Ted & Jan visiting Karen & Pete Peterson in Spice Wood, TX. Pete was Ted's CO in Okinawa & the PI many moons ago. Wonderful visit catching up on old times. 

Jan, Ted, Christa, Marlin, LaVonne, Roger & Jeannie...what a great visit we had with our Alaska Trip buddies. 

Breaking bread in Marlin & Christa's new home.  

Marlin & Christa's new house. 

Roger, Ted, & Marlin... "The Three Bubbas" .. joking around. 

Lava flow in southeastern New Mexico 

Here we are back on Roger and Jean's main floor of their soon to be completed house. The mountains of in the distance are probably 40 - 50 miles away so as the lyrics go in some song - on a clear day, you can see forever. 

One of George's paintings. Quite a talent. 

Datil artist George Shepherd in his mountain studio. He was gracious enough to show us his studio, home, techniques and his paintings. Thanks George 

These large rock walls in and around the Datil area are called "hoo-doos" by the locals. If you look closely at these formations you can almost make out what appears to be faces that have been carved out by the wind and weather. 

Here's a close up of a few of the deployed radiotelescopes. Each weighs 34 Tons and while they look small in this photo, each disk will completely cover the infield of a regulation size baseball diamond. They're all on railroad tracks so they can be positioned anywhere along the 13 mile leg. They, along with the Hubble telescope - produce some very important information about our universe. 

If Datil, NM is known for anything ( besides Roger and Jean Daiger ) it is home for the US governments VLA ( very large array ) display. 27 radio telescopes on a Y axis and each leg - when extended - can be 13 miles long. This is a shot of part of the display which is located on the Plains of Agustin, elev 7030, and surrounded by the San Mateo, Luera, Horse and Datil Mountains. 

On a little side trip, we saw the Sawtooth Mountains and the high desert around them in bloom. Quite a sight. 

After Santa Fe, we spent a few days with friends Roger and Jean Daiger at their soon to be completed mountaiin home in Datil, NM. Jan, Roger and Jean are standing on the main floor area of the house-to-be. They'll have one amazing view from their 27 acre estate. Thanks for the hospitality guys. 

One of the many cactus that are to be found blooming under the blue and cloudless New Mexico ( Santa Fe ) skies 

Now you can say you have seen Purple Sage - this is the stuff of cowboy and Jimmi Hendrix songs. 

This is the oldest inhabited house in the US. Santa Fe, New Mexico. The oldest church in the US ( 1610 ) is just to the right of the house. ( see previous photo ) 

The oldest church in the US - San Miguel Church - built by the Tiaxcalan Indians from Mexico under the direction of the Franciscan Padres in 1610. Just down the street to the left if the oldest inhabited house in the US. 

Barely a stones throw from the Loretto Chapel was the Inn and Spa at Loretto, a nobel house hotel. More of the SW architecture and note the indian sculpture on the wall. Their courtyard had lots of similar style artwork. 

Flutist and recording artist Mario Reynolds. He and his brother Oscar have made several cd's and we found them in the courtyard of the Loretto Church performing and selling his music. Very soothiing music - we bought two CD's. 

Santa Fe has lots of artists and therefore lots of nooks, crannies and alleyways to browse for items such as those shown. This seems to be the hot pepper capital of America so there's always lots of pepper wreaths to buy for decoration or to actually cook with. 

Santa Fe, NM - the Loretto Chapel - build in 1873. Inside they have a wooden spiral staircase that was built without the aid of metal nails or screws. Note the typical adobe style architecture found in this part of the country. 

Jan & Ellie Bair.... Ellie is from Scotland. She has a radio show called Celtic & Beyond on KTAO 101.9 FM. You can listen to Ellie's show on the internet at www.ktao.com on Wed nights 7-10pm MST. 

Wind art at studio in Taos 

Other Earth Ship homes in the subdivision located north of Taos, NM