Santa Fe 2009

Greetings from Santa Fe, New Mexico! The first few days we spent in recovery mode: recovery from sickness, financial stress, the long lists of things we have to do, plus the long months of soggy coldness that have pervaded Seattle (though the last week of school was quite warm). We've gone to a birthday party and a potluck. Sunday, we went to Mass at the beautiful St. Francis Cathedral, which so far is the only Catholic church I've visited that rings bells during the Consecration of the Eucharist. (Last year, I had to ask Lucia not to sing along with the bells.) Yesterday, we visited with two of my mom's colleagues and worked with clay. I created a small fairy house with a removable roof, which I had been planning ever since I found out that we were going to have Clay Day. I'll post a photo after we return to Seattle.

Today, we walked two miles in a nature conservancy and tomorrow we're going to Canyon Road to look at art galleries and visit the Tea House. For Canyon Road, Bede and I are planning to leave Lucia with her grandma while we explore.

I've worked on some dolls while I'm here. I finished the Night Queen with her Star Child, and made a Cloud Child for the Day King. I've also stitched my first saint doll: St. Rose of Lima, patron of embroiderers, needleworkers and gardeners. In the St. Francis Cathedral, I noted that Rose of Lima was depicted holding a guitar. It turns out that in addition to her other talents, she was noted for composing mystical poetry and playing it on her guitar. Take a look at this photo, and you'll see the icon. It's second from the left on the top row.