The Meddlesome Moth

We have discovered a new gastro pub in Dallas:  The Meddlesome Moth.  LOVE, LOVE, LOVE the tap selection and dang if they don't have some incredibly awesome Classic Mussels.  New hot spot for us.

Bike Ride in Paris

We are off to Paris!  That's right, you read that correctly.  Paris, TX is the location for this weeks bike ride.  Ya gotta check out the mock Eiffel Tower with the cowboy hat on top.  Leave it to Texas.  I Love This State!  Mister's ride went well and we had a delightful evening out listening to a great jazz band.  Life is good.

Announcement

What I need to say in this quick little post is that Mister and Lady are getting married!!!  I know, I know -- hard to believe.

We were in Waxahachie after a bike ride for Mister and stopped at the College Street Pub for some lunch.  Beside it was a cool little stream and we were watching the turtles down below the bridge we were standing on and just enjoying our time together.  Next thing I knew, Mister had a "peace symbol" ring and was asking me to marry him.  Tears and a yes came next.  Wedding sometime this fall.  More later.

Muffin Bread

Mister needed a treat and so I whipped up a batch of English Muffin Bread.  Oh my, it turned out so well and yummy.  Let's add some fresh jam and just enjoy.

Santa Fe

What a beautiful day in Santa Fe!  Our room at The Old Santa Fe Inn is so cozy that I almost don't want to leave -- almost.  I really want to explore this great city more though, so after a lovely breakfast, we head for the Old Town Square.  Mister and I discover the Native American Vendors's at the Palace of the Governor's and are instantly swept away by the lovely hand-crafted items.  It is not possible to walk away without a purchase for our home, thus a lovely little pot is making the trip with us.  The plaza is already buzzing this morning allowing us to take a seat and just observe for awhile.

On our list of must sees today is the Loretto Chapel and it's oh so famous staircase.  While driving, we read about this and are eager to see it.  From the website, "When the Loretto Chapel was completed in 1878, there was no way to access the choir loft twenty-two feet above.  Carpenters were called in to address the problem, but they all concluded access to the loft would have to be via ladder as a staircase would interfere with the interior space of the small Chapel.  Legend says that to find a solution to the seating problem, the Sisters of teh Chapel made a novena to St. Joseph, the patron saint of carpenters.  One the ninth and final day of prayer, a man appeared at the Chapel with a donkey and a toolbox looking for work.  Months later, the elegant circular staircase was completed, and the carpenter disappeared without pay or thanks.  After searching for the man (an ad even ran in the local newspaper) and finding no trace of him, some concluded that he was St. Joseph himself, having come in answer to the sisters' prayers.  The stairway's carpenter, whoever he was, built a magnificent structure.  The design was innovative for the time and some of the design considerations still perplex experts today.  The staircase has two 360 degree turns and no visible means of support.  Also, it is said that the staircase was built without nails - only wooden pegs.  Questions also surround the number of stair risers relative to the height of the choir loft and about the types of wood and other materials used in the stairways' construction."

I will let you judge for yourself.  It is a great old chapel.  Love, love, love it.

We wandered town for a little longer, enjoying the atmosphere and "back in time" feel to it.  It would definitely be possible to live here.  So many little nooks and crannies, inviting a person to find a story.  Oh I wish we had longer on this trip.  This is definitely one city we will have to return to.

As we leave Santa Fe, it is time to point our car east and back to Dallas.  It has been a great road trip and I look forward to many more.  As we leave the city -- a quick stop for a picture of the flowers that have fascinated me along the highway for two days now.  Beautiful.

Mesa Verde/Ska Brewing/Arrive Santa Fe

After a good night's sleep in Cotez, Colorado, we rise full of anticipation for our day at Mesa Verde National Park.  Looking back on these ancient civilizations always fills me with wonder and admiration.  The ingenuity and fortitude that they had is overwhelming, especially after living in an age where everything is so readily available that we take so much for granted each day of our lives.

My first view of Spruce Tree House from our hiking path is incredible and I cannot wait to hike down there.

"Spruce Tree House is the third largest and the most visited site at Mesa Verde National Park.  It is located below Chapin Mesa within a sandstone alcove on the eastern side of Spruce Tree Canyon.  A nearby spring provided a source of water to the ancient inhabitants.  Spruce Tree House is considered Mesa Verde's best preserved cliff dwelling with a length of 216 ft. and width of 89 ft. at its widest section.  The cliff dwelling contains 114 rooms and eight kivas.  some of the rooms served as habitations and some as storage, but all were typically constructed of sandstone with adobe mud mortar.

Kiva is a Hopi word for ceremonial room, and at Mesa Verde they tend to be round in plan and underground.  Here they are located in the front zone of the cliff dwelling.  A Transversal 'street' running east-west divides the complex into a north and a south compound.  At the rear are two large dark recesses that served for refuse and burial.  It is estimated that Spruce Tree House was home to about 80 inhabitants."

It is incredible and we are able to actually climb down into one of the kivas which still has it's covering intact.  Most, however, have suffered a loss of those.  Also, I find it amusing that everything is my size, indicating that the people here were of a shorter stature.

From the dwelling, we can look across the canyon and see other settlements as well.  They are numerous throughout the park although many are inaccessible.

Once we climb back out, we discover an overlook and stop for a quick last look.  Wow.  This was definitely worth the time and effort to see.  We also stop at Balcony House and take the tour.  It is equally as impressive, although a bit harder to get to.

We have managed to work up an appetite and are thirsty, therefore it is time to drive into Durango and Ska Brewing.  Yay -- we order a double sample in order to taste all of their offerings and I zip outside to grab some food at Zia Taqueria, a food truck outside.  I am starving.

It is a great brewery and the people are laid back, yet willing to tell their story and visit with us at the bar.  Definitely a winner on our brewery list.

Drat it is time to get driving again as we have quite a distance to go before our stop tonight in Santa Fe.

We arrive at dusk, check into the hotel, and start walking to check out the Town Square before dark.

I am instantly in love with the feel of the this community.  I adore all the adobe buildings and the spirit that emanates from the park is palpable.  I hope we have time tomorrow to check out the area a little better.  If not, it is on a list of "must return to" places.



We come across the Cathedral Basilica of St. Francis of Assisi as the lights are coming on and it is beautiful.  It is closed, but we are able to get a few exterior shots.  Gorgeous.  It is time for dinner and we just happen to be near The Shed which is rated well.  Time to go in and relax for a bit before calling it a day.

Arches National Park

I remember when I thought my parents were nuts for wanting to go to the national parks.  I also thought that perhaps it was something that old people did.  Well, it is pretty official -- I am old.  I love the parks and all of the beauty contained within.  Today, we are starting our path back home and after seeing Grand and Bryce Canyons, I just know that the next couple of days will be eye candy as well.

After a quick breakfast at the hotel, the luggage is gathered up, loaded into the car, and we are on the road again.  I love road trips.  Have I said that before?  Well, it is true.  I do not understand why we don't travel this way more often.  Our destination for today is just outside of Moab, Utah and the route takes us through the Green River area.  I will say this much about Utah -- talk about a variety of terrains.  I don't think most people realize just how varied it is in this regard.  We arrive at Arches National Park before noon and with a map from the visitor center begin to explore the magnificent rock formations this park is so famous for.

We take several walks in order to view some of the formations but the final one requires a bit of  a small hike.  I am so glad that we decide to do this as it is not something we could have seen from the car.  Even with hip issues --- I love each and every moment of it.

Enjoy the pics --- I think that many people find the desert to be ugly -- I hope these show you that it is not.

What an awesome day.  I feel small and certainly am literally in awe of the world around us.  Such beauty.

Our stop for the night is in Cortez, Co and we still have a few hours to get there.  Thanks for sharing our day with us.