I'm here in the small town of Santa Fe, New Mexico for ten days for my residency classes as I work on an MFA in Creative Writing. About forty of us are engaging in lectures and discussions on Art and Faith as we examine the works of two outstanding authors, Gerard Manley Hopkins (poetry) and Annie Dillard (Pilgrim at Tinker's Creek).
We are also privileged to hear authors and graduating students read their works as well as critiquing our short stories in a small group setting with a faculty mentor presiding. I'n convinced that this workshopping with an expert teacher is the best way to perfect our craft in writing. I am learning much also from the lectures and various meetings.
Rain has come most every day, usually in late afternoon or evening, often accompanied by thunder and lightening. When it's not raining, the drama of clouds enthralls me. Here's my jottings from a 6 AM walk on open land surrounding the campus:
Pink ruffles a gray billowing cloud. A fiery chariot behind lights up the morning sky, turning luminous the necklines of dark ocean surges, an apparition of Gabriel blowing his horn. I swivel my scan from east to north--everywhere the shining pink prevails. Above, dirty cotton balls dot the sky like a path.
Yesterday I rode two city buses to reach Budget Rental Car. The first bus driver chatted to me about doing welding work in California before moving to Santa Fe be near his family. The next talked about fishing in Peco and Taos and politics in Santa Fe. The town has a friendly ambience despite its population of 150,000.
I rented the car so that I could drive to Bandelier State Monument on our day off yesterday. It was both gorgeous an fascinating. I'll put up photos of it after I return home.
This afternoon I did some true soaking at Ten Thousand Waves, a lovely Japanese style spa complete with hot baths.-One good thing about a fender bender accident that took place two weeks ago is it has given me a reason to indulge is such a treat!
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