It’s official! My time as Artist in Residence at Bandelier National Monument began today. After a somewhat harrowing drive (who would have guessed that after a long, dry Texas summer it would rain buckets and sheets as I made my way west) I arrived safely in beautiful Frijoles Canyon. Warm greetings and lots of information… Read more: Hello!

When the park is open for visitors, chatter and laughter combine with bird song and cell phone tones join the rasp and buzz of insects. The shuttle bus arrives every 20 minutes with a hydraulic sigh. A few cars come and go, doors squeak open and shut, and the bear-resistant trash receptacles clatter closed. Other… Read more: Safe and Secure

Hatch, New Mexico is famous for it’s chiles. It used to be that you had to go to Hatch, or someplace close by, to get them, but now they are widely exported. I think they are best in their home state, fresh roasted during chile season, which runs from early August to late September, which… Read more: Hatch Chile Season

One of the more interesting things I have been able to do with my time as an Artist in Residence is to hang out in various places in the park and chat with people. Visitors to Bandelier come from all over the United States and other countries. There is a rich mix of languages, cultures,… Read more: People You Meet

I realize the tag on this site says “Dispatches From A Writing Life” which is a very idyllic-sounding sort of life to have. I also realize I have said very little about it, so here is a peek. One of the ways I process experiences is to write them down in a journal. Sometimes my… Read more: A Glimpse Into The Writing Life

This weekend my brother Dan and his wife Linda came to visit me here in Bandelier (sorry Linda – I didn’t get a picture of us). Dan and I haven’t been here together for decades – I think I was about nine and he was three. Before we moved to Colorado, our family came here… Read more: Family Ties

Where were you when the towers came down? That’s a common question on this date. I was on the floor of our quarters in Mannheim, Germany, my husband stateside for required Army training as I scrunched against the couch, arm clutching our dog to my side as I watched the events unfolding on TV. It… Read more: 9/11

Frijoles Canyon, which is part of the Pajarito Plateau, was formed by an enormous volcanic eruption about 1.25 million years ago. The ash and cinders from this eruption have been found in Kansas, Texas, and other states, travelling as far East as the Mississippi River. Following the eruption, the volcano collapsed inward, creating a circular… Read more: A Fiery Past

The purpose of the Artist in Residence program here at Bandelier is to give artists, in my case a creative writer, the chance to pursue their craft in the unique environment of this canyon. There is much to experience here. Exploring the park and neighboring points of interest, talking with visitors, and learning from the… Read more: The Writing Life – Another Peek

Bandelier has a research library! It is small but full of all sorts of books on lots of topics such as Bandelier, archaeology, park history, natural history, human history, New Mexico, Pueblo cultures, children’s books, fiction, poetry, and others. I was hoping to find something about my grandmother. I did not, but I did borrow… Read more: Book Spine Poetry

The Artist-in-Residence program gives visitors to Bandelier a chance to meet and engage with different kinds of artists. Today I had the opportunity to teach some mini writing workshops here in the park. I enjoyed having the chance to share my craft and encourage participants to use writing as a way to connect with this… Read more: Cultural Ties

I have a long-standing affection for hiking, backpacking, and exploring the natural world on foot and independently. I also am a big fan of the National Park system and all the opportunities and experiences it offers. When setting out for adventure, it was my habit to find the most challenging trail, destination, or activity and… Read more: How I Got Into Trouble In Zion

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… Read more: Slow Going

Fall has arrived on the Pajarito plateau. Aspens on the higher elevations of the Jemez mountains to the west and north are gracing the hills with brilliant spots of color. The grasses in the Valles Caldera are fading from greens to a variety of bronze and brown. Here in the canyon, where the walls provide… Read more: Autumn in the Canyon

It is the 29th of September, my penultimate day as the Artist in Residence here at Bandelier National Monument. It has been a marvelous month, rich with experiences, sights, sounds, and the wonderful people here that have made my time so rewarding. With all that I have been able to do, there is still more… Read more: So Little Time…

When I arrived in Bandelier on September 1st, I knew I would have to leave on September 30th, which means I knew exactly my allotted time. Somehow, knowing a fixed date makes each day seem valuable and precious. And, as those days draw to a close, it is natural to wish for one more hour,… Read more: The Gift of One More Day

Yesterday was my glorious gift of one more day. I savored sharing this wonderful place with my supportive and patient husband. He came here to keep me company on the long drive home, not realizing that once he was here I was home already…. But, my turn here is done and there will be a… Read more: Artist-in-Residence Signing Out

Many thanks to Arvilla Fee for accepting 3 of my poems and 1 photograph in the first issue of Soul Poetry, Prose and Art Magazine. My poems are on pp 23-25. Here is the link: https://soulpoetry7.com/soul-poetry-prose-arts-magazine-issue-1-volume-1-upon-these-wings/ The poem on page 24, Abert’s Squirrel, is the first published poem directly from my time in Bandelier National… Read more: First Bandelier Poem is Out in the World!