A glitch in plans

 First, a Happy Indigenous People's Day!

Living between two Ute reservations, and just north of the Navajo Reservation in New Mexico, I am gradually getting to know more about how this area once was inhabited primarily by their ancestors.

Some trivia that you might not know...

How many federally recognized tribal nations are in the United States today?

Answer: 575

What term refers to a tribe's inherent legal right to self-governance?

Answer: Tribal sovereignty

 What landmark 2020 Supreme Court case reaffirmed that a large portion of eastern Oklahoma remains Native reservation land?

Answer: McGirt v. Oklahoma

What 1978 law protected the right of Native Americans to practice traditional religions and access sacred sites?

Answer: The American Indian Religious Freedom Act

What 1988 law allowed federally recognized tribes to establish casinos on reservations?

Answer: The Indian Gaming Regulatory Act (IGRA)

There are more Trivia Indigenous People's questions HERE.

Last Friday I drove along US 550 for a while, enjoying some fall colors.

On Saturday there was a big Farmer's Market with 4 blocks of Main Avenue closed off. I lucked out finding a parking place. Yes, I still have the disability card from NC.

And then I proceeded to lock my purse in the trunk, with the keys  in it. Oops.

But I'm prepared, and pay insurance for roadside assistance, including lock-out help.

So I called the insurance, and waited...

And waited...

All I received was a text with an apology for taking so long - and they'd contact me as soon as they had an ETA. In the meantime I finally made it to Buckley Park...but didn't go in, because I wanted to watch the car.

An alternative I had learned in the past, was that the police have a device where they can open locked cars with a little pump and a long heavy-duty wire. So when I saw a police officer walking toward me, I asked for his help.

And he and his partner did get the car door open, and then I could pop the trunk. I'm sorry to have not written down his name (you know my memory for names!) He was an interesting guy, born in Brazil, his grandfather having been Greek. He has two little boys with blond hair, so we got to talking about kids who are blonds that then grow up to have dark hair. This all happened because he had to wait for his partner to bring the device from elsewhere.

I texted to cancel the insurance roadside assistance. About 5 minutes later someone called to help me, and I told her the order had been canceled already.

I didn't realize either that there are no fresh green beans for sale in October, so I then went straight to a grocery store and bought frozen ones to cook for dinner that night. But I was a bit too tired to do so, therefore it's a good thing they're frozen. I bought a lot of other things to eat too.

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The view of  the mesa where Ft. Lewis College is located, which is right behind my apartment building (not in this photo but a block up behind the yellow trees). The far left corner does show a bit of the railroad tracks for the Durango-Silverton railroad. I'm including that high mesa to show how my morning sun is slower arriving because it has to climb over the mesa first. 

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Creating a Serene Home

- Include all five senses while making a home, doing so provides safe haven for your evolving body and soul.

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And you thought I forgot...

Happy Thanksgiving to my Canadian friends!

Our drought combined with a late frost meant very few apples in southern Colorado this year. We had a 
"No" Apples Festival last Saturday.

The mountains near Durango

 Driving north on US 550 from Durango, it's pretty flat and straight going the first 10 miles or so. But beautiful mountains on either side, and eventually you start climbing.

The Ox-Bow in the Animas River

Yes that railroad track is for the Durango-Silverton narrow gauge trains (3 roundtrips daily).

Through the windshield, with little traffic I was going pretty slow.

 

I pulled off as the road started to climb, and turned back home for this trip. However I did stop in Honeyville, which I'll share here soon.

Sharing with Skywatch Friday (which runs all week!)

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Distracting yourself with social media and television can become mind-numbing, if not taken in moderation.

The lama kissed me!

 

Meet Odin the young lama.

Odin isn't quite as mature as the 3-year old in the pen behind us.

He also liked to get up close and personal with my daughter-in-law (who gave me permission to post this!)

Yes there were many other photos...and will be shared in future blogs!

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Sharing with Saturday's Critters

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I will never apologize for embracing joy and beauty — even when the world is falling apart — because joy and beauty are my fuel for activism.

KAREN WALROND

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And yesterday I received this email!

Hello BARBARA ROGERS,

La Plata Elections has sent your 2026 General Election mail ballot to you.

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Now I have to figure out who to vote for...

The river runs by

 

A block from my apartment is this little park on the Animas River.

Familiar views, but on a different day. I was actually eating my lunch from a local fast food place that Sunday.

Not the Animas River, but the Swannanoa in North Carolina...some summertime enjoyment in the river! Just had to have some sepia photo in the mix!

Sepia Saturday suggests the theme of water this week. I give you rivers...

A new area to  see the river...

One big old tree capsized, and has had some pieces cut away apparently to allow river rafts to get past.

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 Good news: I sent in all the details to apply for voter registration in Colorado just a few minutes ago! I know I added this to yesterday's post after a lot of you had probably already read it. Thanks Marcia for finding out about the SS number. I also had to send a photo of my signature!

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As I walked out the door toward the gate that would lead to my freedom, I knew if I didn’t leave my bitterness and hatred behind, I’d still be in prison.

NELSON MANDELA

Fiber fair - just a bit

 Good news: I sent in all the details to apply for voter registration in Colorado just a few minutes ago!

Children's activities were in the yurt!

There are natural colors of wool from the Navajo-Churro Sheep. The beautiful Navajo rugs are made from this wool.

One seller showed a photo of the sheep whose wool roving was being sold below.

One booth sold goat milk soap...as well as other hand crafted items!

There were booths with kits also, including making hooked rugs.

Kendra met an old friend selling her yarn.

I haven't tried knitting in years...not sure how my shaky fingers will do. So I didn't purchase any of the delicious yarns.

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More to come, including kissing lamas on Saturday!

Every single soul is a poem.

MICHAEL FRANTI

Out and around in Durango

Drivers License office was just out of sight to the left of this drought-stricken maple. The moon looked over everything with it's usual bland face.

On Oct. 1-  I took all my paperwork to the Durango Driver's License. They gave me a paper saying I needed a certified copy of my birth certificate. I think I once had one, but couldn't find it, however, the original one made when I was born wasn't acceptable.

I've run into all kinds of difficulties with the Texas Bureau of Vital Statistics...and it will take a couple of months to probably get the certified birth certificate. I don't mind driving with my North Carolina license, which is good for 2 more years actually. I do mind that I can't register to vote in Colorado until I can get that birth certificate. This is so irksome. But since there aren't any real competitive seats for CO I just wish I had been able to still vote in NC. There is a really big opportunity for a Democrat to get a Senate seat there.

Where I went on Saturday Oct 3 with Kendra, daughter-in-law. Yes, expect some photos from that outing soon!

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This was exhausting, but really worth while. Many people in Durango were downtown watching the cowboys parade...lots of horses. Next year I'll go to that. Big crowd!

The fairgrounds were full of yarns...wool, alpaca, lots of lama...lots more wool.  People spinning, knitting, and selling beautiful things made from various animal-hairs.

I know that's not the correct term, but I will just post a few photos and then I'm for beddy bye.

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The soft fleece from sheep is called roving, which is then spun into yarn.

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Saturday I'll share the critters with you!

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What actually sustains us, what is fundamentally beautiful, is compassion–for yourself and for those around you. That kind of beauty inflames the heart and enchants the soul.

LUPITA NYONG’O