Tennessee- winery and friends

We solved two mysteries as we drove east into Tennessee. One was a winery we had visited before but couldn’t find the name and the second one was we couldn’t find a lid to one of our pans. 

The winery we had stopped at before is called Century Farm Winery. This farm has been in the same family for over 150 years. We enjoyed the wines before and enjoyed them today. We saw the billboard as we were coming close to Nashville and said I think that’s it and it was. Had a tasting walked around their property. 

Bill and Lenny had to take a look at the vines. Some were just starting to flower. 

The pan lid had jumped down into a space behind where we keep the pans but neither of us can reach it. Will have to work on that when we get home. 

Tomorrow we will spend a couple days with Terry and Sandy Countermine. Can’t wait to catch up with them. 

Rolling through Texas Panhandle, Oklahoma City and Arkansas

One night stays are usually what we do when we are headed home. Drive for about 300 miles, stop, and do it all over the next day. 

First night after New Mexico was at a Harvest Host location, Bar Z Winery. We decided that we didn’t need to come back to this one. 

Did have a nice sunrise. 

On to Oklahoma City where we stayed at McLoud Recreation Center on a dam. Liked the sign at a rest stop 

It was cold and rainy but we were able to get a couple short walks in with the dogs. 

Then came Arkansas where we are staying 2 nights at Piney Bay Campground that is a Corp of Engineers Campground. Beautiful spot on the Arkansas River. 

We’ve stayed in other COE campgrounds in Arkansas and really enjoy ourselves.

First fire in awhile. Not quite the bonfire Carl and Shan had for us but we can still roast brats and have s’mores. 

Sunsets on the river are pretty 

Wild flowers were all over on our walk the next morning. 

A squirrel was teasing Banjo. 

Bill’s saw-all came in handy cutting wood for another fire. 

Wednesday we will be somewhere near Nashville. 

Petroglyphs National Monument

Last day with Drew before he flew back to California. We visited the Petroglyph National Monument. Petroglyphs are images carved into black lava rock. Some are very recognizable as animals, birds, and people. Some of them took awhile to find while others were right in front of us as we hiked two different trails. 

Can you find this little face underneath the plant?

One of the hikes took us to the top of the Mesa. The winds had started to blow and we’re quite strong as you can see by our picture. 

The lava rocks formed when several volcanoes erupted many thousands of years ago. 

With the winds blowing in our faces, we needed to find a brewery … Lava Rock Brewery. Great way to end our time with Drew in New Mexico. 

Driving the Turquoise Trail to Madrid and Taos

Today’s trip took us on a drive on the scenic Turquoise Trail, so named from turquoise mining years ago. This road goes through the artsy town of Madrid where Wild Hogs was filmed. A one-block fun town to explore. Several stores for shopping and a coffee shop. 

On to Taos, a small artist community that has fun shops and great restaurants around a plaza. There is even a quilt shop in the exact place when I was there in 2008. 

This is where we had lunch. 

Twelve miles out of town was the the Rio Grande Canyon Bridge and State Park. The depth is hard to comprehend. Quite impressive. 

Another great day making memories. 

Santa Fe and Los Alamos

What a day of differences. Started out in Santa Fe. Walked the Plaza and visited an Art Museum. 

The first indigenous female saint, Kateri. 

The following pics are some of the artwork in the museum. 

Look at the ceiling. The architecture is so southwest. 

As soon as I saw this, I thought what a beautiful quilt it would make. 

Love the mixed media on both of these. There was a lot of diversity in the artwork, from 1920s to more contemporary. 

A Georgia O’Keefe print, a favorite artist of Drew. 

The courtyard of sculptures was quite unique. This artwork was made to fit into this spot. 

Since the art museum made us thirsty, we had to find a brewery before we headed to Los Alamos.

Interestingly, we wouldn’t have known to stop at Los Alamos, except two guys from Philadelphia told us we had to go. 

For those of you who aren’t familiar with the Los Alamos fame, it was where the first atomic bomb was created in 1945 and changed the world forever. Bill and Drew visited the science museum and were enthralled. Bill said it made his head hurt with all the information. 

I visited a quilt and yarn shop and then sat and read at the park. The quilt shop was called the Atomic Quilt Shop. Very fitting. 

After the museum we started on a walking tour of the city and what did we find … another brewery called the Bathtub Row Brewery, named from the row of houses that had the only bathtubs during the Manhattan Project. 

A beautiful sunset awaited us as we got home. 

Bandelier National Monument

Had a great time hiking and crawling up ladders at the amazing Bandelier National Monument.

The Ancestral Pueblo people lived here from approximately 1150 CE to 1550 CE. They built homes carved from the volcanic tuff and planted crops in mesa top fields. Corn, beans, and squash were central to their diet, supplemented by native plants and meat from deer, rabbit, and squirrel. Domesticated turkeys were used for both their feathers and meat while dogs assisted in hunting and provided companionship. They moved on when the land couldn’t provide for them anymore. (Excerpt from the park’s pamphlet)

Drew climbing up the first ladder. This was a short one!

Yes, I’m holding on tight!

Made it up. Couldn’t stand so the Ancient Ancestral Publoans must have been short or they didn’t stand upright. 

I made it up and am sitting inside!  

The view from one of lodges. 

Bill and Drew going up to the Long House.

It was a long way up the ladder to the Alcove House … and down but was so worth it. 

So much to explore and learn.