A weekend in Santa Fe...

I recently visited my mother in Hilton Head, South Carolina. And while I had a lovely time riding my bike on the beach, watching the porpoises play and padding around the beach, I was struck by the beauty of Santa Fe when I returned.

My cousin recently visited me here in Santa Fe--this being his first time to the City Different. He is an avid skier (cross country), hiker and outdoor sportsman. By the end of his visit, he had to admit "we have it all" here...

We started out on Friday afternoon with an awesome lunch under the portal in my back yard. It is a south-facing patio, with views of the Ortiz and Sandia Mountains. We enjoyed a combination of take out (noodles from Lan's Vietnamese) and some fresh fish I grilled. Brilliant sunshine, 65 degrees and perfect.

After lunch, we put the dogs on their leashes and headed down to the Plaza. For the next two hours we enjoyed a "city walk" -- all around the Plaza, up Canyon Road to the top, down Acequi Madre, looping around the Plaza again before picking up the car on Guadalupe.

Saturday morning, we started out at the farmer's market. I so enjoy wandering the stalls teaming with produce and crafts. The breakfast burrittos and hub bub are really great. A tour of the farmer's market always receives rave reviews from visitors. Late morning, we hiked one of the Dale Ball trails at the top of Sierra del Norte. Again, perfect day with 360 degree views of the Santa Fe basin. After lunch, I took my cousin out to Las Campanas where they have paved walking trails so he could get in a couple of hours of roller-skiing. He came back only a little bloody.

At 3:30, we toured the Shidoni Sculpture Gardens in Tesuque, arriving in their foundry at 3:55 in time to get a good spot to watch the molten bronze pour. I had not seen this in a few years and it was really interesting to watch. There is a lot of drama, especially when there is a mis-step and the caldron of molten bronze threatens to splash out onto the floor.

Saturday night was a typical Santa Fe scene at the Cow Girl. The food and atmosphere are always very good.

Sunday morning, we went to the Georgia O'Keeffe Museum. We watched the two videos they show, which is very worthwhile--and then wandered the museum. They do an excellent job of curating the works, mixing in photographs by Ansel Adams (of Georgia, naturally) and Georgia's husband, Stiegler (who I personally think may have been a scoundrel). The works change regularly so one can visit often and still enjoy the art.

Sunday is my busy day at work, so I asked my husband to take over tour duties while I attended to a showing and did an open house. When I came home, I found that they had not left the house, but spent the time sitting at the kitchen table drinking beer. A perfect weekend in Santa Fe.