peace is hard to find

a twenty-minute view

one

two

three

and then it's gone
mountains, drama - behind a thick curtain of smoke. It parted for a few moments to provide a glimpse of what's really happening and then, as if in a dream, no mountain silhouette, no smoke or (what I assume) flames. Everyone still on alert. 12,000 people evacuated from Los Alamos. No one quite sure of what is in the air. LANL assures us there's no danger. Fireworks banned - the decision of each county - but really, who would condone the use of fireworks in this incendiary atmosphere? Spotty light rain predicted after midnight. Anyone for a rain dance?

archiving
I spent a few hours this afternoon at the Harwood Museum working on their archives and it was wonderfully air-conditioned in the "basement" of the museum. I put the word in quotes because there really aren't any real basements in New Mexico. Rather the so-called basement at the museum is actually a controlled air conditioned area below ground that holds the paintings and other artworks that aren't currently on exhibit. And it was very comfortable and smoke-free down there. Quite different from the damp-smelling real basements in the northeast that occasionally get puddled by rain and melting snow. I've always hated basements. Spooky places. I once lived in a house in Rowayton, CT. The laundry room was in the basement and I swear that every time I went down and did the laundry, I ran back up the stairs as if demons were chasing me. Such is the power of imagination - one of the reasons why I avoid scary movies and books (Stephen King be gone!).

No one knows for sure what's going to happen with this fire. The windy gusts are worrisome. But I planted a few flowers in the terracotta pots on the deck - hoping for some color and cheer as the summer marches on.

My feet got int the way so I'll tell you that the O.P.I. polish I bought in NY is called a good man-darin is hard to find! Love it! It's very orange.