Chile Pepper High

Podcast with Apache Guide and Activist Joe Saenz

JoeSaenz.JPG
Originally uploaded by Lisa Haneberg.

MP3 File

I had the the opportunity to take a three hour hike with Apache guide Joe Saenz, who operates his business, Wolf Horse Outfitters out of the Arenas Valley in New Mexico (not far from Silver City).

Joe shared about the history of the area, the history of the Apache people, and the natural environment. The hike was very fun and interesting.

After the hike, Joe and I sat down to record this podcast where he share a bit more about his business, the Chiricahua Apache, and about the upcoming Red Paint Pow Wow. It's a great podcast, enjoy!

I have loaded up seven pictures from the Fort Bayard Elk Refuge, where we hiked. Just click on Joe's picture to see the others on my Flickr page.

I will be writing more about my conversation with Joe in future posts and articles, but I did not want to wait to share this with you. If you can, please support the Red Paint PowWow and consider attending it. And if you would like a great wilderness trip, I would recommend you chat with Joe.

Hatch Chile Festival!

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Originally uploaded by Lisa Haneberg.

I have loaded up seven pictures from the Hatch Chile Festival with descriptions. Click on this picture to to go my Flickr site and see the pics.

Taken while in Hatch, New Mexico for the Hatch Chile Festival - September 2, 2006. Roasting Big Jim Green Chile Peppers - Yum! People would buy a bag or half bag (the half bag was $15, $25 for the whole) and then they would be roasted. Then they take home their roasted chiles in a plastic bag, peal the burnt skin off and then freeze or use them or make green chile sauce to smother your enchiladas.

Gila Cliff Dwellings

A podcast about my experience exploring the Gila Cliff Dwellings in Southwest New Mexico. Also a bit about the Chief Geronimo Memorial Dedication ceremony.


MP3 File

Geronimo Memorial Dedication

Geronimo Memorial Dedication
Originally uploaded by Lisa Haneberg.

Speaking is Harlyn Geronimo, the great grand-son of Chief Geronimo, at a dedication of a memorial in honor of Chief Geronimo (his Apache band lived in the Gila Mountain area) at the Gila Cliff Dwelling Visitor Center, August 26, 2006.

The Apache people are apparently trying to get back the remains of Chief Geronimo. One of the speakers at the dedication even mentioned that there is some dispute about whether President Bush's great grand-father might have played some part in taking the Chief Geronimo's skull and bones from his burial site to the Skull and Bones society.  The matter is apparently quite complex. Personally, I hope they return his remains to the Apache people - it's important to them and I do not see why it should be important to anyone that his remains exist elsewhere.

The other gentleman in the photo in the red shirt is Apache guide, actor, activist, and spokesperson Joe Saenz, who also spoke at the dedication.

Earthship - Life OFF the Grid

Earthship
Originally uploaded by Lisa Haneberg.

Here is the last test. This is working well. I hope you enjoy seeing the pictures. This is the home base of the Earthships. You can tour this place and learn about Earthships. This is near Taos close to the Rio Grande Gorge bridge.

You can even rent Earthships, which might be a nice way to vacation in northern New Mexico.

The first Toast of Taos - August 2006

Saw this announcement and thought y'all might want to know and partake. It's the first Toast of Taos, a wine competition for wineries in several southwest states including: New Mexico, Texas, Colorado, Arizona and Oklahoma.

Dates:  August 16-20, 2006 - a pretty hot time in Taos, but not unbearable. The key is to get out in the morning, go to art galleries and museums mid day and venture back out for sunset. Or take a drive up the moutain to the DH Lawrence Ranch mid day.

The Taste of Taos will offer lots of events including:

• Southwest Wine Competition (Aug. 16-17) at Taos Country Club, open to competitors and media only
• Wine classes (August 16-17) at Taos Country Club, Bravo! Fine Wine Food Spirits, and Doc Martin’s. Times to be determined.
• El Monte’s Wednesday Wine Dinner (August 16), 7:30-10 p.m., at De La Tierra at El Monte Sagrado Resort and Spa. Enjoy the enchanted décor and inspired food of a great Taos restaurant as you sip outstanding southwest wines. Tickets, $100 each.
• Art D’Vine (August 17), 6-9 p.m., at Taos galleries. Tour the exquisite, prestigious galleries of Taos while sampling southwestern wines and food from gourmet restaurants and listening to beautiful music. All galleries are open to the public. Tickets for food, wine and commemorative glass, $50.
• Reception (August 18), 1:30-3 pm, at El Monte Sagrado Resort and Spa. Open to competition winners, sponsors and press.
• Stakeout Wine D’Light (August 18), 7:30-10 p.m., at the Stakeout Restaurant. Watch the sun sink over the Rio Grande Gorge and the sparkling stars appear as you enjoy an exquisite dinner featuring wine pairings and tastings of southwest wines. Tickets, $100 each or $800 for table of six.
• Wine Tasting of the Southwest (August 19), 1-4 p.m., at the Taos Convention Center. Sample southwest wines and food from local restaurants while listening to local musicians. Tickets, $35.
• Winemaker’s Sunset Dinner and Wine Auction (August 19), 6-10 p.m., at Taos Country Club. Put on your southwestern finery for a splendid formal dinner featuring a five-course meal paired to exceptional southwestern wines. After dinner, join us for an auction of a wide selection of exquisite wines. Tickets, $150.
• Bubbles and Balls Golf Tournament and champagne lunch (August 20), 9 a.m.-3 p.m., at Taos Country Club. The best-ball golf tournament begins at 9 a.m. Entry fee - $125. The champagne lunch begins at noon, featuring champagne cocktails and a sumptuous buffet. Tickets, $35.

Proceeds benefit the Holy Cross Hospital Foundation so you can be a wino and philanthropist at the same time. A win-win!

For more information, to request a brochure, or to purchase tickets, contact Sally Trigg, 505-751-5811, strigg@taoshospital.com or visit www.toastoftaos.com.

A great side trip (you have to go near there anyway on the way to Taos) would be to take in a performance at the Santa Fe Opera. The place is stunning and it is a special experience. They have several operas in August including Carmen, Salome, Tempest, and the Magic Flute.

Photo Courtesy of the New Mexico Tourism Department

Four Degrees of Separation

I am back from my trip to New Mexico. It was wonderful and I have lots to share, including an interesting announcement about how this blog will soon be morphing into something new and exciting (sneak peak at www.chilepepperhigh.com). In the mean time, here is a little ditty I wrote while in Taos. It is all true!

Four Degrees of Separation

Artist Georgia O’Keefe first visited New Mexico in 1917. She returned in 1929 and at the age of 41 she spent four summer months in the Taos area, mostly staying at the home of Mabel Dodge Luhan in the Pink House, a small adobe guest house across a field from the main residence. O’Keeffe rented a small adobe studio next to a stream to interpret the landscape she referred to as simply wonderful and wide. It was during this trip that she visited Ghost Ranch in Abiqui for the first time.  It would be another 11 years before she bought the ranch property.

Taos resident Mabel Dodge Luhan, a former easterner, wealthy socialite and arts patron was famous for the avant-garde and intellectual mix of people she entertained and hosted at her sprawling hacienda she called Los Gallos, which means the roosters. Aside from O’Keeffe, a few of her famous house guests included writer D.H. Lawrence, photographer Ansel Adams, Psychologist Carl Jung and actress Greta Garbo. After moving to Taos, Mabel divorced her husband and married Tony Luhan, a tall, handsome, and influential member of the Taos Pueblo.

Robert, a native born Taos resident, was a driver for both Mabel dodge Luhan and Tony Luhan in the late 1940’s. Robert began driving for them when he was only 14 years old, as licenses were not required. One day while Robert was driving Mabel, she pointed to a piece of property adjacent and across the street from her main house and asked Robert what she should do with the property. Robert said it that there was an excellent spot for a house toward the back of the property. Mabel later gave the property to Robert, or rather to Robert’s father with the stipulation it be given to Robert when he came of legal age. Robert built his dream house on the property many years later for he and his wife Lucile. Their previous home was sold to famous Taos artist R.C. Gorman.

Lucile is the owner of a used bookstore one block off the plaza in downtown Taos. She has operated this small and overstuffed book gallery, as she calls it, for over 25 years. Lucile has lived in Taos since her family moved here when she was 4 years old. She knows all the local writers and credits her loyal customers for enabling her to stay open through many building owners who imposed daunting rent hikes.

I met Lucile on a hot summer day in July 2005. Looking for a book about Roswell, I left with two different books and an interesting story.

Four degrees of separation between Georgia O’Keeffe and me.

More on R. Carlos Nakai

I just want to let you all know that I will be interviewing RC Nakai in a few weeks and will share some of the information on this blog. Here's the set up for the article:

Native Flute Songs

The Native American flute echoes the stories of life and love in the West. The strong yet delicate sound penetrates the soul and enlivens imagination. The undisputed master of the Native American flute is R. Carlos Nakai, a native Arizonan of Navajo-Ute heritage. A prolific musician and composer, Nakai has performed on more than 30 albums, received four Grammy nominations, and has sold over two million CDs worldwide.

On May 9th, I will have the pleasure of interviewing and hearing Nakai play.

According to the International Native American Flute Association, the popularity of the Native American flute and music has soared in the last decade. There is something about the feel and sound of these flutes that listeners find compelling, relaxing, stimulating, and wonderful. The Internet offers dozens of sites where the curious can find hand-crafted flutes, flute CDs, and music lessons.

Nakai and his contemporaries have inspired many natives and non-natives to take up the Native American flute.

Me too! I have ordered an inexpensive starter flute recommended by Nakai.

"...We were put on the earth to experience life in its totality. And if you're not doing that, you're essentially wasting your time." R. Carlos Nakai

The Friends of the Bosque

Several days ago, I shared with you the wonderful artwork of Valerie Graves. You can she some of her art here and on the Laurel Seth gallery website here.

Valerie is an active contributor to the Friends of the Bosque Educational Outreach program. If you go to their website, www.BirdSongGallery.com, you will see many beautiful paintings, photographs, cards and prints featuring Valerie's work. Here's how they describe their mission:

"BirdSongGallery offers a special selection of Gifts for Wildlife Lovers, Birders and Birdlovers!
We have Original Art (pastel and oil and watercolor and acrylic paintings) and Limited Edition Artist Signed Prints of Birds, Wildlife and Scenic Landscapes by a prominent and award winning artist.

We also offer a number of wonderful, limited edition photos of birds and wildlife at the Bosque del Apache National Wildlife Refuge and other special locations.

The BirdSongGallery presents a great selection of over 65 Photo Notecards of birds, flowers and a variety of wildlife. Please tour through our site, and write us! We would love to hear from you.

We donate Ten Percent of the profits of every sale to The Friends Of The Bosque National Wildlife Refuge Educational Outreach Program. The Bosque del Apache is one of the most beautiful places on earth!

Each Limited Edition Print is printed on Archival Paper with Archival Inks and is signed and numbered by the Artist."

Here are a few samples from the website:

Here's a great photo of a roadrunner by Sandy Seth & Valerie Graves. Catching the roadrunner is not so easy, because they are VERY fast (just like the cartoon). Roadrunners are one of my favorite birds to watch.

And here's a fun and colorful limited edition, signed print by Valerie.

And here is a print called, Sandhill Cranes Fly Against Western Mountains, by Sandy Seth & Valerie Graves. I love the colors!

As Valerie says, "It is a labor of love." And those are the best kind. So please check out the website, support the program, make it a point to visit the Bosque del Apache National Wildlife Refuge.

Here is a link to the Bosque's website.

Wild Spirit Wolf Sanctuary

In west New Mexico, just south of the Zuni Pueblo, there's a special place called the Wild Spirit Wolf Sanctuary. Here's their description from their website:

"Wild Spirit Wolf Sanctuary, formerly known as Candy Kitchen Rescue Ranch, is a nonprofit organization providing safe sanctuary to abused and abandoned captive-bred wolves and wolf-dog crosses. With a focus on education, ecology and the environment, responsible ownership of wolf dogs and the humane care of all animals, companion or otherwise. We are located in the Zuni Mountains near the small town of Ramah, New Mexico."

They need funds and volunteers. Go to their website for more details. What a wonderful cause! If I were a wealthy person, I'd give them a bundle. Since I am not rolling in the dough, I will give what I can and spread the word!

This is one of my planned stops during my upcoming trip to New Mexico. Here are some of the lucky residents. Gorgeous animals! I look forward to meeting a few.

Here is King:

and this is Delta Dawn: