Another Little Blurb on Cochiti Lake

Hello to all of you. 

I wish I had enough time to tell you EVERYTHING, but I will suffice with a few brief notes.

Cochiti Lake: A tiny town on the Cochiti Pueblo Reservation with a very interesting history if anyone wishes to read it. (History of Cochiti Lake) 

Cochiti Lake: A tiny town that in many respects is only slightly off the radar and, while not exactly a well kept secret, is quiet enough not to attract much attention. There is no casino here as there is on many of the reservations. There is a PGA highly rated golf course, a small restaurant, a gas station, a convenience store, a Fire and EMS service and a great little library. Not to forget the Lake and the campground for summer recreation.

Cochiti Lake: About 240 homes +/- and about 500 residents +/-. It is about 5-10 degrees warmer here than in Santa Fe and a lot less snow - we have no snow on the ground as I write this, though there is a chance of snow later today. When it does snow it lasts a day, maybe a few days in the shadows. 

The difference between sun and shadow is like the moon - it can be 40 in the shade and 65 in the sun. Hoping that holds true in summer as well.

There has been a big influx of new people here in Cochiti Lake in the last year or so, and I would say young people though most are in their 50’s and 60’s - we are replacing the real old folks who are dying off in their 80’s or 90’s or moving out to retirement homes or assisted living or to live with sons or daughters.

Anyhow, the town is attractive to many artists and writers, many of whom come here to be near Santa Fe without all of the pretense and cut-throat attitudes. People are here from all over the US and some are from nearby Pueblos. 

What a very interesting mix we all are. Perhaps it is a little age and lots of life experience that gives the residents here so much character. The stories people share about their lives before Cochiti are fascinating. Even those who've lived here for many years have had interesting lives and a wealth of information to share.

Almost everyone here has a dog or two, if not a cat or two. Many of us meet in the morning to walk or hike with our dogs and the usual trek is at least two miles.

We know more neighbors here in 2 months than we did in 15 years in Bristol, CT. (In Bristol we were never in our neighbors’ homes during those 15 years; here we’ve been invited to many homes for parties, for dinner, for casual visits, for artists' get togethers, etc.)

I have met with the new writer’s groups here - there are about six of us. It is quite unstructured at present, but the writing the others shared was quite powerful and enticing. All of us have been published.

Yesterday one of the local artists held a get-together for the town's artists - I thought I qualified on some level, so went. 

There were 12 or 14 people there: Painters, stained glass artists, wood carvers, photographers, pastel painters, other visual arts, writers, potters and ceramics, and combinations of the aforementioned. 

If you get a chance, go to Mountain Meadows Cemetary Chapel in Seymour, CT where you can see an example of the beautiful work of one of our artists, Krysia Napiorkowski of Terryville, CT: http://www.krysiadesignsstainedglass.com/stained-glass-commissions.html

(Yes, my neighbor Krysia up the street in Cochiti Lake is from Terryville,CT - the neighboring town to Bristol, CT! She is a sweetheart. She did a whole series of windows for that chapel. Really spectacular.)

Sometimes I can't believe we are really here - that we are so far from what we were used to for so, so many years. But sometimes I feel right at home. 

Almost everyone we meet was somehow drawn here by either the beauty, the climate, the views, the sunshine, the quiet, the remoteness, the art, the culture, dare I say the spirituality - OK, I'll hold off on that one - and most seem happy with their choice.

Cochiti Lake: A tiny town, remote without being too far from anything - 35 minutes to Santa Fe, 45 minutes to Albuquerque - shopping, culture, restaurants, entertainment. 

However, if you must satisfy your craving for Chinese at the drop of a hat, sorry. Take-out is not around the corner.

But otherwise, it is quite the place.

Bicycling on Cochiti Dam

Went for a bike ride with the neighborhood ladies on the Cochiti Lake Dam.  Leon was off hiking with the dog and Len.

My old 6-speed did OK; my old bones and muscles did pretty much OK too; the hill back to the gate was a little tough, had to stop twice, but made it. 

Linda is the Iron-Woman on an electric assist bike; Angie also on electric assist. Linda and Angie have the hight-tech helmets with rear view mirrors and Linda has the fancy flashy wind breaker. Wendy rode her tricycle; Wendy and I went in more traditional outfits: no helmets, jeans, sweats, down vest. 

We are trying to figure out where to get Cochiti "Lobsters"????

This all just to offer a contrast to the East Coast weather which I hear is pretty normal this time of year. 

It was a bit chilly here this morning, probably about 45 degrees when we went biking. It warmed up later, which it does here - there can be a 30 degree difference or more from when we get up in the morning to mid afternoon.

Not Much New

Not much new here except for the ever changing scenery - the changing light and shadows, sun and clouds, ground and snow, mountains and clouds make for extraordinary views from our deck and along the surrounding trails. Snow in Cochiti Lake: here yesterday, gone today.

Leon and I have both started looking for jobs...I prefer part time, Leon is looking for one good full time position...wish us luck.

Having Fun With Leon Somehow Always Involves "Work"

We (Leon) decided it would be fun to drive the Dome Road again as last time we only went a mile or two due to time. The road is 17 miles to Route 4 near Los Alamos I believe. I say I believe because we never made it the entire 17 miles. We did a little over 9 miles before we got stuck in a snow drift.

Starting Out Near Cochiti Golf Course

We started the trip in Cochiti where there is barely a dusting of snow, but as we got further the snow covered the ground more and got a bit deeper and then the snow drifts across the road got more numerous. I always have confidence in Leon's ability to drive through anything under any conditions. But we GOT STUCK.

We're usually prepared for things, but of course we had no shovel or chains. Leon dug the snow out from under the tires with the dog's bowl while I went and stripped bark off the dead pine trees. Getting unstuck is WORK.

Thank goodness for the pine trees which perished in a forest fire years ago, because there wouldn't have been bark or anything else to use for traction.  Putting sheets of bark in front and behind the tires kept them from spinning once the tires grabbed the bark. I may not have been a boy scout, and I'm not exactly MacGyver, but I'm not too shabby when it comes to problem solving.

I never have the camera out during the height of any drama. Here are some other photos of the trip.

Starting out on mostly dirt

Using A HulaHoop May Cause Trees To Fall On You

Rocks Fall On Cars Or Come Close

Cochiti Lake

Where We Got Stuck (the first time)

On More Solid Ground (Snow)

Leon: Smile For the Camera
Me:I Knew You'd Get Us Out Of Here Before Spring
Benni: I Dunno, I Was Plenty Worried

Headed Back Down

If We Got Stuck In The Mountains Until Spring
Would We Have Had To Eat the Dog?

A New Year - In More Ways Than I Can Imagine

A New Year in a new place...excitement is tempered with anxiety. A change that seems unreal at times. I don't have to pinch myself to see if I'm dreaming, the Spanish Dagger Yucca was doing that just fine...until I showed it who's boss. 

Now I'm sure the natives think that's silly, but it is too close to the driveway for comfort and I got reminded that I'm not dreaming once too many times!

Wishing You Two Turtle Doves And A Partridge In A Pear Tree - An Update On Life In Cochiti Lake

Our Fireplace -
I've Never Lived in a Home With A Fireplace

NOTE: have not been posting as we won't be getting internet until Tuesday, if all goes well; and posting by iPhone is, well, I just don't often think of doing so.)

Don't envy us, we have winter here full throttle. It is 25 degrees out now (7:38pm). And the cold will be with us at least through the week. Yeah, you all are going to the beach in Connecticut.

Fortunately Cochiti Lake is in an area sheltered from the more severe weather around the state. We have a dusting of snow here and some fairly strong winds. This could all change by tomorrow morning, but we hope to avoid the worst of the storm and most of the snow. Roswell, considerably south of here, is getting the brunt of the storm and like 10 inches of snow.

Go figure. At least we don't have a 300 foot driveway.

The lights have flickered off for a second twice this evening, so I am wondering how the grid is here and whether we are dependent upon some power relay from Albuquerque where the storm is more severe. Oh, well.

We have been sprucing up the new homestead, pained the kitchen greens and the fireplace a yellow/gold. Bought a love seat that opens into a twin bed for guests. Much cleaning, cleaning, unpacking, arranging, finding a spot for everything...we got rid of so much STUFF back in Connecticut, but we still have stuff in the garage that we can't bring in.

We had six guests (Len and Sam, Wendy and Don, and Linda and Angie) over on Christmas Eve and went to a neighbor's for Christmas Day dinner where there were ten neighbors (including us) for dinner. Forgive me, I am not one to take photos of dinner guests. Suffice it to say a few have had most interesting lives and tales to tell.

We've been here four weeks and we know more people in our neighborhood here than we knew in fifteen years in Bristol. Living in a small town in close proximity to others will have it's good points and...a bit less privacy than we were used to.

Being 35 miles from anything means having to plan out trips to Santa Fe or Albuquerque. We have a gas station here and a convenience store. One doesn't mind paying $6.50 for half gallon of ice cream when one must. We also can't just run out for Chinese whenever we feel like it.

We took a nice long hike yesterday on the Dome Road (but we have yet to explore this road all the way to Los Alamos) and again this afternoon on the trail off of Koorani Street. The views change with the sun and the daylight.

We have to go get two more license plates and driver's licenses on Monday. By registering our vehicles we will get off the tax rolls in Bristol. There is no property tax on vehicles here.

But I will be paying some increased cost for Medicare, I believe; and Leon will be paying a bit more for health insurance too. Blue Cross assigned me a doctor in Los Alamos which the Blue Cross doesn't realize would take an hour longer to drive to than Santa Fe even though it is closer if I were a crow.

We have yet to see a bill for electricity and natural gas. Food prices are much higher here I think, though residents from other states like Alaska and Texas say food is cheaper. There is no Shop RIte or Ocean State Job Lot. There is a Big Lots and all of the major chain stores and a gazillion stores one has never heard of with more shopping than anywhere in Connecticut. (Imagine the Berlin Turnpike x 100 for Albuquerque and maybe x 30 for Santa Fe). Lots of restaurants too.

But not much in between, and Cochiti Lake is pretty much in between. In addition to the gas station and convenience store there is a PGA golf course with a pretty good restaurant and a very nice library. A writer's group will be meeting in January and there are a number of other interest groups that meet here also.

Believe it or not, I've only had a meal with green chili once in the month we've been in New Mexico. And I'm not complaining.

On the Dome Road

On the Dome Road from Cochiti Lake

Love the Color of the Lichen/Fungus on this Rock

Cochiti Lake

The 5-Mile Earth Dam - One of the Largest in the US
Holding Back the Rio Grand to Form Cochiti Lake

Benni with a Stick of Course

Junk in the Garage