Growing the Art

The big spaces in the valley call for big art works, but with no training in the arts it is difficult at times to create artwork that does justice to what I see and experience.  But it is still up to me and the creative juices to see the possibilities then create something.  I have talked about growing artwork in the desert previously and I finally got this years yucca stems that had been trained and shaped, harvested.  This multi-year project, like the landscape restoration, takes time and patience to see any results and it is pleasing when an idea works and adds to the ambiance of this high desert valley in New Mexico.

Spanning a period of 6 months the photographs below are of a single yucca stem that was persuaded to circularize, with bailing wire, while it was growing.  After blooming a cactus wren found the shape attractive and built a nest within the circularized stem.  Now abandoned, the finished stem was harvested and placed with others as another stay in the fence line at the entrance to the Painted Pony Resort.  While other yucca stems did not turn out as well their curving stems will also be added to the fence line with the idea of creating an entrance area that is inviting to guests after their drive to reach the estate, as well as holding the fence wire in place.

Yucca stem in training.

Trained yucca stem in bloom

The same yucca stem after drying and ready for harvest.

Yucca stem fence stay.

The Black Hole Resort

A number of posts have appeared on Blogging from the Boot Heel and the Sky Gypsies about the bubble in southwestern New Mexico/southeastern Arizona that encompasses the San Simon Valley where it seems time is slowed relative to the rest of the planet to local residents.  This seemed a viable explanation why everything takes so long to get done.  Whether it be a building project or the mail which requires transversing the bubble boundary everything seems to take longer than usual.  The idea of slow time also means people age at a slower rate compared with the rest of the planet and the area is ideal for those who want to get away from it all with easy access to the Chiricahua and Peloncillo mountains.  This idea has been expanded to include the guest option of a "Black Hole" at the Painted Pony Resort, that is no cell phone or internet service.  Currently, cell phone service (Verizon only) is provided by a Wilson cell phone repeater which picks up the signal from Lordsburg through Antelope Pass and re-amplifies the signal inside the main house.  While wireless internet is provide through individual wireless routers in the main house and guest house connected through DSL provided by the local telephone company, Valley Telecom.  This of course may be expanded to include satellite TV service as well.  This equipment is normally turned off when guests are not in residence and activated before their arrival, but with the Black Hole option, this equipment is left off, ensuring guests privacy and eliminating all electronic distractions.  This encourages overly stressed guests to enjoy the landscape of the high New Mexican desert and 80 acres of the estate.  While some may find this experience troublesome at first, there is always something to do from the hot tub or swimming in the heated pool to basketball or searching for evidence of ancient inhabitants around the property.