Plantas Y Maderas - Garden Benches

It was a year ago today that we had one hellofa scare. 
see :

Miracle in Motion category and scroll down to Oct 17 2009...lots of scrolling, guess we have been experiencing lots of miracles in motion these days. Or click on:


http://www.plantasymaderasgardenbenches.com/1/post/2009/10/post-title-click-and-type-to-edit3.html

Life can really give you some blows, but this was a huricane/tornado/road wave all in one.  None the less here we are ...what's that saying "If it don't kill ya, it just makes ya stronger"...yep, so that's how that works.

With perseverence and endurance, Gene has overcome all odds...along with great doctors, therapists and support from family and friends....my man is back at it....like Lee Majors the bionic man, stronger than ever. 

To add a little spike to the punch, 5 months to the date after almost losing his life in a serious accident in the shop, he' had an unexpected invasive surgery for skin cancer. A carcinoma cell had developed into a serious situation...where our same doctor...Dr. Juan Licaga had to remove 1 3/4 inch by 2 inches on Gene's lower lip...phew.  Just when we were thinking we were back at it..."Here we go again"  Hard to take.  although we did and tumbled through it, but survivors none the less.

Today we celebrate and give thanks for all of our prayers have been answered.  Live continues to throw things all of our way and so unexpected be it a burden or a blessing....sometimes they are one or the other in disguise.  So ...just roll with it.  Ya just never know what will happen next.

Yes, and as far as the Milagro Ranch ....we have acquired 3 horses this past week...we call the Mama Milagro, if she makes it ...it will be a miracle.  Her 1 month old filly Warrior needs her as well as yer pregnant yearling Cherokee...What are you gonna do?  ...but embrace it full heartily.

My apologies with the lack of photos, but the camera has been taking a sabbatical on it's own...hence missed all the epic moments of our Oklahoma, New Mexico journey...but hope my words can take you along with us.

This past week upon our return to our new found roots of Old Mexico :) we have seen a bobcat, rabbits, desert chipmunks, a king snake, road runners, road iguanas, lizards a school of dolphins and various native birds.......cardinals, blue jays, hummingbirds, doves, cactus wrens and red headed woodpeckers to name a few.

Although the desert continues to be bone dry, the occasional morning you can wake up with water dropping off of the tin roof and during the heat of the day you can see the lawn boy tree spitting out water.  It is truly amazing how these plants and animals survive.

The cardons, pitia, biznaga and cholla have given a random bloom since the first of June....I have to get the old girl back in action, my trusty camera that is...so much easier to see it in a photo.

Please check back at will.

Blessings upon our Milagro Ranch...may the light continue to shine upon us.  As well as all of our friends and family and those good folks we have yet to cross paths.  Gracias A Dios/ Thanks be to God/ Thank you Great Spirit.

I would like to take you on our journey.

From the Trail of Tears, the Sante Fe Trail, the Dust Bowl Days and the Taos Pueblos.  Amidst the cultures in this mountain region and home on the range. 
A sense of Hispanic, Indian and Cowboy culture a.k.a. three bean soup creates a diverse unique culture unlike any other.

We have seen a heard of buffalo, snow on the mountain peaks, antelope on the open range, a rodeo, a trail days parade, the dust bowl museum.  Drove and hiked to the top of Mount Capulin, an inactive volcano.  Spent some time in a 55 year old western store with a collection of hundreds of old worn out hats on display.  Visited the Taos Pueblos, went to the 9,200 elevation of the Taos ski area founded by Ernie Blake.  Witnessed and took part in the Taos Indian dancers just outside of the pueblos, crossed over the Rio Grande and fished along the mountain streams and Eagle Nest Lake...It was heartwarming to partake in these activities with my husband and children that my great grandparents, granparents and parents introduced to me 40 some years ago.  It was beautiful to see our Gama Hazel and Great Aunt Ina Mae...icing on the cake.

A family vacation taking me back in time where we would spend time with our elders in our youth...a full circle finding our grassroots. Many of our elders and family have passed, but their memories and blood pump through my veins...to pass this experience on to my children is priceless.  Gracias A Dios

In light of our journey I would like to share this with you...



http://taospueblopowwow.com/about-taos-pueblo/blue-lake



"In 1906 An injustice was done in which...48,000 acres was taken from..the Taos Pueblo Indians.  The congress of the United States now returns that land to whom it belongs...I can't think of any more appropriate or any action that could make me more proud as President of the United States" 
1970 President Richard M. Nixon

On September 17th and 18th of 2010 The Taos Pueblos will commemorate the 40th anniversary of the return of it's Sacred Blue Mountain Lake.

In 1906 President Theodore Roosevelt established Carson National Forest taking 50,000 acres without payment to them. 

The following information is fragments of notes I read in an article in High Country magazine summer 2010 ...  an excerpt from Frank Waters  Blue Lake Interview...

After a series of events and years of broken promises, It became obvious that the Pueblos 1940 use permit was worthless.  They were once granted a 50 year permit after waving a $297,684.67 payment from congress.  The children were sent away to a white man's school instead of being taught at home the traditional religious beliefs of his people.

The struggle of the Taos Indians to regain Blue lake helped enlighten much of the general American public about Indian Religioun.  December 15 1970 Senate passed the bill it was the first land claims case settled in favor of an Indian Tribe based on freedom and religion.

In the words of Frank Waters 1902-1995...
"I am convinced that this is something that we must learn from the Indians-their holistic way of thinking.  We must must realize our relatedness to all other forms of life.

One of the things that most helped the Indians in their quest for Blue Lake was the growing public understanding of the concept of ecology.  As the tenets of ecology became more widely appreciated, beginning in the early 1960's, so too did an understanding of the relationship between ecology and the basic principles of Indian religion.  The public began to grasp a little rudimentary thinking about Indian religion because ecology is the basis of Indian religion.  And this growing appreciation for ecology led the public to begin thinking holistically, to begin understanding the unity of all of nature's kingdoms-whether animal, plant, or mineral.  And this growing appreciation of Indians as the first ecologists helped Taos Pueblo in its struggle to reclaim their sacred land..."

Today June 1st is the 68th Anniversary Celebration of Dia de la Marina.  It kicked off at 8:30 with the many folks through the San Jose del Cabo and La Playita communities gathering to listen to several speakers about the imoprtance of our waters and protecting them.  The Port Captain as well as Puerto Los Cabos representative were a few of the several to speak during this joyful occasion.  The kinder of La Choya and La Playita were great entertainment, no doubt putting smiles on all of our faces.  The children that participated in envents throughout the week were also congratulated and honored .....it was also great for us all to get a chance to see folks that we haven't seen for a while...beautiful.