The Result............

Of a....

Pent Up.....

Boil Up......

A walk on the ditch.........

The North Valley of Albuquerque has a network of ditches that at one time irrigated the farmlands north of town........

these ditches pull water off the Rio Grande......and leave the river dry in the summer some miles south of the city.  

The Cottonwood lined 'ditch-ways' now create avenues for walking and running and riding horses........

and are a special feature if you live near one. 

This day I took a walk......to find the lone walnut tree I discovered last year........bags in hand......

in anticipation of a large haul.........

.......I was disappointed to find someone else had the same idea......

.....so I picked the old nuggets overlooked and left to dry from the year before.......

and took solace 

that I beat them to it last year!

Goldilocks........

I've been looking...

High

and

Low

for a new place to be.

To fill you in, I recently gave myself a 'gap' year.

That is normally the significant year after ending one school before entering another......and although mine did not correlate with formal 'schooling'.....but a significant change in life circumstance....

a 'timeout' seemed appropriate.

A friend or two suggested mine could be as long as I wanted.....gap 'YEARS'.....they suggested might be in order.

And that may be true, as this time in the high desert punctuated with many trips, 

is growing into a gap 'Year and a Half' come December.....

 actually more if you start from the beginning of this blog story...

In July of 2011 I took the leap.......put all my 'stuff' in storage in Michigan.......and drove to a dusty little  town in the middle of New Mexico........to rest........and drink in sunshine and heat.......and the deep sense of history and Spirit that permeates this landscape.  

The biggest struggle I have encountered is this concept of 'where' do I belong?  I've been spending a lot of time between the little town and the bigger one more than an hour's + drive away.  I have not put roots down in the little town as I had expected.  

So with the winds of winter.......I'm expecting to be blown in another direction. 

When one is not laden with their 'stuff' (OK, belongings)......

I suppose one can more easily move around.

(although my bags are getting heavier, as I'm prone to collecting things along the way)

One of the biggest challenges I've encountered is with the way I work.  I am process oriented ....and unlike some of my friends who seem to be able to work on the 'go'.......I need a place to sit.....a table and lots of supplies and tools to busy my hands.   And although I have been able to find a place to sit in my little casita.......and the shared 'shed' I call my studio......I feel like Goldilocks.......the place has been too hot, or too cold.......or too small.......and I have not found anything yet that is 

"JUST RIGHT"........

But now I am looking...........and for the months of November and December........I have decided to land here.......it is a bit far from my little town........but I am working out the logistics......

and for now.....

it seems......

JUST RIGHT