Taking The Long Way Home

Great party. It goes without saying, but I'll say it anyway. Another Dia de los Muertos Poetry Party success, thanks to Deborah and Thomas, who really know what a party is all about. Good food and drink, good friends, new friends, poetry, music, and some dancing to shake it all up. I, for one, had a blast. The honored dead poet this year was Basho , and the poetry style, haiku. I like the concise, small, format of haiku. It's kind of like making jewelry out of words. I wrote a few in preparation for the party, but then I became timid when I found myself in a room full of real writers. So I wimped out and read a few silly poems I found on the Pirate Haiku webpage. It was totally cowardly of me, but Rick, my ever-lovin' hero, took my notebook from me and read a few of my own haiku for me. It was good to set them free. I wish I could have done it myself, but man, there were some heavy hitters in that room. Nobody threw rocks at me though, and I do enjoy writing those tiny...

Halloween in Taos is more about the Mexican holiday  Dia de los Muertos than trick-or-treat. Sure, the kids here dress up and demand candy, and a lot of adults get into the spirit of the season with costumes and parties. But the focus around town is really on Day of the Dead , a time when we celebrate and honor our departed loved ones, and also invite them to the party. Cemeteries are decorated with new brightly colored artificial flowers and tokens of a happy life on earth. Altars, called ofrendas , with photographs, flowers, candles, food, and special mementos, are set up everywhere from private homes to shops, restaurants, and galleries. Everywhere you go, there are reminders of the holiday, of the shortness of our stay here in this life, and of our connection to those who have passed before us. It's a holiday of celebration, not sadness. One of the most festive shops in town is actually dressed for the holiday all year round. Dwellings Revisited , on Bent Street, is a fun p...