Play Day

Rancher-woman took a Play Day after Hay Day to visit friends in Albuquerque’s north valley. Ever mindful of the price of gas and too danged tired to drive all the way there, she took the Rail Runner train from Belen, the closest town to the 7MSN. For as charmingly behind the times that New Mexico can be, this commuter rail system is practically progressive. By the end of the year, she will be able to go all the way to Santa Fe. Not that she wants to go to Santa Fe. But if she does, at least she can ride the train.

The train departed Belen and made its way north past acres and acres of irrigated farm land. And everywhere she looked she saw hay. She couldn’t help herself – she had to take pictures of it. Green hay makes her happy. When the train got to the south valley and went past Hay Jerry’s place, she had to take a picture of that, too. Then she saw a loaded trailer leaving Hay Jerry’s, and of course she had to take a picture of that. Rancher-woman sees the world through green-colored glasses.

Then the green fields gave way to strange buildings...
...and downtown Albuquerque...


...and heaps of scrap metal and all sorts of decrepid neighborhoods and businesses that exist next to train tracks. She was starting to get homesick.

But then she arrived at her destination, to be met by her friends in their old pickup truck, and she started to feel better.

And this is where she spent the day.

That big green thing in the back corner is the grape arbor.

And inside the arbor is a hammock.

Rancher-woman plans to return in the fall to lay in the hammock and feed herself grapes.

Off in the distance are the Sandia Mountains.

She was giddy at the prospect of new subject matter for her photographs. Everything in the north valley is green, unlike a certain ranch in the middle of nowhere where it hasn’t rained for an eternity and everything is brown. Here is a roadrunner on the back fence, just behind the apple tree.

The trees here have leaves – imagine!

And varmints don’t eat all the plants.

And holly hocks grow as tall as the sky.

But all good things must come to an end, so rancher-woman headed back south. On the way home from the train station, a storm was moving in. Swell. I’m already two hours past feeding time and now I might not get there at all.

The sky sure was pretty, though.

Out of my way, cows! Gotta get home – the boys are hungry.

One more cattle guard to cross. Would she make it before those clouds opened up?

The last turn toward home.

She pulled up to the gate and the whole herd was waiting – a little miffed, but still very happy to see her. There’s no place like home.

p.s. it never did rain