What is it about New Mexico? It is cold here now. We arrived and waited outside in a hail shower and we've definitely had our coldest nights here. Taos is a small adobe style town in the most incredible land under the Rocky Mountains. A balanced combination of expansive desert under enormous skies. There is also the Rio Grande which cuts a giant gash through the earth here. We went into the hot springs that are scattered around the area. There are enough water sources and rainfall so that there are big trees and lots of green and snow in the winter. This is a small town with a big artist community and there are a lot of galleries and crafts. It smells great here like burning piñon. As we are driving, we see the sun set and the moon rise. The moon is the largest orange fall moon I have ever seen.

We got to talking with the owner of this tiny gallery and came back to show her the work and talk about the project. She invited us to her house to see her work as well and said that she would like to pose. Kristine, a beautiful, inspiring artist. She is a 47 year old mother of three grown children. I loved her work as well. Taos, like Hawaii, brought us to artists and adventurous spirits. Taos has captured my heart. The architecture, warm, creamy adobe, brick and mud and rounded forms. The interiors are rounded as well, and there are low ceilings with wood beams. The houses and buildings bring a comfortable, nurturing feeling when you enter them.

Yesterday outside of Taos in the Jemez Mountains, we went to a place called Spence Hot Springs. We drove through green forested mountains and white, grey, and red rock cliffs. On the side of the road we explored a place called Soda Dam, where the hot water has created through carving, dripping, and depositing minerals, this crazy surreal sculptural cave with textures like fish scales and swiss angelcheese. I don't want to leave New Mexico. Tonight dinner was in a moving car and now I feel sick. Menu: hot and spicy V-8, herb and honey iced tea, olives with pimentos, roasted and salted pumpkin seeds, peanut butter health bar, and a tuna fish sandwich with jalapeño mustard. Sleepy sick crampy goodnight.