Only in Cruces?

January, 2022

Beginning our 7^th year in Las Cruces, we still find little things which amaze us—like a sign forbidding swimming in a dry Rio Grande riverbed--or a souped-up Wonder Woman car parked on a side street as we walk to the Saturday Market. 

It was surprising to discover that woodcarver, Johnnie, draws freehand most of the images on his walking sticks —only to find that he sells his hand-drawn and painted Christmas cards very unassumingly from the trunk of his car. “Did you study art in school?,” says I? A vigorous shake of the head and “I just picked it up,” he replies.

The Market never ceases to be of interest. A booth housing “The Society for Creative Anacronism” featured costumed members describing themselves as 'out of sync' with today's modern goings-on. Every Saturday afternoon at 2:00 pm at the Field House of NMSU a few will meet for dueling matches (weather permitting). In addition to seeing that 'anacronism', a Saturday morning event for one family (of about 6 guys—all brothers, sons, fathers) was to walk their souped-up remote controlled cars down the Market streets en masse. Instead of a dog on leash (like many), they were “tooling” along the avenue with their remote cars on an electronic leash performing stunts.

On the Road Again

January 1-2, 2022

We made two stops this trip to Las Cruces. 

1. Especially for our photography friends: Although we enjoyed being a kid again and riding the train through the Indiana Museum in Indianapolis, a very small exhibit of only 20 photographic images created wonder for us. An annual world-wide competition sponsored by Nikon features the winners of photography through the microscope. Some of It's A Small World winners:

   16^th place winner = nylon stocking

12^th place = human hair

2^nd place = embryonic development of a clownfish

1^st place = dorsal view of bones and scales (blue) and lymphatic vessels (orange) of a juvenile clownfish

2. Crystal Bridges, Bentonville, AK

   We little expected to be awed by the projected expansion of the aesthetically beautiful architecture of Crystal Bridges, a museum funded by the widow of Sam Walton (of Walmart fame). The plan is to enlarge its present structure by 65%. In the video the left three buildings are now in existence. We were delighted to find a new attraction: the Bachman-Wilson House constructed in the 1950's by Frank Lloyd Wright—meticulously deconstructed and rebuilt on the grounds. 

   https://crystalbridges.org/architecture/frank-lloyd-wright-bachman-wilson-house/