Herb Martinez Park
After a visit to the vet yesterday for Tess to have her electrolytes checked (Addison's Disease), we decided it was such a STERLING day, that a romp around the Herb Martinez Park with Ruby in tow was in order. And when I say sterling, well...you really can't beat a fall day in New Mexico. The sky was robin's egg blue, packed with big puffy cumulus clouds, and really, really g-r-e-e-n grass stretched out like a humongous welcome mat. Yes, green grass! A lush, dense carpeting of soothing green yumminess! I know it may sound silly, but I was downright giddy with green glee. For sure the dogs were oh-so intent on creating wakes though the smorgasbord of green sponge with their noses. Sometimes coming up for air to then immediately flop back down on the cool cushion and roll on their backs with reckless abandon - all the while making contented snorking sounds. Dogs are so good at expressing joy!
We walked to the far west side and followed the bridge over the ditch to the Herb Martinez La Resolana Park. Voila! Nary a person, and green as far as the eye could see.
We walked to the far west side and followed the bridge over the ditch to the Herb Martinez La Resolana Park. Voila! Nary a person, and green as far as the eye could see.
Herb Martinez La Resolana Park
Granted, this was at 11:30 in the morning, but I was amazed at how empty the parks were at this time of day. The blessed rains of late sure have transformed the city parks - you'd swear you were in the moisture-laden northwest! Alright, I digress...
We headed back to the truck after a cruise around the "Little Herb" park, and saw only one guy walking his two small breed dogs, all the while chatting away on his cell phone, and simultaneously picking up his dogs' poop. Good multi-tasking man! After loading up the girls, I figured we were on such a green high, we might as well just drive a few more feet up Camino Carlos Rey and stop at the Franklin Miles Park.
We headed back to the truck after a cruise around the "Little Herb" park, and saw only one guy walking his two small breed dogs, all the while chatting away on his cell phone, and simultaneously picking up his dogs' poop. Good multi-tasking man! After loading up the girls, I figured we were on such a green high, we might as well just drive a few more feet up Camino Carlos Rey and stop at the Franklin Miles Park.
Franklin Miles Park
I pulled in next to a guy eating his sandwich in his van and other than a young couple pushing their squealing toddler on the swings, Ruby, Tess and I pretty much had the place to ourselves. We were like three Dora the Explorer's headed out on an emerald adventure. We took a route though the tree canopy adjacent to Siringo (very cool - literally and figuratively), then waded though above-the-ankle-deep grass to the first baseball diamond. While the City of Santa Fe Parks Division staff have done a stellar job at keeping the parks clean and mowed (I LOVE mowing grass...), burrowing gophers have taken over the outfield, creating their own mini versions of pitcher's mounds every few feet. Ruby and Tess were elated with the prospect of actually sucking one up into their mouths by repeatedly ramming their snouts down a hole and commencing with vacuum power inhalation. No such luck, but it didn't stop them from trying.
I spied a guy sitting in the baseball dugout - maybe eating his lunch, maybe smoking a doob, maybe contemplating his next winning pitch, maybe all three. He smiled and waved as we passed by. "Beautiful dogs out on a beautiful day!" Needless to say, I was beaming. We continued our grassy jaunt across the baseball field and when I looked up from dodging all the gopher holes, whammo! There stood the biggest advocate of animal welfare in the city of Santa Fe - or anywhere.
I spied a guy sitting in the baseball dugout - maybe eating his lunch, maybe smoking a doob, maybe contemplating his next winning pitch, maybe all three. He smiled and waved as we passed by. "Beautiful dogs out on a beautiful day!" Needless to say, I was beaming. We continued our grassy jaunt across the baseball field and when I looked up from dodging all the gopher holes, whammo! There stood the biggest advocate of animal welfare in the city of Santa Fe - or anywhere.
St. Francis at Franklin Miles Park.
How cool is that?! You don't have to be Catholic, religious, spiritual or even artsy-fartsy to appreciate not only the grandeur of the sculpture (10 feet high? More?) but also the beauty in its simplicity. Carved from a dead tree - perhaps a Cottonwood - St. Francis looked as if he was about to release the bird in his hands into the clouds. He was just waiting for us to stop by first. Wow...
The point of this rambling post though swards of celadon carpeting is to remind us that not only is it good for the heart and soul of both two- and four-legged's to get out-and-about together, there are simply wonderful spaces and places in the city proper that are welcome to you and your dog that aren't the ubiquitous dog park. While the aforementioned parks are NOT off-leash parks; and please-o-please-o-please clean up after your pooch; enjoy these parks with your pal and revel in the gift of green that the blessed rains have given to us so late in the season.
The point of this rambling post though swards of celadon carpeting is to remind us that not only is it good for the heart and soul of both two- and four-legged's to get out-and-about together, there are simply wonderful spaces and places in the city proper that are welcome to you and your dog that aren't the ubiquitous dog park. While the aforementioned parks are NOT off-leash parks; and please-o-please-o-please clean up after your pooch; enjoy these parks with your pal and revel in the gift of green that the blessed rains have given to us so late in the season.
What the heck is all this green stuff?!
RSS Feed
