Happy Ghosts Visit the Moon of the High Mountain Desert of New Mexico
So you might be asking what do ghosts and New Mexico have in common…
Not really anything unless you hear the howl of a wolf or the yipping of coyotes. However, my table reflects everything Southwest and living in the mountains (which is called the high mountain desert) you can hear all sorts of sounds, especially at night. I do have a (sort of) ghost story to tell. As many of you know, we lived in the remote mountains of New Mexico for about 15 years. One evening, while sitting outside, around a cozy, crackling fire… with visiting family members…we heard what sounded like a woman screaming. The men grabbed rifles and headed through the deeply shadowed piñon and ponderosa pine trees towards the sound. (The oldest brother was convinced it was a mountain lion, but whatever the sound was… they wanted to check it out.) We ladies were more concerned that someone (a woman to be exact) might be in trouble and in need of help. We were fortunate to own quite a few acres on which we ran Santa Gertrudis Cattle and quarter horses. Many times “city slickers” would climb over the 5 foot high barbed wire fences (or cut them) or cross over the many cattle guards and picnic or swim in our spring fed ponds. They assumed the land was available for public use. I have to preface this by saying this ranch had been in my husband’s family for many many years. So the 4 brothers that were visiting that evening (there were 6 in that family) were very familiar with the ranch and the surrounding land. Long story short…they found a mountain lion in a tree down by one of the outbuildings. They left the mountain lion alone after firing a couple shots to hopefully scare it away so no livestock would be in danger. I will never forget that scream…it did sound like a woman.
I love the Land of Enchantment, otherwise known as New Mexico, and after living there for several years, it will always be in my heart. Don’t get me wrong, I still love Southwest Florida. But…..There is something about the Southwest high mountain dessert where our ranch was located in New Mexico (which means Nuevo Mexico in Spanish),…. that every now and then,…well, it calls to me. It is like the Call of the Wild. You know, like the howling wolf?
Let me give you a bit of Mountain background….Rocky Hills Ranch, our ranch, …you know I name everything, was/is located (7500 feet elevation) deep in the mountain chain of the Manzano Mountains, (which means apple tree in Spanish),…..which is a continuation of the Sandia Mountains, (which means watermelon in Spanish),…..which is a continuation of the Sangre de Cristos Mountains, (which means Blood of Christ in Spanish),…..which is a continuation of the Rocky Mountains, (which means montañas Rocosas in Spanish),…..which is a continuation of the Canadian Rocky Mountains.
Whew! Did you get all that? Collectively these make up the Rocky Mountains, a mountain system that stretches from Northern British Columbia through central New Mexico, which is part of the great mountain system known as the North American Cordillera. (Actually, This cordillera extends from Alaska to the southern border of Mexico.)
Ok, now that we have established this mountain chain, let us move on to my love of the state of New Mexico.
I have shared many recipes and pictures and stories on this blog… from this most mis-understood state.
Some people think New Mexico is NOT a part of the United States, while others think it is all barren desert. Not true. Below is a picture of Albuquerque. And we lived in those mountains surrounding the city, which by the way, Albuquerque is at 5000 feet elevation. The same as Denver, Colorado.
The New Mexican landscape ranges from wide, rose-colored deserts to broken mesas to high, snow-capped peaks and heavily forested mountain wildernesses which cover a significant portion of the state! So now that we have that all cleared up…lets talk tablescape!
Several years ago, I found these salad plates and my heart and mind went immediately back to New Mexico. Naturally, my decor when living in New Mexico was definitely Southwest, from Pueblo Indian rugs to rustic hand made tables situated near our wonderful native stone fireplace!
Luckily, I still have a few Southwest pieces like this piece of driftwood that I found on the Ranch while chasing after stray cattle….yes, on horseback. It was the best way to travel through all the trees, gullies (arroyos) and canyons on the ranch. Oh, and a quick note…This was in the late 70’s and I was sort of like the Pioneer Woman, but without a blog… which I didn’t start until we moved to Florida. I have collected dish ware, etc for many years.
The Table Elements:
The cactus napkin rings I picked up at Pier 1 and the chippy ivory chargers I have had for years. I like putting a white dinner plate on the charger for interest in the white colors.
I already had the heavy, hand blown water glasses rimmed in cobalt blue and have used them in Cinco de Mayo tablescapes before. I picked them up when living in New Mexico.
The flatware has brown wood handles and the napkins are a blue patchwork that I feel goes very well with the Southwest theme.
The stemmed goblets are called medallion and have just the right shade of blue to go with the water glasses. I like the unexpected look for the plain SW style. I call it a ‘collected’ look.
I placed votive candles and various cactus around the burlap table runner which adds to that rustic Southwest feel.
My dinner menu was simple. Enchiladas Casserole, Green Rice with Hatch Green Chilies, New Mexican Cornbread, Pica de Gallo with shredded lettuce, cheese and tomatoes.
Recipes can be found under the main dishes category on this blog.
You can see there is really nothing scary about this tablescape…and that is because I don’t like or ‘do’ scary. I am not that fond of Halloween, per se, but the little kiddos like it, most likely so they can dress up in costumes and get candy. When I was younger, I did the same and so did my children. I do smile at friendly ghosts. Recently, we have not had trick or treaters at our home, even though we turn on our porch light and are ready with candy to hand out. However, we do buy huge bags of candy and give to our church for the Harvest Trunk and Treat night …where car trunks are decorated in the church parking lot and candy is given out, along with tracts to all the little goblins and ghosts. We usually have about 1500 little ones with their parents on the 31st of October visit our church parking lot.
Proverbs 29;18 “Where there is no vision, the people perish:…”
I do have a ghost with a black bow (I believe it is a ‘she’) and a ghost with a pointed hat that make me smile. I found them on Amazon along with a large black spider. They are on a light timer and are definitely friendly like Casper.
Have a great day and blessings always
- “Some trust in chariots and some in horses,
but we trust in the name of the Lord our God. “Psalm 20:7
I want to thank our leader, Rita of Panoply...the trooper that she is… who despite a recent fall down the stairs… (which sidelined her for a bit), … She stepped up to the plate, bit the bullet and with comminuted fractured wrist, and one (or two) fingers, managed to get the Blog Hop on schedule and got the job done. 🥰 I, with the other bloggers, say “Thank you Rita!” 💕 Below are Halloween tablescapes for more inspiration.
What a lovely glimpse into your years in New Mexico, Kari! I can only imagine how memorable that evening must have been when you heard that scream in the night. Your Southwest tablescape is beautiful, especially the touches of blue and those charming little ghosts. I love how you’ve brought together so many special memories with such a delightful Halloween setting! My apologies for the late comment!
No worries Maureen…we all have times when we can’t seem to get it all done. Thank you for your sweet comments . I do miss New Mexico, but not the colder weather. I am spoiled here in Florida…we have had temps in the 40’s and 50’s but I prefer the high 70’s and 80’s which is average here in SW Florida. I hope you are having a great Autumn up there in Canada and thanks again for stopping by. hugs always
Thank you always for your beautiful posts. I look forward to your next one.
thank you Rebecca…I appreciate you taking the time to read and comment. Blessings Always
Kari
Kari, all ghosts should be as adorable as yours! They and the full moon plates add just enough Halloween atmosphere. I really liked how you styled your NM table with its gnarled wood and vast blue skies represented by each of the blue items. I’ve been to NM many times on vacation, and visiting our daughter three or four times a year since she moved to Albuquerque six years ago. Have a wonderful October and may you have an adorable trick or treater or two!
Thanks Sandra…so you know all the wonders of N.M….We lived up in the mountains from Albuquerque…but went down the mountain to work, grocery shop, appointments etc. What part of Albuquerque does your daughter live? I am sure your daughter knows of the snow closings of Tijeras Canyon…so many times we had to hurry to get through before they had to close the canyon due to bad weather. We lived off highway 14 towards Escabosa and Chilili.
Thanks for stopping by and have a great October.🥰🍁🌻🏈🎃👻
Well!! I learned that you were a horseback riding, cattle wrangling dish lover!!! that is awesome!!! Your southwest table is beautiful, those cactus plates are striking. I was in New Mexico on a rare trip with my mom and two sisters!! We were driving around in a PT Cruiser listening to Herb Alpert and the Tijuana Brass🤣😂🤣but I remember it was beautiful. I enjoyed your ghost story memories with your family! I hope you have a fun Halloween🧡🖤
Thanks Ann…yes, and you could add gun totin’. LOL. I did love all the animals we raised aside from Santa Gertrudis cattle, Western Quarter horses and Duroc Pigs…we raised Peacocks, Quinnea, Little Call Ducks, Pekin Ducks, Turkeys, Toulouse Geese, Rabbits, and Laying Chickens. We has plenty of eggs and always had a side of beef and pork in our freezer.
I loved Herb Alpert and the Tijuana Brass and the Texas Tornados with Freddy Fender.
Happy October.🥰🍁🏈🌻🎃👻
Dear Kari,
What a lovely table scape and so different from what you usually do. I have only been to New Mexico once and it was only to fly into Albuquerque and out again. I thought the city looked beautiful and would have liked to have gone back to visit, but never got the chance. I enjoyed the history of New Mexico. Oh, and Yay Jayhawks. What about those Chiefs?
Hugs,
Sandy
Go Chiefs! 4-0! Jayhawks football amazed me this week and I can’t wait for Oct 16 for the start of exhibition Jayhawks basketball. Grab the popcorn and Let’s Go!
Thanks Sandy for your always being there for my posting. Don’t know what I would do without you…so you better take care of yourself AND Ron. Luv ya lots.
Kari, what a wonderful post on the history of New Mexico. I’ve always been a huge fan of Georgia O’Keefe – ever since I studied her art work at University. Your table setting captures the magic of New Mexico so beautifully! the textures and colors are absolutely perfect. Like you, I am not a huge fan of Halloween, but our dear friend Mary absolutely adored it! She went all out….she will be so missed. Thank you dear Kari, for another beautiful blog post that is both lovely and informative. xo Lidy
Oh Lidy, we will miss Mary but we still have her memories don’t we? And hopefully we can go to her blog posts anytime we need one of her famous recipes or gardening tips.
Thank you for your kind comments on my table…I loved our horses and I loved riding them..the only time I had a few misgivings was on one of the round ups we had, preparing to brand and vaccinate young calves and my horse Dondi, decided to go through a thicket of Mesquite and we got in and had difficulty backing out of that mess of crooked, curled and stickery branches. I lost my cowboy hat, but I was not about to retrieve it. She was kinda stubborn and so was I…it was like an irresistible force meets an immovable object. LOL
Have a wonderful October my friend.🥰🏈🌻🍁🎃
New Mexico is a fascinating state, Kari! My late beloved and I visited years ago and went White Sands, and then to Cloudcroft, so different in elevation! We stayed in Ruidoso.
I can just picture you on horseback as the Pioneer Woman! Your table is so reminiscent of your love for NM. My favorite part was the driftwood that you saved. Your menu sounds so wonderful and I would love to be a guest.
Kitty you are welcome at any table I set…I know we could have lots to talk about…we could sit for hours, I’m sure of it.
White Sands, Cloudcroft and Ruidoso are each unique in their own way. I think that is why N.M. is called the Land of Enchantment…it is so diversified.
Hugs my sweet friend and have a great week.🥰🍁🏈🌻
THis table is simply wonderful. am so in love with those salad plates. They speak to me with the blue and the cacti and so perfect with the white for the other dishes. And then, those glasses. And I’m just wild about the driftwood at the center. This is so simple, so elegant, yet warm. It’s simply wonderful.
I’ve never been to NM and wish to visit some day. I love the art and colors of the southwest, though the only spots I’ve been there have been in Arizona. Your story about the mountain lion was chilling!
Hi Jeanie…I hope you are able to visit New Mexico one day. I expect the weather is much like the upper Midwest. We did not need an air conditioner as the temps during the hottest part of the day in the mountains was about 75 ish during the summer and the nights usually required a light jacket. The winters could be very cold with lots of snow, but it was a dry snow if you know what I mean. Kansas has wet, slushy and bitter wind so there was quite a difference. Thanks for stopping by and I hope you are doing well. Take care my friend. 🥰 (I always tell the Captain …”if I knew I was going to live this long, I would have taken better care of myself.” Just joking of course….or not!)
Such a delightful tablescape and your scary woman screaming story took me back to 1976 when hubby and I were first married and renting an old farmhouse in Missouri. It was remote in a heavily wooded area. One summer night we had no air-conditioning so we went to bed with the windows open. We heard the most soul shattering scream from outside, I’ve never heard anything like it since. We had our dog on a chain across the yard (sorry we were young and dumb) and we’re most frightened for her safety. I was stationed at the door with a shotgun while my hubby slipped across the yard to free her and bring inside. I was instructed to shoot if anything moved. After safely inside we fired a couple warning shots in hopes of scaring whatever it was away. Our conclusion was that it was a bobcat passing thru. No one was harmed thankfully.
Rhonda what a harrowing experience for you. One never knows what is lurking about, so good that you both were cautious. The Captain and I lived in Kansas City, Missouri for several years…I worked for Boeing at the TWA/American Maintenance Base right near the airport. We made several trips to Branson and to the Ozarks…parts of Missouri can be very remote. Did you ever go to Lamberts Cafe? (home of throwed rolls). I was born and raised in Kansas (home of Brookville Fried Chicken)…golly, it seems I am fixated on food. haha!
Thank you for your story and for commenting on my post. I hope you are enjoying October…it is raining here in Florida as I type this.🥰🍁🏈🌻🎃
Kari, thanks so much for painting such vivid pictures of the high desert. The sounds wolves, coyotes and mountain lions are so lonely and speak to the distances in that part of the country. the full moon on a clear night is truly spectacular. I loved your story of the mountain lion. Most things that cause us some trepidation have a natural explanation…but not all! Halloween brings those questions to the forefront. Your plan settings are lovely and certainly speak to your years on the ranch. Wishing you a lovely Halloween.
Lynne, Thrifting Wonderland
Lynne you are so kind to stop by and I appreciate you taking the time. The high mountain desert is beautiful. Actually, when we moved there, it was the first time I knew snow could slowly drift down from the sky. It was beautiful. Living in Kansas, I thought snow came with fierce winds and always at a slant! LOL. Have a great and wonderful October. 🥰🍁🌻🏈🎃
Kari, I loved your ghost story and that first pic of the wolf in front of the moon is kinda spooky. Your table is lovely and the colors of blue, tan, brown, and cream and just gorgeous. Those salad plates are definitely one of a kind and look great on white dinner plates and the chippy chargers. I love all the blues that you brought into the table and the piece of driftwood is just fabulous. Love the ghosties too. We lived on a farm for about five years and I remember the coyotes – sometimes they sounded like a baby crying, I kid you not, and they would always wake me up. I’ve also been to New Mexico and thought it quite beautiful. I’m trying to remember what time of year it was but all that comes to mind is that when we stayed in Los Alamos, there must have been about five feet of snow, compared to when we stayed in Santa Fe (on the same trip) and there was none. Does this sound even remotely accurate? I also remember seeing a cardinal in Los Alamos. So weird what you remember – but all this was many many years ago. So great hopping with you and wishing you a lovely October and a happy Halloween!
So glad you stopped by Kim and I will tell you a ‘running joke’ about Los Alamos. If you so much as drive through Los Alamos, you will glow in the dark. LOL. Of course that is in reference to Los Alamos being the secret hub of the Manhattan Project, where top scientists designed and built the world’s first nuclear weapons. Nothing about the weather is surprising in N.M. Famous golfers could ski in the morning and golf in the afternoon in N.M. LOL. I would drive down the mountain to go to work with snow all over my car and get to work and not wear a jacket to go through the parking lot. Thanks for stopping by. 🥰🍁🏈🌻
Kari, thanks for sharing your “ghost story” and your love of the Southwest in connection with your table. First of all, the blue, brown, and cream colors are great together, the plates are awesome, and the driftwood find is a marvelous centerpiece. Secondly you had me on Google Earth to see the mountainous area (an aerial tram ride would be fun) and then I had to look up Santa Gertrudis cattle. Each post you teach me something new. I was raised on a farm but we had dairy cattle, Holsteins. My mother told the story of finding her two year old daughter (me) in the bull pen. I lost some freedoms after that.
Thank you Jan and how scary was your story about being in a bull pen? Wow! Since you now know about Santa Gertrudis cattle, and how they resemble a brahma bull with a hump, I’ll tell you one of my bull stories. One late night, our bull who I named Rusty…got out and my late husband and I armed with flash lights (and a gun) went on foot to get him back in. It was pitch black that night…no moon. My husband called to me to be sure the gate was open that he had Rusty on his way. I couldn’t see a thing so I stepped back in a deep, large ditch backing against the dirt wall. All of a sudden I felt hot breath breathing on my head….yep! it was Rusty, all 2000 pounds of him towering over me. My first thought was what if he tried to come down in the arroyo? He would land right on top of me. Thankfully, my husband was able to divert him back to the gate and back in the pasture.
I am sure you know, Oct 16 is our first Jayhawks exhibition game and I am excited and anxious to see our returning guys with a few new players…Rock Chalk Jayhawk
Thanks my dear friend for your wonderful comments and for stopping by…
I always enjoy a Kari story. I have only seen one mountain lion while we were dog sledding in Montana. He stood high on the mountain staring down at us. We enjoyed our time visiting New Mexico. Those salad plates are fabulous. The piece of driftwood that has a Kari story is perfect. Who wouldn’t love your menu?! I like your friendly ghosts. A fun table, my friend!
Awe, thank you Pam…fortunately for us, “our” mountain lion must have retreated far into the mountains as we never heard or saw him again. whew !! But we did have a gray fox regularly visit us to eat cat food. Did you know a gray fox can climb a tree? The things one learns when living in different states. LOL Thanks for stopping by my dear friend. Missed your participation.🥰🙏🏻🍁🌻🏈🎃👻
Kai, such a delightful post about living New Mexico. How fun to have animals. I have been through NM, but never really explored the state. Love your ghost story. Those plates with the Saguaro cactus are perfect. The cactus napkin rings are so cute. A rustic table with burlap and driftwood is so fitting. The Too cute to spook couple are precious and make you smile. Always a pleasure hopping along with you.
Thank you Linda, I will always love New Mexico although I have to admit I did not like the deep snows from October to May. The nights during the summer are actually a little cool and one does not need an air conditioner even during the day. At this stage of my life, I will take Florida weather over any of the other states we have lived in. LOL. Thanks for stopping by my friend.🍁🏈🎃👻
Ha! Your little ghosties are so cute! I do love your table, especially the colors. We used to live in the Desert Southwest in Scottsdale, Arizona. Our oldest daughter was born there, and Arizona will always be the home of my heart. So of course I LOVE your plates because the saguaro cactus is Arizona’s state flower. Happy October and Halloween!
thanks Rikki Jill, the SW just pulls on my heart strings as it obviously does for you too. We have lived in the Pacific Northwest, the midwest and now the Southeast and there is much to be said about each and every area.,,,but I believe there is a romance in the southwest and I am the eternal romantic. LOL Thank you for stopping by and for your kind comments. Keep safe this upcoming Halloween and enjoy October.
I love a good ghost story, particularly one that goes along with such a beautiful table. I also enjoyed learning about New Mexico. That is a part of the country I have never been to. I always wanted to go, but it just didn’t happen. Those salad plates with the Saguaro cactus are wonderful. I really love this look.
Oh Pattie, I hope you get to visit N.M. sometime, as I commented, there is the upper part of the state around Santa Fe and Taos that is pretty artsy and prices show it….for example, there is the Santa Fe town square called the Plaza, where you will pay double what you would pay down and around ‘Old Town’ in Albuquerque. The hotels are very expensive, but you can stay at the La Fonda on the Plaza which has occupied that corner since 1607 and is the oldest hotel in the U.S. or so they say. San Miguel Mission Church (1610) is considered the oldest church structure in the U.S. and there is so much history in that region. Santa Fe is really not far from Albuquerque (which in my opinion has more reasonable prices on everything). It is only an hour drive between the two cities on I-25. A more scenic route is the Turquoise Trail Road, which we lived off of and there is now a commuter train called the NM Rail Runner. Golly, I sound like a tour guide. LOL Thanks for stopping by and have a Blessed day.🥰
What a pretty table that does remind one of the southwest United States. I have only been in a little corner of New Mexico and it was a very many years ago. I loved your little ghost story! I wondered if you ever lost livestock to the mountain lions. I don’t think I would be content living where I had to be concerned about mountain lions, the coyotes are bad enough! Hugs, Chloe
Let me guess Chloe…were you in the Four Corners Area? which is the only place in the United States where four states meet at one geographic location. (Utah, Arizona, Colorado and New Mexico). Actually, we did lose livestock from time to time but it was not from Mountain Lions. It was from dogs. People would drive to the mountains to get rid of their dogs (horrible) and then these dogs would pack and hunt, choosing newly born defenseless calves. Of course we had coyotes who hunted anything smaller than they were. We carried weapons when we left the ranch house…one never knew what we might encounter. I already knew how to ride a horse, but while living in N.M. I learned how to shoot a gun for protection. It was like the wild west in remote mountains. LOL. Thanks for stopping by, my friend.🥰🍂🍁🌻
Kari, what a delightful virtual tour of New Mexico–I have never been but now I would like to visit! Your southwest plates and accents are styled beautifully. Happy October, Cecilia – My Thrift Store Addiction
Thanks Cecilia for stopping by…you are quite a ways from New Mexico, but I hope you can visit someday. It is a beautiful state as is all the states in my opinion. They each have their attractions. The Captain and I have been fortunate to have visited all the states now,..at least the main attractions in each one. And I have lived in 6 of them. (Kansas, Missouri, Texas, New Mexico, Washington and now Florida). The Captain can add Hawaii, Georgia, Kentucky, California, New Jersey and Pennsylvania to his list. Have a wonderful week. hugs
Saguaros do not grow in New Mexico!
You are correct Judith, Saguaros grow only on my salad plate. 🥰 (sigh)
Native saguaro cacti do not grow naturally in New Mexico, as they are strictly endemic to the Sonoran Desert in Arizona, western Mexico, and a small part of southeastern California. New Mexico’s higher elevations and freezing winter temperatures prevent wild saguaros from surviving naturally….and we lived at 7500 feet elevation and had deep snow from October to May. However, you can occasionally spot a cultivated or transplanted saguaro in southern New Mexico towns like Las Cruces (or Cruces as we called it) or at the Sierra Grande Lodge in Truth or Consequences, (we called it TorC) but these require special microclimates and human care to survive winter freezes. We did have multiple cacti on our ranch…New Mexico is home to a wide variety of native cold-hardy cacti, including multiple species of prickly pear, cholla, hedgehog, pincushion, mountain ball and fishhook cacti. In the spring we had the red flowers of Indian Paintbrush along with the yellows, reds and white flowers of various cacti. I miss N.M., but still get updates from my Sister-in-law(s), nephews and nieces, outlaws and inlaws. LOL. AND I always order green chiles from Hatch. Nothing compares. 💕Do you agree?
Thank you for stopping by and let me know if you live in N.M….I would love to chat with you. 🥰
Kari
Kari, this is a wonderful post on the history and salute to New Mexico. I’m a fan of Georgia O’Keefe’s work, love visiting Santa Fe and Albuquerque. It’s a wonderful landscape and you’ve captured the essence with those charming plates and the cacti on the table. Of course I had a big smile with the “Too Cute to Spook” couple at the end. Happy Halloween!
Thanks Sarah for your kind comments. New Mexico is so diverse and the culture is amazing. Did you know there are ice caves in New Mexico? Most people don’t know that but it is true. You might be surprised to know that many people think N.M. is all desert…until they explore the state. We used to get a magazine which would report instances of the mistaken beliefs about N.M. One example were the pages and interns in Washington DC…they would try to seat New Mexican Delagates in the International sections…thinking they were not part of the U.S. Isn’t that a hoot? Thanks for stopping by my friend…Enjoy the cooler weather.🥰🍁🏈
Good Morning Kari!
Great info on New Mexico. It is a gorgeous state.
I need everything on this table for my Arizona Home. Your Southwest elements are stunning. Love the plates with the famous saguaro cactus.
Such a lovely post!
Thanks Nancy…I am sure you are anxious to get back to the SW…and as you know, I LOVE anything SW in my ‘collected’ furniture to clothes. I actually wore dressy jeans, fringed jacket and cowboy boots to church on Sunday. Our pastor is originally from the Tucson area (tho he has been here in Florida for 26 years) and he ALWAYS wears his cowboy boots to preach. He gets a kick out of me wearing boots too. He has a cute petite wife and he teases her about her baby cowboy boots. We all have a great laugh at her tiny feet and boots. My late husband didn’t even own a dress shoe…he always wore Levi’s (ironed with a front crease), western long sleeve shirts and cowboy boots. (Of course the big belt buckle goes without saying). He was born and grew up in New Mexico.
Enjoy your lake time….’see’ ya down south soon.🥰🏈🍁🌻
Kari
Kari, thank you for the geography and history lesson of NM,l. We have visited there and it was beautiful. It was a respite dwelling/home to Georgia O’Keefe, and I thoroughly enjoyed its beauty through her artistic eye. It is through the eye of an artist where one can learn to appreciate interpretations of many subjects. It was always that way with Mary. And for your slant on this Halloween tablescape, I can certainly appreciate the ranch “ghost” story, and your use of the elements here. I really love the driftwood and your use of blue as the highlighted accent on the otherwise mostly monochromatic tablescape. Like you, I was never big on the Halloween holiday, but both Mary’s enthusiasm and that of my granddaughter have converted me over the past several years. Your “too cute to spook” ghost couple are adorable. Thank you for sharing and participating in this hop. Your mention of my accident and continued recovery are appreciated. The eyelashes that were ripped from my eye remain on the wall 8 weeks after, now framed as my reminder to slow down. It’s working, at least while descending.
Rita, I think your framed eye lashes are hilarious! And yes, a deterrent to future mishaps?
Thank you for your kind comments on my New Mexico tablescape…as I have said, it will always be the Land of Enchantment for me….(and I do have a very small Georgia O’Keefe painting of bright red poppies that hangs in my bedroom.) O’Keefe usually stayed up and around Santa Fe which is known for its high concentration of wealth, upscale art galleries and historic architecture…whereas, Albuquerque is considered more down to earth, common reality, more grounded and authentic. Needless to say, we lived in this economic, diverse and industrial heart of N.M., tho it was fun to travel up to Santa Fe to see how the other half lived. 🥰 We have lots of family still in N. M. …many who have never left the state for ANY reason. It is a more laid back atmosphere, but alas, as in all things…continuous shifts and transformations are happening all the time. I also have learned…you really can’t go home again, metaphorically speaking….and that makes me a little sad.
Thanks for stopping by, my friend.