The Great Southwestern Antique Show, 8/3/07 - 8/5/07

What with all the collectible, vintage and antique venues springing up around Mountainair in tandem with increased folk art focus, this Abqq antique event might be worth checking out.

The Great Southwestern Antique Show

8/3/07 - 8/5/07: Fri. 9 am-5 pm, Sat. 9 am-5 pm, Sun. 10 am-4 pm at the Albuquerque Convention Center (Downtown). Admission: $8, 2-day pass $12. Call 255-4054

The Great Southwestern Antique Show, the premiere antique event of New Mexico is celebrating its 9th year, and is up-scaling its venue by making its move to the Convention Center, conveniently located in the heart of downtown Albuquerque. This is one of the Southwest's largest antique events. This annual event, proudly sponsored by Cowboys & Indians Antiques, located in Nob Hill, Albuquerque's vintage shopping district, takes place early August each year and features the collections of over 200 of the finest Antique & Folk Art, American Indian & Western, and Ethnographic Arts dealers in the United States.

(from the Albuquerque Event calendar at the Albuquerque Covention & Visitors Bureau "It's a Trip" site)

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A New Blog in Town

There's a new blog in town, Mountainair News & Information... but no shootouts at high noon on Broadway. Our blogs complement one another. When they overlap, we'll collaborate and cooperate. Remember George Hewitt's Country Chronicles? Think of the new blog as "the return of Country Chronicles."

George writes:

Hello Everyone! Country Chronicles has been reborn as a blog: http://countrychronicles.blogspot.com. Everyone is invited to read and/or join the blog. For those of you who have not heard of or used a blog, it is fairly simple. A blog is an on line version of a message board that allows folks to share messages and information almost immediately.

On a blog you can: Read the messages that others have posted; Post responses to messages that you have read; Post a brand new message. (To respond to an article in the blog or to post your own message, you will need to set up a user account. I personally have not noticed any new spam emails from setting up my username/ password.

If you would like to post to the blog and need help in setting up your user name/ password, drop me an email at: george@runningwolfproperty.com. I would be happy to help you with your set up or can set up your log in for you). Mountainair has many wonderful people and positive things that happen here every day. Read about Mountainair or share your Mountainair experiences (good & bad) at http://countrychronicles.blogspot.com.

If you like what you see, please share the blog with others - Everyone Is Welcome!

You can also read George's Welcome message at on her "new Country Chronicles" blog. It sounds as though she is setting up her blog to allow not just comments but guest posting as well. Reviewing recent posts, I have to admit she is keeping us better up to date than I do when it comes to public service announcements and news from town hall and about town / community services: police, fire department, town council agendas, blood drive, visiting dignitaries, public meetings and so forth.

It's win-win: the more blogs, MySpace pages, web pages and such, the stronger and better ranked Mountainair's overall web presence. From a purely personal even selfish persepctive, the better Kathleen covers the arts and arts council doings (not just the latter!) and the better George covers community news and information, the more time I have to go off on tangents that interest me and explore out of the box ideas with Dennis. The more everyone participates and contributes, the better the coverage and communication and - again not to put too fine a point on it - the stronger & more positive a presence Mountainair presents both virtually and in the real world.

GeoCaching

What is GeoCaching and why should anyone in Mountainair care?

Definition: Geocaching (n) - A sport or hobby that involves the hiding and finding of objects using Global Positioning System (GPS) data. Discoveries are logged by location, which is then shared with other participants (a.k.a. geocachers).

I'd heard of geocaching and even its pre-GPS predecessors, but other than dimly recalling its use as a mystery plot device to "eatablish an alibi," I hadn't given it much thought until this recent email from Dennis Fulfer:

On a tiny bit of "marketing the town" vibe (more Minnifieldesque thoughts! hahahaa). There's this silent rage going around called GeoCache. If you're not familiar with it, it's basically treasure hunting with a GPS. Well, I'm going to go out with my nephew, who is really into it, and we're going to "plant" a bunch of caches around Mtnair and surrounding areas. Then we're going to post it on the geocache website - http://www.geocaching.com/. Maybe it'll bring in those like minded people to check out the town and shop here...even if it's only for lunch after their hunt!

Back to geocaching, described as the sport where you are the search engine, a treasure hunting game where you use a GPS to hide and seek containers with other participants in the activity. I promptly set off on my own virtual hunt to learn more about GeoCaching - but not before sending Dennis cards to put in their cache inviting GeoGachers to visit Mountainair Arts (the blog, natch). Since then I've thought of more ways to put Mountainair in caches - ATCs, de-accessioned but inscribed books from the Mountainair library, coupons from local merchants, newsletters, postcards, etc.

OK so maybe commericalizing caches excessively will turn out to be bad form, but books, postcards and ATCs should still be fine. On the other, it may help both the sport and off the beaten track locales such as ours. This note from a how to geocache site suggests that ATCs, postcards etc would indeed be welcome. Furthermore, local businesses and events should consider supplying Mountainair geocachers with "trade items" for caches they find elsewhere:

When selecting a caching item to bring along for trading, consider that things like marbles, bouncy balls, key chains and batteries are popular trading items for geocaches. If you have a local "dollar store", these items are often perfect. Also, cultural items that cannot be bought easily help enrich the sport and make cache finds more interesting for others (ex: commemoritive pins, patches, crafts, etc.)

[Ed. Note: More about the Minnifieldesque later: a "Southern Exposure" piece is in the works. Yrs truly, Chris in the morning...]

From WikiHow entry on Geocaching:

... an increasingly popular, inclusive, fun and healthy pastime for individuals of all ages. It is also great for groups like families, friends, classes and youth groups working as teams. The core of the sport consists of using a handheld GPS receiver unit to guide you to a destination, where a hidden container (or "cache") is stored. Once found, you log your visit in an included logbook, and optionally trade one of the many contained "goodies" for one of your own. This wikiHow will guide you through the basics of the sport. On your mark, get set, go!

Want to join in? Check the GeoCache site at http://www.geocaching.com/ for descriptions, ground rules, tips on getting started. Here's how to hide your first geocache

An intriguing variant that seems especially applicable to local sights and landmarks such as the Salinas ruins (one already in a "virtual" cache - see below) , the Shaffer Hotel, etc.

• Virtual caches have no container at all, but require you to find some information at the location, or take a picture to prove you found it. These are popular in sensitive environmental areas.

GeoCaching Close to Home

The New Mexico Challenge - Torrance County

Abo Ruins virtual cache

A virtual cache is a cache that exists in a form of a location. Depending on the cache "hider," a virtual cache could be to answer a question about a location, an interesting spot, a task, etc. The reward for these caches is the location itself and sharing information about your visit.

Because of the nature of these geocaches, you must actually visit the location and acquire the coordinates there before you can post. In addition, although many locations are interesting, a virtual cache should be out of the ordinary enough to warrant logging a visit.

Visit the ruins of the Franciscan mission at Abo, dating from the 1620's. This virtual cache is in the Salinas National Monument. It is open everyday of the year except Thanksgiving, Christmas, and New Years, from 9 am to 5 pm. To claim this virtual cache (1) post a photo of someone in your group holding their GPSR in front of the ruins, or (2) send an e-mail to ganelo@earthlink.net telling me what round landmark you see at the listed coordinates and how it relates to the uneasy coexistence that I mentioned above.

Trails End Almost: another "close to home" cache, this one not virtual and in the Manzanos

More GeoCaching links (no doubt more than you probably wanted)

• http://www.geocaching.com/
• http://www.mi-geocaching.org/
• http://www.wi-geocaching.com/
• http://www.groundspeak.com/
• http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Geocaching
• http://adventuresingeocaching.blogspot.com/2005/12/geocaching-software.html
• http://www.gpsgames.org/
• GeoCaching article http://www.drive.subaru.com/Win06_Feature.htm
• Buxley's Geocaching Waypoint http://www.brillig.com/geocaching

So, are you ready for adventures in geocaching? If you've ever geocached here or somewhere else - as hunter or cacher. I'd love to hear from you. Please post a comment here in reply or email me at vcrary@yahoo.com

Senior Mountainair Moments

This post exclusively senior matters and resources. If you have a special portrait in your attic or Ponce de Leon's lost map, you may not find it of interest.

Next on the spike: local GeoCaching, Southern Exposure, Sunflower updates, upcoming events, poets on the march, new faces, Mountainair Gymkhana Rodeo & so much more

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(Sr Olympics update submitted by Laura Kayser, Mountainair Senior Olympics point person & unofficial chef d'équipe)

Good Morning:

We are down in numbers this year. Usually we have about 25 people that attend the State games, but this year we have less than 10. Of course, it's not a qualifying year to go to National's so that always plays a factor.

[Ed. Note: June 30th was the final registration deadline for NM Senior Olympics, Annual Summer Games August 2-6, 2007]

[rest of Ed note: Mountainair senior badminton is serious, very competitive & even bordering on cut-throat at times. Definitely part of Mountainair culture, so learn more about it. Here's a cool badminton site from the University of Dublin.]

Here are the names and their events:

• Francis Addison (Age 84): Badminton, Air pistol
• Robert Mundis: Badminton, Air rifle, shuffleboard
• Barbara McCune: Badminton, shuffleboard, table tennis
• Jerry Melaragno (Dee's husband?): Badminton, cycling
  
• Larry Foltzer: Table tennis
• Nancy Townson: Badminton
• Laura Kayser (chef d'équipe): Badminton, table tennis, discus
• James Clark: Cycling (I think he's from Moriarity)

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Primetimers, a senior social and fellowship group, meet for lunch. 11:30 am, 2nd Tuesday of every month (unless otherwise announced) at the Nazarene Church. There is always a program of some kind - music, speaker, etc - and lunch is $4. July's lunch was potluck - cook's day away. Shirley Jones tells me that the group also has plans to try out recently initiated TCOP bus service to Belen connecting to the Rail Runner for a trip to Albuquerque. Call Shirley at 847-0114 or email shobomntnr@aol.com for more information.

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Senior Resources

What I am tempted to call NM Dept of Old Farts (because I am one and thoroughly enjoying the license to curmudgeon that goes with the territory) is actually called "New Mexico Aging and Long-Term Services Department"

The Aging Network Division covers familiar local services such as the Senior Center, group lunches Monday through Friday, lunches, meals on wheels, senior van service, Senior Olympics, and other programs.

Lynne Anker-Unnever, Director, email Lynne.Anker-Unnever@state.nm.us

This Division is the “Aging” in the Aging and Long-Term Services Department. Aging Network providers include senior centers, congregate meal sites, adult day care programs, volunteer programs, employment program host agencies, Senior Olympics, the New Mexico Alzheimer’s Association, and others. Aging Network contract providers help families remain together, at home, in their own communities. The contract providers create a safety net for the vast majority of New Mexico’s elders, those who don't qualify for Medicaid but whose resources are limited. Employment and volunteer opportunities enable older adults to remain active, vital members of their communities. Financial subsidies offered by the employment programs and by some of the volunteer programs help seniors maintain their economic independence. The Aging Network is the only resource for many senior New Mexicans.

There are even Senior Employment Programs, although how helpful they'd be here is questionable.

In the meantime, Senior Center Upgrade Drags On

kudos & happenings hither & yon

Have you ordered your copy of "Mountainair 2007: Art and Artist Remembered" created by local (but recently returned to WA) artist Joan Collins? The poster, splendid Mountainair memorabilia, features ATC sized works by local artists past & present. If not, tarry no longer. Here's the ordering information

And in the Kudos Department
Judy Mowris is officially about-to-be-published! Congratulations are in order. Judy gleefully and proudly announces that not just one but two altered and embellished denim creations, along with short articles written to describe how she made each garment, will be featured in the November issue of Altered Couture. The publication is dedicated to altered and embellished clothing and accessories, features photographs of altered jackets, t-shirts, sweaters, jeans, skirts, and more, accompanied by easy-to-understand techniques on how to transform garments and accessories into wearable art. A natural for Judy. Now... fingers crossed that one of her creations makes the cover!

front, back & sleeve detail of embellished denim jacket appearing in Nov 2007 Altered Couture

Arts Council: BoD met Thursday, no report available; on dit has it that there will be but one 2008 big art council event, with tour & sunflower conflated into a single event sometime in the fall. No telling what it will be called, surely neither sunflower (no sunflowers then) nor art tour (ain't one, not by a long shot). This year, there are three, count'em three, "sunflower folk art" images this year, genuinely folk art ones to boot: the usual (3 yrs hardly establishes a "tradition") sunflower retablo, this year's by Marie Luna, gourd artist Susan Probert's "sunflower spirit" doll (image on right), and Meg Chobanian's sunflower raffle quilt, "Heart of the Arts." Both quilt & retablo are on the sunflower page (not an mmac page), quilt image & raffle info on the mmac page and a thumbnail of the quilt on the Mountainair Chamber of Commerce events page.

I'll be posting all the folk art day images, other sunflower & folk art materials and much more on sunflower & associated events. I look forward to blogging more about Marie Luna & Susan Probert (What tribe does Susan belong to? What can we learn from looking at the doll?) but will have to wait until mmac shares.

More about spirit dolls

http://ancientones.com/

http://www.sacredimagination.com/spirit_dolls.htm

Delighted & relieved to see this year's Sunflower Folk Art Day with more folk art, as implied by its name - truth in labeling matters. Can't honestly say I'll deeply mourn the passing of the art tour, even if dropping it when organizers finally get it more or less right seems passing strange. But I've always had a soft spot for sunflower and fervently hope that the town or some other entity picks up sunflower. After all, this would not be the 1st or even 2nd time a sunflower has been booted to the curb like an uninsured patient only to be taken in by another.


Out of town doings...

Cecelia & Genvieve Leitner: Voice and Guitar Concert
7:00 PM Thursday, July 19th, 2007, Fuller Lodge, 2132 Central Ave, Los Alamos, NM 87544
7:00 PM Friday, July 20th, 2007, Unitarian Universalist Congregation, 107W. Barcelona Road, Santa Fe, NM 87505

Admission: $15-$10

Cecilia Leitner, soprano, with Genevieve Leitner, guitar, and Nathan Salazar, piano, perform Music of Mozart Villa-Lobos, Sor, Albeniz, Schubert, Brahms, Schumann, and more! Genevieve will also perform solo guitar works.

For more information, please call Genevieve or Cecilia at (505) 920-5145 or (505) 351-4283.

(Ed. Note: my thanks to Ellen Chavez de Leitner for sending me this announcement - I do so appreciate submissions I don't have to beg & nag for, hunt down like a dog - or threaten to get. Please keep'em coming...)


Albuquerque Summerfest,
Civic Plaza, 5-10:30 pm, July 14, 21, 28

Music and dance entertainment; food vendors; a beer garden; arts and crafts market; children's activities such as facepainting, magic, juggling, interactive drumming, fun jumps and more.

Santa Fe International Folk Art Market

this weekend, Saturday & Sunday, July 14, 15

Summers in Santa Fe = art market time for artists, collectors, tourists, shopper and other visitors just browsing. The newest market, three year old Santa Fe International Folk Art Market, features folk art stand-bys (textiles, pottery, basketry, carving and more) by 100-plus artists and the largest show of its kind in the United States. Folk art extends to entertainment with drumming, dancing, music, food and children's programs.

The folk art market and its Kellog & other foundation sponsors claim a larger mission: sustaining world folk art and folk artists. Art forms taking hand work are labor intensive and at risk in the era of cheaper simulacra and easy factory reproduction. Participating folk Art artists are not just local but coming to Santa Fe from 41 countries — embroiderers from Afghanistan, weavers from Chile, linen and lacemakers (Handiera Cooperative) from Brazil, and many more.

Two established Santa Fe Plaza summer markets follow this weekend's Folk Market. The folk art market.: The 56th annual Spanish Market, July 28-29, hosts 250 artists and handcrafted traditional arts, such as religious carvings, tinwork and colcha. The Indian Market, Aug. 17-19, draws multitudes of art enthusiasts and visitors from around the world to browse and buy from an estimated 1,200 artists or more representing 100 tribes.

Parade, Roswell UFO Festival

Last weekend's Roswell UFO Festival (60th anniversary of 1947) was a very different kind of - but equally typical - NM event. Surely unique, bordering on contemporary folk and definitely a primo (if not the) popular culture happening.
Maureen and Neil Hamilton attended again, reporting more agreeable temperatures (80°) than last year (110°) and an intriguing mixture of serious investigation (conferences & scholarly presentations), fun (parade, costume contest, street dancing to late 40's Western Swing), even UFO poetry - and, of course marketing. In addition to the official festival website, Roswell and festival appear on site such as "alien resistance," "Roswell UFO crash" and "cystal links.

10th Annual Poets & Writers Picnic

photo by Robin desJardins, Imagio Studios

Saturday, August 25, noon to 5 pm, come to the 10th Annual Poets & Writers Picnic at its traditional venue, the garden of the historic Shaffer Hotel in Mountainair, NM. Sponsored by the Manzano Mountain Arts Council, the Picnic (aka PWP) runs concurrent with Sunflower Folk Art Day. "10th Annual" means that, come August 25th, the Poets & Writer's Picnic will have been around a decade. Coincidentally, my own birthday is August 24th. I've been around more than a decade though..

Poets and Writers Picnic: featured readers plus open mic. Free admission. Bring a picnic lunch or dine at the Shaffer. Featured poets & writers include Ken Gurney, Beatlicks Joe Speer & Pamela Hurst, Tony Mares, Outlaw poets John Macker & Todd Moore, Marilyn Stablein, Janet Grace Reihl, Cowgirl Bronc Magnet poet Connie Rossignol, Stewart S. Warren, plus music by Greg Candela & Lou Blackwell & friends. As picnic time approaches, watch for bios about, pictures of and poems by featured readers. Download Picnic & Workshop flyer.

Sunflower Poetry Writing Workshop, Thursday evening to noon Saturday,August 23-25, will be held once again at the Shaffer Hotel in Mountainair. Register for two days of writing poetry with Greg Candela, Dale Harris and Scott Sharot, campfire poetry and storytelling. Download workshop brochure (with registration form). If you come for the Workshop, stay to explore Mountainair and for Sunflower Folk Art Day as well as the Poets & Writers Picnic Saturday afternoon.

Gazebo, Shaffer Hotel

Workshop Tuition is $100. with discounts for partial attendance, some scholarships available. Contact Dale Harris to enroll: call 505-242-4930 or email poetdale@yahoo.com. Limited rooms are still available at the Shaffer. The workshop cannot make your reservations for you: call directly for reservations: 505-847-2888 or toll free 888-595-2888. Visit the Shaffer web page for more information about the hotel and a virtual tour of its attractions

Other local accomodations are available at the newly re-modeled Rock Motel, 505-847-2577. There are RV hook-ups at Turner Inn as well as area camping facilities. More about Mountainair, amenities and these events at (the original) Mountainair Arts (the blog) and the Mountainair Chamber of Commerce page. Map and directions online

concert, cars, Wray's latest, tour pics & more

SUNDAY CONCERT CANCELATION NOTICE: The Heritage Band Concert, Sunday July , Sundays at Shaffer Gazebo series, has been canceled. The next concert will be guitarrist Michael Chapdelaine, August 5. Perhaps some local musicians will step up to the plate and fill the July music gap. Hint, hint, hint...

Heritage Band, formerly Diamonds in the Field

MMAC Board meeting today, July 11, 2pm. Got something to add to the agenda? Call a board member and ask if you can attend and/or have item put on the agenda. Board members names & email are on the "unabashedly unofficial MMAC web page." Want to telephone? You do know how to google and use a telephone book, don't you?

Did you catch the Great American Race and all the fab cars when it came through Mountainair yesterday? If you missed it in the flesh (or rather metal & rubber), you can catch details about the 2007 race online at the Great Race site complete with pictures

Mountainair pitstop in front of the Community Center

car #93, one of the ’32 Fords, a 1932 M-1 Mechanix Special Racer

The race started June 30th in Concord NC, finishing July 14 Anaheim CA. Yesterday, Tuesday, July 10, 2007, was Stage 10 in the race. The NM leg started in Portales, stopped for lunch in Carrizozo, coming into Mountainair on NM 55, took a pit stop at the Community Center, left towm on NM 55 North and called it a day in Albuquerque. Winners for the day were last year’s champions Dave Reeder and Sawyer Stone in car #1, a 1932 Ford, 3-Window Coupe. Finishing in second place today and first place in the rookie class were driver Bryan Dickson and navigator Joe Correia in car #69, a Porsche 911. Today teams travel through Arizona stopping in Saint
Johns, Winslow and Flagstaff. According to Great Race bloggers, Small towns are alive and well during the Great Race

Thought about the mural lately? Shirley Simmons researched and ordered final coat preservative, now sitting in Hair Enchantment waiting for willing hands to help apply it. The Simons have lined up compressor and scaffolding. Volunteers are more elusive. Nor has it been on the arts council agenda. Despite claiming credit for the mural as an arts council, could their position be "not our problem anymore"? I would have written "out of sight, out of mind," but a public mural on the main drag is hardly "out of sight," not even for grey geese and the most determined of ostriches.

Wray Simmons, whose latest project is a handicap access ramp at Methodist church, is trying his hand at stonemasonry. If you see him out working, stop & help. If you don't, call Wray at 384-0038 to find out when he'll be there so you too can try your hand at stonemasonry.

More pictures from the 2007 Mountainair Arts Tour ... since it's become a common cliche to refer to "Mountainair time" or Mountainair being the town "time forgot," that ought to mean we can post event pictures late or anytime we want. So we will...

alt.tour - Judy Mowris' ATCs transformed

into Mountainair & NM themed refigerator magnets

echte tour (aka mmac sanctioned) -
Tomas Wolff's Pottery & Ceramics display
at the Dr Saul Community Center

Poetry news

submitted by Dale Harris

Albuquerque Poetry Readings

Fri. July 6, 8 pm, Southwest Shootout Finals (slam), Kimo Theater, 423 Central Ave NW, downtown Albuquerque, 4 finalists from the night before compete, tickets $10. at the door. Visit ABQ slams site for more info on both events.

Sat. July 7, 10 am - 2 pm, Southwest Writers Poetry Symposium, New Life Presbyterian Church, 5504 Eubank NE Albuquerque, moderated by Billy Brown, free admission.

Sunday, July 8, 2 pm, Inara Cedrins poetry & art at Asbury Methodist Church, 10000 Candelaria NE, Albuquerque, show to benefit her Nepali husband whose visa was just approved, wants to join her in the U.S. Oil paintings for purchase from her series, "Tibetan Peaceful Offerings of the Five Senses," featured at Rainbow Artists. More info: Roberta Oleson at 505-292-9863; Inara at 505-559-0368 or email inara_cedrins@hotmail.com

Tuesday July 10, 7 pm, Poets Night Series at Collected Works, 208 West San Francisco Street, Santa Fe, features Aaron Abeyta (Colcha) and Susan Tichy (The Hands in Exile and Bone Pagoda) Hosted by Nancy Faye. Free event

Thursday, July 19, 7 pm, Word Dancers' Reunion welcomes back Wendy Brown with Marcia, Jan, James, Orlando & friends, at Victoria's Garden, 1011 Calle de Resolana, Santa Fe. For more info: 505-438-8194 or email poetasolyluna@yahoo.com

Sat. July 21, 1 - 4:30 pm, Poetry Open House at Sandi Blanton's and Billy Brown's Home, 2909 Monterey Ave SE Albuquerque (3 streets south of Coal, 3 houses east of Girard), free, their 10th quarterly Poetry Open House, all poets and poetry afficionados welcome, come read or just listen. Let them know if you'll be attending, call Billy Brown at 401-8139 or email welbert53@aol.com

On the web:

• Fickle Muses online journal with weekly featured poets & writers, mythic themes


• A new site from Ken Gurney, former curator of Tamafyr Mountain, is Origami Condom, more info and submission guidelines at website.
  

Dale Harris
2115 Aspen Avenue NW
Albuquerque, New Mexico 87104
http://www.daleharrispoetry.com/

Poetry & Music CD's http://www.cdbaby.com/all/daleharris
"Cibola Seasons", "Once We Were Winged" & "Like A Hummingbird"

More Jubilee

Ladies aside & Jock's antique cars

Anyone got campgrounds, fireworks or dance pictures for the blog? Please Email them to me as attachments. All at the campgrounds were having a great time, but it's just not as photogenic as parade floats.

View vcrary's map

Taken in (See more photos here)

All in all, Jubilee 2007 was a smashing hit. Despite less than stellar promotion and speedbumps along the way, the turnout for parade, campground activities, BBQ, live music by the Cognitive Dissidents, fireworks and dance was better than in recent years. Be sure to thank Edythe R., Kathy Anglin (at Town Hall), George Hewitt and Doris Anaya the next time you see them. Unfortunately, Edythe had to miss campground festivities to work at the grocery. Doris Anaya was in charge of the parade and did a bang up job. So let them know how much you appreciate their efforts. Offer to help them next year too...

More to thank for making Jubilee a success: click here to see the thank you list posted at the campgrounds.

Done in by the heat, I missed both fireworks and dance but heard glowing reports on both. At the campgrounds, people, tables, games and activities spread out all over the ground. There was ample shade and a pleasant breeze. A few tables and the traditional Fire Dept BBQ were indoors, allowing welcome access to A/C. The selection of local and out-of-town vendors was decent but could have been better. Local: Rose Smith, jewelry; Kristie Fulfer, DKF Diversified, Avon; Carlotta Moorehead, crocheted pursesm headbands and tops; tables selling drink, snacks, nachos, posole; and more. Photographer (Clixnpix) Aislon Burnam and family, recently moved to Mountainair, offered notecards featuring local Mountainair scenes - and has promised some for the blog. Out of town: enchanting "Del arte ruso" with traditional items such as Russian stacking dolls, painted ceramic jewelry and "beresta" or birch barks crafts; regular Cynthia Daly of Milagro Moon Ranch with goat milk soap and other products. Too bad more local artists and artisans did not show up on a float or with a table selling their wares.

In addition to vendors, music, food and games, a number of local and county organizations supported Jubilee with tables: Head Start, Farm & Livestock Bureau, Alta Mira, American Cancer Society, TCPO and more. I was delighted to see the TCPO (Torrance County Project Office) table and pick up information on their rural transportation program (TCP To Go). Their buses have been running from Mountainair to Willard, Torreon, Manzano, Estancia, Moriarty, Edgewood, with connections to Albuquerque. Starting July 16, there will be an early morning bus from Mountainair to the Belen Rail Runner, with an evening return to Mountainair. TCPO also ran an hourly bus between the campgrounds and Quarai.

In town, local businesses reported overall good traffic and sales. The opening of the Cibola Arts show, "Fireworks," seemed a bit quiet. I wish I'd been able to promote it here, urging Jubilee visitors to drop by, but no one sent me anything. Sorry, but it's true. Let's all be more with it next year...

And now for the pictures - thanks to Ray Terhorst for taking and sending parade pictures.

Follow that tractor! (photo by Ray)

Red and more red (photo by Ray)

Another Mountainair District Forest Service float: Smokey the Bear

(photo by Annie B)

Being in the parade is for everybody & any kind of conveyance - not just for flatbeds, pickups, kids onbikes, riders on horses or mules or guys driving vintage cars, trucks and tractors (photo by Ray)

July 5th Central Avenue Reading Canceled

Submitted by Dale Harris:

Hi Poets!

Regret to notify you that due to staffing problems at Winnings Coffee, the Thursday July 5th monthly Central Avenue poetry reading is canceled. Monthly readings will resume in August. Contributors to the July issue of Central Avenue and our subscribers will receive their issues through the mail in a few days. Anyone else wanting to purchase an issue can contact me or wait until the August reading. As always, thanks for your support!

Here's our info again:

CENTRAL AVENUE monthly Burque reading is the first Thursday of each month, 7 pm at (next one will be August 2) at Winning Coffee Co, 111 Harvard SE, Albuquerque, 1/2 block so. of Central in the University area. Open mic, free admission. Central Avenue Poetry Magazine issue for the month is released at the reading, free to contributors who are featured that month or $3. per issue.

Please send submissions for Central Avenue issue by email to poetdale@yahoo.com or by *snail mail to Dale Harris 2115 Aspen Ave NW, Albuquerque, NM 87104 (*please no SASE since we do not return poems). Issues are available at the monthly readings for $3 each (free if you are featured) Subscribe for $20. per year and we'll mail to you - please make checks out to Dale Harris.

Dale Harris
2115 Aspen Avenue NW
Albuquerque, New Mexico 87104

Jubilee: Parade Pictures

Thanks to Annie for sending me these and other parade pictures. Hats off to Doris Anaya for organizing the parade and most efficiently getting it on the road.

Local businesses, agencies, groups and individuals turned out to support the parade. Not everyone had a float - they embellished whatever was at hand, rolling or marching in by truck, car, ATV, bicycle, horse, mule or mare's shank (Miss Marple's expression for going afoot). Let's hope that next year's turnout will be even better. I certainly look forward to what the arts council comes up with. If we can come up with something suitable & non-sweltering, Sable & I may show up too.

And now Dear Readers, I ask for your assistance in putting names on unidentified people in the pictures. You can post IDs as comments or email them to me to post here. I'm also asking around for more Jubilee pictures. Who got which awards would be nice too.

Ruth Ballen (aka The Wayward Elf) in one of Jock Finley's antique cars

The locally headquartered National Park Service district (SAPU) float,
quite appropriately featuring a model of a ruin

Float celebrating Betsy Ross, who sewed the 1st American flag

I recognize the Forest Service's Woody Owl but not the other passenges.

There was also a float with Smokey Bear. If you do, send me their names.

Sangre de Cristo Senior Residence

Matched pair of mules, ridden aside

Old Yeller with wheels