Winter weather

We may get a bit of snow tomorrow, but all week we've had typical Van Horn winter weather. When I get up it is in the 30s and 40s. By the time I'm ready for my run, the temp is in the high 40s-50s and the air is perfectly clear. By afternoon, it has climbed to the 60s or 70s. Sunny. Practically perfect. There are still mums and even roses blooming in the cemetery.

Over the holiday, Van Horn got 4-6 inches of snow, but of course, it melted by the next day.

Good news!

For months the word has been, "the Governor signed the bill with your program's funding, and we're waiting on the feds to sign off on it. We're optimistic, but we've heard there are additional recessions. No, we don't know when they're going to do that. No, they don't have a particular timetable for doing that either." And then from our state legislator, "I wouldn't be dancing a victory dance if I were you, I heard there are to be additional cuts at the federal level."

Cue to a closeup from a 1950's movie, the wind pulling the pages off a wall calendar one by one, the days, the months, just flying by. And all the while, not knowing when the news was to come, my life was just hanging there. I'd beaten the anger about it, worked through the periodic loneliness, and had come to the point of just trying to get as much out of the experience as I could. For the past few months, I just put my head down and wrote, promoted, uploaded, sat through meetings, made connections, and did everything I could so if the job ended, I'd know I'd made the most of the opportunity.

So coming back from the holiday (a good one) in Houston, I stopped at a rest area (all Texas rest areas have wifi!) to check my email.....and the word was there from the state director of the heritage trails program. The feds approved our funding. (long happy pause taking in the magnitude of it all)

The long year of uncertainty is finally over. There are still many details to learn--how much funding will we get (the initial proposal asked for 50% more and for five years), and when it will be available to us. Our funding agency also asked for a boost, so we anticipate even more services from them, if all goes well.

I have a board meeting today which makes for a very busy day, but will start posting again more regularly. I promise. There is value to living as if each day were your last, and that's how I've approached the job the last few months. But really that's kind of a burden too--squeezing every last value out of an experience--it feels very very good to have this feverish period over and finally, finally look forward to thoughtful planning for the future.

Billie Jo, Bobby Jo and Betty Jo

In a rush to get out of town and to the big city for the holiday, but wanted to post at least one entry before I hit the road.

It was a great surprise this morning to read that the University of Iowa Libraries is launching their online archive of art with some connection to the University, and to find that one of my pieces is included. I made this piece years ago, http://digital.lib.uiowa.edu/cdm4/item_viewer.php?CISOROOT=/dp&CISOPTR=1145&CISOBOX=1&REC=1 , when I was still an annual giving officer for the Foundation. Not a literal portrait of our annual giving staff (the incredibly energetic Kris, the tremendously fun Anne, and me), but an emotional portrait of tough smart girls, diplomatic and presentable on the outside but always ready to rumble in our bureaucratic playground. Not unlike the troublemaking girls of Petticoat Junction, only smarter.

Amusements with morning coffee

The first time I lived in Texas, I found myself in a similarly isolated small town. But that was before UPS and Federal Express went everywhere, before Netflix and before the Internet. Everything seemed SO far away.

Now I'm struck by how connected I still am to the world. I sit in my kitchen each morning, as I am right now, enjoying my coffee and perusing the Iowa City Press-Citizen and New York Times headlines online. (Favorite recent headline--and I'll let you guess which paper this comes from--"Too much pie? Never!") I'm set now that Marfa Public Radio is back on the air and my sister's gift of The New Yorker keeps arriving.

So I thought it might be fun to share my list of "faves" of the moment, which keep me connected to the visual, the urban, the wacky.

After checking overnight email and the newspaper headlines, I visit a few of these before I head out for my morning run:

• Texas Mountain Trail webstats (of course!)


• Smitten Kitchen http://www.smittenkitchen.com/ (Deb's won a food blog award in the humor category and her photographs are amazing! She's responsible for my new food adventures making bread and ice cream.)


• Goodreads http://www.goodreads.com/ (To see what my friends are reading!)


• Bookcrossing http://www.bookcrossing.com/ (checking up on international programs, mostly)


• Manolo's Shoe Blog http://shoeblogs.com/ (Yeah, I know this goes completely against type, but he's funny and while I don't BUY or WEAR great shoes, I do like to look at them!)


• Red Lipstick http://www.redlipstick.net/blog/ (A refugee from earlier days in an all-girl punk band, she owns a boutique in Brooklyn and designs amazing knitted wear. She takes a very structural approach, almost an architectural approach to her work, and has been nominated for international design awards. Quick to anger, her tantrums are amusing and she frequently posts cute pictures of her dogs! What more could you want?)


• New York Nitty-Gritty http://otilius.blogspot.com/ (takes me to the city)
  
• 3191 http://3191.visualblogging.com/ (interesting partnership between friends living 3191 miles apart)
  
• Shorpy http://shorpy.com/ (historical photographs, including ours here: www.shorpy.com/texasmountaintrail
  
• The Sartorialist http://thesartorialist.blogspot.com/ (Fashion on the streets of Paris, Milan, Bejing)
  
• A Dress a Day http://www.dressaday.com/dressaday.html (another in the category "My life is more about jeans these days, but I am still a girl!")
  

One more....favorite TV show of the moment is Ace of Cakes! Here's their website: http://www.charmcitycakes.com/ I tip my hat to anyone who takes a sculptural approach to things, including this crew who can pull off a convincing BLT or Taj Mahal cake with good (usually droll) humor. This link to a YouTube video might explain it: http://www.charmcitycakes.com/noflash/index.cfm?rd=blog&id=15

Okay, that's enough for now.

Exotic Popscicles

Today I have a full schedule of meetings in El Paso. There's a homegrown El Paso company I want to approach--not today, but on future trips--about including a mention of their products on a culinary itinerary of the Mission Trail. You can buy their exotic popscicles in every possible Mex permutation from street vendors or convenience stores, or even Blockbuster or Sam's Club or Walgreens--how about pepino chile limon (roughly cucumber/chile/lime) or tamarind or cantelope? I am amused by their claim for the pecan popscicle--"Helps Prevent Coronary Disease" and their coconut, "A Good Source of Fiber." Anyway these are fun and interesting treats to try, something visitors might not be able to get at home.

Check out this link to see the full list: http://fruitikifruitbars.com/home.html

What'cha doin?

Sorry, I'm pushing a needlework deadline. I'll post when I can!

Ranch Gates in Culberson County

Texans take pride in their land (never, NEVER trespass!) and that often translates to their gate design. Sure these are large, comparatively rich ranches and their gates reflect that. Some gates are humble, made with little more than pipe and barbed wire.

I hope to see some more examples of individual expression at the cemetery. Today is All Soul's Day and Dia de los Muertos (Day of the Dead). I don't remember much of a celebration in the past, but perhaps Van Horn will surprise me this year! I will post photos if they do!