DATELINE: Santa Fe

Monday, November 16, 2015

by James Strauss

Monday Morning, Santa Fe New Mexico.
It can’t always be nice. If it was always nice then we would have little real appreciation for it being nice at all. So I am sitting here waiting for a break in the rain to go to breakfast since I forgot my umbrella. I do have a great rain coat though and my hair is rather unaffectable, so to speak. Here is the view from the window up over town toward the mountains. It is expected that rain and snow will prevail throughout the day which means it will take some rather arcane digging to continue discovery about what’s going on in this wonderful place. Here, like everywhere else the media reaches these days, everyone has to get past the latest reports on fear and loathing in Paris.

When’s the next one and what new device will be used to make sure everyone quivers and quakes.
I assure you that next one is only months away.
But here, even in the rain and coming snow, life is pretty good and I hope it is where you are too.
Share what is going on in your mind below.

View from the Room

View from my window, up over town, toward the mountains. Monday, November 16, 2015

Mid Morning Monday.

This damned dog. He keeps reappearing wherever I go. From Starbucks to the entrance of a store I pass by. I wait around to see who he’s with but nobody ever shows up. Is he on his own. I asked an Arab (the Arabs have taken over the retail sales of Indian jewelry all around the plaza, go figure) about the dog. His name is Nemo from Captain Nemo but I got no further because my Arabic is not that good (the Arabs are extremely funny and good
natured here though).

I like Starbucks on San Francisco Street mostly because the people are so nice. Downtown Subscription, the coffee shop up near Canyon Road is staffed with gnome-like people with attitude. I can go hang with the Harley people if I want attitude. The weather is blowy and tough, as you can see from the shot up the street of a building filled with retail stores. It doesn’t look like retail stores. It looks like some place Gary Cooper would tie up his horse in front of and go drink at the bar before killing a few bad gun fighters.
You get the drift.

If you have been here, share your experiences.

Nemo the Dog in Santa Fe

Nemo the Dog. Monday mid-day, Santa Fe

Street Scene Santa Fe

A view  up the street, of a building filled with retail stores. It doesn’t look like retail stores. It looks like some place Gary Cooper would tie up his horse in front and go have a drink. Gotta love this town.

 

Coffee Shop Intrigue and more..

The not so good coffee shop (Downtown Subscription) because of attitude. I almost got thrown out because I was overheard telling the guy next to me that ISIS did not exist as an organized entity, and that the Taliban did not either, not to mention the mythologically fictitious and now seemingly disappeared Al Qaida. Seems that Paris emotions are running high these days and you better believe the need is being raised inside everyone to go kill Arabs, no matter what groups they may or may not be affiliated with.

The French are bombing ISIS headquarters on Taliban Island, located deep inside the county of Al Qaida. Who are they really bombing and why? American’s will be the last living things on earth to know that. Trump probably could tell us because his fabrications are at least funny if not more accurate than this crap for news were are all getting.

Downtown Subscription Coffee Shop Santa Fe


The small little Adobe scene you see here I saw in a shop for eighty-five bucks.
The artist makes many more.
I loved it.
I have it.

Adobe Scene

Afternoon and it is snowing in Santa Fe

The snow beats down, or rather, at this altitude, fluffs down about the high city of Santa Fe. The streets will soon grow impassible and the people more hunkered down. These were taken this instant on San Francisco Street outside Starbucks, my back up coffee shop after being treated very kindly to the door on Canyon Road, Downtown Subscription.
I’ll be back, or so Arnold said…and how did he do?

Snowing Downtown Santa fe

More Monday Midday Madness

The blonds coming down the street. Took their picture with a bit of trepidation because, well, you know how blonds can be when you don’t have permission to take their photo. Not so for Lois and Louie, sisters with sparkling personality to go along with stunning good looks, or maybe the two work together. They loved my using their photo to illustrate the street, although the street is really only the back drop of my intent. While ruminating after that shot back inside warm Starbucks, Orren from Santa Fe Dry Goods, who I featured the other day on here came to eat his lunch. We talked about just how aghast he is over Trump being a real candidate and a bit about the weather.
I love the weather, but most of the people actually living here are so used to the sun that they mope through perfectly deliriously wonderful Wisconsin stuff that’s going on out there now.

Monday8

Lois and Louise enjoying a stroll along San Francisco Street, Santa Fe on a chilly Monday afternoon

Orren having Coffee

Orren from Santa Fe Dry Goods enjoying the warmth at Starbucks.

On the Streets about 2 PM

Harwood is the name and working the streets of Santa Fe is my game.
Here he stands, looking every bit as if he’s on the set of some Hollywood production.
Harwood. From Milwaukee originally and now here. The food he’s holding purchased by me in exchange for his story. His coffee by me. It’s one of those days. I fixed the flapper on Starbuck’s john for not throwing me out. So I’m doing good samaritan work and that can never hurt in the kharma thing about life. If there is any kharma thing, I mean. Anyway, Harwood is writing a fantasy novel called Paladin while he works the streets of outback American towns. He lost his first manuscript when he took some bad pot and ended up in jail. When he got out his stuff was gone. The vagaries of street living. He’s a cool dude and I told him to make sure to add plenty of stuff into his manuscript about his personal experiences in his travels. Here’s Harwood, stopping through on his way to West Texas, or maybe Seattle. Harwood’s living close to the bone but free as a bird….

Harwood the Author

I am going back for one last raid at the book store up near Canyon Road.
The one I almost got ejected from for my rather left wing political views. Actually, my views are the truth but absolutely nobody in their right mind will believe them after watching television for five minutes. Anyway, I am going to keep my mouth shut and find a magazine because they are the only place left in town that sells any kind of magazines that is not car, gun or woman’s goods related. And then there’s the snow. It’s snowing like hell in Santa Fe and the streets are being left to people from the upper midwest who are visiting and not able to tell that the weather is bad. “Where is everyone,” is what you here out there and then you know. Not native to the area. Here is the shot from the coffee shop yesterday when I was still an acceptable customer. And more of Santa Fe this minute…..

 Snow in Santa Fe  More snow Santa Fe 11-16-2015

 

Have you been here?

Enjoyed or hated Santa Fe

Share your experiences in comments below

Leave a comment