Ghost Ranch – Tell Me Your Story

My Year Of Creativity (October 2025)

Unedited

Authors note: This story begins with a continuation from my September story, if it is not read, you may feel a little lost, here is the link to that story: https://tell-me-your-story.org/2025/10/21/my-year-of-creativity-september-2025/

On October 1, 2025, I awoke at Ghost Ranch to two pieces of news: the first bit of information was not surprising: the U.S. government had shut down in the wee hours of the morning. The second fact was a text, from Kay, saying: “Sadly I have to go home. That’s the only remedy. I’m already in Albuquerque at the airport…”. The altitude was too high for my friend.

I was angry with myself for not staying at the hospital and taking Kay to the airport. Although grateful for the time we spent together, my heart broke for her. She had planned this getaway as a celebration for a momentous occasion in her life. However, my friend had given me a gift: being invited to travel with her, to this magical place, is an experience I will always treasure.

For me, the first day of October began well before the sun rose. Eventually people in the lodging around me began to awaken. The first person to greet me was one of the women from my class that had become a friend in the few days since we had met. She had traveled from Albuquerque to attend the silversmithing workshop. As I relayed that my roommate had left the ranch, my confusion over the high security in the Española hospital was also expressed. She was sorry Kay had departed. My classmate then confirmed that the bewilderment and somewhat of an uneasy feeling, from the night before at the hospital, was warranted: the unassuming town is considered to be the drug capital of the New Mexico.

Although Kay had left, I wasn’t alone. People at the ranch were welcoming and most meals were eaten with my two friend from class, one woman from Kay’s workshop, as well as various others that were met during our stay. The last three days at Ghost Ranch were busier than the first two; evening hours were spent the at the art studio.

Thursday night I finished my second piece of jewelry: a bracelet with a beveled stone:

Although, still quite a challenge, the process of setting a stone is becoming a little easier. Every time I take a class, in a new location, there are different techniques used; this time I learned to use sawdust underneath the stone to help make it sit properly.

Friday, October 3 was my last full day at the ranch. We had three hours of class that day. Knowing there was not enough time to make something big, I spent my time playing with wire. A ring was made:

This is a different type of ring for me. I am still trying to decide if I like it.

When classwork was finished, we broke for lunch then returned to clean the studio. That evening there was an art show displaying pieces form the various workshops which included: Introduction to Southwest Silversmithing, Visual Journaling, Batik, and Painting (in the style of Georgia O’Keefe?).

Pictures from the Intro to Silversmithing Class portion of the art show. My work is in the middle and those of my two friends are on either side.

Our time was almost over. I have traveled many places, in this country and abroad. The canyon, where Ghost Ranch resides, might be at the top of the list for the most beautiful spot!

Saying goodbye to my Texan friend on Friday night, I wished her well and gave her a hug. Very early Saturday morning, I bid adieu to my friend who lives in Albuquerque, also with an embrace and then was off to the airport.

The trip home was uneventful; there were no flight delays this early in the government shut down. I had time to watch two movies. One film, downloaded before leaving for New Mexico, was The Trial of the Chicago 7; it looked like a suspenseful drama. Shortly after the video started to play, I recognized the name Abbie Hoffman and realized this was based on an event that occurred shortly after my birth.

There were times while watching this historical American legal drama, that I could barely breathe. The protests that led to these men being charged were shown as peaceful. However, the people at the rally were met with extreme police brutality that created a riot. Everything about the trial was taxing and I wondered if Hollywood had sensationalized it. Apparently it was worse in real life. According to time.com,”The Trial of the Chicago 7 Is a Riveting Movie. But the True Story Is Even More Dramatic”(https://time.com/5900527/trial-of-the-chicago-7-true-story/). Bobby Seale was treated so savagely that I felt sick. You might wonder “why didn’t you stop watching the movie?”. The answer is simple: it showed a part of history. Our past should never be ignored for it is the only way to learn from humanity’s mistakes.

The next movie was a light hearted comedy. By the time my plane landed, my nerves were less strained. My husband picked me up at the airport and we talked about our lives since we had last been together. As I got ready for bed, still thinking about the movie from earlier in the day, I felt relieved that we would be in Canada for the next “No Kings ” protest. We were headed to Lake George, New York to spend time with our daughters and then on to our cottage in Muskoka for a week…

Plans sometimes need to be revised, as was evident the next day when my husband tested positive for COVID. We decided that I would head to New York on my own. Our trip to Ontario was canceled. Five days later I was on my way to Lake George. A relaxing long weekend was spent with my two daughters, the boyfriend of my eldest, and their dog.

Although disappointed that my husband and I wouldn’t be heading north of the border, the knowledge that my spaces in our home were a mess did not escape me. Between unpacking and repacking from my summer away, a trip three weeks after I returned home and then this trip, there was some organizing to do.

Traveling home on October 15th, from New York, there was also a decision to be made: would I join the next “No Kings” protests? Both the “Hands Off ” movement in April and the first “No Kings” rally in June had been attended. But this one seemed bigger and more dangerous.

The news was reporting of tear gas being deployed into Chicago’s peaceful protests. Reports of pepper spray being used on nonviolent opposition were also circulating. Knowing that in my county, both the sheriff and county councilman were clearly in line with agenda of the current administration (due to videos they had posted) didn’t make me feel safe. However, having listened to Heather Cox Richardson’s political chat the night before, her words ran through my head: “if you are worried about exercising your free speech and not using it, then you have already lost it”… A resolution was made that if a friend was going, I would go too.

Thursday, while unpacking, I got in touch with friends to see if they would be around for the protest Saturday. Everyone was busy. The thought of going to the protest alone scared me. Technically, a decision had been made because there was no one to go with. Maybe I gave up to soon?

Friday morning, the words from HCR were still in my head. Really, a familiar face was what was needed, someone known that would stand in solidarity with me. There were some like minded women that I knew, but was not close to. I reached out anyway.

In the end, I showed up to the “No Kings” protest. The smiling face of my first husband’s newest ex-wife was there to greet me. The two of us stood in solidarity with about 3000 other people, which had most likely doubled from the amount from June. We were there for America, to show up for our neighbors and to speak out against an administration that is trying to destroy democracy. I waved my American flag. There was joy and unity; chanting and singing; costumes and signs.

Signs and Costumes

“Offred’s” sign reads:

Now I’m awake to the world. I was asleep before. That’s how we let it happen. When they slaughtered Congress, we didn’t wake up. When they blamed terrorists and suspended the Constitution, we didn’t wake up then either. They said it would be temporary. Nothing changes instantaneously. In a gradually heating bathtub, you’d be boiled to death before you knew it.

-Margaret Atwood

…then the dinosaurs danced.

I was happy to be part of the “No Kings” rally, and thankful to stand with someone known to me. This time there was no reason to be scared, but what about the next time? Currently, in this country, we still have the right to speak our grievances but that could change. There is more to be done. In my own quiet way I am trying to push back.

For me, the final 13 days of October were uneventful. The news continued to report terrible things: the AI-generated bombing of excrement on protestors; a temper tantrum exhibited by tearing down of the East Wing of the White House; some of the administration moving to military bases; Snap benefits running out for millions of Americans….

My spaces at home were organized. A boring necklace was made as my creative project of the month. Now that I feel more settled, November will offer more creative time.

10th Month Complete

The necklace is somewhat of a choker style, perhaps a little small. The intent was to pick up the colors of the stone from the necklace I made in New Mexico.

My Year Of Creativity

January https://tell-me-your-story.org/2025/02/01/my-year-of-creativity/

February https://tell-me-your-story.org/2025/03/07/my-year-of-creativity-2/

March https://tell-me-your-story.org/2025/03/30/my-year-of-creativity-march-2025/

April https://tell-me-your-story.org/2025/05/18/my-year-of-creativity-april-2025/

May https://tell-me-your-story.org/2025/06/06/my-year-of-creativity-may-2025/

June https://tell-me-your-story.org/2025/07/11/my-year-of-creativity-june-2025/

July https://tell-me-your-story.org/2025/08/08/my-year-of-creativity-july-2025/

August: https://tell-me-your-story.org/2025/09/14/my-year-of-creativity-august-2025/

September: https://tell-me-your-story.org/2025/10/21/my-year-of-creativity-september-2025/

My Year Of Creativity (September 2025)

Unedited

The Past

In the spring of 2018, I volunteered for an organization called “Girls On The Run” as a coach. The older group, Heart and Sole, is the one I co-led. The younger group, Girls On the Run, was led by “Kay” who was about six years younger than myself. When we first met, the younger coach and I discovered that not only were we born in the same month, but our birthdays were only one day apart.

The first season Kay and I only spoke about the running program. Spring season ended and we each went our separate ways. By the time the two of us started to coach again in autumn, my world had begun to crumble; I was trying very hard to keep it all together. At some point, early in the fall of 2018, Kay and I ran into each other in the post office. Our conversation turned from a normal, every day discussion to a realization that both of us had heavy things that were weighing us down. We decided to meet someday just to get to know each other better.

Although Kay was a pastor, and I didn’t attend church, it dawned on me that this woman could be a good friend: she was easy to talk to and we had some things in common. Between the fall of 2018 and spring of 2019 Kay and I began to go out for lunch, coffee, or walks together. Somehow, we were able to talk about anything and became fast friends. When we first started to spend time with each other, I paid no attention to the news of the country and the world. My focus was on the crises in my own family rather than current events. Kay wasn’t in the dark when it came to outside happenings and my new companion filled me in.

Our friendship took us on walks during the pandemic and (when the weather was cold outside) strolls in the mall. Sadly, Kay moved away in September of 2022. We kept up our camaraderie through texts, as well as phone calls. I still only paid half attention to the news, even when my life got better. In the summer of 2024, when “Project 2025” was the topic of many conversations, I began to take notice. Along with talking about our lives, I was now able to participate in a dialogue ,with Kay, about things happening in current events.

Present Year

I had been hoping to visit Kay late last spring and then the realization hit that it wasn’t going to work for me. One day, in early June of 2025, I received a voice mail from my friend saying that there was “an idea that she wanted to run by me”. As it turned out, my compadre had been looking at a few retreat centers where she might go, to celebrate her 25th year as a Presbyterian pastor. Among the places she was looking, was somewhere called “Ghost Ranch”, in New Mexico. Kay was inviting me to join her for this monumental celebration! There was a workshop of interest to her and silversmithing program for me. A trip was planned for the end of September. All summer I looked forward to the trip with Kay and traveling to a location that, until June, was unknown to me…

While away during the summer months, I kept apprised of what was happening in my home country. By the beginning of September, the current administration was into its 8th month. Democrats and former President Biden were still being blamed for things that were going sideways over half a year later. The juvenile words from the people in the highest office, speaking on our country’s behalf, were tiring!

For months the “us verses them” in the U.S.political news, had been gnawing at me. The name calling for anyone who doesn’t align with the ideals of the current administration was getting worse. Non-believers were (and still are) considered the “enemy from within”. One of the beautiful things about this country has always been freedom of thought, why else would we hold debates before every election? People are not carbon copies of each other….we should all be allowed to have our own beliefs without be called a “foe”.

Although being revolted with the workings of the current government in the country where I reside, traveling home on Labor Day there was tranquility. After being in Canada for almost 2.5 months, I was feeling, calm cool and collected. On the horizon was the trip planned to New Mexico with Kay. As I drove and tuned into some news, there was very little information about the “Workers over Billionaires” protests that had been arranged. Mostly, I heard about the escalating tensions in Chicago…

Ten days after arriving home, came the incident with Jimmy Kimmel and what appeared to be an attack on our freedom of speech; it wasn’t even the middle of September and I was mentally exhausted by the ever terrible news! The anticipation of the upcoming vacation, with a friend that I hadn’t seen in over three years, kept me somewhat distracted. The planned holiday helped me focus on something happy. My creative project for the month became a gift for the confidant who would be traveling with me soon (scroll to the end to see what I created).

On September 25th, with the Government shutdown looming, my friend and I met in the Hertz rental car at the Albuquerque Airport. We spent one evening and two fun days sightseeing before our arrival at Ghost Ranch.

Sightseeing

First Evening: Old Town Albuquerque

Day 1

Petroglyphs National Monument

Museum of International Folk Art

Day 2

Georgia O’Keefe Museum

Georgia O’Keeffe
Series I White & Blue
Flower Shapes, 1919
Oil on board
Georgia O’Keeffe Museum
Gift of the Georgia O’Keeffe Foundation
O’Keeffe explained that she turned to flowers as subjects and painted them “big” to capture the attention of “busy New Yorkers.” She described her flower paintings as calls to “take time to see.” She also noted that her goal was not to replicate flowers as they appear in nature. O’Keeffe takes a subject historically associated with women and the home and destabilizes the experience of looking at it. Her enlarged flower fragments and folds often leave the viewer without a stable vantage point from which to navigate ambiguity between inner and outer structures. While drawing attention to the reproductive parts of flowering plants, O’Keeffe responded to eroticized readings of these depictions as female reproductive organs by stating:
“When people read erotic symbols into my paintings, they’re really talking about their own affairs.”

*Caption taken directly from the description on the wall, next to the painting in The Georgia O’Keefe Museum*

Museum of Indian Art and Culture

Bandelier National Monument

After visiting Bandelier, we spent the night in a town called White Rock. The elevation of the town is 6,375 feet above sea level. While this is a “moderate altitude” by some definitions, people living in low altitude areas might feel the effects. Having a slight headache before bed, I decided I was dehydrated. Kay felt “off”, maybe she was also in need of some water?

On Sunday, September 28th, my friend and I arrived at Ghost Ranch: the summer home of Georgia O’Keeffe. At the lowest level we were at an altitude of approximately 6500 feet. Up first, was a tour that started at the original entrance to Ghost ranch. We drove (and walked) on the dirt road that ran along the red hills and beautiful surroundings that artist loved to paint.

When our tour was finished, we ate lunch, then heard the storied history of Ghost Ranch. The land, encompassing over 21,000 acres, was once a place where dinosaurs roamed, cattle rustlers lived and famous people visited; this place has a long and rich past. The present holds different stories: people from all over the country (and the world) come to explore the land, the classes or possibly just the stillness of the impressive landscape at what is now an education and retreat center.

By mid afternoon we were ready to settle into our accommodations: a rustic adobe style building on top of a mesa. Soon our neighbors began to arrive. The women, in the rooms on either side our ours, were also taking the same silversmithing class as me. As the afternoon and evening progressed, I felt the excitement of the first days of college in somewhat of a camp like atmosphere. Most of all, the noise from the outside world was trapped outside the canyon…the destruction of our country’s political system seemed to be a world away!

Sunset outside the dining hall, as we wait to meet with the instructors and our classmates, after dinner on the first night.

Sunrise seen from the mesa: my first morning at Ghost Ranch

The next two days were busy: breakfast, lunch and dinner were all held at set times. Kay and I ate most meals together. She still wasn’t feeling quite right. My travel companion started drinking electrolytes on the advice of her classmates. Why didn’t I think to suggest this?

Educational programs were held from 9-12:00, the again from 1:30-3:30 (typically we stayed working in out space until 4). There was an option, for those in the silversmithing workshop, to return at night from 7-8. I did not work in in the studio either of the first two nights. Monday night, Kay and I along with our neighbors (who I became friends with), took the time to marvel as the sun set.

Sunset from the Mesa

*Every time I turned around, I saw beautiful textures and colors in the clouds!*

Unfortunately, by Tuesday morning my friend wasn’t feeling any better. She wanted to see the nurse, but each time she visited the health trailer, the professional wasn’t in…

On September 30, my first piece of jewelry was finished by the end of class.

The pendent on this necklace is an overlay; this is a technique where a design, cut from one metal is soldered on top of another piece of metal, I used silver for both pieces. The back was run through the rolling mill with a pattern, then once cut, soldered and finished, I used patina to make it black.

I decided to go on a hike before dinner, as there was a short, easy hiking trail close to the art center. Kay wasn’t feeling up to it, so I gave her the key to the rental car and we made a plan to meet for dinner. What should have been a three mile hike turned into about half that. Alone I walked in the majestic landscape.

Reaching a creek bed with no definitive trail on the other side, I turned back. Better to not push my luck knowing there were signs of a mountain lion and bears on the property, not to mention rattle snakes and tarantulas!

Turning back was fortunate. When I reached the nurses station, The visiting practitioner was there, I contacted Kay and immediately she went to see the nurse. Sadly, the altitude had really gotten to my friend; it was decided that I would drive her to the emergency room in the nearest town with a hospital: Española. Kay thought that going home might be what the doctor would recommend, so we went back to our room and packed up her belongings. My travel companion said that she wanted me to stay and finish my class.

Not sure I would be able to drive the five hour, round trip, to the Albuquerque airport after being in the emergency room that night, I expressed this to my friend. She said something akin to: “You are not going to stay in the emergency room with me, I know how long these visits take.” She went on to say “If I can return to Ghost Ranch I will get a a hotel room for the night”. Lastly she said “If I need to fly home, I will get a ride to the airport.

We arrived at the unassuming town somewhere around 8, it was after dark. Toting my confidant’s backpack and rolling her suitcase, I followed behind Kay as she walked through the emergency room doors. There were signs on the doors that I see in city hospitals: “No Firearms, No Weapons”. Thinking this was strange for a town in the middle of the mountains, I proceeded to go through a metal detector, setting the alarms off. Nobody stopped me.

My friend was admitted and we said our goodbyes. We both hoped that her health was okay and I would able to pick her up the next day.

Feeling badly for my friend at the hospital, I arrived back at Ghost Ranch shortly after 9 that Tuesday night….

(To be continued)

9th Month Complete