burned beseeching fires all night long
To keep the year alive,
And when the new year’s sunshine blazed awake
They shouted, reveling.
Through all the frosty ages you can hear them
Echoing behind us - Listen!!
All the long echoes sing the same delight,
This shortest day,
As promise wakens in the sleeping land:
They carol, feast, give thanks,
And dearly love their friends,
And hope for peace.
And so do we, here, now,
This year and every year.
Welcome Yule!!

On this shortest day of the year, I am glad for the season and all the gifts in my life: my family, my friends, and everyone I hold dear in my heart. I've been blessed.

Now let the daylight and warmth come back!

El Malpais National Monument

2011-11-12T21:12:00.000-07:00

For the last leg of our weekend road trip we drove down Hwy 117 on the eastern rim of "the badlands" which make up the El Malpais lava flow where it meets the sandstone bluffs. The largest evidence of past volcanic action in New Mexico lies in El Malpais National Monument. Most of the area can be viewed by car with some small trails. The lava extends an area of 60 by 35 miles.

The El Malpais lava beds were produced from eruptions of several volcanoes up until about 800 years ago. There are numerous cinder cones and small craters found within the monument. The lava flow consists of large, blocky flows called aa to small ripples at the edges of the lava flow called pahoehoe. The rock is very brittle and sharp. The top layer is black with the lighter reddish gray colors underneath due to longer cooling time and less exposure. There are lava tubes and caves all along the monument.

View of the sandstone bluffs with the lava flows 400 feet below

Sign at the Sandstone Bluffs Overlook

The lava is bordered on the east side by a long sandstone cliff structure up to 400 feet high. We stopped at the Sandstone Bluffs Overlook to view the lava beds below. After driving a bit farther down the road, we stopped to see the La Ventana Natural Arch, the largest in New Mexico. It formed in a bend in the sandstone cliffs. The arch was eroded from sandstone dating back to the age of dinosaurs when the area was an inland sea.

La Ventana Natural Arch

You might be wondering how our chauffer did on the drive: very well. He clocked about 10 hours of driving on this trip. He still has a lot of hours left to go before his permit expires so I guess that means we'll have to go on more road trips. This weekend was a good one. I recommend visiting this area when you can.

The Land of Fire and Ice

2011-11-12T18:45:00.000-07:00

On our second day of our road trip, we visited sights in El Malpais National Monument, again south of Grants but in between Hwy 53 and Hwy 117. We started off in “The Land of Fire and Ice” and visited the privately owned Ice Cave and Bandera Volcano. Our first stop there was the Old Time Trading Post, built in the 1930s along with a saloon and dance hall. At the time the Zuni Mountain Railroad was operating. They kept their beer cold using ice from the Ice Cave. Now the Post deals in jewelry, rock specimens, and other wares from local Indian Tribes.

Bandera Lava Flow

Along the gentle hike to the Ice Cave, Aa lava jutted out on both sides of the trail. The Bandera Lava Flow formed as jagged, broken lava that formed when the surface cools and hardens while the lava underneath is still flowing. There are lava tubes, sink holes, and Indian ruins along the trail. At the end of the trail is a stairway down to the Ice Cave. The temperature in the cave never gets above 31 degrees Fahrenheit. As rain water and snow melt seep into the cave, the ice floor thickens and is currently 20 feet thick. The deepest ice dates back 3,400 years. The green color of the ice is caused by an Arctic algae. It is a natural ice box: 20 feet of ice (including the back wall) in a well-insulated cave, shaped to trap the cold air. The Ice Cave was known to the Pueblo Indians as the Winter Lake.

The Ice Cave

After we walked the Ice Cave Trail, we headed back toward the Trading Post and onto the Volcano Trail, which led to the Bandera Volcano. The trail wound through the lava flow, past a spatter cone, and through the trees (Ponderosa and Pinon Pines mostly). The trees often had their tops blown off from lightning strikes. We found out that the lava flow is rich in iron content, which tends to draw lightning strikes to the trees growing in it. At the end of the trail is the great crater left when the Bandera Volcano, a cinder cone, exploded 10,000 years ago. The crater is nearly 1,400 feet wide at the top and roughly 800 feet deep. The elevation at the look out point is 8,036 with the top being 8,367. It is a very impressive crater.

Bandera Volcanic Crater

Next stop: Sights along Hwy 117 in El Malpais National Monument.

El Morro National Monument

2011-11-11T17:52:00.003-07:00

The trail down to the pool

My family decided to take a road trip this Veteran’s Day weekend. It started off as an idea to get driving hours for my teenager so that he can get his driver’s license. So off we went to the lovely small town of Grants, NM, which is close to two national monuments in the northwestern portion of the state.

The pool at the base of the bluff

Our first stop was El Morro National Monument, about 30 miles south of Grants along Hwy 53 and which is situated on top of a sandstone mesa whose claim to fame is the pool at the base of the cliff that provides a reliable, year-round source of drinking water. It has been a gathering point for travelers for hundreds of years. The pool is not a spring, instead being fed by run-off from rainfall and snowmelt from the mesa above. The hole is at least 10 feet deep and is protected from the sun so that it holds water all year, even during summer droughts. I loved seeing the cattails surrounding the pool and how clear the water was, reflecting the cliff behind it so that you almost could not tell that it was a pool of water at the base.

Bighorn sheep petroglyphs

Beginning on the cliffs surrounding the pool are thousands of drawings, signatures, and messages carved in to the rock. This area is known as Inscription Rock and covers three distinct time periods: Ancestral Puebloans from up to 1,000 years ago, Spanish conquistadores from around 1605-1800, and American settlers after that time. The oldest inscriptions make up the petroglyphs from the early people, such as the row of bighorn sheep. The Spanish carvings include one from the conquistadore Juan de Onate (the butcher of native peoples) in 1605. The American inscriptions include many from the initial settlement of the West to the railroad building; most stop around the year 1900.

Zuni Sandstone

Past the pool and Inscription Rock, the trail winds around to the top of the mesa and we walked on the Zuni Sandstone, a barren landscape of pure white sandstone with some red and orange rock on top. The trail leads you around a deep box canyon and to the Ancestral Puebloan ruins of Atsinna, which contained about 40 rooms and including each a round and a square kiva. The rest of the ruins are unexcavated at this time.

Atsinna Pueblo Ruins, Square Kiva

All in all, the trail was about 2 miles total and included 200 feet in elevation with switchbacks leading up and then down the mesa top. I definitely recommend you go visit this small New Mexican national monument.

Box Canyon

Finding the Energy to Give More

2011-09-27T16:13:00.000-06:00

When your child is born you have such high hopes and dreams for him. You imagine him growing up healthy and happy, enjoying youth to its fullest. Then you imagine him attending a good college and studying a field they love. Of course, he'll find a wonderful job, get married to a lovely girl, and start a family. You imagine family vacations with fun and laughter. You imagine all the best things in life for him.

Then you hear the words "developmentally delayed" and "speech impediment." A little time goes by and more testing and you hear the words "autism spectrum" and "ADHD." Later, through more testing, you hear "learning disabilities." Your dreams for your child change. You begin to question whether an academic environment is right for your child or not. Maybe he'll be able to attend a trade school or community college someday. Maybe he won't have a fantastic career but he'll be a productive citizen. And finding a wife and starting a family suddenly gets taken off the table. The years go by--you hope that he'll just graduate high school and be able to live out on his own. Maybe he will get disability to help cover living expenses since he can only hold a part time job. On bad days, when all thoughts turn dark, you hope for a group home--anything besides him living at home for the rest of our lives and having a home after you die.

There is a grieving process that occurs when you learn your child is disabled. You mourn for the child that will never grow up to be what you originally dreamed he could be. You feel sorry for yourself and ask, "Why me?" and think of what you should have done differently--maybe if I ate better or exercised more when pregnant. Maybe earlier intervention and diagnosis would have helped. If only I would have pushed for more frequent therapy sessions. Maybe I should home school him and keep him protected from bullies and hardships and awkward social situations.

Today is just one of those difficult days when all these thoughts come to mind and I wonder if I'm doing everything I can to help my son. Sometimes, it really doesn't feel like enough.

"Everything"--Alanis Morissette

2011-09-14T21:15:00.000-06:00

I can be an asshole of the grandest kind
I can withhold like it’s going out of style
I can be the moodiest baby and you’ve never met anyone
who is as negative as I am sometimes

I am the wisest woman you've ever met.
I am the kindest soul with whom you've connected.
I have the bravest heart that you've ever seen
And you've never met anyone
Who's as positive as I am sometimes.

You see everything, you see every part
You see all my light and you love my dark
You dig everything of which I'm ashamed
There's not anything to which you can’t relate
And you’re still here

I blame everyone else, not my own partaking
My passive-aggressiveness can be devastating
I'm terrified and mistrusting
And you’ve never met anyone as,
As closed down as I am sometimes.

You see everything, you see every part
You see all my light and you love my dark
You dig everything of which I'm ashamed
There's not anything to which you can’t relate
And you’re still here

What I resist, persists, and speaks louder than I know
What I resist, you love, no matter how low or high I go

I'm the funniest woman you've ever known.
I am the dullest woman you've ever known.
I'm the most gorgeous woman you've ever known
And you've never met anyone as, as everything as I am sometimes.

You see everything, you see every part
You see all my light and you love my dark
You dig everything of which I'm ashamed
There's not anything to which you can’t relate
And you’re still here

And you’re still here
And you're still here...

Lyrics007 "Everything"

"Patience"

2011-09-14T17:15:00.003-06:00

"Patience"--Guns N Roses, from 1989.
(1..2...1,2,3,4)
Shed a tear 'cause I'm missing you
I'm still alright to smile
Girl, I think about you every day now
Was a time when I wasn't sure
But you set my mind at ease
There is no doubt you're in my heart now
Said woman take it slow
It'll work itself out fine
All we need is just a little patience
Said sugar make it slow
And we'll come together fine
All we need is just a little patience
Patience...

Sit here on the stairs
'Cause I'd rather be alone
If I can't have you right now, I'll wait dear
Sometimes, I get so tense
But I can't speed up the time
But you know, love, there's one more thing to consider
Said woman take it slow
Things will be just fine
You and I'll just use a little patience
Said sugar take the time
'Cause the lights are shining bright
You and I've got what it takes to make it
We won't fake it, Oh never break it
'Cause I can't take it

...little patience, mm yeah, ooh yeah,
Need a little patience, yeah
Just a little patience, yeah
Some more pati... (ence, yeah)
I've been walking these streets at night
Just trying to get it right (Need some patience, yeah)
It's hard to see with so many around
You know I don't like being stuck in a crowd (Could use some patience, yeah)
And the streets don't change but maybe the name
I ain't got time for the game
'Cause I need you (Patience, yeah)
Yeah, yeah well I need you
Oh, I need you (Take some patience)
Whoa, I need you (Just a little patience is all we need)
Ooh, this ti- me....

"Patience" Lyrics

What It Feels Like For a Girl

2011-09-08T21:49:00.001-06:00

By Madonna
"Hurt that's not supposed to show
And tears that fall when no one knows"

Girls can wear jeans
And cut their hair short
Wear shirts and boots
'Cause it's OK to be a boy
But for a boy to look like a girl is degrading
'Cause you think that being a girl is degrading
But secretly you'd love to know what it's like
Wouldn't you
What it feels like for a girl

Silky smooth
Lips as sweet as candy, baby
Tight blue jeans
Skin that shows in patches

Strong inside but you don't know it
Good little girls they never show it
When you open up your mouth to speak
Could you be a little weak

Do you know what it feels like for a girl
Do you know what it feels like in this world
For a girl

Hair that twirls on finger tips so gently, baby
Hands that rest on jutting hips repenting

Hurt that's not supposed to show
And tears that fall when no one knows
When you're trying hard to be your best
Could you be a little less

Do you know what it feels like for a girl
Do you know what it feels like in this world
What it feels like for a girl

Strong inside but you don't know it
Good little girls they never show it
When you open up your mouth to speak
Could you be a little weak

Do you know what it feels like for a girl
Do you know what it feels like in this world
For a girl

In this world
Do you know
Do you know
Do you know what it feels like for a girl
What it feels like in this world

Wine Tasting Day

2011-07-08T17:31:00.001-06:00

They've won many awards at this
winery over the years.

We spent yesterday at a winery in St. Helena that has been our favorite for 20 years. When living and attending school at UC Davis we would take weekend trips to Napa and always stopped at V. Sattui Winery (Vittorio Sattui). They have such a beautiful location with a picnic area and beautiful flowers everywhere as well as a deli and wine tasting bar. The only things that have changed in 20 years is the wine has gotten even better tasting and what used to be free wine tasting now has a cost ($5 for 5 wines on a standard “menu” or $10 for 6 wines from their select menu). They still do not sell their wines outside of their winery.

A building at the winery. I love the vines
growing up the building.

Of course we had to taste from their select menu, which meant that between the two of us, we tasted 12 wines total with sharing each taste. In actuality, we tasted 14 wines because our tasting "bartender" told us we "just had to try this one too" for two extra wines.

I especially liked the Early Harvest Dry Riesling, Off-dry White Riesling, Gamay Rouge, Pinot Noir, Merlot, 35^th Anniversary Zinfandel, Vittorio’s Vinyard Cabernet, and the dessert wines Muscat and Muscato (Frizzante, meaning that it was kind of like champagne with its fizz). We ended up buying a half a dozen bottles that we’re sure we’ll drink before we have to go back to New Mexico next week.

I believe these are Hydrangeas.
Water-loving flowers like these don't
grow in NM!

We were able to do a little cheese tasting too and got to sample some dipping sauces. The Garlic-Parmesan sauce was especially good with sourdough bread chunks. We bought a bottle to go with the bottle of wine we’ll take to our family reunion event at my cousin’s Saturday night: a wine and appetizer “social” gathering.

So now for the next few days we’ll be visiting with family up on the north coast of California and go to the beach as often as we can (weather permitting). It’ll be a fantastic time for sure.

Lots of beautiful rose bushes on the property at V. Sattui

Exploring in Napa Valley, CA

2011-07-06T21:56:00.005-06:00

So after being home for just two days, we left early this morning for our "real" summer vacation. We spent the day in Napa Valley, CA, starting off with a lunch at In N Out Burger. We do this every time we come to California: search down the nearest In N Out and go for it! I must say my cheeseburger, fries, and vanilla shake was just as good today as in the past and worth having to eat a salad for dinner tonight.

Rocks of Ages Trees, 6 ft in diameter

Anyway, we drove from one end of the valley, through all of the wineries along HWY 29, and ended up at the Petrified Forest up in Calistoga. (We'll hit some wineries for wine tasting tomorrow.) At the petrified forest we saw petrified trees all along a trail through the grounds. About 3 million years ago a volcano near Mt. St. Helena 7 miles away erupted and took out the giant redwoods with fire, ash, and molten lava. All of the petrified trees were felled in one direction, away from the volcano. Of course, they weren't petrified until silicate-rich waters from the ash seeped down into the gaps of the wood and replaced the organic material with quartz, turning it into stone.

Robert Louis Stevenson Tree, mentioned in a book of his, over 8 foot in diameter

Waiting for Old Faithful to burp

After visiting the Petrified Forest we drove down the road to see the Old Faithful Geyser (also in Calistoga). There are only 3 "old faithful" geysers in the world. This one erupts about every 30 minutes, sending steam and scalding water spraying 60 to 100 feet in the air. I learned that this geyser has been a good predictor of earthquakes. When it's regular cycle is delayed or diminished, an earthquake is likely within the next couple of weeks close by.

At first, we sat on the benches and watched as a few puffs of steam came out of the rocks surrounding the area of eruption. Then, we heard some percolating sounds that were followed by some spraying. This happened about 3 times and I couldn't help but think, "Is this it?" Thankfully, that was not it and it spewed water and hot steam for about 5-10 minutes total. It was really cool. I'm sure it was nowhere near what the one in Yellowstone does, but this was really worth the visit. We all got quite a thrill.

Thar she blows!

So what's on tomorrow's agenda? A lot of relaxing, I think. Before that happens, I believe we'll go sample some of the local wines at whatever winery offers free or low-cost tasting. Of course we plan to visit our favorite winery, V. Sattui, in St. Helena. Their wines have always been my favorite since I first came to Napa Valley back when I was in college (and that was a long time ago!). They have this fantastic deli and picnic ground so I'm sure we'll spend a good lunch time there.

Evacuation, Part 2

2011-07-05T21:14:00.002-06:00

The Los Conchas wildfire, day 1, June 26th

It’s really interesting to find out what your family considers to be their most prized possessions. When the Los Conchas wildfire threatened our town last week and the town was evacuated for the second time in 11 years, all of us packed what we thought were irreplaceable items. For the boys, I told them to pack things that couldn’t be replaced at Target.

We thought we’d only be evacuated for a few days, just until the smoke left town. But it ended up being almost a full week, the same amount of time that we had to evacuate back in 2000 during the Cerro Grande fire that started when a control burn got out of control. With relief, this time no homes were threatened in our town site (unlike the 400 homes that burned in 2000). Unfortunately, all of the nature areas and trails were wiped out this time, as well as part of our ski hill.

For me, I packed all of the quilts and quilted wall hangings that I or my sister or mom made for us, all of the kids’ photo albums, every photograph off the wall, my iPod, Kindle, and enough clothes and toiletries to last us a week.

For my husband, he too packed clothes, but also the big computer, his iPhone, the Apple TV, his laptop, the wedding photos, and tools.

My oldest son, the teenager, was a minimalist. He packed his laptop, his iPod, the Nintendo Wii, his Nintendo 3DS, and a bunch of video games.

My pre-teen seemed to pack the most. He packed his Nintendo DS and video games, iPod, baseball and soccer trophies, Lego Bionicles, lots of stuffies, his guinea pig, his favorite DVDs, and his light sabers. It was this kid that insisted on bringing the turtles even though I thought they’d be fine during the evacuation.

My youngest, also a minimalist, included all his stuffies and baby blankets, iPod, Lego Bionicles, Nintendo 3DS, and video games. He wanted to bring his favorite board games but I assured him that we could buy those again in the store if we lost them.

Of course our dog and cat came with us, as well as the guinea pig and two turtles. They survived camping for 3 nights quite well and my sister survived them moving in with her for the next 3 days.

As I write today, the mountains are still smoldering. You can tell that all of the running trails that we used to run on are now gone. Back burns have been set on the ridges, firefighters hoping the fire won’t jump them and hit the town (notice they are calling them “backburns” rather than a “controlled burn” this time around). At night, the mountain glows and you can see spot fires all over. It is eerie and depressing to see such a sight.

Los Conchas Fire, day 10, July 5

Twice in a little over a decade is too often to have to leave town and worry that you’ll lose everything. But really, if you get all of your prized possessions out, the other stuff can just be replaced.

Lilies

2011-06-19T19:29:00.003-06:00

I have found that lilies symbolize many things. The more traditional lily is a long stemmed garden flower with petals curling back from a horn-shaped face. This type of lily is strongly associated with the Christian tradition and Jesus' love. In Aboriginal Australia, the lily symbolizes courage and perseverance. In both China and Japan, the lily is said to dispel personal grief. Women wear lilies to help them forget the sorrow of a loved one's departure. White lilies symbolize purity, innocence, and chastity. At the same time and in the Greek culture, the trumpet-like shape of the petals symbolize erotic love and passion. In Greek mythology, the flower came from the milk of the goddess Hera as she was nursing Hercules; it dropped to earth (an outpouring which also created the Milky Way). Clearly, the meanings are endless.

The lily that I chose to be tattooed on my upper arm is a day lily. Apparently the day lily is associated with coquetry. Yes, I had to look up what that meant! "Coquetry" is flirtatious behavior or attitude. LOL. Anyway, I chose my day lily it not for it's symbolism, but because I thought it was pretty. I chose the colors and design and worked with a tattoo artist to design something unique. I guess if I did have to choose a symbol for mine, I'd chose the Aboriginal or Greek symbols. Of course, maybe it is a little coquettish (is that the right use of the word?) too. :-)

Note: Information found on multiple websites when Googling "lily tattoo symbol" and "day lily tattoo symbol."

Poems to Share

2011-06-02T16:03:00.003-06:00

Every year our local high school publishes a collection of poems that students have written and submitted. My son has three of his poems published in this edition, not submitted because he wanted his name in lights, but submitted because he was offered extra credit by his teacher, who told the students that anyone published would receive extra credit. No matter his intent, I loved what he wrote and wanted to share them.

Beauty in Islands

Same environments,

Different ways,

Different tools,

Different clothes,

Different games,

But all are connected by one great common factor:

Their culture is music and dance is their art.

They have different instruments

With different sounds

And different movement to their songs.

The islands of Hawaii, Tahiti, Aotearoa, Fiji, Samoa, and Tonga

Make up the Polynesian Triangle,

Where beauty is endless,

Natural resources are never useless,

And the culture has not been forgotten.

A November Dream

Do I know you?

Have we met?

No, your face I could not forget.

We haven't met,

But I know you.

Your face is unforgettable too.

I saw you

In a dream, I think.

You rescued me from Hades' brink.

I don't remember

Who you are,

But you shine brighter than the stars.

And now I look

Into your eyes.

I see a soul that could not lie.

I look at you

And match your gaze.

Your eyes are bright as summer days.

I look at you

And I see me.

I can recall a time of glee.

Now I remember

You are me.

And you have come to set me free.

The Desert Sands

Ages of dust have covered the earth

With fear and death and flesh and birth.

I know there was a city here—

A city built on love and cheer

A peaceful people settled down.

They saw the forest all around.

They said, "We'll build a city here.

A city where we need not fear."

The houses grew up from the trees.

I look, and I can almost see

The happiness that once was here.

But here I stand and feel no cheer.

The flesh of seven hundred bore

The flesh of seven hundred more.

A nation started rising here.

A nation born of love and cheer.

The time flew by. The nation grew,

But all I see is brown and blue.

A revelation strikes me here:

The sand and sky are void of cheer.

And so I think, and then I see

In my mind's eye, a sea of trees.

A civil war is in the forest here.

The trees are burning; death is near.

The birds have ceased their rapturous song,

But no-one knows what had gone wrong.

The fields, I see, were red right here.

The earth was stained with blood and fear.

A thousand years or more have passed.

That nation, sadly, did not last.

A people was forgotten here.

A people plagued by death and fear.

What once was earth is earth again.

I close my eyes and feel their pain.

They say there was a city here.

I sit to rest...and shed a tear.

Parenting an Autistic Child

2011-05-23T20:49:00.001-06:00

I was doing some reading last week at work (of course after all my jobs were finished). I usually don't read Reader's Digest, but it was available and sometimes the jokes are pretty funny. In this edition was an article called "My Daughter, Myself" where a woman, Sallie Tisdale, talks about how it feels to care for a disabled child. I found some of the things she wrote relatable to my own situation.

Some of what I read was disheartening, some other was a kick in the butt:

"Ambivalence is a normal state for me. It is hard to articulate what I seem to have lost, because it is something I never had. Annie was never going to go to law school--we knew that. Eventually we knew she was not even going to drive a car. What I miss is something vague and dreamy about a daughter growing up. I have fantasies of high school girls giggling in a bedroom behind a closed door, of long phone calls. I feel grief for the past, for all that there was none of, and grief for the future, for what there may be none of yet to come. Every parent loses a child, several children, as each successive child passes into the next--the chrysalis of the infant becomes the toddler, the toddler gives way to the child, and the child to the youth, and finally the adult. This is one element of being a parent, of being alive, though there is an enduring sorrow in realizing not that the child has died but that the adult anticipated will never be born.

"I feel sad and sorry for myself or pissed off, and then I feel petty because I'm sad and sorry for myself, because I'm complaining when things could be so much worse. She's not aggressive or incontinent. She can walk and make herself a sandwich and sleep through the night. And we're lucky, because as late as it was in coming and as vague as it is in explaining things, we did eventually get a diagnosis.

"Long-term studies of people with autism are not reassuring. Very few go to college, are employed, or lead independent lives. The supports of school are remove, and nothing takes their place.

"Don't ever say to her, and don't say to yourself, that there is any tragedy in who she is. She is what she is."

Another Dream

2011-05-06T14:30:00.002-06:00

I posted on Facebook this morning the following:

"What does it mean that I had a dream where I was a LEGO Harry Potter video game character flying to escape dragons and death eaters on my broomstick?"

To this I got quite a few answers:

"I think it means you are going to Orlando to see Harry Potter! ;-)"
"it means I'm not the only one that dreams really kooky stuff; WHEW, what a relief! ;0)"
"You have 3 boys ;)"
"that you're a TOTAL NERD"

The last coming from a high school friend who remembers what a nerd I was back then. But I digress.

One friend posted that he thought I should go on my favorite dream interpretation website, dreammoods.com to see what it had to say. What a great idea! So here's what I found:

Regarding being chased by Death Eaters, "I'm Being Chased!":

"Chase dreams are one of several common dream themes, stemming from feelings of anxiety in your waking life. Flee and flight is an instinctive response to a physical threat in the environment. In such dreams, the scenario often features you being pursued by an attacker, an animal, a monster or an unknown figure, who wants to hurt or possibly kill you." In my case the Death Eaters and dragons. "Consequently, you run, you hide or you try to outwit your pursuer. Your actions in the dream parallel how you would respond to pressure and cope with fears, stress or various situations in your waking life. Instead of confronting the situation, your dream indicates that you have a tendency to run away and avoid the issue. Ask yourself who is chasing you, so that you can gain a better understanding and insight on the source of your fears and anxieties."

Regarding flying around on my broomstick and trying to get away, "I'm Flying!":

"Having difficulties staying in flight indicates a lack of power in controlling your own circumstances. You may be struggling to stay aloft or stay on set course. Things like power lines, trees, or mountains may be obstacles that you encounter in flight." In my dream it was LEGO bricks and sets in my way. "These obstacles symbolize something or someone who is standing in your way in your waking life. You need to identify what or who is trying to prevent you from moving forward."

Now believe it or not, this website DID have a section on LEGOs and one on blocks, and even one on Harry Potter!:

LEGOs: "To see or play with Legos in your dreams, indicates your ability to make something out of a single block. It may refer to the "building blocks" or foundation of some plan. The dream may also be a pun on "let go". Is there something in your waking life that you need to let go."

Blocks: "To see a block or blocks in your dream, represent obstacles that you need to overcome. These are things that try to hinder you from achieving your goals."

Harry Potter: "To dream that you are Harry Potter, represents your desires to escape from reality. You are living in your own fantasy world."

I guess all this just means that I'm stressed out. I'm running away from problems and am feeling out of control of my life. Because of the stress I'm wanting to escape reality. Maybe I just need to "let go" and let life happen.

There are three weeks of school left of the year and baseball season has started. That means that things are, indeed, stressful around here. Plus, I'm working more hours over the next two weeks. But this is life and I'll get through it. I've got people looking out for me. :-)

Last Day of National Poetry Month

2011-04-30T19:58:00.003-06:00

Here are some poems that I read today that I really liked (in honor of the last day of National Poetry Month):

When I awake...
with morning's dew,..
My thoughts are alive, these thoughts of you.
As the sun sets, my eyes a new
Open widely a life with you be true
Troubled with a past, gloomy and blue
Can only be changed from the love of two
My thoughts of old and withered past
Now new life of hope outlast
So as the evening ends
Carrying nights white moon
Is when my thoughts are strongest
That seeing you will be soon
Questioning reasons of love be true
These are a few, of why the sun set with you...

--Michael Anthony Keaulana

If I could have just one wish,
I would wish to wake up everyday
to the sound of your breath on my neck,
the warmth of your lips on my cheek,
the touch of your fingers on my skin,
and the feel of your heart beating with mine...
Knowing that I could never find that feeling
with anyone other than you.

- Courtney Kuchta

Beauty and love are all my dream;
They change not with the changing day;
Love stays forever like a stream
That flows but never flows away;

And beauty is the bright sun-bow
That blossoms on the spray that showers
Where the loud water falls below,
Making a wind among the flowers.

- Andrew Young

Under the harvest moon,
When the soft silver
Drips shimmering
Over garden nights,
Death, the gray mocker,
Comes and whispers to you
As a beautiful friend
Who remembers.

Under the summer roses
When the flagrant crimson
Lurks in the dusk
Of the wild red leaves,
Love, with little hands,
Comes and touches you
With a thousand memories,
And asks you
Beautiful, unanswerable questions.

- Carl Sandburg

The wondrous moment of our meeting . . .
I well remember you appear
Before me like a vision fleeting,
A beauty's angel pure and clear.

In hopeless ennui surrounding
The worldly bustle, to my ear
For long your tender voice kept sounding,
For long in dreams came features dear.

Time passed. Unruly storms confounded
Old dreams, and I from year to year
Forgot how tender you had sounded,
Your heavenly features once so dear.

My backwoods days dragged slow and quiet —
Dull fence around, dark vault above —
Devoid of God and uninspired,
Devoid of tears, of fire, of love.

Sleep from my soul began retreating,
And here you once again appear
Before me like a vision fleeting,
A beauty's angel pure and clear.

In ecstasy the heart is beating,
Old joys for it anew revive;
Inspired and God-filled, it is greeting
The fire, and tears, and love alive.

--Alexander Pushkin

The fountains mingle with the river,
And the rivers with the ocean;
The winds of heaven mix forever,
With a sweet emotion;
Nothing in the world is single;
All things by a law divine
In one another's being mingle;--
Why not I with thine?

See! the mountains kiss high heaven,
And the waves clasp one another;
No sister flower would be forgiven,
If it disdained it's brother;
And the sunlight clasps the earth,
And the moonbeams kiss the sea;--
What are all these kissings worth,
If thou kiss not me?

- Percy Bysshe Shelley

i carry your heart with me (i carry it in
my heart) i am never without it (anywhere
i go you go, my dear; and whatever is done
by only me is your doing, my darling)
i fear
no fate (for you are my fate, my sweet) i want
no world (for beautiful you are my world, my true)
and it's you are whatever a moon has always meant
and whatever a sun will always sing is you

here is the deepest secret nobody knows
(here is the root of the root and the bud of the bud
and the sky of the sky of a tree called life; which grows
higher than soul can hope or mind can hide)
and this is the wonder that's keeping the stars apart

i carry your heart (i carry it in my heart)

--e.e. cummings

I ne'er was struck before that hour
With love so sudden and so sweet.
Her face it bloomed like a sweet flower
And stole my heart away complete.

My face turned pale, a deadly pale.
My legs refused to walk away,
And when she looked what could I ail
My life and all seemed turned to clay.

And then my blood rushed to my face
And took my eyesight quite away.
The trees and bushes round the place
Seemed midnight at noonday.

I could not see a single thing,
Words from my eyes did start.
They spoke as chords do from the string,
And blood burnt round my heart.

Are flowers the winter's choice
Is love's bed always snow
She seemed to hear my silent voice
Not love appeals to know.

I never saw so sweet a face
As that I stood before.
My heart has left its dwelling place
And can return no more.

--John Clare

If questioning would make us wise
No eyes would ever gaze in eyes;
If all our tale were told in speech
No mouths would wander each to each.

Were spirits free from mortal mesh
And love not bound in hearts of flesh
No aching breasts would yearn to meet
And find their ecstasy complete.

For who is there that lives and knows
The secret powers by which he grows?
Were knowledge all, what were our need
To thrill and faint and sweetly bleed?

Then seek not, sweet, the "If" and "Why"
I love you now until I die.
For I must love because I live
And life in me is what you give.

--Christopher Brennan

We The Kings - Spin

2011-04-28T20:36:00.001-06:00

I've got a feeling to stay
It beats the feeling to go
And I've got a feeling, so I
Can know
What really could have been
Much more than time well spent
I have a feeling that I can't let
This end

So
Let's make Champagne rain down from the sky
And let's toast to the night

It's the time of our lives
Take me for a ride
And kiss me one more time
'Cause even if we fall we'll be okay
grab hold of your heart
Let's spin the world from the light
So we stay here tonight

We stay here tonight
Spin the world from the light
Can we stay here tonight
Spin the world from the light

You've got a reason to stay
I've got the hand you can hold
I'm kind of feeling insane, so don't
Let go

And as the sun goes down
And all the dark's around
I get the feeling me can't run home
Not now

So
Let's make Champagne rain down from the sky
And let's toast to the night

It's the time of our lives
Take me for a ride
And kiss me one more time
'Cause even if we fall we'll be okay
grab hold of your heart
Let's spin the world from the light
So we stay here tonight

Can we stay here tonight
Spin the world from the light
Can we stay here tonight
Spin the world from the light

Don't wait
Everything's not okay
I am slipping away
Don't say goodbye
Kiss me
And let me know you love me
Underneath the moonlight
We'll look to the sky
Let's toast to the night

[x2]
It's the time of our lives
Take me for a ride
And kiss me one more time
'Cause even if we fall we'll be okay
Grab hold of your heart
Let's spin the world from the light
So we stay here tonight

Can we stay here tonight
Spin the world from the light
Can we stay here tonight
Spin the world from the light

In My Life by The Beatles

2011-04-28T20:15:00.003-06:00

Just feeling nostalgic tonight. Here's an oldie but a goodie.

In My Life (YouTube video)

There are places I'll remember
All my life, though some have changed
Some forever, not for better
Some have gone and some remain
All these places had their moments
With lovers and friends, I still can recall
Some are dead and some are living
In my life, I've loved them all

But of all these friends and lovers
There is no one compares with you
And these memories lose their meaning
When I think of love as something new
Though I know I'll never lose affection
For people and things that went before
I know I'll often stop and think about them
In my life, I'll love you more

Though I know I'll never lose affection
For people and things that went before
I know I'll often stop and think about them
In my life, I'll love you more

National Poetry Month 2011

2011-04-11T18:43:00.005-06:00

April is National Poetry Month and I try to read at least one new poem each year. Yes, I know, pretty pathetic to only read one poem in a year, but this year's is a doozie!

I recently heard a synopsis on the "Rime of the Ancient Mariner" by Samuel Taylor Coleridge (1797) and thought I'd read the epic poem in its entirety. Now, I'm thinking that I read it once in high school English class many years ago, but the storyline totally slipped my mind, if it ever entered it.

I did know that the well-known verse,

"Water, water, every where,
And all the boards did shrink;
Water, water, every where,
Nor any drop to drink."

came from this poem, but that's about it. So much for retention. But I didn't know that the poem's story is centered on a man who feels total guilt for a wrong that he committed. His guilt consumed his soul.Besides guilt as a central theme, there is a lot of symbolism written within the poem.

The synopsis of the poem that I heard concluded with the fact that we all have things to be guilty for, maybe some wrong committed toward another person, but nobody is perfect. It is up to you to make amends, to forgive yourself, and to move on.

I like the ending of the poem where Coleridge writes,

"Farewell, farewell! but this I tell
To thee, thou Wedding-Guest!
He prayeth well, who loveth well
Both man and bird and beast.

He prayeth best, who loveth best
All things both great and small;
For the dear God who loveth us,
He made and loveth all."

Note: photo at the top is the Statue of the Ancient Mariner by Scottish sculptor Alan Herriot. It was unveiled in 2003 on the waterfront in Watchet, Somerset, UK.

The plaque on the statue reads,

"Ah ! well a-day ! what evil looks
Had I from old and young!
Instead of the cross, the Albatross
About my neck was hung.

An Afternoon in the Jemez Mountains

2011-03-31T17:04:00.001-06:00

It is hard to be the mother of three boys because there is very little that I have in common with them. I don't play video games or LEGOs. and in my house, they're the top two modes of recreation. Well, besides reading, but it's hard to be together when you're doing something solitary. So much of the time I feel that I can't relate to them. So what do I do? I create opportunities for us to spend some time together and I try to pick things that I think they'll enjoy. This is spring break so we've got time to get out and do things together. Each night this week we've been watching a Star Wars movie together, complete with popcorn. Monday we went bowling, which was fun. Today we rode bikes and scooters to the tennis courts and played doubles (rather poorly, I might add). But what I like to do the most with my boys is to get out and explore places, go camping, and walk on trails. I love to walk in the woods and find such peace when I do. It is how I recharge my batteries. I want to instill this kind of peace and joy that I get when walking on trails into them but they don't seem to want to cooperate half the time.

Yesterday we went exploring in the Jemez Mountains, visiting the Gilman Tunnels, railroad tunnels blown out of the rock (Paleozoic shales) for the purposes of a logging train in the 1920s. The boys seemed pretty impressed with the tunnels and the canyon carved by the Rio Guadalupe. The little river cascaded down the rocks in the very narrow canyon. Beautiful.

Anyway, after the tunnels I thought it would be a good idea to walk a trail that we haven't been on yet. At first, the boys were all for it because that meant that they would be missing TaeKwonDo. But about a half a mile in, the youngest started to complain. And he wouldn't stop. I might have well been taking them on a Death March through the woods. So much for peace and joy on a trail. And it was only about 4 miles. They've walked longer. Maybe it was just because it was later in the day. But one thing that stood out was youngest son's stubbornness. All three of my boys have a stubborn streak. When they don't want to do something, boy, they'll be miserable about it and make sure you know it!

I'm hoping that they might not be so reluctant to walk tomorrow. Yes, I'm going to take them out for a walk again tomorrow. No, I haven't told them yet. But I will. Later. Much later. Maybe after the Star Wars movie we watch tonight.

The Dreaded "Falling" Dream

2011-03-27T17:26:00.004-06:00

Everyone has had a dream where they are falling and then wake up startled. It's been a long time since I've had such a dream so when I woke up from falling this Sunday morning, I was not happy. It bothered me so much that I couldn't get back to sleep. How dare a dream keep me from my weekend snooze-until-noon day!

I went to the website dreammoods.com to see what my favorite dream interpretation website had to say about "falling" dreams. It is no surprise that it is one of their top 5 dream interpretation requests. They do tell the reader that contrary to popular myth, you will not die if you do not wake up before you hit the ground. I consider myself lucky that I always wake up before I hit the ground. :-)

According to dreammoods.com,

As with most common dream themes, falling is an indication of insecurities, instabilities, and anxieties. You are feeling overwhelmed and out of control in some situation in your waking life. This may reflect the way you feel in your relationship or in your work environment. You have lost your foothold and keep up with the hustle and bustle of daily life. When you fall, there is nothing that you can hold on to. You more or less are forced toward this downward motion without any control. This lost of control may parallel a waking situation in your life.

Time to do some self-examination to see what I can work through so I don't have any more falling dreams! I have a feeling I already know what is on my mind though.

One thing I did find interesting has to do with that old quack Freud. He says that a falling dream indicates "that you are contemplating giving into a sexual urge or impulse. You are lacking indiscretion."

Time

2011-03-26T21:15:00.005-06:00

I went back in time today to freshman year in high school. Listened to a lot of old tunes that still move me today. Here's one that has always been a favorite:

Time--Pink Floyd

Ticking away the moments that make up a dull day
You fritter and waste the hours in an offhand way.
Kicking around on a piece of ground in your home town
Waiting for someone or something to show you the way.

Tired of lying in the sunshine staying home to watch the rain.
You are young and life is long and there is time to kill today.
And then one day you find ten years have got behind you.
No one told you when to run, you missed the starting gun.

So you run and you run to catch up with the sun but it's sinking
Racing around to come up behind you again.
The sun is the same in a relative way but you're older,
Shorter of breath and one day closer to death.

Every year is getting shorter never seem to find the time.
Plans that either come to naught or half a page of scribbled lines
Hanging on in quiet desperation is the English way
The time is gone, the song is over,
Thought I'd something more to say.

Listen Here

P!nk - Raise Your Glass

2011-02-27T17:32:00.001-07:00

Okay, so I guess I like pretty much everything P!nk does. This song just really makes me feel good.

I Love This Song

2011-02-27T17:18:00.003-07:00

"Perfect" by P!nk (This is the clean version!)

Made a wrong turn, once or twice
Dug my way out, blood and fire
Bad decisions, that's alright
Welcome to my silly life
Mistreated, misplaced, misunderstood
Miss 'No way, it's all good', it didn't slow me down
Mistaken, always second guessing, underestimated
Look, I'm still around

Pretty pretty please, don't you ever ever feel
Like you're less than, less than perfect
Pretty pretty please, if you ever ever feel like you're nothing
You are perfect to me!

You're so mean, when you talk about yourself, you were wrong
Change the voices in your head, make them like you instead
So complicated, look happy, you'll make it!
Filled with so much hatred... such a tired game
It's enough! I've done all I can think of
Chased down all my demons, I've seen you do the same

Oh, pretty pretty please, don't you ever ever feel
Like you're less than, less than perfect
Pretty pretty please, if you ever ever feel like you're nothing

You are perfect to me

The whole world's scared so I swallow the fear
The only thing I should be drinking is an ice cold beer
So cool in line, and we try try try, but we try too hard and it's a waste of my time
Done looking for the critics, cause they're everywhere
They don't like my jeans, they don't get my hair
Exchange ourselves, and we do it all the time
Why do we do that? Why do I do that?

Why do I do that... ?

Yeah, oh, oh baby, pretty baby... !

Pretty pretty please, don't you ever ever feel
Like you're less than, less than perfect
Pretty pretty please, if you ever ever feel
Like you're nothing, you are perfect to me
You are perfect, you are perfect!
Pretty pretty please, if you ever ever feel like you're nothing
You are perfect to me...

"Republicans Have Declared War on Women"

2011-02-19T21:43:00.001-07:00

Some scary things are happening in politics. I received this email from MoveOn.org that really concerned me about women's rights and what the Republican party are doing to take them away.

Dear MoveOn member,

It might seem hyperbolic to say that Republicans have declared a war on women.

Sadly, it's not.

Just take a look at the top 10 shocking, crazy things Republicans have proposed in recent weeks. If you think this constitutes a war on women, please share this email far and wide—forward it, and post it on Facebook and Twitter.

I wish I could say these were the only examples of the Republican war on women. But it's just a sampling, and more is sure to come—unless we raise a ruckus and call them out. So please, share this email today.

Thanks,

Kat

Top 10 Shocking Attacks from the GOP War on Women

1) Republicans not only want to reduce women's access to abortion care, they're actually trying to redefine rape. After a major backlash, they promised to stop. But they haven't.

2) A state legislator in Georgia wants to change the legal term for victims of rape, stalking, and domestic violence to "accuser." But victims of other less gendered crimes, like burglary, would remain "victims."

3) In South Dakota, Republicans proposed a bill that could make it legal to murder a doctor who provides abortion care. (Yep, for real.)

4) Republicans want to cut nearly a billion dollars of food and other aid to low-income pregnant women, mothers, babies, and kids.

5) In Congress, Republicans have proposed a bill that would let hospitals allow a woman to die rather than perform an abortion necessary to save her life.

6) Maryland Republicans ended all county money for a low-income kids' preschool program. Why? No need, they said. Women should really be home with the kids, not out working.

7) And at the federal level, Republicans want to cut that same program, Head Start, by $1 billion. That means over 200,000 kids could lose their spots in preschool.

8) Two-thirds of the elderly poor are women, and Republicans are taking aim at them too. A spending bill would cut funding for employment services, meals, and housing for senior citizens.

9) Congress voted yesterday on a Republican amendment to cut all federal funding from Planned Parenthood health centers, one of the most trusted providers of basic health care and family planning in our country.

10) And if that wasn't enough, Republicans are pushing to eliminate all funds for the only federal family planning program. (For humans. But Republican Dan Burton has a bill to provide contraception for wild horses. You can't make this stuff up).

Please share this email today. Just click the links to post on Facebook and Twitter.

Sources:

1. "'Forcible Rape' Language Remains In Bill To Restrict Abortion Funding," The Huffington Post, February 9, 2011
http://www.moveon.org/r?r=206084&id=26177-4057661-scqEjax&t=6

"Extreme Abortion Coverage Ban Introduced," Center for American Progress, January 20, 2011
http://www.moveon.org/r?r=205961&id=26177-4057661-scqEjax&t=7

2. "Georgia State Lawmaker Seeks To Redefine Rape Victims As 'Accusers,'" The Huffington Post, February 4, 2011
http://www.moveon.org/r?r=206007&id=26177-4057661-scqEjax&t=8

3. "South Dakota bill would legalize killing abortion doctors," Salon, February 15, 2011
http://www.moveon.org/r?r=206102&id=26177-4057661-scqEjax&t=9

4. "House GOP Proposes Cuts to Scores of Sacred Cows," National Journal, February 9, 2011
http://www.moveon.org/r?r=206103&id=26177-4057661-scqEjax&t=10

5. "New GOP Bill Would Allow Hospitals To Let Women Die Instead Of Having An Abortion," Talking Points Memo, February 4, 2011
http://www.moveon.org/r?r=205974&id=26177-4057661-scqEjax&t=11

6. "Republican Officials Cut Head Start Funding, Saying Women Should be Married and Home with Kids," Think Progress, February 16, 2011
http://thinkprogress.org/2011/02/16/gop-women-kids/

7. "Bye Bye, Big Bird. Hello, E. Coli," The New Republic, Feburary 12, 2011
http://www.moveon.org/r?r=206104&id=26177-4057661-scqEjax&t=12

8. "House GOP spending cuts will devastate women, families and economy," The Hill, February 16, 2011
http://thehill.com/blogs/congress-blog/economy-a-budget/144585-house-gop-spending-cuts-will-devastate-women-families-and-economy-

9. "House passes measure stripping Planned Parenthood funding," MSNBC, February 18,2011
http://www.moveon.org/r?r=206122&id=26177-4057661-scqEjax&t=13

"GOP Spending Plan: X-ing Out Title X Family Planning Funds," Wall Street Journal, February 9, 2011
http://www.moveon.org/r?r=206105&id=26177-4057661-scqEjax&t=14

10. Ibid.

Birth Control for Horses, Not for Women," Blog for Choice, February 17, 2011
http://www.moveon.org/r?r=206106&id=26177-4057661-scqEjax&t=15

Want to support our work? We're entirely funded by our 5 million members—no corporate contributions, no big checks from CEOs. And our tiny staff ensures that small contributions go a long way. Chip in here.

PAID FOR BY MOVEON.ORG POLITICAL ACTION, http://pol.moveon.org/. Not authorized by any candidate or candidate's committee. This email was sent to Danise Begnaud on February 19, 2011. To change your email address or update your contact info, click here. To remove yourself from this list, click here.

Chasing Cars [With Lyrics] - Snow Patrol

2011-01-29T18:47:00.001-07:00

Unrelated to the song, which I find is a wonderful love song, my teenager is now driving with his learner's permit. For some reason this song came to mind when he was driving home from a gathering at our friends' house and a stream of cars were following us. He was going only slightly slower than the speed limit, and yet the cars were backing up. He's on his way to being an excellent driver.

The First Study Flawed

2011-01-06T16:25:00.001-07:00

Whether or not you believe that autism can be linked to the MMR vaccines given at age 1-2, you need to read these articles. The original 1998 study has been under fire for a while now and I've been following the results. Seems that it was flawed after all, as I guessed. Too many children with autism had developmental problems before any vaccines were given. Mine included.

Here is an article posted on Yahoo's news page:

Study Linking Vaccine to Autism was Flawed

And here's another that was posted on my husband's cousin's husband's facebook page:

How the Case Against the MMR Vaccine Was Fixed

The paper was originally published February 1998. It was retracted 12 years later. My son was born in 1998 but I didn't hear about the case for the MMR vaccine causing autism until we suspected he was on the spectrum when he was about 4 years old. The paper sure caused an uproar but I believed that any link between the vaccine and autism was not all that there was. My son showed developmental delays and problems by the time he was one year old. Therapists began coming to our house when he was 15 months old. After all, early intervention is the key to success.

My family seems to have a strong genetic link to autism spectrum disorders, but it has only been an issue in the last generation. I believe it is something in our generation since it is 3/4 women roughly the same age with kids born near the same time. Was it something we did/did not do as children? Was it something our kids did/did not do? My cousin firmly believes it was the vaccines for her son but our other two boys showed symptoms before their vaccines (I don't know about our other cousin's daughter). I believe that our kids are extra sensitive to toxins out there in the world right now, whether it be vaccines, pollutants, or pesticides (for example).

The second article above shows what the doctors with anti-vaccine agendas did in order to gain fame and fortune. It does state that there is a difference between "regressive autism" such as a child that reached every milestone until around 2 years of age when they suddenly lost their skills and "classical autism" where a child has symptoms of autism from birth. They briefly mention other kinds of autism such as PDD-NOS or Asperger's where a child reaches milestones at a normal rate but has autistic traits that impact their learning and socialization throughout life.

In summary, the article states:

How the link was fixed
The Lancet paper was a case series of 12 child patients; it reported a proposed “new syndrome” of enterocolitis and regressive autism and associated this with MMR as an “apparent precipitating event.” But in fact:
Three of nine children reported with regressive autism did not have autism diagnosed at all. Only one child clearly had regressive autism
Despite the paper claiming that all 12 children were “previously normal,” five had documented pre-existing developmental concerns
Some children were reported to have experienced first behavioural symptoms within days of MMR, but the records documented these as starting some months after vaccination
In nine cases, unremarkable colonic histopathology results—noting no or minimal fluctuations in inflammatory cell populations—were changed after a medical school “research review” to “non-specific colitis”
The parents of eight children were reported as blaming MMR, but 11 families made this allegation at the hospital. The exclusion of three allegations—all giving times to onset of problems in months—helped to create the appearance of a 14 day temporal link
Patients were recruited through anti-MMR campaigners, and the study was commissioned and funded for planned litigation

Palo Duro Canyon Pictures

2010-12-03T19:41:00.000-07:00

Palo Duro Canyon was absolutely beautiful. Only one night was cold (down to 9°) with the others in the teens to low 20's. I think we lucked out during the day since they were sunny and lovely. I think the highest temperature was on Saturday with it up around 60°. All in all, the whole trip was great. It was so wonderful to get together with our old friends and to spend time with them. The kids and dogs also got along. The food was delicious and plentiful. It was truly a Thanksgiving to remember and I'm so thankful for good friends and beautiful landscapes and the health to enjoy them both.

Happy Thanksgiving!

2010-11-25T08:40:00.002-07:00

TWAS THE NIGHT OF THANKSGIVING,

BUT I JUST COULDN'T SLEEP.

I TRIED COUNTING BACKWARDS,

I TRIED COUNTING SHEEP.

THE LEFTOVERS BECKONED -

THE DARK MEAT AND WHITE,

BUT I FOUGHT THE TEMPTATION

WITH ALL OF MY MIGHT.

TOSSING AND TURNING WITH ANTICIPATION,

THE THOUGHT OF A SNACK BECAME INFATUATION.

SO, I RACED TO THE KITCHEN, FLUNG OPEN THE DOOR,

AND GAZED AT THE FRIDGE, FULL OF GOODIES GALORE.

GOBBLED UP TURKEY AND BUTTERED POTATOES,

PICKLES AND CARROTS, BEANS AND TOMATOES.

I FELT MYSELF SWELLING SO PLUMP AND SO ROUND,

'TIL ALL OF A SUDDEN, I ROSE OFF THE GROUND.

I CRASHED THROUGH THE CEILING, FLOATING INTO THE SKY,

WITH A MOUTHFUL OF PUDDING AND A HANDFUL OF PIE.

BUT, I MANAGED TO YELL AS I SOARED PAST THE TREES....

HAPPY EATING TO ALL - PASS THE CRANBERRIES, PLEASE.

MAY YOUR STUFFING BE TASTY,

MAY YOUR TURKEY BE PLUMP.

MAY YOUR POTATOES 'N GRAVY HAVE NARY A LUMP.

MAY YOUR YAMS BE DELICIOUS.

MAY YOUR PIES TAKE THE PRIZE,

MAY YOUR THANKSGIVING DINNER STAY OFF OF YOUR THIGHS!!

HAPPY THANKSGIVING TO ALL!

The Grand Canyon of Texas

2010-11-23T18:59:00.001-07:00

When long-time college friends suggested that we go camping together, I thought it would be a wonderful idea.....for next summer. What a surprise to hear them ask us to go camping with them during Thanksgiving break! The plan is for them to drive from Dallas toward the west and we'll drive from here toward the east and we'll meet up in the middle. The middle is roughly 6 hours for each of us in the town of Amarillo, Texas. Our friends found a place to camp that has full hookups for our pop-up campers, a Texas State Park called "Palo Duro Canyon," also known as "The Grand Canyon of Texas."

Humans have lived in Palo Duro Canyon for approximately 12,000 years. The Clovis and Folsom people first lived in the canyon and hunted large herds of mammoth and giant bison. Later on, the Apaches, Comanches, and Kiowas lived there..

Early Spanish Explorers are believed to have discovered the area and named the canyon "Palo Duro" which is Spanish for "hard wood." There are a lot of mesquite (which I have no idea what it looks like) and juniper (abundant in my town and an allergy nemesis).

In 1874, Palo Duro Canyon was a battle site during the Red River Wars. The US Government captured the Native Americans living and hiding in the canyon by first capturing 1,400 horses and then later destroying the majority of the herd. Unable to escape, the Native Americans surrendered and were transported to reservations in Oklahoma.

Of course, I can't wait to explore the canyon and discover the geological features there. I did a little bit of research to prepare me for what I might see and found out that the canyon is approximately 120 miles long, 20 miles wide, and 800 feet deep. Palo Duro Canyon was formed primarily by water erosion from the Prairie Dog Town Fork of the Red River, which began to carve the canyon less than one million years ago. This is exactly how the Grand Canyon in Arizona was formed. The slopes of the canyon reveal the colorful natural history of the area.

From this website here I found out the oldest layers of rock, the Cloud Chief Gypsum, is 250 million years old and can only be seen in a few areas in the canyon. The next oldest and most prominent layer of rock is the Quartermaster Formation which can be seen with its distinctive red claystone/sandstone and white layers of gypsum.

"The Tecovas Formation is located directly above the Quartermaster and is composed of yellow, gray, and lavender mudstone and sandstone. Together with the Quartermaster, they form the colorful triangular slopes called Spanish Skirts. Above the Tecovas, the Truijillo and Ogallala formations can be viewed. The Ogallala is composed of sand, silt, clay, and limestone, which compose the hard caprock."

I hope to be able to find some trails to walk on so that we can see the beautiful rock formations around us and maybe see some wildlife as well. My only worry is the weather! On Thanksgiving Day it should only be 39 degrees, but then again, that is how cold it supposed to be in my town as well. Nights will definitely be below freezing. As I said, we'll have full hookups and so we're bringing electric heaters.

Our friends and we have coordinated meals so that we're going to have a real Thanksgiving meal. It'll be really wonderful, I'm sure. I really can't wait for this exciting adventure, something we've never done for Thanksgiving before!

Letter to a Whiny Young Democrat

2010-11-04T15:16:00.005-06:00

By Mark Morford, San Francisco Gate Columnist

Letter Link

Oh, now you've done it.
See? You see what happens when you young liberal voters get so disgruntled and disillusioned that you drop all your party's newborn, hard-won ideas about Hope™ and Change™, without any patience, without really giving them sufficient time to mature, without understanding that hugely foreign, anti-American concept known as "the long view"?
See what happens when you wallow in hollow disappointment, trudging all over your liberal arts campus and refusing to vote in a rather important mid-term election, all because your pet issues and nubile ego weren't immediately serviced by a mesmerizing guy named Barack Obama just after he sucked you into his web of fuzzyhappy promises a mere two years ago, back when you were knee-high to a shiny liberal ideology?
Well, now you know. This is what happens: The U.S. House of Representatives, the most insufferable gaggle of political mongrels this side of, well, the rest of Congress, reverts to GOP control like a brain tumor reverts to a more aggressive form of cancer, and everything gets bleaker and sadder and, frankly, a whole lot nastier.
What happens is: Many kinds of fragmented, muddled, but still constructive Democratic progress might get stopped quite nearly dead, and even a few pieces of legislation we actually did gain get slapped around, threatened, stomped on the head like a scientist at a Rand Paul rally. Happy now?
Check it out, kiddo: This is not just any Republican party you allowed back into power; these mealy folks are not anything like the war-hungry, Bush-tainted army of flying monkeys and Dick Cheney moose knuckles you so wonderfully helped bury in the history books last election.
No, the GOP of 2010-2011 is even weirder, dumber, less interested in anything you even remotely care about; this GOP is infused like a sour cocktail with a bitter splash of the most cartoonish, climate change-denying Tea Party dingbats imaginable -- most of whom think you're an elitist, terrorist-loving, gay-supporting threat to "real" American values, btw -- all led by a guy named Boehner who wears a bizarre, shellacked tan so fake and creepy it makes Nancy Pelosi looks like a supermodel.
And you made it all happen. Or rather, you failed to prevent it from happening, by not voting, by turning your collective back on Obama's tough love, by getting all whiny and dejected like some sort of sullen teen vampire who can't get laid.
Do you deny it? Did you see the polls and studies that said that most fresh-faced, Obama-swooning Dems like you are now refusing to support our beloved Nazi Muslim president because he didn't wish-fulfill your every whim in a week? That he was, in fact, not quite the instant-gratification SuperJesus of your (or rather, our) dreams?
Of course you didn't see any of that. Hell, I bet you're not even reading this column right now. You're probably back on Twitter, raging into the Void about, hell, who knows what? The Wolf Parade concert. Angry Birds. The People of Wal-Mart. Anything but politics, really.
But hey, whatevs, right? Screw it. Screw him. After all, the prez let you down. Conveniently "forgot" to include you in the dialogue, after a major election that you helped him win. Where were the outreach programs? The campus speaking tours? Weekly appearances on "The Daily Show"? Legal pot and gay marriage and discounts tickets to SXSW and Burning Man and Coachella? I want my goddamn political perks, and I want them now.
Hey, I understand. We're an instant gratification culture, and you're an ADHD generation. Who wants to hear that serious enviro legislation might take a decade or two to fully come to fruition? Who wants to hear about Obama passing rather amazing student loan reform? Or even financial reform? Or health care, the Iraq drawdown, saving a million jobs at GM, or all the rest of his rather astonishing achievements to date? Dude, so boring.
Of course, you've now learned the hard way that the hot flush of a major election is far more electrifying than the gray n' meaty grind of actual governing. Obama flew into office on gossamer liberal wings, but the real halls of D.C. are a goddamn pigsblood slaughterhouse, brutal and depressing, full of gnarled legislative compromise. Screw that noise, you know?
And you know what? You're right. Well, sort of. The Obama administration sure as hell could've done more to keep young activists inspired and involved. It's an opportunity squandered, no question. Then again, dude was sorta busy unburying the entire nation, you know? And the twitchy Democratic party has never been known for its savvy cohesion. Maybe you can give him/them a break? Whoops, too late.
Look, I'm sorry. I know I'm being far too hard on you. Of course it's not just you. It's not completely your fault these dimwit Repubs were allowed to ooze back into a bit of power so soon. As many analysts have pointed out, this wasn't a vote for the Republicans, but against the limp-wristed Dems who didn't step up and lead with more authority and clarity of purpose. Truly, libs and independents of every age are frustrated Obama isn't governing with the same kind of magical, balls-out visionary zeal that fueled his campaign.
And let's not forget a shockingly unintelligent Tea Party movement that stands for exactly nothing and fears exactly everything, all ghost-funded by a couple of creepy libertarian oil billionaires -- the leathery old Koch brothers -- who eat their young for a snack. Who could've predicted that gnarled political contraption would hold water? But hey, when Americans are angry and nervous, they do stupid things. Like vote Republican. It happens. Just did.
But here's your big takeaway, young Dem: It ain't over yet. The 2012 election is just around the corner. If we've learned anything, it's that two years whip by insanely quickly. Anything can happen, and usually does. You'll have another chance. And probably another after that. Maybe more.
So here's what you need to know, right now: Barack Obama is, and will continue to be, a bit of goddamn miracle. He's simply as good as we're going get for an articulate, thoughtful, integrity-rich Democratic prez in your lifetime. Period. To hamstring his administration out of spite and laziness is childish and sad. Check the accomplishments. Understand the process. Deal with the messiness.
It will never be perfect. It will never be giddy liberal nirvana, because it doesn't work that way. Politics is corrosive and infuriating, de facto and by definition, even with someone as thoughtful as Obama in the Big Chair. Understand it. Deal with it. Get back in the game. If you don't, we all lose.
Your choice, kiddo.

Ghosts of Our Youth

2010-11-01T17:05:00.002-06:00

October saw too many teen suicides due to bullying. Many people spoke out about the subject when gay teens Tyler Clementi and Raymond Chase committed suicide after being a victim of bullying. President Obama expressed his sorrow and concern in a video, "It Gets Better" posted on the White House website and on YouTube. He said,

"I don’t know what it’s like to be picked on for being gay. But I do know what it’s like to grow up feeling that sometimes you don’t belong. It’s tough. And for a lot of kids, the sense of being alone or apart – I know can just wear on you. And when you’re teased or bullied, it can seem like somehow you brought it on yourself – for being different, or for not fitting in with everybody else."

Last week the pastor at my local Unitarian Universalist church had a lot to say on the subject as well. His sermon, Ghosts of Our Youth (podcast link) spoke to my heart , especially when I learned that two of the recent suicides were only 13 years old. Please listen to his sermon.

Rev. Cullinan asks, "Why do I feel like nothing much has changed in the last 25 years?" Please do your part to stop the bullying that is so prevalent in our society. Save lives.

Going Back Home Again

2010-10-17T12:29:00.017-06:00

Last weekend I flew back to my old hometown area of Sacramento, California to attend my Roseville High School class of 1985 reunion (25 years). I went from 7,500 feet to 50 feet above sea level! Flying into Sacramento International Airport was a breeze, thankfully, and I had no trouble getting my rental car and heading out onto the interstate toward Roseville. I took the back way since I wanted to stop by my old neighborhood where I grew up.

Along Hwy 99 north there were houses where rice paddies used to be and I was surprised at the growth. I drove through the little town of Elverta which hasn't changed a lot. Elverta was named for a woman, Elverta Dike, whose husband donated property to the church. My old neighborhood was on the outskirts of Elverta and actually had a stop light now! The old neighborhood looked very much the same, only not as run down as I remember it being when I lived there. I was amazed to see my old house completely renovated and added onto. It stood out among the other homes, not fitting in any longer. I did notice the mulberry tree that I used to climb was still in the side yard and a pine tree rose behind the back of the house that I remember my dad planting. I did not see evidence of "Willie" the weeping willow tree in the back yard any longer. It was my all-time favorite climbing tree.

As I made my way to Roseville where I was staying (and the town that I was bussed to for high school) I couldn't believe the new subdivisions and shopping centers. So much had changed and there was so much traffic that was overwhelming. Where alfalfa or hay fields were are now all covered in suburbia. Roseville is a town that was settled by old miners from the Gold Rush back in the 1850s. It became a railroad town on the outskirts of Sacramento. Now it couldn't be considered "ouskirts" anymore since all of the individual towns merged together into one metropolis in the Sacramento Valley.

Before going to the high school for a tour and a football game, I went to In N Out Burger to eat dinner. There are no In N Outs here in New Mexico (yet) and I had to make a stop for a cheeseburger, fries, and vanilla shake.

About 10 alumni went on the school tour and we were surprised at so many changes. New and converted buildings took the place of the soccer field, auto shop, art department, and administration buildings. I was glad to see the amphitheater was still there, a place where my friends and I always had lunch and spent each day people watching, talking, and sometimes crying as teenagers are prone to do. It was so fun to talk with other alumni and to share our stories and pictures with each other as we watched the football game (and yes, Roseville won, beating the crosstown rivals Woodcreek Oaks).

On Saturday I was able to visit with a dear friend of mine that I've known since I was 11 years old. The two of us raised hell growing up and have remained close all these years. She took me to a delicious restaurant in Granite Bay for lunch.

Saturday night was the Big Event, dinner and dancing at Aura Lounge in downtown Sacramento. The filet mignon was extraordinary! About 40 of us met for dinner and it was so wonderful to get reacquainted with so many of my classmates and friends. Some classmates I got to "meet" for the first time, not having talked to them while in high school at all. Some people I didn't remember at all and some people didn't remember me. But we all enjoyed talking and then dancing the night away upstairs on the dance floor. I think an additional 10-15 people came just for the dancing. We closed the club and a bunch of us went a couple of blocks down to Ink, a restaurant where we had munchies and said our goodbyes. I returned back to the hotel at 5 am and slept 'til noon.

On Sunday I drove to Davis with an old friend from the neighborhood I grew up in. I lived in Davis for about 7 years (leaving in 1997) and wanted to visit the area again. I took a picture of the duplex we lived in and the first house where my oldest son lived. We drove around the UC Davis campus where I graduated back in 1992. Again, there were so many new buildings that the school had a completely new feel to it. Davis has also grown larger with new subdivisions and shopping centers. The only thing still separating the town from Sacramento is the Yolo Causeway, that is an elevated bypass above the flood zone along the Sacramento River. Anyway, we ate lunch at Woodstock's Pizza, which was still very good after 13 years. We had pepperoni, sausage, and black olives on whole wheat crust.

Sunday evening was spent visiting more and packing up for my return trip home. I got to the Sacramento airport with no trouble and even had time to spare before my flight to explore the shops and to eat a Cinnabon. I remember when the airport was Sacramento Metropolitan Airport and didn't have shops and a food court! Flying out of Sacramento toward Albuquerque felt bittersweet...leaving an area where I grew up and people I love, but returning back home to beautiful northern New Mexico and my family. The fall colors are spectacular here right now (Santa Fe below).

One thing I'm glad of being back in New Mexico is that there are a lot less people here and traffic isn't so extreme. It might be another 5 years before I get to go back to Roseville again, but I took away some wonderful memories of this visit.

Teri's Lemon Cheesecake

2010-09-18T16:17:00.005-06:00

A friend from work gave me this recipe for lemon cheesecake after she made it for a work party. It's been a few months since then but I finally made it myself for a party that we all went to last night and it turned out delicious. It wasn't as pretty as Teri's since the middle sank on my cheesecake whereas hers was flat on top. In any case, it isn't the looks that count. I hope Teri doesn't mind me sharing her recipe here but I've had a few requests for it and thought I'd let others enjoy this lemony cheesecake goodness. Of course, being me, I've changed it a little bit, using Vanilla Wafers instead of Barnum's Animal Crackers and not baking the cheesecake in a water bath because I don't have a roasting pan. I also didn't use a food processor to mix up the cookie crumb mixture since I don't have one of those either.

Crust:

6 ounces Nabisco's Barnum's Animal Crackers or Social Tea Biscuits (I used Vanilla Wafers)

3 Tbsp sugar

4 Tbsp melted butter

Crush cookies into crumbs (you should have about 1 cup). Add sugar and mix together. Add the warm melted butter until the mixture is evenly moistened. Transfer the mixture to a 9-inch springform pan and press the crumbs firmly and evenly into the pan bottom. Keep the sides as clean as possible. Bake in a 325° oven for 15 to 18 minutes, until golden brown and fragrant. Cool on wire rack to room temperature.

Filling:

1 1/4 cups sugar

1 Tbsp grated lemon zest

1/4 cup lemon juice

3 8-ounce packages cream cheese

4 large eggs

2 tsp vanilla extract

1/2 cup heavy cream

In a small bowl, mix lemon zest with 1/4 cup sugar until the sugar is yellow and the zest is broken down. Transfer the mixture to a large mixing bowl and add the remaining 1 cup of sugar. Mix together with the cream cheese until creamy and smooth. Scrape down the bowl and add eggs, lemon juice, vanilla, and cream. Scrape the bowl again and mix one last time. Pour into cooled crust and bake at 325° for 1 hour. Turn off oven and let cheesecake sit inside for 30 minutes without opening the oven. Cool on a wire rack to room temperature.

Lemon Curd:

1 jar lemon curd (found in the jelly aisle)

When cheesecake is cool, spread the lemon curd onto the cheesecake while it is still in the springform pan. Refrigerate for at least 4 hours or up to 24 hours. To serve, remove the side of the springform pan and cut the cake into wedges. Serves 12 to 16.

(Teri did have directions to make homemade lemon curd but said that the jar tastes just as good and isn't as much trouble.)

I would have included a photo but it is almost all gone.

Enjoy!

Favorite Song Lyrics Today

2010-09-13T15:56:00.006-06:00

Excerpts from a song called, "Forget and Not Slow Down" by Relient K.

How many times
Can I push it aside
Is it time I befriended all the ghosts of all the things that haunt me most
So they leave me alone
Move on with my life
Be certain the steps of left and right don't fight the direction of upright

I'd rather forget and not slow down
Than gather regret for the things I can't change now

It's time to decide
Which is out of my mind
Cause it'll be me unless I put some thoughts to rest and leave some faults behind

Cause I could spend my life just trying to sift through
What I could've done better but what good do what ifs do

Be Happy

2010-09-10T15:16:00.000-06:00

A friend of mine posted this on her Facebook page. I thought I'd share it here. The illustrations and captions are from the book, "Be Happy--A Little Book to Help You Live a Happy Life" by Monica Sheehan. The music is "Cuore di Sabbia" (Sand Heart) by Pasquale Catalano.

One Year Older

2010-08-30T17:59:00.000-06:00

Today I turned 43. It's too bad that the birthday fairy doesn't hand out "Do-overs" for the previous year because I sure would like one! Anyway, it was a wonderful birthday with a delicious steak dinner complete with mashed potatoes and gravy and rice pilaf. For dessert, my German chocolate birthday cake. It turned out wonderful! I was spoiled by my family yet again.

Just a Thought....

2010-08-28T14:53:00.003-06:00

YOU NEVER KNOW HOW STRONG YOU ARE UNTIL BEING STRONG IS THE ONLY CHOICE YOU HAVE.

On a Shirt

2010-08-24T20:13:00.002-06:00

This is written on a shirt:

Listen to Your Heart

Follow its Path

Live the Life Only

You were Meant

To Live

Memorials

2010-08-22T17:21:00.003-06:00

We went to a memorial service today that was very special. It was the kind of service that I would like after I depart this earth. The theme was "Tea Time" and as people spoke in microphones or at the podium, food was served along with tea and lemonade. There were the traditional cucumber and egg salad sandwiches and various scones. The tea was served in teapots donated for the event by friends of the family and church members. Favorite music was played intermittently between speakers. It truly was beautiful and a celebration of a very special woman's life.

On the back of a photo card was printed this poem:

When Tomorrow Starts

When tomorrow starts without me,

and I'm not there to see;

If the sun should rise and find your eyes,

all filled with tears for me

I wish so much you wouldn't cry,

the way you did today;

While thinking of the many things,

we didn't get to say;

I know how much you love me,

as much as I love you.

And each time that you think of me,

I know you'll miss me too;

But when tomorrow starts without me,

please try to understand;

That an angel came and called my name

and took me by the hand;

Said I'd have to leave behind,

all those I dearly love;

So when tomorrow starts without me,

don't think we're far apart;

For every time you think of me,

I'm right here in your heart.

Of course I'd want pure Hawaiian Kona coffee served at my memorial service instead of the tea.

A Dream Like I've Never Had Before

2010-07-18T20:33:00.005-06:00

Last night's dream was truly odd. I was on some sort of cruise ship, not alone, and we were searching for a place to eat. We ended up at one of those dinner shows and before I knew it, I was up on the stage singing! For one, I don't sing very well, and two, I'd never do it on a stage in front of an audience. I definitely have a fear of giving speeches and singing would be 10 times as scary! But there I was. I don't know what the song was, either. That would have been good to know.

So I looked up what singing in a dream meant on dreammoods.com and read the following: "To sing in your dream, represents happiness, harmony and joy in some situation or relationship. You are uplifting others with your positive attitude and cheerful disposition. Singing is a way to celebrate, communicate, embrace, and express your feelings."

Doesn't that sound good? I like it. Maybe I'm happy because I just had a wonderful vacation. Or maybe I am happy in the relationship with the person that I was with in the dream. In any case, I like to think that I've got a positive attitude and cheerful disposition. But if there's a way to communicate that in any other way besides getting up in front of an audience and singing, I'm all for that instead!

Petrified Forest National Park

2010-07-17T12:16:00.000-06:00

We took a detour off of I-40 as we headed east toward home yesterday and drove through Petrified Forest National Park and the Painted Desert. I've always driven straight through this stretch of Arizona but this time thought it'd be great to stop. Unfortunately, it was 100° outside so we didn't walk any long trails, preferring to drive to lookout points, getting out for pictures, and hurrying back into the air conditioned truck. Still, it was worth the extra time to go through.

Currently this portion of Arizona is a dry grasslands but about 200 million years ago during the late Triassic period it was a humid, tropical, vast floodplain that had many streams crossing it. Tall conifer trees grew along the banks would fall and the streams would wash them into the floodplains. A mix of silt, mud, and volcanic ash buried the logs. The sediment cut off oxygen and slowed the logs' decay. Over time silica-rich groundwater seeped through the logs, replacing the original wood tissues with silica deposits. Eventually the silica crystallized into quartz and the logs were preserved as petrified wood.

At the southern end of Petrified Forest National Park is a short Giant Logs Trail. Normally they say the 0.3 mile loop should take 20 minutes but I think we did it in 10 because of the heat. Still, we saw wonderful, colorful petrified wood deposits in the Chinle Formation. The colors of the logs are due to trace minerals that soaked into the wood along with the silica. Blue, purple, brown and black are caused by manganese minerals.

As you drive north along the park road you are driving toward younger deposits. At the farthest north, at Chinde Point on the Painted Desert portion of the park, the rocks are about 205 million years old. Over 10 million years of deposition occurred within the park. The views of the Painted Desert were remarkable. Next time I'd like to visit during the spring or fall when it isn't so hot!

Sunset Crater Volcano National Monument

2010-07-15T19:39:00.000-06:00

The third national monument we visited on Wednesday was located about 20 miles north of Flagstaff: the Sunset Crater Volcano National Monument. It is located within the San Francisco Volcanic Field on the Colorado Plateau that was active beginning six million years ago. Sunset Crater is the most recent eruption, exploding between 1040 and 1100. The Sinagua lived and farmed the area and so were witnesses to this eruption.

Sunset Crater is a cinder cone, forming when molten rock sprayed high into the air from a crack in the ground. The lava solidified and fell to Earth as large bombs or small cinders. Eruption after eruption occurred in this manner, building a debris pile up to 1,000 feet high. Two lava flows erupted near the vent, the Kana-a and the Bonito, and destroyed everything in their path. The entire event may have lasted 6 months to a year with a final eruption spewing red and yellow cinders out from the vent and onto the rim. The colorful glow from these cinders reminded people of a sunset and led to the volcano's name. The elevation at the summit is 8,029 feet with it's diameter at its base 1 mile. Approximately one billion tons of material was extruded from the vent.

We walked along a trail over the Bonito lava flow to the base of Sunset Crater. The gravel beneath our feet was black and the rocks a chunky, clinky form of lava called "aa." It is the same kind of lava flow that I walked over when on the big island of Hawaii. The rock is also known as "basalt."

The ancestors of today's Hopi people, the Sinagua, witnessed the eruption. In some Hopi accounts, the Qa'na Katsina caused Sunset Crater to erupt after people engaged in a life out of balance. The eruption is a living reminder that if people stray from their religious ideals and life, there may be another eruption.

Walnut Canyon National Monument

2010-07-15T16:29:00.001-06:00

After we visited Meteor Crater yesterday, we went to Walnut Canyon National Monument near Flagstaff. At first all I saw as I walked the 270 steps down to the Island Trail from the visitor center were the rock layers. I noticed right away the cross bedding within the CoconinoSandstone (left) and the blocky pattern of the Kaibab Limestone that was above it. After looking more, I noticed ancient dwellings of the Sinagua built into one layer of the overhanging limestone cliffs.

In the canyon you see the layering of the Kaibab Limestone on top of the Coconino Sandstone but what you don't see right away is a limey shale layer under the limestone. Because shale is less resistant to weathering and erosion, it was carved away by flowing water, leaving the limestone overhang above it. The Sinagua built walls and fronts using the overhangs as roofs. They used blocks of limestone cemented with clay. The dwellings go back at least 10 feet and are on average 5 feet high.

The Sinagua lived in the canyon from 1125 to 1250 when the canyon was fertile. It is not clear why the people left but they moved to new villages and were eventually assimilated into the Hopi culture.

Meteor Crater

2010-07-15T08:48:00.002-06:00

Yesterday (Wednesday) we visited another big hole in the ground, this one not formed from earth’s natural processes, but from something extraterrestrial.

Meteor crater was formed 50,000 years ago when an iron-nickel meteorite (meteors stay in the sky, meteorites hit the ground) struck what is now the Arizona desert. The meteor is estimated to have been about 150 feet across and weighed several hundred thousand tons (a 2-foot wide, 1,400-pound fragment of it is pictured, above left). It struck the land with an explosive force greater than 20 million tons of TNT. During the crater’s formation, over 175 million tons of rock were thrown out a distance of over a mile. Large blocks of limestone, the size of small houses, were heaved onto the rim and flat-lying beds of rock were overturned or uplifted as much as 150 feet.

The crater made a hole in the rocks of the Kaibab Limestone and Coconino Sandstone from 260 million years ago. The crater is over 4,000 feet across and 550 feet deep. Originally, the crater is thought to have been 700 feet deep (as tall as a 70-story building) but erosion has transferred the topsoil over time. The circumference is 2.4 miles.

How do scientists know that the crater isn’t a volcanic caldera? After all, people argued over its origin when it was first discovered in 1871. Local settlers just thought it was part of the Hopi Buttes volcanic field northeast of the site. After many years of study, scientists have concluded that it is definitely not volcanic and that it is the result of an impact. There is the presence of many meteorite fragments on the northeast side of the crater. Plus, two minerals: coesite and stishovite were present in the rocks, both high-pressure forms of quartz that were altered by the extremely high pressure of the impact. These minerals are not found in volcanic craters or rocks.

During 1964 through 1972, the US Geological Survey and NASA provided science and sampling training for the Apollo astronauts because scientists were interested in what kind of materials might lay on the moon’s surface and below.

Collisions have occurred since the beginning of the solar system and will continue to occur. Collisions the size of the one that hit Meteor Crater average every 50,000 years. It’s time for another one so luckily scientists are “looking” to the skies with their high-powered digital telescopes.

Some information came from what I learned from the museum displays and from a pamphlet handed out at the fee station called, “Meteor Crater: Brief History.”

The Grand Canyon in One Day

2010-07-14T20:59:00.002-06:00

The Grand Canyon: "the place every American should see." — President Theodore Roosevelt

Yesterday we spent the whole day at the south rim of Grand Canyon National Park. As I mentioned in a previous blog entry, the last time I was at the Grand Canyon was 15 years ago but that time we only explored the east side of the south rim. I don’t remember whether we explored the west side of the south rim or not when I came here when I was 9, but in any case, we went al the way west to Hermit’s Rest and all the way east to Desert View this visit. We walked the rim trail as often as we could and took the shuttle bus when we didn’t.

Information on the Grand Canyon is all over the Internet and in many publications already so I won’t give an in-depth geologic history lesson here—just some basic facts.

The Grand Canyon cuts down into the Colorado Plateau that stretches north to Utah, northeast to Colorado, and east to New Mexico. At the south rim, the elevation is 7,000 feet. The Canyon spans almost 2 billion years of time from the basement rocks of the Vishnu Schist to the 270 million year old Kaibab Limestone at the top. Below the Kaibab Limestone is the same Coconino Sandstone and Hermit Shale exposed in the Sedona rocks.

According to the National Park Service pamphlet that is handed out at the entrance, “The Grand Canyon reveals a beautiful sequence of rock layers that serve as windows into time.” The Canyon was carved by the Colorado River 5 or 6 million years ago and is now about a mile deep. Its width varies from 8 miles to 18 miles wide and extends about 280 river miles long. As the river cuts down, the canyon deepens. Tributaries erode into the canyon’s sides and increase its width. Erosion carves faster into the softer rock layers like the shales and undermine the harder layers like the sandstones, creating cliffs, slopes, buttes, and pinnacles.

The views along the rim are inspiring and beautiful. Looking across the Canyon gives you such a feeling of power and beauty at the same time. What nature can create, with the dazzing erosional forms, rock colors, and geologic time is just awesome. Truly a place that every American, every person, should see.

Cathedral Rock

2010-07-12T21:41:00.000-06:00

This afternoon we drove out to Red Rock Crossing, accessible from a beautiful park called "Crescent Moon Ranch" along Oak Creek that has spectacular views of Cathedral Rock. I took some pictures with the sun shining on the rock formation before getting to the park but once we got to the park the sun went behind the clouds again. Nevertheless, I got some really beautiful pictures. I'd love to spend more time at the park wandering the trails.

The Verde Valley and Back to Sedona

2010-07-12T15:20:00.011-06:00

This morning's adventure took us south of Sedona to the Verde Valley near the intersections of Hwy 179 and I-17. We explored Montezuma Castle National Monument and Montezuma Well. The area is within a fault zone and was once a freshwater lake 12 million years ago, forming a white limestone from the sediment. Scientists believe that faulting caused the lava dam holding in the water to fracture and the lake to drain 2 million years ago.

In a cave in the Verde Limestone, the Sinagua peoples built what is now called Montezuma Castle around 1150 CE. The structure is a 5-story, 20-room dwelling standing 100 feet above the valley. Early settlers believed the structure was Aztec in origin and named it "Montezuma" after the great Aztec emperor. The name has stuck. The Sinagua built this dwelling above Beaver Creek, which is now dry. Perhaps that was why the pueblo people left the area.

Eleven miles northeast of the castle is Montezuma Well, a limestone sink hole that formed by the collapse of an immense underground cavern about 11,000 years ago. There are still

springs that feed it so it remains full of water (a constant 76°) and there are species that live there that are not found anywhere else.

The Sinagua irrigated crops with the sink's water and built irrigation ditches to help them. There are cliff and cave dwellings and pueblo ruins to see along the trail. Stairs take you down 150 feet to the shoreline where there is a shady area with ruins. Another set of stairs down the trail takes you to a natural oasis where the 1,000-year-old irrigation ditch still flows today.

On the way back to Sedona, we stopped for two quick picture opportunities: Bell Rock and another view of Cathedral Rock. Since it was 93° outside, we didn't stay at either place very long, preferring to get back to the timeshare and the air conditioning and pool.

Tomorrow's Adventure: The Grand Canyon!!!

P.S. Bell Rock was another vortex location....nada!

Red Rock State Park

2010-07-11T15:31:00.000-06:00

This morning we went to Red Rock State Park to hike. The park is a nature preserve and environmental education center that has trails winding throughout it. We took a 2 mile loop trail called "Eagle's Nest Trail" that took us along Oak Creek, up about 200 feet to an overlook, and back down. Although we started off among the riparian vegetation, enjoying the coolness of the shade, we quickly heated up as we climbed up out of the creek floor.

Along the creek were willows, cottonwoods, and sycamores, and we saw some blackberry bushes with fruit not quite ripe yet. A couple of striped lizards skittered away from us as we passed them and we heard cicadas as we walked. Once we climbed up out of the forest, we encountered chapparal (it's that stinky stuff Youngest Son doesn't like), shrub oaks, pinon, juniper, and prickly pears.

We were walking in the Hermit Formation, older than the Schnebly Hill Formation from yesterday's hike. The Hermit Formation is a siltstone formed on an ocean floor some 280 million years ago. Hematite (iron oxide) colors the rock red here too.

At the top of the hill was a great overlook. We could see the greater Sedona area with Cathedral Rock in the distance (photo, right). We didn't stay too long at the top because of the heat and were glad to walk downhill back to the visitor's center where we got drinks and candy to reward us for our efforts. Next hike had better be in the cool forest or must begin at 8 am!

Fay Canyon Trail & Cathedral Rock, Sedona

2010-07-10T15:09:00.008-06:00

This morning we went on our first hike in the Red Rock Country. We headed to the "Red Rock Secret Mountain Wilderness" area in the northwest area of Sedona. We orginally were headed to the "Vultee Arch" Trail but the 4x4 road leading to it was 4 miles long and extremely rocky and bumpy so we turned around after only 1 mile. Instead, we went up the paved Dry Creek Road a bit farther and found another trailhead called "Fay Canyon." It was rated as "easy" in the FalconGuides book, "Best Easy Day Hikes: Sedona."

The trail was beautiful, an easy walk through the pinon (spelled pinyon in AZ), cypress, manzanita, and juniper forest. Many flowers were along the trail but of course I didn't know what kind they were. Some of them were the same as what I see at home like the red penstemon (yes, I do know what those are called!). There were century plants (agave) and yucca plants too. We did see a lizard along the trail too.

Along the trail was supposed to be a side route that led to a natural rock arch. We attempted to find the arch but never could. I think we took the wrong side route and didn't want to scramble along the cliffs anymore so just went back to the main trail. Plus, Middle Son was REALLY done with the scrambling so we gave up.

The canyon was amazing with the vertical sandstone cliffs of the Schnebly Hill Formation rising on each side of us. The 270 million-year-old intertidal/beach formation contained a dune deposit and you can see the cross bedding within the layers at the top. The red bedded sandstone was amazing to see.

Now at the end of the trail is a dinosaur head-shaped rock. The end of the trail is also near a vortex location (one canyon over from us). As mentioned in a previous blog, there are four vortexes in the Sedona area. Here in Fay Canyon, we enjoyed the experience of hiking and exploring, witnessing the beauty of the rocks and flora around us, but did we feel that special "energy?" As The Teenager said, "All I felt was hot and sweaty." Middle Son was annoyed with the fact that we were even hiking in the 80° (not counting humidity) heat. The 9-year-old constantly mentioned that it "smelled funny" along the trail. And since I was focused on all of the complaints, I felt nothing but annoyance during the 1.5 mile trek to the trail's end. But the hike back to the truck was better. The boys all stopped complaining and we were able to enjoy the trail experience. But a "Place of Power?" "Infinite wisdom?" Not so much.

After we got back in the truck, we drove to a lookout of Sedona's famous "Cathedral Rock," also made up entirely of the Schnebly Hill Formation. If you've seen any photos advertising Sedona, it is probably of this special rock formation (photo, left). We didn't drive all the way to the formation since it was getting later in the day but the view we got was spectacular. Another vortex location (two more to go!) with no extrasensory experiences except that The Teenager said his headache got better. Hummm.......

So our first morning of exploring this Red Rock Country was wonderful. A great way to start the vacation. I think we'll go back to Cathedral Rock with the rest of the family that we're vacationing with (they didn't want to get out and hike this morning, preferring to sleep in after the long drive yesterday). There are still two more vortex locations to check out and two more hiking trails that I'd like to go on that are in other parts of Sedona. Of course, we want a day at the Grand Canyon and maybe a trip to Meteor Crater. There's just so much to do and not enough time.

P.S. I discovered that "Upper R.R. Road" does not mean "Upper Rail Road Road." It means "Upper Red Rock Road." *embarrassed*

Some Sedona Geology

2010-07-10T09:51:00.003-06:00

Rocks in Red Rock Country are old. From the bottom to the top layer, you can observe about 80 million years of sediment deposition. It's like a giant layer cake with each layer being its own type of rock (sandstone, limestone, siltstone). Each layer was deposited in its own geologic era. Some layers were deposited in shallow seas, some in river deltas and flood plains. Some layers are hardened sand dunes. All of these strata were laid down, one on top of the other, during the Paleozoic Era. During this era fishes dominated the oceans and plants and amphibians were just starting to live on land.

About 350 million years ago the area that is now Sedona was covered in an ocean. Water would fill the area and then retreat over and over again for many eras. Seashores, lake beds, and sand dunes would build up and then erode away.

The red sandstone is evidence of the old sand dunes and beach deposits from long before. Wind would shift the dunes and create patterns of lines called cross beds. Eventually the dunes were cemented into sandstone by iron oxide (causing the red color) and calcium carbonate.

About 225 million years ago the tectonic plates in the region collided and slid. To the north, the Rocky Mountains were pushed up. But in the region that is now Sedona, the Pacific and North American plates slid alongside each other (this is now evident on the southern coast of California with the San Andreas Fault). Eventually, the heavier plate sank and lifted the lighter plate up, creating the Colorado Plateau north of the region.

The Arizona portion of the plateau’s edge is called the Mogollon (MUH-gee-yon) Rim. During this tectonic ballet of sorts, volcanic activity was abundant. Eight million years ago, a volcano erupted with massive flows of lava, leaving black-gray basalt over the red sandstone.

I can’t wait to explore the area and discover the different rock formations with creative names such as “Coffee Pot,” “Snoopy,” and “Bell Rock.” There is something truly relaxing about looking at rock formations and finding shapes within them.

Some Sedona History

2010-07-09T19:41:00.009-06:00

We drove 8 hours to Sedona today and had an uneventful trip (thank goodness). I’ve learned a lot about Sedona from all of the reading on the Internet and from a book called, “Sedona: The Essential Guidebook” by Dennis Andres that I picked out from Amazon.com. Sedona is located in the Oak Creek Canyon area in a transition zone between the high, snowy country of the Colorado Plateau and the vast, dry Sonoran Desert. It is considered “high desert.”

According to Andres, Sedona got its name in 1902 from Missouri brothers that settled in Oak Creek Canyon named Ellsworth and T. Carl Schnebly. When writing to the U.S. Postal Service to petition for a town post office, T. Carl suggested names of “Oak Creek Crossing” or “Schnebly Station” but the USPS wanted something shorter that would fit on a cancellation stamp. As a result, Ellsworth suggested they use T. Carl’s wife’s name: "Sedona."

Before the first settlers, though, the Native American people resided in the area more than 5,000 years ago. They survived by gathering nuts and berries in the forests as well as hunting wild game. There were acorns, prickly pears, and pine nuts to collect and quail, rabbits, and deer to hunt. Most likely, these people moved with the seasons, between the red rocks and the Colorado Plateau to the north. About 2,000 years ago, the people adopted farming and settled there.

The Native American people are known as the Sinagua (sin-a-wa), the word coming from the Spanish words “sin” (without) and “agua” (water).I hope we’ll get to visit the Sinagua ruins of Palatki with 12,000-year-old petroglyphs or Montezuma Castle (neither a castle nor associated with Montezuma) with its cliff dwellings.

Sedona's Vortexes

2010-07-05T10:23:00.002-06:00

Soon we'll be taking our summer vacation to Sedona, AZ with side trips to Flagstaff and the Grand Canyon. I've never been to Sedona before and have only driven through Flagstaff on the way to California. I have been to the Grand Canyon, though, once when I was about 9 years old on a trip from California to Oklahoma with my mom's parents, and again when I was 28 and pregnant with my first child. I had such morning (daytime) sickness during that trip that I don't remember much except that I just wanted to stay in the car and be miserable. So this time, there is nothing to prevent me from enjoying the beauty around me and I look forward to seeing "That Big Hole in the Ground" as my grandpa, Pop, called it.

So I've been doing a bit of research online and have found many websites that describe Sedona and the Red Rocks the area is known for. I've learned that Sedona is known not only for it's geological beauty, but also for it's "Vortexes." The vortexes in Sedona are swirling centers of subtle energy coming out from the surface of the earth. It seems that visitors to certain areas around Sedona have experienced strong feelings such as an increase in intuition to a sense of being at home. People who claim that they are more sensitive to energy have reported that they are moved spontaneously to emotion or they feel unusually healthy and vibrant when in the presence of a vortex. Juniper trees are especially suseptable to the power of vortexes (photo, below left). Their trunks twist because of the energy (according to Sedona's spiritual leaders; I imagine botanists have another explanation).

According to the website lovesedona.com:

"There are four main energy vortexes in Sedona. The subtle energy that exists at these locations interacts with who a person is inside. The energy resonates with and strengthens the Inner Being of each person that comes within about a quarter to a half mile of it. This resonance happens because the vortex energy is very similar to the subtle energy operating in the energy centers inside each person. If you are at all a sensitive person, it is easy to feel the energy at these vortexes."

Now, these feelings may just be due to being in the presence of beautiful rock formations and as a geologist, I sure do love to be among beautiful rocks. But increased energy? Spirituality? Healing? I'll believe it if it happens to me!

So is there anything scientific to this perceived power? Some people said that it is the iron in the rocks that has not only colored them red, but has created magnetism that provides the power of the vortexes. But geological study has demonstrated that magnetism is not the source of the phenomenon that people report.

I guess the only way I'll find out is to go stand on one of these four vortexes or walk a trail leading to an energy spot and see what happens. At the very least (and what I'd expect) I'd find myself in a beautiful spot enjoying the views around me. And I guess that is spiritual in itself.

Independence Day

2010-07-04T14:00:00.001-06:00

You have to love a nation that celebrates its independence every July 4, not with a parade of guns, tanks, and soldiers who file by the White House in a show of strength and muscle, but with family picnics where kids throw Frisbees, the potato salad gets iffy, and the flies die from happiness. You may think you have overeaten, but it is patriotism.

--Erma Bombeck

Happy 4th of July to Everyone!

Hope

2010-07-04T12:37:00.002-06:00

Hope springs eternal in the human breast;
Man never Is, but always To be blest:
The soul, uneasy and confin'd from home,
Rests and expatiates in a life to come.

-Alexander Pope,
An Essay on Man, Epistle I, 1733

Health

2010-07-01T21:36:00.003-06:00

If you have your health, be thankful for it now. When it is gone you'll realize that you took it for granted when you had it.

Banded Iron Formation (BIF)

2010-06-02T21:36:00.001-06:00

I was recently reminded of how beautiful Banded Iron Formations (BIFs) are and so thought I'd write about them today. The photo on the left is of the BIF that I have displayed on my mantle and specifically is known as a Tiger-eye BIF. It makes lovely jewelery as well as display pieces.

One thing about BIFs is that it is very old. They are some of the oldest sedimentary rocks known and date to as old as 3 billion years old. Earth's conditions were very unique back then and it has not been the same since so the rock is really unusual. BIFs are thought to have formed from the oxygen that was released from ancient photosynthetic bacteria (bluegreen algae) combining with dissolved iron in the Earth's oceans and precipitating out onto the muddy ocean floor. Since this was a seasonal process, you got alternating bands of iron oxide and shale rock. You can also get bands of jasper or tiger eye (a type of quartz). In massive form, BIF is unremarkable except that it is extremely heavy because of the iron content. When polished, BIF can be very beautiful. The red jasper or tiger eye looks great layered with the silvery hematite or magnetite.

Ghost Ranch Camping, Abiquiu, NM

2010-06-01T19:12:00.016-06:00

I got to spend some time over the Memorial Day weekend in another beautiful part of northern New Mexico: Ghost Ranch, a "dude ranch" from the 1920's to 1930's, now privately owned. Ghost Ranch is located along US Highway 84, about 65 miles northwest of Santa Fe. There are a couple of "claims to fame" at Ghost Ranch. First, the famous artist Georgia O'Keeffe lived at the ranch in 1934 and painted gorgeous works of art of the area (painting, left). Second, the New Mexico state fossil, Coelophysis, a small Triassic (220 MYA) dinosaur, was found in a quarry there in 1947. The neat thing about the dinosaur find was that there were many skeletons arranged in the rock at once, all jumbled together. Paleontologists concluded that they all died during a flash flood when caught off guard and were deposited in a mass together where they were buried quickly and later fossilized.

I had to do a little research to find out why the Ranch was called "Ghost Ranch" and found my answer in a visitor's brochure at the museum on site (The Ruth Hall Museum of Paleontology and Anthropology). The early New Mexican people called the place Rancho do los Brujos, which means "Ranch of the Witches." There are stories of six-foot tall "earth babies" covered in red hair that howled in the night, and a ghost cow with wings. The old-timers tell stories of canyons filled with the ghosts of men killed in battles between sheep ranchers and cattle ranchers, and by rustlers who once lived in Ghost House on the ranch. I think they just heard coyotes or the wind howling in the night!

We camped in the little campground there with five other families for two nights and had so much fun. The red dirt got everywhere but luckily bleach washed it out of the socks. The red dirt is sediment from the Triassic Chinle Formation consisting of a red siltstone and mudstone mixed with a white- to tan-colored sandstone. (The red Chinle Formation is found also at the Painted Desert in Arizona.) The Chinle Formation is a river deposit formed during a semi-arid climate. (This is the formation that Coelophysis was found in.) Lying on top of the Chinle is the Jurassic Entrada Sandstone, a red, white, and yellow banded mass that was formed from a huge dune field. The banding is caused by chemical reactions with iron inside the sandstone.

We were able to view the cliffs formed by the Chinle and Entrada Formations along a trail to the Box Canyon. It was a 4-mile hike round trip and led along a small canyon with a little creek flowing through. It was truly beautiful at the end of the trail where you find yourself enclosed on three sides by sheer rock walls. Near the beginning of the Box Canyon trail we passed Kitchen Mesa (photo, below left), named either because the trailhead started behind the Dining Hall or because there was a rock "chimney" that you had to climb through to get to the top. I want to take this more strenuous trail when the boys are older. I hear the views from the top are incredible.

The only downsides of the campground are that they don't allow dogs so we had to leave ours with the pet sitter, juniper shrubs as the only shade (ah-choo!), and the horrible biting ants. Oh, and that red dirt that got everywhere! So keep that in mind if you ever want to camp there. But overall, it was a wonderful getaway for the weekend.

Spring Break Trip: White Sands National Monument

2010-03-31T22:02:00.000-06:00

We drove to Alamogordo today, another lovely (and I say that with total sarcasm) southern New Mexico town. Alamogordo is situated in the Tularosa Basin, a low spot caused by the downward movement of the land between parallel faults. These faults are considered part of the Rio Grande Rift system that fractures the state from north to south. To the west of Alamogordo are the San Andreas Mountains and to the east are the Sacramento Mountains. I find these names funny since I grew up in California, near Sacramento and very much aware of the San Andreas Fault system nearby.

Just outside of Alamogordo is the White Sands National Monument. These are not your ordinary silica (quartz) sand dunes. The sand at White Sands are made of fine white grains of gypsum and encompass about 275 square miles. Three things are needed to form sand dunes: a source of sand, plenty of wind, and a place where the sand can be deposited.

The main source of the white sand is the erosion of the San Andreas Mountains to the southwest of the dunes. When the Permian sea evaporated 250 million years ago, it left behind deposits of salts and gypsum, and turning into the limestone rock that underlie this whole area between Carlsbad and Alamogordo. The area was uplifted and exposed 10 million years ago and over time, the rock has broken down into sand-sized particles that were carried by the wind to be deposited at the monument. The other source are alkaline lakes that evaporate and leave behind gypsum deposits that get transported by the wind.

Our first stop at White Sands National Monument was the Visitor Center, where we rented sleds. We got a park map as we journeyed out on a 16-mile driving tour through the dunes. At the halfway point where the Transverse Dunes were, we found a really great hill to sled down, spending a lot of time climbing up the dune and sliding down it. The sand was so soft and cool; I loved how it sparkled in the sun. On the way back, we stopped to get out and walk along some trails. We walked on the shorter trails, the Big Dune Nature Trail (1 mile on the Parabolic Dunes), and the Interdune Boardwalk (1/3 mile). Both were great and wonderful to explore.

I do have to say though, all that sand and no ocean....but it was quite the experience!

P.S.: Transverse dunes form perpendicular to the prevailing wind, Parabolic dunes are u-shaped.

~~~~~~~~~

Neat

"Let all that you do be done in love"
1 Cor 16:14

Spring Break Trip: King's Palace Tour

2010-03-31T10:02:00.003-06:00

After the Living Desert Zoo and Gardens Tuesday morning, we went back to Carlsbad Caverns to go on a ranger-guided tour of the King's Palace portion of the caves. It was a 1.5 hour, 1-mile tour that descended into the deepest part of the cave that is open to the public, 830 feet below the desert surface.

Immediately when we entered into the section of cave known as the King's Palace, memories flooded back to me from when I was a kid visiting with my family. I guess this portion of the cave was open to the public, without a ranger, when I visited then. It is amazing how a memory can be forgotten, then retrieved again so quickly.

We walked along the trail and saw more amazing decorations, entering into the Papoose Room, Queen's Chamber, and the Green Lake Room (yes, there is a small green lake there). There were fantastic stalagmites and

columns and so many "curtains." We saw helictites, a chaotic, dendritic cave form on the ceiling. This section of the cave was a lot more active than the Big Room that we toured the day before. We saw water dripping onto a growing stalagmite in the Queen's Chamber that looked like an ice cream cone.

While in the Queen's Chamber, we all sat on the rock wall while the ranger shut out the lights. We witnessed a total black out! Could you imagine exploring the caves before lighting was installed and then having to navigate with only a lantern? I don't know if I'd be brave enough!

It's just amazing what can happen when sufuric acid can do to limestone! We could even see the "bashful elephant" in the flowstone in one formation.

~~~~~~~~~
Neat

"Let all that you do be done in love"
1 Cor 16:14

Spring Break Trip: Carlsbad's Living Desert Zoo and Gardens

2010-03-30T11:02:00.015-06:00

We got up bright and early this morning to go to the Living Desert Zoo and Gardens State Park here in Carlsbad. The park is situated on a hill overlooking the town and is set up really nice. The park showcases plants and animals of the Chihuahuan Desert, which also extends down into Mexico, west into Arizona, and east into Texas. As I mentioned in my previous blog, it is all part of that Permian basin from 250 million years ago that has been uplifted and exposed.

Animals that we saw included birds of prey such as the bald eagle, javelinas, snakes, bison, Mexican wolves, elk, and a bobcat. Unfortunately, the mountain lion was not out.

Plants included many cactii, agave, yucca, trees, and shrubs.

Rocks included limestone and selenite (the pure form of gypsum). Gypsum is a rock that formed in a shallow sea environment that had high evaporation rates. This gypsum is from the same formation that the White Sands National Monument near Alamogordo is a part of. We'll be going there tomorrow.

The zoo and gardens are a really neat way to spend about an hour or so of your morning.

This afternoon we went back to Carlsbad Caverns to go on a ranger-guided tour of the King's Palace and were awestruck again by the beauty of the caves. I'll post more pictures of that tour soon.

~~~~~~~~~
Neat

"Let all that you do be done in love"
1 Cor 16:14

Spring Break Trip: Carlsbad

2010-03-29T21:28:00.005-06:00

Carlsbad, NM....Wow, what a town. Not much here, really, besides one long strip of highway that appears like it has died a long and slow death. The Wal-Mart was a "happenin'" place though. And they do have a Chili's restaurant with really delicious cheese fries. Anyway, it is a place to stay and again, makes me thankful I live in northern New Mexico.

Carlsbad is located at the edge of the Guadalupe Mountains on the Permian Basin. It is part of that Permian shallow sea where a great reef formed some 250 million years ago.

We drove about 45 minutes southwest of Carlsbad to go to Carlsbad Caverns National Park. The park is part of the Capitan reef within the Chihuahuan Desert Ecosystem. Basically, that means lots of cactus species (in fact, more species of cactii than in any other desert) and shrubs.

The Capitan Reef (where Carlsbad Caverns National Park is) was mostly made of sponges and algae with the occasional shelled creature such as ammonites, brachiopods, or crinoids that were deposited and transformed into limestone. Over the past 20 million years this deposit has been uplifted and exposed. The limestone caves were formed when slightly acidic groundwater seeped into the cracks, dissolving away the rock and leaving empty space. Because this area has many oil deposits, it is more acidic than normal and so dissolution is greater. That's why Carlsbad Caverns are so magnificent.

Anyway, we went into the caves via the Natural Entrance, the same entrance that I went into when I was about 9 years old. The descent into the cave was amazing with continuous switchbacks leading deeper into the caves. The trail led about 1.3 miles and 800 feet down into the cave, opening up in "The Big Room" where the elevators deposit you if you choose to take them down rather than hike down (and it's another mile or so to walk the trail through the Big Room). Believe me, it is far more extraordinary to enter through the Natural Entrance!

The Pièce de résistance, of course, are the magnificent speleothems that are formed from rain and snowmelt seeping into the caves, dripping to create stalagtites, stalagmites, ribbons, draperies, popcorn, flowstone, and soda straws (for example). The waters are rich in minerals and absorbed gases from the sediments and limestone above. When the water drop evaporates, it leaves behind calcite and decorates the caves with awesome formations.

Tomorrow, we're going to go on a ranger-guided tour to the King's Palace in the Caverns. I hope the kids don't freak out when he/she turns out all lights to make the cave dark. But before that adventure, we're going to visit the Living Desert Zoo and Gardens State Park. It'll be another fun, and warm day.

Neat

"Let all that you do be done in love"
1 Cor 16:14

Spring Break Trip: Roswell

2010-03-28T19:56:00.001-06:00

What can I say about southern New Mexico besides, "I'm glad I live in northern New Mexico." As they say, it is a good place to visit, but I wouldn't want to live there.

My family and I are on our spring break trip and decided to take a tour of the southern portion of our state. Once you get out of Santa Fe, going south on Highway 285, the scenery is flat and covered in scrub brush, mostly sage, cactus, and juniper (sneeze). The geology is that of a 250 million year old (Permian) shallow sea with lightly colored San Andreas Limestone predominant. Oil and natural gas deposits sit on top of this limestone.

We drove about 4 hours to Roswell and stopped at the UFO Museum. It is devoted to an event in July of 1947 where something happened northwest of Roswell during a severe thunderstorm. Was it a flying saucer? Was it a weather balloon? What happened? "The Roswell Incident," as it is known as seems to be a great government cover up of a crash of some sort of UFO. There was debris of some unknown metal as well as alien bodies recovered, then confiscated and hidden away. The government officials say it was a weather balloon that crashed, but many remain suspicious of the end report. For 60 years, it all has remained a mystery.

The museum exhibits are a bit "cheesey" and do require a lot of reading, so for those who have children who don't like to read (or simply are too young to read), this is not a good museum choice. It is very stark and in a werehouse-style building so doesn't really showcase The Roswell Incident or it's other exhibits such as ones on UFO research, crop circles, alien abductions, and Area 51. But it is worth an hour out of your day.

Next stop....Carlsbad!,

~~~~~~~~~
Neat

"Let all that you do be done in love"
1 Cor 16:14

Six More Weeks of Winter--Blech!

2010-02-02T08:03:00.005-07:00

Well, Punxsutawney Phil did not see his shadow today as he emerged from his burrow on Gobbler's Knob in Pennsylvania. Unfortunately, that means six more weeks of winter. I'm tired of winter already and really am getting to where I hate the color white.

According to the Associated Press, German tradition holds that if a hibernating animal sees its shadow on February 2, the Christian holiday of Candlemas, winter will last another six weeks. If no shadow is seen, legend says spring will come early. I know that sounds kind of backwards since you think a sunny day where a groundhog would see his shadow would indicate more sun and more good weather, hence an early spring. My boys want to contact MythBusters to see if they've tested this myth yet.

In any case, I wish ol' Phil had not seen his shadow today. I'm ready for the spring weather to come!

Happy Groundhog Day, Everyone!

~~~~~~~~~
Neat

"Let all that you do be done in love"
1 Cor 16:14

The Wolf Moon

2010-01-29T20:31:00.005-07:00

If you haven't figured it out yet, I have a thing for full moons. There's something spectacular that draws me outside on (in tonight's case) a freezing winter's night to go moon-gazing. I first went out to watch the moon rise over the Sangre de Cristo Mountain Range behind Santa Fe and then again a couple of hours later, viewing it as it peeked over my rooftop.

So what is so spectacular about tonight's full moon? I Googled it and found out all kinds of information (Yahoo Article Here). First of all, it is the first full moon of 2010 and as such is nicknamed "The Wolf Moon." (For a list of each month's nickname see SPACE.com's site.) Anyway, according to Native American legend, it is called the Wolf Moon because wolves like to howl at the full moon on cold winter nights.

Second of all, the moon is 14% bigger and 30% brighter tonight than on any other night and it is remarkable that it coincided with the full moon. The reason is because the moon has an elliptical and lopsided orbit and is at it's closest point to the earth tonight. This only happens once or twice a year. So if you live near the coast, expect higher tides tonight than normal.

If you look really close at my photo, you'll see a tiny white speck to the left of the full moon. This is Mars. You can't tell in the picture, but if you look at it with a telescope you might be able to tell that it has a reddish tinge to it.

I hope the skies are clear where you live and you get to get out tonight to see the full Wolf Moon!

~~~~~~~~~
Neat

"Let all that you do be done in love"
1 Cor 16:14

Some Words to Remember

2010-01-20T21:21:00.002-07:00

"Never judge a person until you've walked a mile in their shoes."

"I haven't failed, I've found 10,000 ways that don't work." Thomas Edison

“We're so busy watching out for what's just ahead of us that we don't take time to enjoy where we are.” Bill Watterson (Calvin & Hobbes)

Life is truly a ride. We're all strapped in, and no one can stop it. As you make each passage from youth to adulthood to maturity, sometimes you put your arms up and scream, sometimes you just hang on to that bar in front of you. But the ride is the thing. I think the most you can hope for at the end of life is that your hair's messed, you're out of breath, and you didn't throw up." Jerry Seinfeld

"Beer is proof that God loves us and wants us to be happy." Benjamin Franklin

"Duct tape is like the force: It has a light side and a dark side and it holds the universe together."

“If you don't know where you are going, any road will get you there.” Lewis Carroll

“The Answer to the Great Question Of.....Life, the Universe and Everything.....(is) Forty-two.” Douglas Adams

“We have no right to ask when a sorrow comes, 'Why did this happen to me?' unless we ask the same question for every joy that comes our way.”

“I have found the paradox, that if you love until it hurts, there can be no more hurt, only more love.” Mother Teresa

“I can't change the direction of the wind, but I can adjust my sails to always reach my destination.” Jimmy Dean

“Perhaps our eyes need to be washed by our tears once in a while, so that we can see Life with a clearer view again.” Alex Tan

“Life is what happens to you while you're busy making other plans” John Lennon

“I think we dream so we don't have to be apart so long. If we're in each other's dreams, we can be together all the time.” Bill Watterson (Calvin & Hobbes)

(Credit is given where known, otherwise I have no idea who conjured the quote. Google them and let me know!)

~~~~~~~~~
Neat

"Let all that you do be done in love"
1 Cor 16:14

Kasha-Katuwe Tent Rocks National Monument

2010-01-11T15:09:00.011-07:00

I first visited the Kasha-Katuwe Tent Rocks near Cochiti Pueblo in northern New Mexico about 7 years ago when my parents were visiting. I'm so glad that I was able to go back for a visit and to take a trail that we didn't go on before, this time taking an old college friend with us.

Seven years ago we all went on the Cave Loop Trail, which is about a mile long and led you next to a cave used by Native Americans 4,000 years ago. The cave was up off of the ground, which was advantageous to the natives so that they could have a great view of the valley and remain safe from wild animals wandering in. This visit we took the extension named the Slot Canyon Trail that wound through a narrow canyon and up to an overlook (2 miles there and back). There was still a little bit of snow on the ground where the trail started a steep ascent which made some difficult scrambling up the trail. It was a beautiful winter day, about 45°, with clear skies. At the overlook we were able to see Sandia Peak in Albuquerque, Santa Fe Baldy in Santa Fe, and more of the Jemez Mountains above the Pajarito Plateau that we were standing on.

Here's a little bit of geology for you: The landscape first began as layers of ash, pumice, and tuff that settled out from the debris launched from a volcanic explosion and the pyroclastic flows outward from it about 6 million years ago. Over time wind and water carved out the shapes to form the unique tent rock landscape that is not found in very many places on earth besides the Pajarito Plateau. The area is known for its tent rocks and hoodoos as well as the beautiful layers of the rock. Canyons and arroyos have been carved out of the rock as well.

Hoodoos are tent rocks with a cap on the top of them that formed when weathering around large boulders caused the softer rock below to wear away, creating the tent shape and leaving the boulders on top of them.

If you are ever in the area, I'd love to take you there! It is fascinating and beautiful. And if you aren't a geologist, there is a lot of biology and history in the area as well. The area is famous for its archaeology, bird watching, and plant identification.

~~~~~~~~~
Neat

"Let all that you do be done in love"
1 Cor 16:14

Once in a Blue Moon

2009-12-31T10:01:00.005-07:00

The month of December is an exciting one this year. There have been holidays and events to celebrate including the winter solstice, Christmas, and New Year's Eve. But something else that I've been waiting all month to see—The Blue Moon!

If they say the moon is blue,

We must believe that it is true.

(an old proverb, 1528)

We've all heard the saying that a rare something happens only "once in a blue moon," but what does that really mean? According to modern popular definition, a blue moon is the second full moon in a month (this month's first one was on December 2nd). It isn't actually blue, though and I'm not sure where the color blue comes from.(I Googled it and only came up with pollution as a possible cause, but that it has nothing to do with two full moons in one month.)

As I mentioned, December 2009 is a blue moon month and the next one on New Year's Eve in the western hemisphere won't occur over here until 2028. I don't know about you, but I don't want to have to wait 19 more years to see this event again at the turning of the New Year. The moon rises at 5:08 pm and I plan to be outside watching it!

What a great way to celebrate the coming of 2010!

Happy New Year!

Addition ~6 pm: We went out to look at the moon and it was beautiful coming up over the Sangre de Cristo Mountains. My middle son was ticked off that the moon wasn't actually blue but otherwise it was a great event getting out of the house for 15 minutes on this cold night.

~~~~~~~~~
Neat

"Let all that you do be done in love"
1 Cor 16:14

End of the Year Musings

2009-12-13T11:13:00.001-07:00

It's almost the end of the year and the beginning of a new decade. There are less than three weeks left of 2009 that will be packed full of holiday gatherings and spirit until we can welcome in 2010.

To be truthful, I'm ready to start a new year. 2009 had a lot of drama for me that included a lot of soul-searching and redefinition of who I am and what I want and need out of life. The decision to quit my job this summer was a hard one, but something I had to do to point myself in a new direction. I discovered things that were missing in my life and found them again in unexpected ways and places. I also learned so much from every person in my life that helped me to be a better person now. I'm thankful that I have such a strong support group in my family and friends to help me through the rough patches and to celebrate the milestones and highlights.

The highlights of the year are the same as any other year. They included all the times that I got to spend with family or friends. I reconnected with high school friends this year, which enriched my life immensely (the internet and Facebook are amazing!). We went skiing with friends early in the year and the boys learned so much. Spring break was spent in San Diego, one of my favorite vacation spots. This summer I got to spend a special weekend with my sister and got to go camping with my parents again. We got to do a lot of camping, which has always been one of my favorite things to do. We spent the 4th of July with friends and celebrated Thanksgiving with my sister's family and Mom and Dad. And now I've got a group of friends that I get together with regularly for trail runs and workouts (and of course, coffee or dinner). Yesterday I went with the ladies for a "Jingle Bell Jaunt" through town to spread holiday cheer. We dressed in holiday garb and Santa hats and wore jingle bells all over. We were quite the sight.

I started a new part time job last week in a pediatrician's office and I think it will be good for me. It was a great first week and it felt good to be productive outside of the home again. It'll get me out of the house and will keep me busy and out of trouble. I'm having to adjust my workout/running schedule but that will all come together soon, and I'll miss my Wednesday mornings with my friends.

This weekend I'm doing my holiday baking and candy making. Why do we only make certain treats during this one time of year? How many cookie exchanges can a person go to in one season? And why can't fudge be for breakfast? My boys always seem to ask the tough questions.....

Happy Holidays to all of you!

~~~~~~~~~
Neat

"Let all that you do be done in love"
1 Cor 16:14

Observations on Growing Older

2009-12-07T21:33:00.006-07:00

I don't know the origin of this list so forgive me if I can't give credit where it is due. All I know is that it has been sent around the email world for a few months now and I've received it three times by three different people. That whole "Six Degrees of Separation" thing is coming around to haunt me. I thought I'd post this here before it comes around the fourth, fifth, and sixth time, affirming the idea that I'm at the most six steps away from any person on earth. In any case, I'm not quite at the age where some of these are true for me (don't get me wrong, some of them are--see #1, #6, #9, #20, #26, #28, #37, #38 below), but I can see these things in some of my older friends and relatives and love them all the more for it.

Observations on Growing Older:

It's harder to tell navy from black!
Everything old is new again, but if you wore it before, you're too old to wear it the 2nd time around!
Your kids are becoming you...and you don't like them!
..but your grandchildren are perfect!
Yellow becomes the big color...walls...hair...teeth!
Going out is good. Coming home is better!
When people say you look "Great"...they add "for your age"!
When you needed the discount you paid full price. Now you get discounts on everything...movies, hotels ...flights.
You forget names...but it's OK because other people forgot they even knew you.
The last 2 outfits you wore had spots on them.
You ask your husband or friend how your outfit looks and they tell you the truth!
The five pounds you wanted to lose is now 15 and you have a better chance of losing your keys than the 15 pounds.
You realize you're never going to be really good at anything...especially golf.
Your husband is counting on you to remember things you don't remember.
The things you cared to do,you don't care to do, but you care that you don't care to do them anymore.
Your husband sleeps better on a lounge chair with the TV blaring then he does in bed. It's called his "pre-sleep"
Remember when your mother said "Wear clean underwear in case you GET in an accident"? Now you bring clean underwear in case you HAVE an accident!
You used to say, "I hope my kids GET married.. Now, "I hope they STAY married!"
The best place to have a conversation with your husband is in the bathroom...you have his full attention.
Who wants to wear 3" heels anyway?
You miss the days when everything worked with just an "ON" and "OFF" switch.
When GOOGLE, iPod, email, modem... were unheard of and a mouse was something that made you climb on a table.
You use more 4 letter words..."what?"..."when?" ???
Now that you can afford expensive jewelry, it's not safe to wear it anywhere.
Your husband has a night out with the guys but he's home by 9:00 P.M...next week it will be 8:30 P.M.
You read 100 pages into a book before you realize you've read it.
Notice everything they sell in stores is "sleeveless"?
Many of the people in People Magazine you've never heard of.
Your concealer doesn't conceal.
Your lipstick bleeds.
Your mascara clumps and your eyebrows are disappearing.
You don't have hair under your arms and very little on your legs but your chin needs to be plucked daily!
What used to be freckles are now liver spots.
Everybody whispers.
Now that your husband has retired ...you'd give anything if he'd find a job!
You have 3 sizes of clothes in your closet....2 of which you will never wear.
But old is good in some things:...old songs...old movies
And best of all OLD FRIENDS

~~~~~~~~~
Neat

"Let all that you do be done in love"
1 Cor 16:14

Garden of the Gods, CO

2009-11-29T21:45:00.000-07:00

There is no better place to take a geologist than to someplace with really cool rock formations. Garden of the Gods in Colorado Springs, CO has just what a geologist desires--awesome rock formations, beauty, and trails to roam on. The Garden of the Gods is a Natural Landmark, established in 1972, that is free to the public.

The first time I was in Garden of the Gods I was only about 9 years old. I don't remember that visit at all but my parents have photos of me and my sister at the park. The next time I was there was shortly after my sister moved to the area in 2008. I was awestruck then as well as when visiting a couple of days ago. The vertically tilted sedimentary rocks at the base of Pikes Peak are amazing to see.

The Pikes Peak Granite is about 1 billion years old and lies underneath the whole Garden of the Gods sedimentary rock strata. At about 310 million years ago the granite wore down. Then, about 250 million years ago when the supercontinent Pangea formed, the area became beachfront property. The inland sea ebbed and flowed for many million years after that depositing sand, silt, and mud in layers. Around 65 million years ago, when the dinosaurs and other animals suffered the consequences of a mass-extinction event (perhaps due to a meteorite impact), the mountains rose and tilted the rocks vertically. Natural weathering and erosion of softer sedimentary rocks such as shale occurred and left the harder sandstones and limestones to "stand up" above the ground. In the background, Pikes Peak rose to its present height of 14,110 feet about 2 million years ago.

Here are some photos of some awesome rock formations in the Garden of the Gods. I suggest if you are in the Colorado Springs area, you visit the park. After all, you can't beat the price or the scenery!

~~~~~~~~~
Neat

"Let all that you do be done in love"
1 Cor 16:14