Tag: Southwest road trip

Truchas, Chimayo, and Ghost Ranch

2 Comments

When describing daylilies, most people talk about bloom season, bloom size, scape height, smell, etc. For me, I see places from road trips. I chose many of my daylilies because of their Southwest names, because that is where I go for my road trips.

Last week, I took a road trip through southern Colorado and northern New Mexico. My favorite hybridizer, Ned Roberts, lived in New Mexico and many of his daylilies find their namesakes in that State. When I shop for daylilies, I often get out the Google maps to see what it is named after. And, on this road trip I wanted to go new places and see things that I had never seen before.

I literally drug out the recreation map and looked for interesting places in northern New Mexico – because despite living not too far away, I know little about it (other than the 4-corners area). Anyway, I found something called the Enchanted Circle that sounded interesting and included Taos. The road between Taos and the highway east . . . well, there were two routes. I picked the High Road to Taos because there are two namesake towns on that road: Truchas and Chimayo

The next day, we visited Ghost Ranch, another daylily namesake. I had stopped there about 7 years ago on a road trip because of the daylily. It is a Presbyterian resort that is open to the public for hiking and other activities. It looks like home with the red sandstone. I stop not because I think it is unfamiliar, but because it is a daylily namesake! And, if any of you remember the old movie City Slickers, that is where it was filmed. So, if you have a Ghost Ranch daylily you be like me and think about that movie and the trail boss, Curly.

I have a bunch of premiers since my last post but I am drowning in vacation photos and daylily photos . . . it is going to take a few days to get the blog caught up. So, for tonight, lets look at the name sakes.

Truchas, New Mexico – A small mountain town on the High Road to Taos. I didn’t see a Truchas sunrise, more like monsoon over Truchas.
Truchas Sunrise 7.17.21 in my yard
Just a few miles down the road it Chimayo, famous for the Santuario de Chimayo. We didn’t see a moon over Chimayo, although I may look into camping here in the future. (the lead photo is also Chimayo)
This is Moon over Chimayo daylily from my yard last summer. She put out tons of new foliage this year, but no bloom. She looks a lot like Truchas Sunrise – probably why they are named for communities just a few miles apart. However, after the road trip, I think I won’t mix the two up any more.
Ghost Ranch is to the southwest of Truchas and Chimayo – an hour plus down the road and to the west. The land changes from Rocky Mountains to Colorado Plateau in those miles. So, the geography is distinctly different.
This is Ghost Ranch daylily from my yard this year. Distinctly different from Truchas and Chimayo namesake daylilies.

That is all for tonight folks. I am trying to stay adjusted to tent times and get to bed earlier at night. I will get caught up with the blog and the new blooms in the next few days. There are several – Skinwalker, Zuni Thunderbird, Desert Icicle, Purple Thunderbird, Cripple Creek, Glen Eyrie, Royal Palace Prince, Pizza Crust , , , I don’t even remember where I left off with the blog. I need to refresh my memory. Stay tuned!

Thanks for joining my journey!

Chaco Canyon

4 Comments

A daylily by any other name would smell as sweet . . . maybe, maybe not.  Chaco Canyon is a beautiful, spiritual place in New Mexico.  It is not easy to get there – the road is dirt, not improved – many ruts for miles and miles.  But, it is worth it because it was an empire of the Ancient Pueblo Indians.

10147020_10152033054086239_663592744_o (2)

The road to Chaco Canyon before it turns to dirt

I have been there twice.  The first time, I had no idea what the road was like but I am persistent.  I was on my way home from a conference in Albuquerque and had seen the road signs on my way down.

1625643_10152043138886239_1411051356_n

Hungo Pavi – one of the many Chaco buildings

I was instantly taken by the place, but it was late so I didn’t get to see much.  I bought a book and loved looking at the pictures.

1604411_10152043139826239_1513133530_n

The walls of the Chaco ruins blend into the background of the canyon walls

 

So, six years ago when I had decided to travel for my spring road trip and got me a fine dog (Maizzy) to accompany me . . . we headed back to Chaco.  This time, we met an old friend of mine.  We hiked and caught-up with each other after several years.

1538888_10152043138616239_1593787443_n

The canyon walls tower above the ancient ruins

Chaco Canyon was a huge trade center that is linked to the stellar world in crazy and mysterious ways.  I am no expert, but many of the buildings are aligned perfectly north/south – and you can follow the north line miles to the next building.  The buildings are aligned to both sun and moon cycles.  There are petroglyphs that light up like Las Vegas on Solstice and Equinox each year.

1978876_10152043140326239_1560540395_n

The round petroglyph on the right reminds me of my daylily bloom

My trips to the Ancient Pueblo ruins remind me how humanity has lost touch with our connection to nature. We drive in cars, leave the lights on 24/7, and argue with strangers about wearing masks.  We have become so disconnected from the messages from our planet and solar system – it makes me sad for all of our advancement some days.  The message of Chaco is sacred and special to me.

 

1533765_10152043141221239_1186344848_n

Petroglyphs and wasp nests cohabitate on the walls of Chaco Canyon

So, when I happened to see a daylily named Chaco Canyon – just after I discovered one named Kokopelli (and by the same hybridizer, Ned Roberts), I ordered it instantly.  Not only did I like the name – It is a striking daylily.   I wonder what about this daylily reminded Ned of Chaco Canyon – maybe the red color?  Maybe because it blooms around summer solstice?  Maybe because it looks like the sun or the stars?

ChacoCanyon8.9.2

Chaco Canyon daylily soaking up the sun – 2019

My Chaco Canyon grows in a big pot on my back porch.  I moved a couple fans to the Southwest garden last year to extend the bloom season (the two gardens have slightly different peak bloom times).  It is getting big and I am watching for scapes now because it blooms on the early side.  I can’t wait to be stunned by the first flower!

ChacoCanyon6.24.1

Chaco Canyon daylily shines in the sun – 2018

I thought I had lost the photos of my trip to Chaco  – but silly me, I uploaded them to Facebook 6 years ago.  Taking a road trip vicariously through my daylilies makes me want to go back to this place, again, when COVID-19 clears.  It isn’t all that far away.  In the meantime, I wait for it to bloom in my yard.

ChacoCanyon7.12.1

Two Chacos dancing in the breeze

Sexy Succulents

Leave a comment

I’m changing my inside plant scheme to largely succulents and air plants. Succulents are cool because they come in all shapes, colors and sizes. And, they require little care.

So, I found a few books on designing with succulents. I need to do more with group arrangements and pots that have a theme. I tend to grab whatever pot is empty.

I usually come home from my spring Southwest road trip with Senora desert dwellers. So, I’ve had succulents in my collection for a long time. Just now, with a crazy work schedule, they make more sense that orchids. Especially water culture orchids.

My orchids are now all moved to bark. They have cool pots. I just have so many! Maybe I will give some away as gifts at some point.

Air plants, succulents, and bromeliads is my new focus. I read one design book on mixing air plants in succulent displays. I like the effect a lot.

Freeze is upon us for a couple of weeks. Leaves are falling. I haven’t watered daylilies much this month, and we are headed back to drought weather. Leaves are falling, soon to be daylily mulch for the winter.

Come spring, I have plans to turn my old fountain into a succulent garden. I bet I could mix in a few daylilies – minis. I need to think about this idea!