Greetings!
Wish You Were Here
a national monument to preserve a unique record of the
passage of time. As we tell our audiences before playing the Native flute tune
we composed in honor of this place, “Ruined remains of the once prosperous
Atsinna Pueblo crown the immense sandstone bluff of El Morro, whose face bears
inscriptions of ancient puebloans, Spanish explorers and early Anglo pioneers.”
As during our previous visit to this remote, desert park, it was fascinating to
peruse the messages carved into the soft cliff face, hike to the top of the 200-foot bluff with
its meandering pathway across a stony top, and peer into the natural basin that
lured people here throughout the ages for its precious contents – water.
Life on the Road
We have traveled the majority of the past 10 years, and due
to the location of friends, family, concert opportunities and affordable
camping, many of those treks have followed similar routes. How do we keep from
wearying of this routine? We try to take advantage of a few new experiences each
year, even in places that have become quite familiar. A few of our first-time
adventures this season were a visit to Acoma Pueblo, camping in Rio Grande
Gorge, playing at open mics in Albuquerque and hiking at Red Rock State Park in
Sedona. Oh yes, and we did buy a small house! As for next year? We’re making
this up as we go along, so you’ll just have to stay tuned.
Did You Know?
Ravens figure prominently in the mythology of many cultures,
including Native Americans. They have been linked to creation, labeled as
tricksters and attributed with the ability to speak to humans. We were told by
more than one person this year about the playful nature of this impressive
black bird, and both mentioned having seen ravens sledding in the snow – on
their backs! We were in lots of raven country this year, and whether or not
they can actually communicate with people, it turns out one of us (Andi) can
talk to ravens. Perhaps that comes from reading “The Hobbit” so many times.
Coffee Chat
Following a busy month in the big city of Albuquerque, we
immersed ourselves in the peace and quiet of El Morro National Monument for
several days, staying in one of the nine camping spaces at its
small-but-perfectly-formed campground. Half a mile from the park entrance is a
cluster of four business establishments where we made the pleasant discovery of
a vibrant artistic community. We felt comfortable amid the musicians and poets,
actors and organic farmers, painters and healers. We were even invited to come
back in the future to play on an outdoor stage with a dramatic mountain
backdrop. That might just be a fun “first” for next year’s tour.
Now Hear This
After our first visit to El Morro several years ago, we were
inspired to create the Native flute tune you can hear by following this link
and clicking on the “El Morro” title.
Photo collage – Sedona
