Merry Christmas and Happy Holidays

The Painted Pony Resort and I wish everyone a very merry Christmas and here is hoping that this season finds everyone happy and healthy.

A Christmas in Rodeo NM (click on image to view larger)

Christmas metates in red and green, only in Rodeo.

Santa's moon, a Chirstmas eve full moon over the Peloncillo Mountains.

Life in the Bubble and Living on Rodeo Time

I have written about a hypothesis that the Portal Rodeo area exists in a bubble moving at close to the speed of light and as a result time has slowed, see here and here for some background.  And I'm not the only one who has noticed this strange phenomena of slow time in the area, see the comments to this post.  Originally devised as a way to explain why it takes so long to get anything done down here, I continually look for evidence of a time differential that support the notion of the bubble.  Photographic evidence of the bubble has taken the form of steam trains traversing the area and duplicate images spaced 70 years apart showing little change in the landscape.  But a recent event provides another piece of evidence for the existence of the bubble.  A World Was II convoy recently made an appearance in Rodeo NM.  Described in article written by a local photographer in the December issue of Desert Exposure (page 42), the event caused quite a stir locally.  The convoy stopped in Rodeo along Highway 80 (an original east/west transcontinental driving route) for lunch at the Rodeo Tavern and was greeted by local residents decked out in period attire (or it could be just normal work attire and another indication of the bubble).  In either case, from my perspective, it is just one more piece of evidence that time has slowed in this little corner of the bootheel of New Mexico and things do happen down here, eventually.

70 Years Spans These 2 Images

Serendipity is defined as "the occurrence and development of events by chance in a happy or beneficial way" (1).  About a week ago I came across a reference to one of my early photographs while online.  The image was of the old El Paso and Southwestern railroad line I took while flying the abandoned rail line looking for old town sites and sidings.  The reference was on the website "SHORPY "always something interesting"".  The post entitled "South by Southwest" was of an image taken in 1938 by Dorothea Lange a depression era photographer who worked for the Farm Security Administration (FSA) during the depression documenting the plight of citizens struggling with the depression and dust bowl.  Best known for her image of Florence Owens Thompson (another serendipitous coincidence?) entitled "Migrant Mother", Dorothea visited Rodeo during the summer of 1938 where she captured this image below.

Now fast forward 70 years and I'm flying about 50 feet off the ground along the old abandoned railroad north of Rodeo NM looking for old towns (specifically Apan NM) and sidings to document and I see an image so snap a photograph.  I submit it to Google Earth and it is accepted and published.  Not quite languishing in obscurity, the image has picked up over 11,000 views since being published in 2009, the image was rediscovered by someone investigating Dorothea Lange's 1938 image.  After some back and forth trying to figure out where Lange was positioned to take her image (I thought perhaps she climbed a signal pole) I found another photograph with a hint.  This additional image has a shadow in the lower left foreground indicating the photograph was taken from the old bridge over the rail line on Highway 80 just north of Rodeo NM.  After the railroad ceased, the highway was realigned and the bridge removed.  So 2 photographers, 70 years apart, looked at the same scene while perched above the landscape, saw something interesting, and captured an image.  One more clue in the search to understand "how people see".  Clearly, time is not a component in this equation.

1938 looking north along the El Paso and Southwestern Railroad from Rodeo NM towards Antelope Pass in the Peloncillo Mountains.  Note the rail bed is wide along this stretch of tacks with room for 2 sets of rails.  Image by Dorothea Lange.

2009 looking north along the El Paso and Southwestern Railroad from Rodeo NM towards Antelope Pass in the Peloncillo Mountains.  Image by BAlvarius.

1938 looking north along the El Paso and Southwestern Railroad from Rodeo NM towards Antelope Pass in the Peloncillo Mountains.  Note the shadow in the lower left indicating the location.  Image by Dorothea Lange.

1. Google search for "Serendipity".

Addendum: 
1.  Dorothea Lange's images are courtesy of the Library of Congress. 
2.  Just to show that time has slowed in the Bubble here is an image from 2011 of a steam locomotive passing Steins NM along the northern segment of the east/west rail line.

The Union Pacific steam locomotive 844 passing Steins NM in 2011.

Cultural Resource Inventory VIII, the First Land Patents.

 One of the missing pieces in the cultural resource inventory is information on the original European settlers on lands comprising the Painted Pony Resort.  Specifically, who filed the first land patents on acreage around the resort.  A search of the General Land Office records (GLO) turned up several names of individuals who patented land parcels that now comprise the estate.  Three names, Asa O. Garland, John B. Garland, and John W. M. Cornforth all applied for land patents in the early 1900's on lands now comprising the estate.  The foundations of 2 of these homesteads have been recovered, one belonging to Asa O Garland and one belonging to John W. M. Cornforth (both of these homesteads appear on the first topographic map of the area published in 1917).  The homestead on the parcel originally patented by the Cornforth's was notable for an electric range burner found among the scattering of artifacts and foundations.  This is consistent with notion that this particular homestead was in existence until the late 1950's when rural electrification reached the valley.  The Cornforth's are buried in the Rodeo cemetery and his marker may be viewed here.  Although no information on ownership of the specific parcel with the main houses has yet been uncovered, further research may locate the original patent applicant as well as patents for the eastern portion of the estate.

Previous cultural resource inventory posts:
http://bloggingfromthebootheel.blogspot.com/2013/04/cultural-resource-inventory-1.html
http://bloggingfromthebootheel.blogspot.com/2013/04/cultrual-resource-inventory-ii.html
http://bloggingfromthebootheel.blogspot.com/2013/05/cultural-resource-inventory-iii.html
http://bloggingfromthebootheel.blogspot.com/2013/05/cultural-resource-inventory-iv.html
http://bloggingfromthebootheel.blogspot.com/2013/05/cultural-resource-inventory-v-mimbres.html

Forty acre parcels with the names of the original settlers and locations of homesteads.

Like a Kid in a Candy Store

As a biologist I have always had access to a microscope, whether in school or operating a lab, a microscope has always been an integral part of being a biologist.  But for the past several years I have not had access to a microscope.  A good compound microscope is expensive and all I really needed was a dissecting microscope but even those can be expensive.  A local dissecting microscope became available but tires for the vehicle had priority and ate up all the savings.  So I had been looking online at available microscopes.  Noticing that a variety of USB digital microscopes were available I began looking at them as opposed to a traditional dissecting microscope.  While most available digital microscopes have either no stand or a poorly designed stand, one manufacturer has included a solid stand to hold it's digital microscope, a must for steady closeup work.  Celestron, a telescope manufacturer, has a series of digital microscopes which come with adjustable stands.  I chose the 5 MP digital microscope based on the potential resolution and the adjustable stand.  With both course and fine focusing this digital microscope may also be calibrated for measuring objects.  Easy to setup and use, it will be a useful addition to my tool box allowing exploration of the 756 acre Painted Pony Resort at a much smaller scale.  Below are a few images made while testing the new instrument.

Celestron digital USB microscope

Secondary flaking along the edge of a burin.

Tentatively identified as a Longhorn beetle, tribe Lepturini .

Cut surface of an interesting magnetic rock from the estate under study.

Rodeo New Mexico, Independence Day Celebrations

The 4th of July is here again, signaling the traditional start of the Monsoon season in the San Simon valley, the emergence of the Tarantulas to mate, and time to celebrate Independence day.  The Town of Rodeo traditionally has lots of festivities on the 4th starting with softball in the morning, the parade at 6:00 PM followed by a community dinner, cake auction, fireworks, and a dance.  Arriving about 5:30 PM I found a spot to park and walked into town.  Folks were parked along highway 80, some cooking out and many enjoying refreshments while awaiting the start of the parade.

There was a slight intermittent drizzle signaling the arrival of the monsoon season, but it did not dampen the spectators enthusiasm and the parade came off without a hitch.  Afterwards Highway 80 was reopened to traffic and everyone headed over to the community center for dinner, float prizes, the cake auction, and dance.  Another wonderful event in Rodeo, New Mexico's most western town.

The start of the parade in Rodeo

Mounted riders

Welcome to Rodeo New Mexico

Chiricahua Desert Museum's giant rattlesnake

Local bagpipe player

the local 4H club

Welcome to the land of OZ

Celebrating the designation of Jaguar habitat in the Peloncillo mountains

A WWII themed float

The Rustic Cabin at the Painted Pony Resort

The Painted Pony Resort expansion is proceeding with the remodeling of a 3 bedroom, one bath rustic cabin on the new property.  A roof to floor renovation started in early June and is nearing completion bringing the total number of available bedrooms to 12 on the property.  This will provide additional resources for guests with large groups or rented separately for couples and families wishing a base of operations for excursions into the Chiricahua and Peloncillo mountains.  The rustic cabin has no telephone, TV, or internet and is the perfect spot for those seeking additional seclusion when visiting the area.

Placing the cabin in context in relation to those who lived on the landscape previously is always an interesting undertaking and during breaks in remodeling, walking the property always brings to light new evidence of the former inhabitants.  The cabin sits on a low ridge between an abandoned drainage from Cave Creek canyon overlooking the San Simon riverbed in the seed reservoir.  This finger of land jutting into the riverbed was favored by former inhabitants as evidenced by a number of metates (broken fragments and whole metates) found around the cabin as well as other stone tools including projectile points and an 18" stone pestle.  This low ridge was ideal for inhabitants, providing high ground for living yet close to the river bottom for farming activities.  Evidence of 15 different metates (2 whole and 13 fragments) were recovered from the low ridge around the cabin.  All surface finds and appear to be simple type 1 metates with little or no outside modifications with wear patterns suggesting seasonal or short term use, 1" wear or less. 

The Painted Pony Resort showing the rustic cabin location

New gate and entrance to the rustic cabin at PPR

The cabin at the Painted Pony Resort

A Potential Meal or a Story of Life in New Mexico

The expansion of the Painted Pony Resort to include an additional 216 acres of San Simon Riverbed outside the isolated twin hamlets of Portal and Rodeo in southern Arizona and New Mexico meant fencing.  Not a particularly attractive proposition but cattle love good grasslands and a herd of 40 or so had moved into the area, grazing on the tall native grasses of the river bottom.  To protect the existing native grasses and allow re-growth of over grazed areas the owner had decided to fence the land and my job was to make it happen.  Fortunately only a mile and half of fence was required to completely enclose the newly acquired property since existing fence was in place on north and east sides so it was time to get busy.  Throughout December and January the daily sound of hammering t-posts was heard across the San Simon Valley as new t-posts and then barbwire was installed.  It was a busy time and although new at fencing, a rhythm was quickly established along the flat terrain allowing rapid progress, but the far side of the riverbed was another matter.  A steep bank rose from the riverbed which was cut by several deep arroyos, presenting a problem.  Driving t-posts into rocky ground along the bench above the riverbed proved to be a much slower task but stringing barbwire across arroyos proved even more challenging.   When strung, the wire was upwards of 20 feet above the bottom of each arroyo and just the right amount of tension was required to allow each of the 4 strands to be pulled down to the awaiting t-posts along the bottom of the arroyo and clipped in place.  To little tension and the fence line would sag and not do its‘ job keeping the cattle at bay, to much tension and it was impossible to pull each strand down and clip it to the t-posts.  The process of adjusting tension and pulling down wire was repeated with each strand of barbwire as work slowly progressed through the rocky arroyos. 

One afternoon while stretching wire along the bottom of one arroyo a particularly memorable event occurred.  After adjusting the tension on a strand of new barbwire crossing an arroyo the process of pulling the wire down to attach it to t-posts began.  Having misjudged the amount of tension required the wire would not reach its’ place on the t-post.  It was just a few inches short of its intended position but no matter how it was pulled the wire would not quite reach.  The prospect of hiking back to the end post and loosening the wire again was not particularly appealing late in the afternoon after a full day of fencing, so dropping one glove to get a better grip on the wire and putting my full weight on the wire one more attempt was made to get the barbwire to its intended location on the t-post and clipped in place.   It was at that moment the barbwire broke pulling through my ungloved hand.  As the barbwire suddenly parted several barbs raked through my closed ungloved palm that was gripping the wire.  That sinking feeling one gets when things go wrong immediately started to set in and the sight of blood only compounded the situation.  More in shock and angered at a preventable mistake I cursed.  I cursed the wire, the fence, and myself for the error.  Opening the injured hand there seemed less damage than expected.  Although there was blood, it was dripping and not spurting so shaking off the excess and pulling the glove back on it was back to work. 

A slight breeze from the north had made working conditions pleasant throughout the day and figuring only about an hour of good light left it was back to clipping the bottom unbroken wire to t-posts along the bench top.  Repair of the broken strand of barbwire would be put off till another day.  After climbing back out of the arroyo and working from t-post to t-post the bottom strand of wire was clipped in place which required kneeing down and pulling the wire up from the ground to install the clip.  After about 20 minutes of clipping wire across the bench top and upon arising from the ground while simultaneously turning around I found myself face to face with a well fed young coyote.  With a shiny coat this coyote did not appear spooked by my presence but rather he seemed to be sizing me up as a potential meal.  The sudden realization hit that I had been bleeding, was upwind of this coyote, and had been down on the ground not moving but clipping wire.  The smell of fresh blood indicated a meal and the coyote had come to investigate a potential stroke of  good luck.  We stared at one another for perhaps 30 seconds or so, neither of us moving, just staring.  Deciding to speak to this unexpected visitor, I first let him know I did not consider myself a coyote meal, then secondly apologizing for having nothing for him to eat.  Moving on to the weather I commented on the pleasant day for working outside while the coyote, not taking his eyes off me, explored a small mesquite that stood between us.  After several minutes of staring, the coyote seemed to realize that his potential good luck was actually bad luck, not a meal, and he slowly turned and quite casually began to saunter away.  I watched the coyote for about another 5 minutes as he descended back into the San Simon riverbed, crossing it heading towards some cattle but never looking back at his misfortune and lost meal opportunity. 

Across the riverbed

Up the river bank

Down in an arroyo

New Fence at the Painted Pony Ranch

On scale of things affecting the planet and people's lives it ranks close to the bottom (perhaps at the bottom) but sometimes the little picture is what requires focus, and fencing the expanded Painted Pony Resort is one of those things.  Starting in December 1.5 miles of new fence started going in.  Proper tools made the job easier but there is no way of getting around driving 400 new t-posts.  Well the t-posts are finally finished, the last one was installed the other day.  After taking a month break to work on the Resort and preparing for guests it was time to finish off installing t-posts so 2 days were spent hand driving t-posts through the last of the arroyos on the east side of the San Simon River (it is the desert and water is optional in desert rivers).  Once wire is strung and project completed the cattle will be kept out and the grasslands will have an opportunity to rest and restore themselves.  Below are a series of photographs documenting the project.

Another Used Rock

Out walking more fence line in the area around the Painted Pony Resort and came across this nice little obsidian stemmed serrated projectile point.  Its shape and color jumped out from the surrounding water worn pebbles covered in desert varnish and was spotted from about 10 feet away.  Finding used rocks is a common occurrence around here but it would be nice to occasionally find a new rock.

A serrated, stemmed, obsidian projectile point

Monsoon Season

The monsoons finally arrived at the Painted Pony Resort.  After a few light showers around the 4th of July there was no measurable rain at PPR until yesterday when the facility experienced a good summer monsoon downpour.  Although lasting only about 30 minutes it brought between a half and three quarters of the inch of moisture.  The rain was a welcome sight and it was frustrating watching rain fall all around the valley but not at PPR.  The desert is already starting to liven up and wildlife becoming very active.

A Monsoon Afternoon

A Finished Photograph

Since posting this image of the poppies east of the Painted Pony Resort work has continued on the post production processing of the image.  The goal was to create an image that simultaneously reflected the bright colors of the blooming poppies which appear in the spring all along the valley on a background that was monochromatic reflecting the stark high desert of New Mexico with rugged views of the mountains.  By creating a series of layers (some of which were desaturated) and masking both vertically and horizontally it was possible to create the bright color in foreground where the poppies are the largest while grading off into a monochromatic background of the Peloncillo Mountains.  The highest point in the Peloncillo Mountains, Gray Mountain, is the high point on the left side image.

Poppies at the base of the Peloncillo Mountains