From the dark ocean to the lighter skies
of New Mexico, Mother Earth remains
my focus, my love, my joy;
It took awhile to learn different soils,
rich loam to clay and sand, mysterious
deep sea waters to high altitude desert,
cradled by Ponderosa and piñon forests,
and yes, a river runs through it,
though not like it used to,
this is dry country, interspersed
by monsoon rains, brittle brown landscape
highlighted with hues of verdant green
now looking more like New England
in the summer as I plant, now trees,
shrubs, now a greenhouse garden
so that we might sustain ourselves
on bitter greens throughout long
cold winters;
A friend I met years ago in Hawai'i
told me, upon discovering our intent
to move from the islands to the Southwest
years ago and sensing my distress at
not being on or near big bodies
of water for the first time in my life,
don't worry! In New Mexico,
the ocean is the sky!
And how that comes to be true,
I cannot begin to convey; more
and different varieties of clouds
than anywhere I have been, sweeping
and sliding through crystal azure heavens,
and even in midwinter as temps dip
down below freezing night and morning,
at mid-day under the brilliance
of stark sunlight, it is easy to peel
back the layers and work in shirt sleeves;
And if I have learned nothing else
in this blessed life, it is that, given time,
any place putting me close to the ground
of this alluring planet is sacred, and if its spirit
has been damaged, it takes little time
and care to reveal its essence, once again.
- grown and photographed by bj ~ 2022
All so true, Bela. Made Tubularsock remember the roar of crashing waves and the total silence of NM!
Both magnificent.
Be safe …
They are. Are you no longer in NM? Was hoping to meet up one day! 😉 Thanks as ever for your support, TS. xoxo
Bela. Tubularsock hopefully will meet you and your husband at some point. Would be fun.
Due to the scamdemic been not traveling to NM as much. Having a friend watching over the little house there.
Until next time ……. stay safe.
And you as well! You would be welcome here anytime. 💕
I can imagine how much you miss that ocean Bela…. Swapping ocean sand for earth and learning about its properties has I am sure been a learning curve…. Hope your Greenhouses are nearing completion and once done you will relish the produce grown with your fair hands.. It tastes all the better..
And wow.. that is one magnificent Rose…. 🙂
Sending huge hugs dearest Bela… Enjoy your weekend my friend <3
Thanks, dear one! Greenhouse is Done, save for a bench and shelves, which can go in anytime. Everybody is happy in there – both the starters as well as the seeds! Encouraging, as I’ve never done this before. But so cool to not see rodent damage to my produce. Jeeeez! Will send you some photos soon via whatever app we use for that sort of thing 😉 Take good care, and am sure you are enjoying your gardens these days! Send me some fog and cool air! ;D Love you.
Oh wish I could… Seems we are having YOUR type of heat wave Summer… set to be in 40C next week… We shall be fine though… Although we are getting a National Emergency due to heat wave!!!! ???
Sending love and so happy things are growing…. we are watering like crazy early mornings to stop wilting 🙂 Much love <3
Same here! Watered 1-1/2 hrs this am. Whew! And we roll with the changes, do we not!? xo
We do Bela watering at 5am this morning beating the sun it’s a two hour job most days.. keeps us fit and no gym fees. 💪 lol 😅🤣😁💕
Exactly! Heaven forbid! 😉❤️
<3
❤️
Those Western skies are indeed oceans. (K)
They are, Kerfe. Thanks for reading. 🙏❤️
To be able to live in beauty is a great blessing. I am glad you have found it, Bela!
Take good care,
Karyn
🙏🌞💛
Thanks, dear one. We have ever been thusly blessed. 🙏💓
…and thank you for sharing those beautiful skies with all of us! 🙂
Aren’t they something?! Welcome! 💕
Mesmerizing! 🙂