We had lunch in the car at the foot of the volcano and watched a lone female elk trot across the vastness. It felt much more special than seeing an entire herd. I spotted her at a great distance. Obviously an animal of considerable size—elk cows can go five hundred pounds—I couldn’t tell what it [...]
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The grass is full of volcanic rocks exploded into the sky. ( Getcher mountain info here.)
Es hora de salir de este lugar
The Doberman barks all hours by the trailer down the road, jumping back and forth against his chain that flashes silver in the sun. I realize I am the dog. The eighty feet of elm that fell but only grazed the house had smashing walls in mind. Identifying with the only thing it ever tried [...]
See the Thing?
It ought to be easy to climb out. Everything is in place, even the elm tree trunk that broke off and fell, nearly hitting the house. I’m going to leave it there. The crash was like closing a dead man’s eyes. When we finally have our feet on the ground in a place that feels [...]
Thank you, commenter M.J., for inadvertently reminding me of where I picked up the phrase “metaphysical distress.” It was from Ed Sanders’ introduction to a recording of the Fugs’ “Swinburne Stomp” from their 1965 debut album, to wit: “In the key of metaphysical distress, the Swinburne Stomp!” Be sure to listen to the whole performance, [...]
Morning light over the Talpa valley. Note the shadows in the foreground. Taos proper is down beyond and to the left.
The roof leaked like crazy the last time it rained—the same places as before, dripping quickly from the bathroom window frames and down from rotting vigas there and in the kitchen. The towels I quickly laid across the sills were sopping wet in just a few minutes. I built a fire in the wood stove, [...]
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