Life in the Burbs

We headed up to the house yesterday afternoon because we wanted to see if the ocotillos were blooming yet. In my walks, I've seen lots of flowers starting to bloom. Unfortunately, all my native plant books are still packed and I won't be able to identify them easily, but, I can show you some photos.

 

On the way up, we stopped to meet two of our neighbors who live in what we call "Ocotillo Forest". This was the first opportunity we've had to meet them. We talked about house projects and using local clay to make vessels, conduit, etc. and the advantages of unfired clay vs. pit firing. Interesting conversation. Passed a lot of cars/trucks on the road - stopped and talked to some of them.


We got up to the house and checked out the storage shed - found two boxes that had some of my tools for silver working, pulled those out. Checked out the flags for where the new road will come in - have to make a decision on the best route of two. 

So while we were up there, we had two more neighbors walk up to the house. They have a place near the Red Rocks and it turns out he taught pottery in a community college, has a portable raku kiln, knows all about high temp wood firing and pit firing. He also does silver work and was going to teach another neighbor (from Echo E Ranch), how to do silver work with an acetylene torch. He's interested in doing a pit firing the next time they come out (they live full time in New Mexico now). Talk about having common ground . . . wow.

On the way back out, we met some other neighbors from Alaska.

We thought the Solitario was isolated - nearest neighbor at least a mile away. But, we are now convinced that we are living in the Burbs - Terlingua style!