| Yesterday we walked up Hwy 4 and, after seeing more than a few "private property/no trespassing" signs we walked into the parking lot of Mary, Mother of Priests Catholic Church. It seems that this church was/is used for retreats. There are several small dorm building behind the church. Three different ritual spaces - a labyrinth, a circle marked in the four directions surround by cut logs for seating and a boulder-defined circle with a large obsidian boulder in the center - none looked recently maintained. A little further on was a short river trail with a seating area that was quite lovely. Someone had posted a copy of a Thomas Merton prayer on a tree - again it looked very weathered in it's plastic pouch - and the prayer seemed rather disconnected to the actual site. |
Today we loaded up the bikes and drove back past the fish hatchery to ride up the trail along the Rio Cebolla. It is a very pleasant ride, 5 miles in each direction up to about 8,500', on mostly double-track on what was clearly a graded jeep road at one time (and perhaps still) used for ranchers to access the property. There is grazing land on both sides of the small stream as it snakes down the Ponderosa Pine and cliff-face lined canyon. At the top (there was a short, very steep hike-a-bike section with a 600 ft climb that we decided to pass on) we enjoyed lunch with some medium boiled eggs harvested from MSA's chicken coop. Then a leisurely ride down before returning "home" and seeing more blossoms on the yellow rose bush.
We arrived at the library at 10:00 to set up our presentation. Fairly easy, just ran some lines and used clothes pins to mount Jo's handmade paper and prints. Jo lined up her collection of daily collection jars, put out her sketch books with prints and pressed flowers and then checked the TV connection to Jo's laptop. Jo had put together a really good PowerPoint presentation with four of our videos embedded. At the presentation, about a third of the way through the first, and longest, video, PowerPoint froze. So, with a little bit of scrambling, Paul covered by reading his essay while Jo rebooted the computer and we decided to present the videos separate from PP.
It all worked out but Jo is a little bummed that the great PP presentation wasn't able to be shared - perhaps we will turn it into a video - the audience were very receptive, knowledgeable and, as Toni Marich would have said - "our people". It was quite enjoyable and we received some wonderful feedback and appreciation. After a leisurely lunch (tuna melts) we decided to take a walk but - as we have taken walks around the Village the past two days -we wanted to have it more hike-y than stroll-y. The highlighted hikes in the area (off Hwy 4) have been closed due to the fire so, with a little internet research we found the Rio Cebolla hike out of the Seven Springs Hatchery (they are working to recover a native trout to the local waters), and even though it was late go for a very short hike. The mini-hike took us up a beautiful valley to a lake with an incredible view of cliff faces. On the water we saw a swimming otter (of course we didn't have our binoculars with us). We couldn't linger long as the day-use area closes at 5:00PM. Back down the hill to the truck and towards our temporary home. Saw smoke from the fire - which increased in size last night due to high winds - sat in a different part of the yard for our evening libation and relaxed and began to relax into the enchantment of the land that the locals all talk about.
The Cerro Pelado fire - 7 miles east of us but not a serious threat here because the prevailing winds are to the east - continues to not be contained. Hwy 4, which is the route we would take to all the fun trailheads to the north has been shut-down. So the past couple of days we focused upon our art making and getting our presentation ready.
The sky wasn't smoky this morning. We feel like we are in a good place with our presentation so we packed up the bikes and drove up Hwy 4 to turn west on 126 right before 4 is closed to find a trail to San Antonio Hot Springs. The first bit is on private road and, right before getting on the trail we had to pass by a property with a sign saying "Trespassers will be shot and if you live you will be shot again" and a couple of loud dogs barking behind a fence. The trail was mostly pretty easy with a few hike-a-bike uphills. It has been awhile since we have ridden in the Rocky Mountains and so we were cautious in a few places that we probably could have handled if we were in shape for this kind of riding. As we neared the hot springs Paul started having some minor symptoms of altitude sickness so we stayed for awhile and then headed back down the hill (over 8,000'). The clouds were starting to be threatening so it was a good idea anyway - it started sprinkling a bit when we got back to the truck. Felt great to be riding again.
Friday afternoon the wind really picked up, with gusts up to 75 mph. The windows of the old house shook and creaked. The mountains above the valley were covered in a haze that looked like a deep fog. We heard several sirens of emergency vehicles, later we heard of the wild fire that was not far away (though headed away from us).
Saturday we woke up early and went to the town plaza to receive our safety vests, gloves, bags and assignment for Earth Day clean-up of Highway 4. We found some rather odd and interesting debris as we trolled for trash along mile 18. Back to the plaza where the first Farmers' Market was happening. It is too early in the season for any produce but we bought some homemade yogurt from the Bodhi Manda Zen Center. We strolled near the Jemez River and noted the wonderful clouds and sky that had been created by Friday's wind. In the afternoon we went to the Artisan Gallery and across the street to the Fine Art Gallery - where there was an opening reception for a group show. On Sunday we joined Jemez Historic Site Instructional Coordinator Marlon Magdalena, his son, five other adults and one couple's small dog for a hike up the Oak Canyon east of the Site. We enjoyed the opportunity to explore this area however we were reminded why we prefer to go hiking by ourselves. We couldn't set our own pace, some folks like to talk more than we do, and, though the dog was well-mannered, it still made its presence known.
We drove up to Fenton Lake State Park, wanting to spend some time paddling and perhaps hiking on the short trails there. When we arrived, access to the day-use area won't open until May 1 so we drove to the camping entrance. We were less than whelmed, it is a small man-made lake and the hillside above it hasn't recovered from a fire so we headed back.
We stopped at the San Antonio Campground (again not open) but we parked at the entrance and decided to take a walk along the creek. Enjoyed hearing/seeing three stellar jays, did a set of tai chi (rather poorly as the ground was uneven and we had to go back and do a section we forgot) and then forage for rose hips. Once back in town we stopped at the Jemez Historic Site with museum and ruins of the Gisewatowa Pueblo and the remains of the San José de los Jemez Mission that Spanish Franciscan priest forced the People to construct atop the original settlement and sacred grounds.
Yesterday morning (4.20) we worked on our projects before deciding to take a walk along Hwy 4 with the intention of getting some information from the NPS Ranger Station. Unfortunately it is closed to the public and the NFS Ranger Station being built across the road isn't finished yet so we checked out the Jemez Historic Site When we walked up to it, it was clear that it would take a long, luxurious time to fully appreciate these ancient ruins and Jo had a phone appointment in the afternoon so we strolled down past the historic bathhouse in the town square. Then onto the library where we bought six used paperbacks fo $3 from their "Book Barn" and met the head librarian who, after hearing what Paul is working on for his essay made several suggestions of titles and let us check out three under the name of one of the Mission Street Arts owner/directors. So only one photo from that day.
Today we drove up to the Jemez East River Slot Canyon trailhead and took a very pleasant, if not spectacular hike to the East River and East River Box. The Forest Service has been doing a great job here - the facilities at the trailhead/picnic area are in great shape, the trails have been maintained well (except for some fallen trees on the downhill section to the river), and the forest is being well managed. Even so, we saw too many dead snags indicating some problems with the health of the forest due to drought and/or disease. We enjoyed a light lunch near the river and Paul recorded the sound of bees in the blooming pussy willows. Because our last hike provided few birding possibilities we decided to forego the extra weight of our binoculars - big mistake - several birds perched above us for long periods to allow us to gaze at them. We were hearing a woodpecker pecking away near a very large and impressive snag but couldn't see it. Jo put her ear against the snag and confirmed that this was the tree. A little while later we saw a bird fly out of a hole in the snag and then another head poked out and drew back in. For several minutes we watched this bird stick its head out and drop off some sawdust from its beak repeatedly as it was cleaning up the nest after doing some demo to expand the place. On impulse as we were driving back we stopped at the Soda Dam, a grouping of fifteen hot springs which have formed a unique calcium carbonate and travertine formation creating a bridge over the Jemez River just outside of town. The rock formations are fascinating.
"A Sense of Place" is the title of our project while in residence so it gives us good reason to go out and explore. We woke early, had coffee and Jo began working on two different responses to flora she has collected: making paper with the plant remnants implanted and using a Gelli pad to create prints with impressions of those found objects. Paul, perhaps influenced by his current reading of Rebecca Solnit's 'Field Guide to Getting Lost' has begun working on an essay connecting his impressions of the area.
Battleship Rock Picnic Area and Trailhead is four miles north of Jemez Springs and, based on the size of the parking lots, an immensely popular site. The picnic area was closed but just up the road we could park in the trailhead lot. The trail skirted the very large picnic area and was unfortunately full of recent garbage of recent use. The trail climbs under the prominent Battleship Rock. The trail starts gray, then turns a cinnamon red like the plentiful Ponderosa Pine, before returning to gray. There have been several slides over the years, bringing down massive trees and basalt boulders - winter avalanches are clearly a major event on the hillside. Our pace up the trail was "art hike", constantly exploring what we saw and heard and stopping to take photos. This fulfills our artist residency intent and is rather sensible for flatlanders from Florida hiking up to 7,600 ft. After two miles of moderately difficult trail we arrived at three McCauley Warm Pools. Unlike the hot springs throughout the area, there was no detectable odor of sulphur and the water was body temperature rather than hot. We enjoyed a pleasant lunch, Jo noticed wild roses full of rose hips and Paul began harvesting - most likely for use in one of his fermentation projects when we get back home.
Wonderful little hike along the Red Rock Trail followed by an exploration of the Walatowa History Museum within the Walatowa Visitor Center of the Jemez Pueblo. We also saw some wonderful art in the gift center and disciplined ourselves to only purchase one painting by a local Jemez artist.
Open the door room, take a sharp turn up very steep stairs into an attic "maid's quarters". The toilet and the sink were almost touching. As we were the only guests we had to request they turn on the hot water. As it was Sunday there was little open but we thoroughly enjoyed dinner at an open air tapas restaurant where we had plates of octopus salad, frogs legs and linguiça.
We celebrated Jo's birthday on Monday by taking the bus to Lisbon. We were helped buy tickets for the subway to our station and then climbed the steep hills to find our apartment. Unfortunately AirBnB had given us the wrong apartment number and our phone had run out the day before so we were a bit anxious in the lobby while our host was wondering where we were up in the room. On Tuesday we followed Telmo's recommendation for lunch at Alpendre. We ordered the Seafood and Fish platter for two and were pretty whelmed when it came out - the waiter asked our neighboring party if he could place it on their table - great food for lunch and a full dinner. We really enjoyed people watching near the 8a Craft Beer kiosk....until a gust of wind pick up their large parasol and hit some elderly women sitting on a park bench. The flight home was very uneventful once we actually got boarded - the US demands multiple, redundant security checks before one gets to the plane. We had extra leg room in our exit row seats. We had zero line through customs - first time ever. A short but unhurried layover to catch the plane to Tallahassee and then an Uber ride with a driver formerly from Venezuela.
We joined Carlos, Sara, and Jaime for lunch at the sports club. It was a very hot day so they grilled sardines and another local caught fish on a street-side barbecue. Boiled potatoes, fresh bread and – the highlight – tomatoes, grilled pepper, onion and garlic swimming in olive oil salad. That evening Carlos provided insights into the last half of the 20th century in Portugal: fascism, revolution, the end of colonial powers, a military coup that led to democratic elections.
Wednesday the 11th was Carlos’ birthday so he spent the day caring for artist residents – ferrying us in two different trips to Aljustrel for grocery shopping and, in our case, to various stores to search for supplies for our project(s). In the evening we joined their friends and family to celebrate with a dinner at the sports club.
Carlos and Sara greeted us on the railroad platform, guided us to their car where we met baby Jaime. Driving through a countryside of rolling hills and farmlands filled with scrubby cork and olive trees surrounded by dried grasses reminiscent of both Umbria, Italy and northern California (all three regions known for wine making), our hosts provided information about the southern region of Portugal, specifically Alentejo. It is known as the “barnyard of Portugal", providing the food for the denser, industrial, more mountainous North. When industrialization came to agriculture the population dwindled, however recently the trend has reversed. Tourism is becoming important; Carlos noted that at small railroad station of Funcheira in the middle of nowhere, half of those debarking weren’t speaking Portuguese.
stripe rising from the cobblestone roads and sidewalks. There is a functionality as well as aesthetic at play: the white walls reflect the heat of the sun off of thick walls and there is a belief dating back to the Arab times that the blue discourages infestation by mosquitoes and other insects.
American undergraduate student from a Rome-based university here on a ERASMUS scholarship, Rita a local teenage intern, Lucas a new intern from Brasil, and four parties of mostly male local residents. Bowls of broth soaked bread were brought out which served as the base for a hearty stew of chickpeas, pork sausage, bacon and bones which was placed in the middle of the table in a massive pot. This delightful and delicious meal was topped by a small, intense shot of espresso and an anise-flavored aperitif.
Dinner was just local wine and cheese on the picnic table on the veranda off our bedroom with Margaret, foregoing the fish stew she had prepared as we were too stuffed from lunch, followed by a stroll back to the ruins of the monastery. As usual 'Gris', one of two cats and a dog living here, visited us as we slept.
of futbol fans waiting for the upcoming broadcast of the World Cup game between Portugal and Uruguay. Later, at the apartment, we heard our downstairs neighbors explode with excitement. A quick internet search showed us that Portugal had just tied the game. Happily for our sleep that night, Portugal lost so the neighborhood quieted down at a reasonable hour for a Saturday night.
On Sunday we strolled some more before our train trip south to Funcheira. The tiled buildings are gorgeous. At the highest point of the city we spied a suspension bridge that looks remarkably like the Golden Gate Bridge. The hills and walkability of the neighborhood made the guide book comparisons to San Francisco make sense. The train trip was relatively easy though we carefully counted stops to make sure we didn't miss our exit. Our hosts from Buinho Creative Hub picked us up for the half hour drive to Messejana and the beginning of our residency. We performed a presentation/iteration of Laptop Performance Laboratory: Modular Play at the Nordic Summer University Circle 7 conference in Riga. It was wonderful to spend several days with all these energized artist scholars in the black box theater of the Zirgu Pasts building where Jo had taught classes and had her work premiere in 2014 while we were in residence in 2014 through the Fulbright award she won. Most of our days were inside, absorbing the work being presented by our colleagues but the last half day we took some time to wander through Old Town Riga:
We've spent the past two days installing the installation. We should be able to finish it today. The performance has been fully structured into three different iterations within the "rooms" of the installation. The first features spoken readings of sections from the "7 Words" texts, the second is us performing our entire EQ2+ movement phrase individually at the same time while Logan utilizes the sound files we have created, the third is a movement/text performance of EQ3 that has been ordered through Chance Operations.
Michele made a lovely New Year's Eve dinner for all the LPL:MPers at our house.
Paul, Jo, Michele, Geoff, and Julie LVS ("Jelvis") celebrated the holiday by driving to Wakulla Springs state park and enjoying a lovely trip on the river boat. We saw multiple water fowl, turtles, alligators and, to top the trip off, finished by being graced by a sighting of a manatee. We then went to St. Marks National Wildlife Refuge to walk along the Gulf Coast by the lighthouse and into the wetlands. Afterwards we enjoyed a dinner of Southern style Thanksgiving leftovers (macaroni and cheese, corn pudding, greens, angel biscuits) and hamburgers as we had worked on the project too long the day before and weren't able to get to the stores before they closed.
The day prior, on Christmas Eve, we worked on the simultaneous solo movement section of EQ 2 before gathering at the AirBnB house to feast on Michele's extraordinary chicken and rice dinner. We decided that we needed to discipline ourselves into a daily schedule with a lunch period and set start and finish times. On the 26th we went right to work on EQ2 movement before breaking for lunch at Masa after discovering Kool Beanz was closed. Their "express" lunch wasn't on the fast track so we took longer and spent more money than we had planned - from now on lunch will be brown bagged. Julie Stoverink was waiting for us after returning from her Atlanta family Christmas. We promptly went to work on EQ2, revising the map of the installation "rooms" into more irregular shapes that we were all satisfied with. Geoff took the chef duties and rewarded us with wonderful fish tacos.
Through a grant from FSU we have been able to transport, house and pay our collaborators to gather together for the first time face-to-face rather than through the internet. Julie Leir-VanSickle from Idaho flew in on 15 December, Michele Ripper from Victoria, Australia arrived a few days later, then Geoff Gibbs from B.C. Canada and Julie Stoverink from Atlanta, Georgia joined Tallahassee residents Paul, Joséphine and Bridget Close and our new collaborator Logan Castro.
As it is Winter Break on campus we have use of the facilities of the School of Dance in Montgomery Hall. MANCC has graciously allowed us to use the Black Box theater to develop and perform a culminating performance/installation of the workshop on 5 January.
people out. As we neared the river we saw four people fishing. We walked through the cemetery with its individual zen-garden type plots that are lovingly maintained. As they are miniature gardens even the old and forgotten plots still maintain a natural beauty as the fauna continues to grow. We walked to the edge of town through several small farm plots before heading back to the river, past the resident swan family to fill our water bottle at the spring.
We walked a bit, toured the 14th century Livonian order castle that lacked the sterotypical moats, drawbridges, turrets. We were thoroughly disappointed that we missed the larba daiks (operating hours) of the souvenir shop as we were hoping to hoping to find a CD of the unique singing of the Suiti women or some traditional crafts.
We continued to the stone bridge and viewed some ruins of 19th century buildings that had been converted to apartments by the Soviets. It appears that attempts are being made to stop the decay but there are so many of these old buildings and restoration is costly so not much can be done. On the way out of town we drove through the town's forest park. Jo tried to take selfies by a particularly cute frog sculpture.
We also found the fish market that is renowned for smoked fish, unfortunately they were having mechanical difficulties and were closed for the day.
In the morning we enjoyed a walk along the beautiful river and old town of Aizpute, deciding that our first artistic venture would be a stop motion video on the "Jewish steps" behind the historic synagogue - sacrificing our clean pants - before coming back to observe master brewer Ugis making some gruit for an upcoming festival. Ugis has researched the traditional Latvian brewing and distilling techniques and brought them back to life. He is truly a master at his craft. We were honored that he shared with us two of his cellared beers. We are going to really enjoy the next two weeks. |