Snowflake, Arizona

I left Albuquerque in the morning after sending off packages of Chilies to some friends and family. I was on my way to Snowflake, Arizona to meet Shash. I had a lot to think about on my drive. I was filled with new friend stories and fun experiences from my stay in Santa Fe. I met such wonderful people, socialized a lot, danced at pride festival, hiked in the mountains with Lucha and saw a beautiful woman circus performance. The road has such wonderful ways of allowing one to meditate and reflect, while beautiful distinct landscapes fly by. I did not even have music on. I just listened to the warm wind pour into the windows carrying the smell of desert sages. I was absorbed in my thoughts and the scenery passing by. I felt such peace, I love driving.
I met Shash at the library in Snowflake. She wisked me away to visit Barbara Kerr's land, who was instrumental in the invention of the solar oven and all the various ways of cooking using solar power. Her and Jim, run a sustainable educational non-profit home in Taylor, Arizona. I got to meet them both and was given a super quick tour of their home. Next we were off to yoga, the teacher and three of us stretched and breathed through the yoga postures and ended with a meditation. Next, out to Shash’s land, 40 minutes out on dirt roads. Wow, we arrived, and her living room is comfy cushion chairs outside underneath the stars. Oh, what a life, she lives in a mud hut, there is a well for water, solar panels for electricity, and lots of wind, stars, birds, peacefulness, so much peace…which is Shash’s mantra and her signiture in her art to always include the word or symbol of Peace. She works primarily with glass, slumping it and melting it together, by a unique kiln process.
While there she showed me a few projects to work on while she would be away in town. After she left, I took off my shirt, it was hot, the wind blowing, and I began taking down plastic from a wire structure. I grabbed the film camera and made a short film focusing on the marble ties she uses to tie things down, I hope to show a glimpse of this on my blog when I figure out how to upload moving images. The picture is of Shash near her home.