November 6, 2025 I pulled into Madrid, NM, not sure what to expect. I’d driven through the town many years before without stopping, noting I might want to explore it later. But this time I had a destination: Java Junction, a quaint coffee house with a loft upstairs available for overnight rental. Little did I […]
July 27, 2007 There’s an extraordinary history behind the Mabel Dodge Luhan House in Taos, New Mexico. Its past is a collage of moments both inspired and insane, of guests and visitors both famous and infamous. Wealthy, Buffalo-born socialite Mabel Dodge already had an established reputation for her literary and artistic salons in Greenwich Village,
July 25, 2007 I grabbed a cup of coffee from the motel lobby, which was fairly good, surprisingly. I’m not usually a fan of the styrofoam cup brew that is typical of lower-end lodging. After scavenging up a granola bar from the car, I packed up and hit the road. I high-tailed it out of
May 21, 2003 On a quiet lane, south of town, I arrived at American Artists Gallery House, a hidden retreat with a foliage-laden adobe wall. The peaceful surroundings and views of the Sangre de Cristo Mountains would have been reason enough to head out of town to this bed and breakfast. But I would find
May 20, 2003 It was on dusty ground, next to a small, flowing river, as I watched dogs splash in the water and chase and nip at each other’s tails, that I really began to feel the rich history of the Taos area. Nestled against the Sangre de Cristo mountain range, this high mesa was
Jan. 30, 2003 I climbed the steep ascent on the one mile loop trail, listening for the sounds of men returning from hunting mule deer, women carrying corn, squash and beans home from nearby fields and young children singing or listening to story-telling. I strained to hear the gossip young girls might be telling while
Nov. 16, 2002 I pulled off the road, exhausted from a long day of meandering. I found a parking place near a small casita that was available for the night. Grabbing my overnight bag, I headed inside, sat down, looked up, and blinked. Five giant watermelon slices looked down from above the casita’s fireplace. Four
Nov. 12, 2002 The official scenic historical marker on approach to Acoma “Sky City” Pueblo reads: Legend describes Acoma as “a place that always was”. Archaeological evidence shows it has been occupied since at least the 13th century. Established on this mesa for defensive purposes, Acoma was settled by inhabitants of nearby pueblos, which had
0ct. 30, 2002 I’d passed the El Rancho Hotel in Gallup, New Mexico, many times without even thinking of stopping, but this time I had called ahead and found a vacancy on the third floor for the more than reasonable price of forty-six dollars with a AAA discount. The cost fit my budget, and the