Back From Santa Fe

I'm back from my trip to Santa Fe. Here's one last picture from my adventure. This is the Taos Pueblo, well part of the Taos Pueblo. I did pay a camera fee for the privilege to take this shot and I was careful to leave the inhabitants out of my photography.

Many of the front rooms were open to visitors. They had shops set up to sell pottery, rugs, jewelry, bread and more. My kids loved it when we entered a room and there was a fire going in the kiva. The smell of the wood burning was so inviting. I just liked taking a moment to let it really sink in that I was standing in a centuries old space.

My husband and I had just agreed that perhaps we wouldn't go into every open store. We were hoping to take in a gallery or two back in Santa Fe before our drive home. Moments after this decision was made, I passed by some steps leading up to an open door. A little woman with a smiling face leaned her head out and said "hello" in a cheerful and energetic voice. It made me giggle a little because everyone else I had encountered was kind of quiet, but with one word, I could tell this lady was different. I smiled and said hello back. My husband was trailing me by a few yards and he too received the greeting as he passed. Then the woman also added a "Come in!" in the same bounding, cheery voice, yet I had a sense that when this woman spoke, you should listen. I turned around and said to my husband, "Well you better go in." "I'd better", he said with a chuckle and our little family all made its way up into the room where the woman sat as guardian.

Once inside, she immediately told us that all the jewelry was created by her son. We made a point of examining each piece. I asked about the bread she had laid out on a table. I wondered if she had baked it herself. Her response was to light up and tell me about her other son and his shop. This son made fresh fry bread and other foods and we should go visit his shop. What a proud mom I thought. Here she sits making sure everyone knows about her two sons and their work. Being there with two sons of my own, I could relate to her pride and her enthusiastic devotion. I couldn't leave without making a purchase, so I bought a hunk of bread. Her effort with us was complete and I knew it would not be long before she called in the next visitors. She remains my favorite acquaintance from our holiday.