Read and Tell Me » Casa de Maria

Enchanting New Mexico

admin — Tue, 26 Oct 2010 18:36:21 +0000

We spent our Fall Break in the mountains and to say it was beautiful does not do it justice. I have always said….”God lives in New Mexico” and I still….at 32 and a Masters of Religion under my belt…believe that is true.

The natural beauty abounds but where I really see God is in the people. I love the rich culture you get in every shop, every conversation, every minute of people watching. Most of all…..I love their accents. I would take thousands of picture of the variety of people, but I think that might ruin a good thing. So, here are some pictures of our trip sans the people….it is still gorgeous.

Fall Colors in the Santa Fe National Forest

We saw several deer from our car.

Of course, we had to stop by Victory Ranch….the Alpaca showed us a new trick.

The boys did just enough playing to wear themselves out….these are the drums at Twirl….another NM must.

We had a lot of family bonding…talking…and yes, wrestling.

A fair amount of cuddling….I am not sure how much longer I will be able to rock both of them at the same time.

I can’t leave out the beautiful food…..this was a Chili Relleno Nogado from the Relleno’s Cafe.

The beautiful fire we enjoyed every night.

And, of course….beautiful knitting.

Hot Tamales

admin — Tue, 08 Jun 2010 19:44:32 +0000

Seriously, I made hot tamales and they were AWESOME!!! I love, love, love, New Mexican food….what is the difference between Mexican and New Mexican food, you ask. Green Chili!!!!

So, we were hosting a good 20+ people at the cabin over Memorial Weekend. I decided we would do an authentic meal to put us all in the mood so I made, Pasole, three types of enchiladas, tamales, tomatillo salsa, and on and on. I was familiar with most of these recipes….all except the tamales. I really had no idea how they were made. I just like to eat them. Well, let me tell you, it was a process. But, I loved every minute of it.

First, you soak the corn husks in boiling water.

Then there are a lot of preparations to have the inside delicious!!!

All mixed into a yummy sauce!

They are stuffed, wrapped, tied……and steamed, and steamed, and steamed….in whatever you have!

Finally, you get to eat them if you can get over how pretty they are!!!

I am not exagerating when I say they were the most delicious things I have ever made. They did take a lot of time, but it was so worth it. I am always looking for something that takes me all day to make since I don’t bake. Now I have something to make on those rainy weekends.

You want to try it? Well, here is the deal, I will post the recipe I used as soon as I get a dozen comments. So, if you like these, comment and pass it on.

Here are some pictures of the rest of the spread…..

Longing

admin — Sat, 15 May 2010 14:53:27 +0000

I can not believe it is the middle of May! Time is flying by….almost as fast as the “big guy’s” super duper ooper fast rocket ship he built out of Legos.

I woke up this morning to some unexpected personal time. The little guy has been sick and I anticipated holding a fussy, feverish boy. Instead, he woke up feeling great….just hungry. So, I debated going to the gym, knitting, and then I just sat down at the computer to reply to a few e-mails. The e-mails led to the calendar and then it dawned on me…..the summer calendar is filling up FAST! Faster than fast! We are booked almost every weekend.

So now, I am longing for Casa de Maria. I am ready for my first trip of the season. I am ready to see my mountain and hopefully the Lucy bird that kept me company last year. I am ready to see the locals and to tell the old metal roof goodbye…Yes, it is official….we are getting a new roof. I am ready for the peace of the canyon and the memories of trips past.

I still wish I could get together with a local writer….she currently writes about the happenings of Las Vegas, NM. Feel free to e-mail Birdie and let her know I am not a stalker….not really. I just get very excited about certain things and never let them go. Really, I am very normal.

FYI…. I really need to update the Casa de Maria website….so, if you have any antidotes or pictures to add….e-mail them to me. Thanks!

Storms

admin — Fri, 19 Mar 2010 14:54:00 +0000

I have been keeping a bit of a journal….I call it my “Mom Book” since last summer. It has been a little bit therapeutic and a little bit freeing. Most of all, I really want to speak out for those of us who lost a loved one to addiction and live to tell about it. I have posted a couple excerpts before…here…and here. So, in lieu of the upcoming snow storm headed our way here in Oklahoma. Here is another bit of my Life in Letters.

Storms

You are never prepared to loose a parent or for the other parent to get remarried. When both of these things happen in a span of two months, it is a perfect storm for insanity….and that is where I am.

I have been up in the mountains for two weeks now. It is hard to be too down on life when you get to wake up every morning to Hermit’s Peak. Today I actually thanked the mountain for making me smile. It is sad really. I never thought I would feel so defeated. A friend is coming to visit today. She and her kids are staying a week and then we are going home to my dad’s wedding. I am really glad she is coming. I am not sure how Dillon would explain that he had to leave work to “talk his wife down from a mountain.” I know that with a friend and what is left of my pride I will go when it is time. I won’t like it, but I will go.

*****

A storm is coming in as I sit here on the portel in my mom’s chair. She loved to sit here and watch the hummingbirds and listen to the thunder. She almost always sat here with needlepoint in hand. Over time she made five stockings, probably stitched most of them right here. Not even the stockings are together anymore. Mary insisted that she keep hers. The others are with dad, I guess. I remember the first Christmas she proudly displayed all of the stockings together, Mom, Dad, Amy, Tracy, Mary. Life was simple then. A family, the way it should be. Now, they are stuffed away in boxes a sore reminder of how things are now.

I was thinking as I hurried to reclaim my laundry off the line before the rain began that this cabin is the last place I can go to really sit where my mother sat and do what my mother did. Their house has been sold, my grandparents have died, her apartment is no more.

Sitting here, I also remember when we got the call that sent my mother into one of her worse tail spins. Papa’s cancer was back. She must of sat here for three days crying and staring at hummingbirds by day and fire by night. We all just tiptoed around her afraid that we might upset her more. I don’t know if she was crying because she knew her dad would not live much longer or because she couldn’t muster up the strength to be on her own. Hell, I don’t know if she was ever sober enough to get up if she had tried.

It is really raining now, even hailing a little. I have noticed that a little hail naturally deadheads the flowers leaving them free to bloom more and looking even more beautiful. Maybe this will happen for me. Someday I will see all of this as a way to cut through the crap and just be me. That would be beautiful.

I am able to post this now, after a good night sleep, because life is going on. There are times I would swear the earth has stopped spinning and oxygen was no where to be found, but we are here now…. ten months later…. still hurting, but moving on and I can actually smile and mean it.

Here are some amazing pictures of my time in New Mexico….storms and all.

My Mountain!!!!

The Storms Will Come

The clouds clear and beauty comes again!!!

Mom’s Chair

(the black one to the left…. it actually used to be a blue one, but the seat is worn and dumps you out…but this is where she sat!)

La Fiesta Parade

admin — Wed, 08 Jul 2009 15:29:00 +0000

You don’t get more 4th of July than a small town parade and Las Vegas, NM knows how to do it right. They have an annual 4th of July celebration that is awesome. I have not been in a few years and this year did not disappoint. They had everything….loud music, candy in the streets, great floats, music, etc. View the whole set here then sit back and imagine the smell of a carnival and enchiladas mixed together.

Bohemian Spirit

admin — Wed, 05 Mar 2008 19:20:00 +0000

Recently, while at my favorite hang out, I met Amy, a local artist who owns Bohemian Spirit. I had been in her studio/store two locations ago and was a little overwhelmed by the massive quantities of vintage goods. We were the only two in the back room of the Red Cup and began chatting. She told me she was moving to another location and I told her that I was looking for some things to take my summer cabin back to it’s 40′s/50′s glory. She told me to stop by and she would see what she had. Well, it was worth the trip. I found a wonderful bed spread several valances and a couple of sets of curtains. They were all perfect. I purchased a couple of additional items including three hanging lamps. Any guesses on how much I spent? $20.00! Deal of the century. I can’t wait to get out to New Mexico and get some pictures of the goods in action.