Jam, Glorious Jam!

Nicole, Theresa and I made jam today.  Theresa and I went out yesterday and picked sand plums and blackberries at Sergeants Berry Farm.  I found strawberries on sale today at Walmart. Nicole brought some peaches that we added to those.  After an afternoon's work, this is what we have.  Fortyfour jars of wonderful gooey sweet fruit jam.  That is fourteen jars plus to each of us.  I am thinking that we will be set for the year.  Theresa made some sugar free and the rest are high cal.
It was so hot outside today and we did our best to make it hot inside today.  I remember my mother and grandmother canning in the heat of my childhood summers.  It must have been miserable, but there is a great satisfaction looking at the results of our work.  Nicole and Theresa didn't have the same memories I had, but now they know how to make jam and if they want, the kids will have canning memories of their own.

Seeing Stars

We will be making this layout Saturday July 14th at Across Time and Page at 21st and Webb Rd.  I used We R Memory Keepers July Fourth paper and I really was super happy with the layout when it was finished.  There is a good mix of shiny and pleats for very interesting texture.

Fun Times

The water line is being replaced today. The water bill had been a lot higher the last couple of months.  We checked every thing we could think of, but couldn't find a problem.  When we got back from vacation, Ray found the it, a very soggy spot in the front yard.  The plumber ran a temporary water line for us last week, since he couldn't schedule the new line until today. The work went very quickly, the hole was dug and the line laid in a couple of hours. Just another one of the responsibilities of home ownership.  We hope this is the last time we have to see the plumber for a long time.

It Rained Today

Today is our last full day in Ruidoso.  We head back to Kansas tomorrow.  We never are here long enough, but I suppose that is good.  We always have things to look forward to the next time we come. 
The good news though is that is rained today.  According to the weather, it was over an inch which answered many prayers around here.  I haven't heard yet if it stifled the fire, but the rain did start some concerns about flash floods.  I can see how it could happen, we were out at Conley's Nursery when it started to rain and in less than half an hour it had hailed, lots.  Driving back to the condo, the streets were flooded.  Water runs off fast around here. 
Ray  wants to leave early, so we are almost packed now.  All we have to do in the morning is stuff the last bits in and take off.

St. Joseph Apache Mission, Mescalero New Mexico

We drove up to Mescalero today to visit the St. Joseph Mission Church.  We had been there several years ago and thought it was time to go back.  The church was the vision of a mission priest who was sent to Mescalero to serve the Apache after World War I,  He based the design on the European churches he ad seen during the war, and it is an impressive sight to seen when you are driving past on the highway.  The interior  reflects the native congregation with the stained glass and art depicted native subjects.  There are crown hanging from the ceilings that are part of an Apache ceremony that is held every summer.  The church has been in the process of renovation since the late 90's and a lot of repair has been done since we were there the last time.  One of the local artist Thurman Paz has painted scenes on tiles removed from the roof and they were being sold to raise funds.  Ray and I bought one, and will have to decide where to put it when we get home.

National Space History and Hall of Fame

We drove over to Alamogordo with the idea of visiting this museum and an state park.  The Museum took up most of our afternoon and the park will have to wait for another day.  The museum is on the mountainside overlooking the town.  The layout is interesting in the you take an elevator to the top floor and then walk down ramps to the ground floor while looking at the exhibits.  There is a lot of information about rocketry and missiles and the work that was done around here, and there is and was a lot.  This museum had not been on my top list of places to go and I regret not getting here sooner.

Spencer Theater

Ray and I went to the Spencer Theater for a tour this morning.  The Condos we stay at offer a variety of different places and things to do.  For some reason we were the only people who went out to the theater and it was amazing.  It turns out that the wife of the manager of Pine Cliff Village is on the board of the Theater.  The Director of Spencer Theater took us around.  We were shown everything.  The theater seats about 500 people but the stage is bigger than just about anything I have seen.  The building itself is beautiful.  I have come to the realization that I am a Dale Chihuly fan.  I love his glass work.  He is very productive and I imagine that very few people have not seen a piece of  his work.  He did a large number of pieces for the theater.  My favorite is the Chili Pepper Christmas Tree in the lobby.  I would love to have that.  I would never take it down either.  There is a fund raiser this weekend, we would like to go, but I think it may require better clothes than what we brought to Ruidoso.  We did buy a raffle ticket to win a smaller original Chihuly piece.  The thought came to mind as to where we could possibly put something this valuable if we did win it.  I guess we could figure it out.  There would have to be serious warnings to not touch to Wyatt and Andrea.

Stuff we have found

We have been shopping and here are a few things we found.  The carved bear and raccoon were bought from a guy on the side of the road.  We got them for Wyatt and Andrea.  Great art these little guys are not, but the kids should like them.  The Ghost Chili Cheese is for Nick and Andrew.  They are always trying the hot stuff.  This is really hot.  Ray tried a tiny sliver and it was very interesting to see his reaction.  The girl at the store had to give him a glass of wine to settle him down.  I knew better than to try it.  The cheese store has an even hotter type than this, but we decided to pass on that.  Last of all, we went to the New Mexico Women's Crafts Festival.  There was a lot of fiber art there with an emphasis on rag rugs, but I fell in love with this necklace the minute I saw it.  It is stag horn coral and turquoise.  I will love wearing it.

Still going strong

The Little Bear fire is still going strong.  The news says it is 0% contained.  This evening the smoke dropped way down, so the wind must be slowing down a lot.  We are planning our activities around the best way to get by the fire if we have too.  Shallow people!

Ray's Retirement

Ray retired from the Belle Plaine Post Office on May 21st.  It was bittersweet, Ray has enjoyed his job so much and the people he worked with in Belle Plaine.  His retirement party was held at the Wellington VFW.  The food was great and we had a really good time.

Little Bear Fire

I have a bunch of stuff I have to post, but this goes completely to the top of my must do list.  We are in Ruidoso for the week, and drove in from the north today.  While we were north of Carizozo we noticed some smoke, and by the time we were about 80 miles away it had grown to a real fire.  By the time we were just outside of town, the sun was red.  It is almost eleven now and you can see the glow over the edge of the mountain from our front door.  Luckily the fire is going in the opposite direction, and they are dropping chemicals to slow it down.  The fire is getting bigger and now people have been losing homes and having to stay in shelters.