I will write a travel blog about Santa Fe when I return to my computer but for now, enjoy the pictures.
You might be able to guess that photography is a passion of mine. These weren’t taken with my camera but with my iPhone 13.
Santa Fe is an incredibly artistic town and can boast two records — oldest capital city in the US and highest capital city in the US at 7000 feet elevation. My day trip included two museums, the famous plaza, several art galleries, a park, and a large church from the 1800s.
Spicy! Red chiles hanging everywhere (yes, that’s how they spell it)Architecture. Iconic Santa Fe. Modern museums. The Cathedral Basilica of St. Francis of AssisiNative American art
I was traveling recently by plane and noticed most people are friendly, nice, and polite. Although I have gray hair and sometimes I’m not as spry as my younger years, I don’t expect anyone to treat me any different. I do expect a little consideration though. Have you noticed that some people just seem to have an air of entitlement? And have you noticed that they seem to be the people of a younger generation?
When I was a teacher, I had a lesson about once a week that I called social skills. I would create lesson plans for my middle school students that reminded me of those etiquette books of old. Most of these lessons were foreign ideas to many of these generation Z students. I covered things like polite phone usage, how to pass someone in the hallway, and even safe social media usage. Of course, we’d make the lessons more fun with examples of the way not to do things and the kids loved acting those out best, laughing and giggling the whole time we were play-acting.
I was really appalled this week on a flight to Denver. I tried really hard to ignore a 30-40-something who was yapping on her phone the whole time in the seat next to me as the plane prepared for flight. Rude, I thought to myself but I put one finger over my right ear and continued reading my book. But then, when the flight attendant started her little talk that we’re all supposed to listen to and she was still jabbering away, I felt the need to tap her arm and put my finger to my mouth in a “shhhhh” gesture.
Of course, she got mad at me and said she was going to report me and I said, “go ahead” but she didn’t. I just don’t even think she realized she was doing anything wrong. And I can guarantee you that everyone sitting around me was as annoyed as I was. But the people that have these behaviors don’t get it. And maybe you can’t teach people at that age how to be thoughtful and polite of their fellow passengers.
That makes me sad. I don’t want to live in a world of sociopaths and go-getters, and Gordon Gecko types from Wall Street. Maybe I’m sheltered too much in the retirement community I live in. Maybe I have rose colored glasses and the real world isn’t the way I would wish. But I surely hope not and I will keep visualizing a world and society where every individual is respected and being polite is the norm.
Last year this time, I had to go back home to help with my dad’s things and to attend his memorial service. This year, in a much different place emotionally, I returned to celebrate my dad’s 92 birthday in heaven.
I also was getting a little homesick and it’s so nice to be able to connect again with family and friends. Lots of visiting and a little sightseeing.
My mom is an avid gardener so she asked if I could drive her around William Land Park, a 200 acre park in Sacramento that features the city zoo, a children’s amusement venue, a golf course and an amphitheater.
One of the free exhibits is the WPA Rock Garden. A one acre sight that is mostly the contribution of a master gardener named Daisy Mah. Wander through the paths as you explore the abundance of plants, bees, butterflies, and even the occasional lizard. I visited in April which seems like it might be peak blooming season.
Lots of color in AprilA selfie in the garden
My mom asked if I could take her to Green Acres, a large, popular nursery in Sacramento. I had fun wandering around while she bought some more vegetables for her garden. In the houseplants section, they have some interesting decorative displays and I couldn’t resist photographing.
A little magical village
The outside area of Green Acres is just as interesting.
Sacramento is known as the city of trees and, even though I don’t like cities, it was healing to walk among the plants. I really enjoy photography also and I got a chance to document some wonderful landscaping in the heart of the city.
I’m currently working on a new photo and descriptive text book subtitled 33 Cities Across the USA in an RV.
I’ve always been a traveler, starting with the Air Force life until I was in high school, then following graduation, I set out on my own. Although I moved a lot, it was mostly between two states, Oregon and California. I took a few trips to Mexico and Florida during that time. Then, I retired, sold my house and set out in my motor home and really let loose.
All along, I’d been planning to write reviews of the places I stayed and how amenable they were to travelers with pets. That blog is called Animals Aboard and has about 68 reviews of RV Parks, state parks, and even a little boon docking (camping without hookups). When I realized that I’d seen a number of sites and taken dozens of photos that weren’t RV park related, I began my sightseeing blog.
This new book will be an update of the sightseeing blog, full of descriptions, reviews, and photos of places you can see while on the road, with or without a recreational vehicle. In fact, some of the places were more easily accessible for me after I got a small tow car and I include information in the descriptions about parking availability, no matter how you are traveling.
My plans last year had been to add six new states, the mountain states, but, of course, that didn’t work out. Not in the original plans was settling down but that’s exactly what I did, acquiring a full time RV lot in New Mexico. I still have plans to add reviews and photos to both blogs though. Fingers crossed, I will be able to do my mountain states this year. Toying with the idea of heading to Florida next year. But as we all know, things can change. That’s what makes life interesting.
Look for Sightseeing In Twelve States on Amazon Kindle this spring.
Tina Mischke 