As mentioned in a previous post, I have an injury. It has had an impact on my time here in Bandelier. There are things here I simply can’t do, like climbing 140 feet of long ladders and stairs to Alcove House.

It is the sort of activity that I would have had on a long list of must-dos, checking each one off and moving right on to the next one. I have often done that, especially when I was younger. It is fun. Exciting. Adventurous. Instead, I am learning to appreciate a slower pace. Alcove House is amazing. I have been there before and really wish I could go again. But instead, I stay at the bottom and enjoy the vertical view. I see delight on the faces of people who make it up and back. I notice how the light moves across the rock.

The interplay of light and shadow in the canyon is fascinating. The colors shift and change depending on the time of day or the clouds. It is wonderful to have time to observe and appreciate.

I have spent a lot of time on the nature trail, sitting on benches or walking slowly and observing. I listen to the chatter of the El Rito de Los Frijoles (Little River of Beans) which at its best is more of a sturdy stream than river. At this time of year is mostly a lively trickle. It is the main water source for the canyon and is one of the reasons early human habitation here was successful.

I also listen to the wind as it moves through the trees. The sound can be very different depending on the type of tree. Leafy deciduous trees, such as cottonwoods, rustle in the breeze. Evergreens like the ponderosa pine whisper or sigh. [There is a word for this – psithurism : the sound of rustling leaves or wind in the trees.]

I have had time to observe the hummingbird moth. It really does look like a tiny hummingbird.

Birds are plentiful and there are many types here, from large birds of prey like hawks to small ones, like the white-breasted nuthatch, one of my favorites.

One of my favorite canyon inhabitants is the Abert’s squirrel. It’s long tufted ears and luxuriant bushy tail are distinctive and also very cute. I take great delight watching it scurry and scamper. I have seen it in lots of places, but it favors the ponderosa pines which are its shelter and its food source.

Slow going has been more fun and more interesting than I thought. Give it a try sometime – you might like it!