Wednesday, December 28, 2011

Another Merry Birthday

I don't have a house update. Maybe I don't have any readers anymore. Only a life update. Heave and ho, ho, ho. Either way, I'll write.

Christmas eve we went to the San Juan Pueblo Dances. I only recorded the sound, because I thought the camera would be inappropriate. It wasn't, I guess, because lots of people were taping it. Here is a picture from the blog Speaking Loud and Saying Nothing.

Here is a sample of my field recordings: Christmas Eve Dances Sound file, click here.

It was out of control amazing. A beautiful culmination of a bastardized Spanish Catholicism and magical ancient pueblo rituals. I will assume that the dance would have been even more spectacular if the Catholic Zuccetto and Mitre headgear didn't make an appearance, not to mention their religion. Regardless, it was an incredible event that I didn't know was so open to the public. The Puebloans made my holiday and were a yet another heavy reminder of how lucky I am to be able to be here.

Christmas festivities and gift giving don't seize to exist out here, off the grid. Even the yard was decorated by Dain and his old hair dye water.
And I can't figure out if Dain gave me the Julia Child Mastering the Art of French Cooking first and second volumes, or if he gave them to himself. As I will be cooking from them, for him. But they are beautiful, and I love them already.
The first dish I cooked from them was a whooper. Crepe de Gateau aux Florentine: A 24 layered Crepe dish with alternating layers of filling: Spinach and cream, and mushroom and cheese. I didn't have spinach, so I used tilapia and brussel sprouts and cream. You also top this ridiculousness with a white butter and cheese sauce. It was a little out control and only fit for a king. Recommended only as a suicidal heart attack inducing delicacy.
It barely fit in our small oven.
The cat liked it.
Dain did too.
I made Dain a really insane clock. The elephants at the bottom spin around.
And for my birthday, we went to some beautiful hot springs a few hours drive away. And had a hotel party. This was in Las Vegas, New Mexico. I can't recommend them more. Also, if you want to go to the weirdest little place, this might be it! It was great. We even saw a yard full of dinosaurs!
I don't know what could have rapped up this explosion of fun better than this:

11 comments:

  1. I love getting your blogs and seeing what you're up to. Happy Birthday!! My birthday was on the 21st:) I think the San Juan Pueblo Dance you went to was the same place where i went when i visited you last January. Keep up the great work on your house! It's really coming together!

    Love,
    Joanne Fortune

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  2. so glad the cat still lives! I was holding my
    breath....

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  3. I love this post. Happy birthday, merry christmas, I love you guys.

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  5. You know I always Punch my eyes in their face with your blog. Particularly happy with the "seize to exist" lil' turn of phrase. Another year without seeing you guys. Get with some sort of program. My best to Dain.

    -John Staff

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  6. Happy belated birthday dear Amanda Joy. Thanks for the holiday card, we love your artistic genius, of all the children you make me the most proud! I wish you both a wonderful New Year.
    Love you, from Cousin "Aunt" Vicki.

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  7. Thanks for the update, I always love them! The sound bite of the pueblo music actually really meant a lot to me - I'm in process of moving across the country to the Hudson Valley, and am already missing New Mexico so much it hurts. Seeing your photos and listening to the drums gave me a swell of joy, thank you! All my best to you guys, as always, and I'm ever hopeful that someday our paths will cross again.

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  8. i may have to visit just for a 24 layered crepe

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