3 September 2023, Day 461

Hi!  Happy greetings and Love to you today!

It is a beautiful pre-Autumn day in Farmington, New Mexico today.  And, as North America observes ‘Labor Day’* this weekend, I am inspired to connect with and share a bit of an update with you.

After several weeks staying with a dear friend and her family here, I will head North in two days.  I have been lovingly hosted here and feel deeply grateful for the time to catch up with my friend.  We met and worked together in Montana in 1973.  We have both shared many stories since my arrival in August, catching up on events, relationships, lessons, experiences each of us has had during these many decades.

How wonderful it is to again experience the characteristics I remember and cherish in my ‘old’ friend – loving, practical, loyal, passionate, caring, talented, authentic, honest, intelligent, creative and and and ..  With deepest gratitude.

While I have been here, we were unable to manifest an opportunity for me to caretake property here in NW New Mexico over the winter.  Unfortunately.  I say ‘unfortunately’ as the land here holds huge attraction for me; and I would so have enjoyed spending winter months here, taking a job, knowing that my friend lived within driving distance, and exploring the 4-Corners area of the USA. 

The description  ‘4-Corners’ refers to the fact that a northern or southern and eastern or western border of four States come together on maps in a ‘squared’ configuration. Utah, Colorado, New Mexico and Arizona share this unique distinction.  It’s easy to see on an atlas or map of the western United States. 

This community is comprised of an interestingly diverse population including Native Indigenous Americans, Mexican and other Latin Americans, Caucasian and a sprinkling of other Americans of Black, Asian and several other cultures.  It is a politically and religiously conservative part of the country, relative to various other parts of the USA.  And, I am told most people own numerous guns that they carry in their vehicles and store in their homes. 

Crime and hair-raising murder rates are regularly reported on New Mexico evening news channels.  Many are gun-related incidents.  Drugs and drunk-driving are also real issues.  My understanding of the many challenges law enforcement in the USA face dealing with this sort of thing, drugs, etc has grown since I have been here and seen news coverage several times/week..

All of this said, I sense also that there are many good things happening in communities here.  My friend worked a long career in various aspects of teaching, training, assisting, nurturing children and families.  She’s taught school in at least 3 different states.   Listening to her describe what she and colleagues did/do in their work has given me a new appreciation of the daily challenges they face with creativity, courage and dedication.

As I leave here and drive North, I will be seeking a place to winter over – somewhere in Colorado.  Somewhere I can caretake a home and/or a home and property in exchange for being welcomed to stay for at least 6 months (and longer if it suits everyone). 

Over the past 18 years, I have taken care of properties in the USA, Hong Kong, Thailand, England and France.  I care for home/property and belongings as if they are my own, keeping them safe, clean and in good repair. 

If you know of someone who has a property in Colorado who leaves for the winter (September/October through March/April) or longer, who might appreciate having someone very experienced and responsible caretake for them in this sort of exchange, please let me know, and please ask them if they are interested to talk with me. 

I have an email describing what I do in more detail and am happy to share that with you so you can send it on to friends who you think may be genuinely interested. 

My caveat for caretaking is that it must be for my friend, or for a friend of my friend.  This ensures that we are close enough in our connection that trust exists at the onset of this sort of arrangement. And, with that, we more easily extend each other trust and the courtesy of honest connection which normally take time to earn and to experience.  This creates a win-win-win.  Win for the owners of the property, win for me and win for the property.

Your help in this is vitally important if I am to find somewhere to care for over this winter.  Thank you, in advance, if you are able to introduce me to people you like and respect who would appreciate having someone like me caretake for them.

On to a few of the many amazing aspects of my times and travels since leaving Maine on 1 June 2023.  It’s astonishing to me to think that I was writing not  much before that about the extraordinary experiences I had in winter in Maine.  And now, here I am writing tonight preparing to winter-over starting next month!  Time and seasons are revolving in what seems to me like rapid succession these days!

I thought I would be spending a year or more in New Mexico as I crossed that state border after days of driving northwest through Texas from San Antonio.  And, as I drove and drove and drove through New Mexico, I discovered that there were only a precious few places I felt I could settle easily, energetically. 

As I said at the beginning of this share, the land here in NW NM is compelling to me.  The terrain is very much like what is shown in old-time cowboy westerns.  Sagebrush, rock formations, cactus, miles of sand and dirt, dry dusty soils, hardy pines and other trees and bushes that are mostly few and far between, offering little shade from often very hot sunshine.

The skies here hold the most extraordinary volume of clouds – this time of year fluffy and white cumulus clouds offering endless opportunities to imagine creatures and other things outlined in the blue, blue Blue of the sky..

Sudden storms periodically ignite fires on the prairies with bolts of lightning, booming thunder and scarce (if any) rain; fierce winds blow up quickly. Extinguishing those fires is often much more difficult than can be imagined.

Blue-black night skies brim with moonlight, stars, satellites, planets … 

Tonight’s sunset was beautiful.  I share it (below) with you, with Love and deepest gratitude that you are in my life and sharing this wondrous part of my life’s journey with me as you read what I write.

As always, and I am most sincere about this, please let me know if you prefer not to receive future Roadtrip Chronicles.  I will appreciate knowing.  And, if you do read these, thank you.  I am happy to continue sharing with and hearing from you. 

May every blessing be yours, in all ways.

Love, Diane  🌹