I lived in Arizona during the '07 to '08 years... southern AZ. During monsoons and fire season (yes, there is a "fire season"!) and lots of political stuff. It was a time when gasoline cost $4.89 a gallon there. I drove an older Jeep Cherokee and had to drive into Tucson often. I did not have a job - Jer and I had sold & given away most everything we had to move there and help out at a stable... an exchange kind of thing that did not work out, but gave us the opportunity to meet some of the most wonderful friends in the world.
We lived several places with our horses after things didn't work out originally and that is when our Susie was injured so severely after being terrified by a train. But we became really flexible and stayed positive and eventually we lived at a place in the middle of the most gorgeous mountains on the whole planet! I had an art studio/gallery in Old Tubac (in a tower that was part of an ancient fort) and Jer established a woodwork studio in Amado that was like an old cattle station in Australia!
One place we lived (where Susie got hurt) during fire season had a train track running through the property and the bosque there caught fire! We had to move our horses to a cattle pasture fenced in barbed wire and lead them over the tracks on a berm covered in huge, deep gravel - and Susie had the radial nerve paralysis! We got them safely away from the fire, but I was a nervous wreck about the barbed wire! Smart horses - they stayed safe, so did we, but I was out tying old Tshirts and wash rags on the fence to make it more visible.
At the gorgeous place (later, after we had all gotten our wits about us) - a huge fire broke out on the mountain range by our (rented) home. At night we watched the surreal flames spread and rise in sudden pillars of swirling sparks as a tree would be consumed...
The TV News stations from Tucson were all over the place - special fire fighters were everywhere; giant tanker planes dropping foam stuff on the mountain. I was getting really stressed. They talked evacuation... there was no rain in the forecast at all.
I got out my photograph of the Tibetan monks and their sand mandala that I had watched them make at NMSU. The sand from it had been poured into the Rio Grande and afterward it rained for a week! So, I put the photo on the Earth, placed a pointed Selenite crystal on the photo with the point aiming at the burning mountains. And then I prayed... and then the rain came. It poured rain. The fires were subdued in a matter of days. Our neighbor, who would become a dear friend, was a witness to the whole photo/crystal thing and she was most pleased that I had done it! Whether or not it started the rains - just doing something helped us feel a bit stronger.
Arizona was a roller coaster ride for me... more to tell than can be told, really. I faced whatever I had to face. I decided, finally, to return to my real home (New Mexico) and help my Mother and some friends with health things.
We loaded everything we could into and on top of my Jeep. That was all I would have to my name by that time (and a little bit of money to buy a laptop and pay to host a website) - and I was certain that my paintings were safely loaded into that Jeep! I gave my horses to the most wonderful home in the world where they are cherished and live in huge pastures (this is what inspired this story tonight - I just heard about how well they are doing, thank God) and, because the daytime temperatures were over 100 degrees; the A/C did not work in the Jeep and my little dog who was to travel with me is long haired - I had to leave after the sun went down. Storms were brewing all around. Jer and our neighbor and I went to our favorite restaurant, Wisdoms, for supper, to say goodbye. Jer was staying to continue woodworking.
The photo with this story is of one of the two rainbows that appeared over Wisdoms as I arrived that evening, full of apprehension about the drive to Las Cruces. When I saw the rainbows, it gave me peace about my future. The drive was to be a frightening one through hail, pouring rain, lightning and severe wind - but my dog, my Jeep and my paintings, crystals, beadwork, photos, etc. all made it!! That evening I had my green corn tamale and half of a hot, fried peach burrito with ice cream and coffee and I just knew that somehow, Jer and I would be together again.
Now, a few short months ago, when I found our new home to buy (with a lot of help from those who love us!!) - Jer and I took the drive up the mountain to see it for the first time and, behold - there were 2 rainbows in the dark grey/orangey sky right on top of the mountain. :) So, I had no doubt that this was to be our new home and the place where Dharmahorse would finally become established. sigh, what a long strange trip, well, you know!
