52 Weeks by Turtleback

Happy Anniversary!!! One year in Van Horn!
I'm off on another business trip down in Big Bend National Park and probably won't be online for several days. While I'm gone, a significant anniversary will pass--the end of my first year in Van Horn and the beginning of my second.

Let's celebrate by letting me know what you'd like to read about in the coming year. More pictures? More stories? Less whining? Or just email me to say hi!

Email me at my regular address, or use this one: texasmountaintrail@gmail.com

This was my view during my run yesterday morning. Isn't it pretty here? You ought to come down and see it for yourself!

Turning out to be a good year

I've been encouraged to "show a little ego" by a friend because 2006 is turning out to be a pretty fantastic year for exhibitions and exposure for my artwork.

The year started with a group exhibition, "The Edges of Grace," at the Fuller Craft Museum in Brockton, MA. The show was curated by Gail Brown, an independent curator from Philadelphia. Three pieces, including 'Selma Story: March for the Vote 1965' were in this show.

"Life INsight, the Human Experience" a group exhibition will be showing from July 7-November 4 at the Kentucky Museum of Art and Craft, in Louisville, KY. This show was also curated by Gail Brown. (www.kentuckyarts.org) 'Selma Story' and 'The Anniversary' are in this show.

The always interesting Hibberd McGrath Gallery in Breckenridge, CO will be offering a group fiber show during the month of July, and my newest piece will be included. (www.hibberdmcgrath.com) Marty Hibberd and Terry McGrath have been fantastic promoters of my work, and I'm indebted to them for their support over the years.

Hibberd McGrath will also be taking my work to SOFA Chicago on Navy Pier, November 10-12. I'm going to be working on a Van Horn-inspired series for that one. I've been invited by the Friends of Fiberart International to give a brief slide talk on my work on the morning of November 10. (www.sofaexpo.com)

"Material Difference: Soft Sculpture and Wall Works," a group show at the Chicago Cultural Center (across from the Art Institute!) will include two older pieces now in private collection. From what I hear, the Route 66 Map Book and the Garden Book are scheduled to be on exhibit November 4-January 7. (giving you a direct link the the show doesn't seem to work, but you can find more information after a couple of clicks starting here: www.cityofchicago.org ) The exhibition was organized by Friends of Fiberart International and curated by Polly Ulrich. (UI Foundation folks, if you go to CASE V in December, you can check it out!)

My work was in two magazines this spring:

Fiberarts, April/May 2006 (www.fiberarts.com), includes an interview about my relationship with Hibberd McGrath gallery and a photo of my work.

American Style, April 2006, (www.americanstyle.com). I didn't know about this one until recently. My work is included in a section on innovative basketry. "Good Fortune" is pictured in this one, a 3D embroidery piece that just turned out to be a basket, I guess.

My friend thought you might want to know.

More Rodeo

Friday night's rodeo

Indicator Species

The agave lechuguilla is the indicator species for the Chihuahuan Desert, the primary ecosystem of the Texas Mountain Trail.

It is also called the shin dagger, and yes, it does hurt when you run into its spines.

I took a short walk this morning from a scenic overlook and saw a bunting, a lizard, and tons of lechuguilla in the desert.

Measuring Time

Most mornings the mayor yells down the hall to me, "what's going on in that office?"

"Work," I yell back.

Then he walks (oxygen in his backpack always) in to shake my hand and call me "Sunshine," and ask how I'm doing. I'm part of his daily rounds before he retires home for reruns of Matlock at 10 am. This morning we talked about short airflights. He'd just taken his wife to El Paso for a quick 40 minute flight to Albequerque to visit their youngest child this week.

As he left he asked, "does it take about 2 1/2 hours from El Paso to Chicago?"

"Yes."

"About 2 1/2 Matlocks then."

"Yep."

I mention this because I have televison again, and I sure don't want to go back to measuring my life in half hour increments. I used to do that, and there never seemed to be enough time to get anything done. Time is better to me when it is open-ended and not dictated by that stupid box in the living room.

HOT Days, Cool Nights

This week's forecast from www.noaa.gov

Today--Hot--Hi 103°F
Tonight--Mostly Clear--Lo 65°F

Tuesday--Hot--Hi 102°F
Tuesday Night--Mostly Clear--Lo 70°F

Wednesday--Hot--Hi 100°F
Wednesday Night--Mostly Clear--Lo 69°F

Thursday--Mostly Sunny--Hi 99°F
Thursday Night--Mostly Clear--Lo 68°F

Friday--Mostly Sunny--Hi 99°F

Cholla--Spring and Fall

Hey hey edamame

There are some things I miss, of course. Picking up just about any delectable thing my appetite has in mind at New Pioneer, or sampling the goodies at the Farmers' Market. I miss experiencing good healthy food in abundance. Sure, I've found workarounds: the grocery store in Midland (3 hours away) has vegetarian sushi, Maytag blue cheese and a good Texas microbrew beer. The "health food store" in El Paso (a hard-working but dingy place) carries Frontier herbs and spices and I've become quite fond of cheap Mexican spices in incredibly large cellophane bags, so I don't have to buy tiny, expensive glass bottles of chili pepper. Edamame, though.....well.....I'll fess up to visiting McDonalds for their new Asian salad which settles for "health food" in Culberson County. I guess the lure of it in a dang salad is enough to pull me over the the dark side. In my defense, you can't buy the stuff in El Paso or Midland.

Yesterday, when I didn't show up for the local museum's pancake breakfast, my eating habits became a source of conversation. "She likes healthy food," someone said. Normally, I'd be a little self-conscious about being the center of attention and speculation, but I've come to accept that as a part of life here. And in this particular instance, it worked to my advantage.

The woman coordinating orders to ShopNatural Cooperative, called and gave me a copy of their catalog. Honestly, except for the produce, bakery, and wine and beer section, leafing through it is like strolling down the aisles at New Pi. Sure, they require you to buy some items in bulk--does anyone need $38 worth of pumpkin seeds?--but I can buy goat cheese, frozen organic lamb, anything in Burt's Bees or Paul Newman's line, good organic chocolate, artichoke ziti, and my beloved edamame! The next order is due this Friday, for delivery July 2. I'll be celebrating the 4th with Reed's Ginger Ale!

Goat Awareness Day

From the Alpine Avalanche:

Big Bend People and Goats is sponsoring the annual Goat Awareness Day, June 14th on the Brewster County Courthouse lawn from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. Awards will be given at 11 0'clock with cabrito` and continued viewing to follow. The exhibit theme this year is: Rethinking Livestock Breeding for Goats.

Running Milestone

For the first time, I've done a 10 mile run. I'm trying to build endurance and speed before fitness camp, plus I like the sense of accomplishment that comes from pushing myself.

It is easier to run with companions and now that I'm back from the big city, I'm running with my animal friends in the cemetery. My arrival each morning alerts the jackrabbits, and by the time I make it to the far corner on the first lap around the perimeter, they've bounded out into the safety of the desert. The cottontails, two kinds of quail, doves and house finches are left, providing me with entertainment and company as I log mile after mile.

Modern Convenience, Modern Curse

My landlord has nearly finished converting unused space into two new apartments in my building, which she's rented them to engineers in Jeff Bezos' space port company. (Yes, they still plan to shoot people into space from Van Horn. I know, it seems crazy!)

They've been spiffing up the entire building. This week for the first time since January 2004, I did laundry in my own building! No more tromping up and down stairs with heavy baskets of dirty clothes. No more attempted pickups by annoying,toothless, inarticulate guys nicknamed Caveman. No more mega-laundry trips of 7 loads to do at a time! I'm a happy, happy girl!

But I also got cable TV, and far too many channels at that. While I'll be able to see Project Runway without having to rely on Teresa whose been dutifully taping them for me, I'll have to embark on a campaign of sheer will to keep the television OFF most of the time. My love/hate relationship with the cursed thing continues.

Signs of Van Horn, part 5

Brewster County Sheriff's Report

One day in May, published in the Alpine Avalanche:
Loose Buffalo (Marathon), owner notified
Loose Cattle/Buffalo (Marathon), owner notified- cattle put up
Possible Domestic (Alpine), parties separated
Loose Cattle (Marathon), owner notified