Shake, Rattle and Roll!!

Oh my Lord... Southern California just had an earthquake and needless to say, when I heard, I went into panic mode! My beloved family!!! The epicenter is approximately 8 miles from where my sister Lisa and her family live! Andrew is still out there and my heart just sank when I heard the breaking news. I tried to call immediately, but I could not get through. This is where my Catholic Faith intervenes and you start calling on God, the Blessed Mother and all the Saints!!! I had my Rosary on standby. I just waited patiently and knew that Lisa would call. I was reorganizing my art room when I heard the news... finally, Lisa called and she informed me that everyone was fine. She informed me that Andrew was at a local skate park with a good friend when the ground started shaking and he was a bit startled. He has been through some big Earthquakes when we lived in CA, but he was little and did not remember them. This one he felt. Lisa was on the freeway going to work and she said she didn't feel a thing, but news of the Earthquake came through on the radio station she was listening to. My precious nieces were with my brother-in-law Albert and he immediately grabbed the girls and the 3 of them stood in the doorway. He did tell Lisa that Bella was very frightened. My poor baby girl!! Those earthquakes come fast and fierce!!


I finally reached Andrew and he sounded ok... I asked him about the earthquake and he didn't say much... he said he was sitting down on the grass and he really felt the movement. I know it shook him up a bit, but I feel so much better that he is with Lisa and she will make sure he is fine... he tends to hold a lot in, but he will share his feelings with Lisa... they are very close and he adores his "Tia" with all of his heart!


Thank goodness my beloved family is fine. I called Gene and told him everyone is fine and he needs to bring home a bottle of WINE!! I will tend to my art room tomorrow... what a day!!!

Spanish Market 2008

It is Spanish Market Weekend here in Santa Fe and it is my favorite event of all in Santa Fe. The artists are amazing and I love looking at each booth at all the incredible pieces on display. Most of the artists are from Northern New Mexico and their love for their Spanish Heritage comes through in their artwork which is passed down from generation to generation. One of the requirements to participate in Spanish Market, is the artist must prove they are of Spanish decent.

Gene and I got up early. We went to have breakfast at The Santa Fe Baking Company, our favorite breakfast spot and then we headed over to the Plaza. It gets very crowded but it wasn't too bad this morning because it was raining and it seemed to keep some people away. We were able to walk without tripping or stepping on someone. The summer rain felt great and we walked around in the rain checking out all the beautiful artwork and chatting with the artists. Once the rain let up, people appeared from no where!

The best part of Spanish Market is the Youth Market. There is one youth artist in particular that I am a big fan of; Christina Valdez. She is now 14 and will be entering high school this year. When she was in 3rd grade she was in my class. She creates Retablos (painting on wood with natural colored elements) and her work is just gorgeous! I bought a Retablo from her when she was a 5th grader and I have it hanging in my dining room. I am her biggest fan! She has won honors for her work and has a few of her pieces hanging in the Spanish Heritage Museum. I made sure to go straight to her booth this morning.

This year, a very dear friend of the family was in Spanish Market for the first time ever. Della creates Straw Art Applique. Her work is absolutely stunning! There was a write up about Della and her work in one of our local papers. We went to her booth and I couldn't believe all her gorgeous pieces. People were buzzing around her booth and purchasing her work. Congrats Della!

We really had a great morning and saw a lot of people we knew enjoying the music, food and especially the artwork. Everyone was happy and despite the rain in the morning, Spanish Market 2008 was a success!



Gene standing in front of the bandstand... there is some great music always going on at Spanish Market!


My former student Christina at her booth with her Retablos. She had sold several in the early morning and only had 3 left on her table!!



Della in from of her gorgeous Straw Applique pieces at her booth. Beautiful work Della!



Great music on the Plaza Bandstand! Gene was having so much fun listening to the music and I could see him from a distance moving his shoulders and feeling the music.



Beautiful Retablos... the artist is the one wearing the hat...


More artwork...



The rain didn't keep the shoppers away! A beautiful shot of the centerpiece of Santa Fe... The Cathedral Basilica of St. Francis.

Thoughts of my mother...

My visit to CA was such a meaningful visit. I spent a lot of time with my sister Lisa just chit chatting like we always have. It felt so good being with her and my nieces Bella and Maggie. Lisa and I have had to lean on one another since Mom and Dad are no longer with us, and if anything, it has brought us closer even though we live 900 miles apart (I hope that will change one day soon...I do miss CA).

When I was in CA Lisa and I took our children to Los Angeles... we had lunch at the San Antonio Winery, then we found our way to The Mercado in East Los Angeles. Oh how that brought back so many memories for us. Our parents used to take us there when we were young and Lisa and I thought it was the greatest thing. We would get Mexican candy, "Raspadas" (Snowcones) and we loved looking at all the cochinadas"(inexpensive toys that would break by the time you got home). My loving son Andrew had never been there before and he was silent as we drove through East L.A. It was a culture shock for him. He got a kick out of hearing Lisa and I reminiscing about our childhood. We went into the Mercado and he was amazed of all the little shops and restaurants. He got a pair of Jordan shoes and Bella got a pair of pink sandals which were made in Mexico. Maggie got a "cochinada" toy and everyone was happy with their purchases. The whole time were were at the Mercado I was thinking of my Mom. She went to the Mercado to buy her Mexican herbs, spices, and medicine. The biggest treat for Mom was buying pan dulce (Mexican sweet bread) and a cup of coffee. She loved going to the Mercado in the mornings because the pan dulce was warm. It was those little things that made my mother so happy. Lisa and I both love pan dulce, but I have to say, Lisa has a love for it more than I do. Her eyes light up just like Mom's when she has her piece of pan dulce and a hot cup of coffee.

We then went to our childhood home in Bell, CA and drove around Bell showing Andrew where we went to school, our favorite hangout, Newberry's, and Sav-ons, and then we showed him the house we grew up in. We even showed him the church where we made our Communion and I made my Confirmation at. Again, I thought of my Mom... she was very devoted to her Catholic Faith and made sure Lisa and I completed our Sacraments and attended CCD classes at our parish. There was only one Religion in my Mom's eyes... I was about 10 years old and a friend of mine belonged to a "Non-Catholic" Church... I went to church with my friend on a Saturday Night and when I went home I told my mom how nice the service was. She didn't say a word to me, but when I told her that I wanted to go back to my friends church she looked at me and told me loud and clear, "NO! That was all she had to say and the next day we were at Mass at our parish at 8:00a.m. I never attended a "Non-Catholic" Church as a kid!

The above picture is a photo of my Mom Helen in her younger days... isn't she a looker?! Well, it is now time for me to make my coffee, and have my pan dulce, then I will light my candle and pray my Rosary... hmm? Think Helen had an impact on my life?

See what little sisters can do to you?!

I am going to begin a personal blog for myself. It is all my sister Lisa's fault! She got me hooked! Those little sisters...I tell ya!

Seriously, it is a wonderful way to stay in touch with family and friends and keep everyone updated with my life. Lisa's blogs have kept me in touch with my nieces lives and with my sweet sister's life. I no longer feel "out of touch" with my beautiful nieces and my sister.

So, I hope you enjoy my updates here and there... and for those family members that tell me I do not stay in touch, SO THERE, you now got what you asked for!