Parque Natural Mexiquillo

4.28.2016

Get Your Hot Peanuts Here

No matter where we are, the WINs always find somewhere interesting to visit.
Hampton Farms in Portales, NM processes peanuts grown in eastern New Mexico and western Texas. They roast about 2.5 million pounds of peanuts monthly.

Got our hair and beard nets and safety glasses, we are ready for the tour.

Some kind of antibacterial sole wash. The plant is very clean. 


The peanuts are roasted at 320 degree. It takes one hour for them to reach the other end of this green roaster. 














This lady is picking out empty shells and debris out of these freshly roasted peanuts. 

The belt moves rapidly requiring a quick eye. I would not want to do this all day.


Bagged, boxed and ready for shipping. Hampton farms sells peanuts to Walmart, Five Guys, and many baseball teams. 


Peanuts for fans to enjoy during the game.

Linda is making peanut butter from
honey roasted peanuts. It is delicious

4/28/14
4/28/13

4.24.2016

The Spencer Theater

Jackie Spencer moved from New York to Carrizozo, NM with her second husband, Dr. A. N. Spencer. Being a world traveler she wished to bring some culture to Ruidoso, NM. She saved 22 million dollars over 15 years to fund this gorgeous, 49, 474 sq. ft, state of the art theater with stunning mountain views. 33.434629, -105.602328



This is a small intimate theater with 514 seats.
The most distant seat is only 67 feet from the stage.















Jackie loved Chihuly glass





The cast of each production
sign the walls outside the green room.





4/25/14

4/24/13
Tomorrow I begin my fifth year on the road.
What a grand adventure it is. 

4.22.2016

Heading East

Serenity is purring right along as we head east to rendezvous with friends in Ruidoso, NM


I would love to see how these cameras display Serenity. I don't think they are imaging the visible spectrum.

White Sand Missile Range

Dinner with good friends Paul, Barbara, Linda and Linda

It is sooooo good to be back on the road again. 

4.15.2016

FINALLY !!!!!!

It has been 4 very long months. My nightmare, I would never leave Brawley. The engine was completed at glacial speed and finally inserted. Serenity could move. But, there is always a but, two cylinders were not firing at idle and when accelerating I heard a popping sound. Rod's shop spent a couple days trying to solve the problem. I finally lost confidence in their ability and headed east.



I made it to Tucson where Serenity checked into the local Chevrolet shop. A few hours later I got the call. Not a cracked manifold or other major problem that I had been abscessing over, just a cracked spark plug and bad spark plug wire that had been arcing to the block.  :-)

New engine $6486, being home priceless.

4.05.2016

A Little Girl's Magnificent Hobby

We enjoyed a fascinating visit to Patricia Ariel's life long collection of miniatures. When a young girl she acquired her first miniatures in 1930s and after moving to Tucson in 1979 she began collecting in earnest. Her miniatures and doll houses soon out grew her home and now reside in the Museum of Miniatures for your enjoyment. The skill and attention to detail is amazing. Linda tells me that one  doll house finger nail size furnishing can cost thousands of dollars.


John Bellemy Complex
John Bellemy  ca. 1880
A copy of the artist's own home, which still stands in West Newton, MA. Electrified by the miniature's previous owners, Mr. & Mrs. G Canfiled, and restored by Pat Arnell.







Potter's Studio
Craig T. Roberts


Yellow Rose of Texas
Brooke Tucker 1983-1985
The theme of this elaborate house is "The Day of the Wedding"






Apothecary Desk Italian
Manuzio
Doll sized desk with apothecary instruments and supplies make by Italian artist, Manuzio.


Brooke Tucker Christmas
1990s 
All three rooms were designed and coordinated to compliment the china on the dining room table.



When in Tucson, you should go, there are hundreds of truly amazing pieces.


4/5/14

4.02.2016

Hanging in Tucson

Update

We are in Tucson waiting to hear that Serenity is ready to hit the road again. The oil and radiator leak have been fixed, hopefully! I am crossing my fingers that a road test next week does not reveal any more nasty problems.

  4th Avenue Street Fair

Tucson has a great Street Fair with blocks and blocks of artists from across the US. So many blocks that we did not make it to the end.

First stop lunch, Gyros all around

No, I don't think you are a hippie type girl

This artist creates beautiful mirrors with stone surrounds
Not a poitically free zone

Linda shopping for her week old grandson

3/31/15
4/1/14
4/1/13