A LONG, SAD GOODBYE TO MAY 2012.....

Click on image to enlarge calendar photo for May 2012..........

 Click on image to enlarge calendar dates for May 2012........

Happy Birthday on May 29th to our little "Star", Miss Chiara --#30!

BIENVENIDOS BOOTH OPENING

 On a sunny morning in early May 2012, I am quite happy to be attending the annual festivities for the season opening of our Bienvenidos' Information Booth on the Plaza........

 A crowd is already gathering....

 And the First National Bank has provided a spread of good eats for the participants.....

 The Faithful are gathering--like Blanche from our club, and Cynthia from the City of Santa Fe Tourism Office.....

Carmella, our club secretary is on hand.....

 And so is Alice!  As is her custom, she always signs up to work opening day--this year with Booth Chairman, Dene.......

 Old friends share a little conversation......

 And a trio of club members pose under our newly designed Bienvenidos logo.......

 Judy's smile is as bright as the sunny morning.....

 Cynthia playing tourist with her Great Auntie......She has that "What Me Worry" expression that many folks get after being given the "Alicia Treatment"......

 Jerry is also a club officer.......

 The Mayor arrives to help us celebrate.....

 Someone is in the booth with the ladies...........turns out he is a photographer from THE NEW MEXICAN.

And the next day, this photo appeared in the paper to illustrate the article on the opening.  Mother also came out on the front page of THE JOURNAL NORTH from the other direction........

 High school classmate, Kathy, who is a VP with the bank stops by to cheer us on....

 Cynthia and Meriom take a moment to discuss the Tourist situation in Santa Fe......

 And Blanche poses with her hubby Scott--our Booth Stalker--errr, I mean our Booth Stocker......

 The natives are getting restless.....

 And Bank Officials are anxious to begin......

 They are even armed with the ceremonial HUGE SCISSORS........

 So after a few words from our very popular Mayor.......

 We're ready to roll....But wait!  At this point, club members were asked to join in for what I thought was going to be a group photo op, and so I joined in, and before I knew it.....SNIP! and I didn't get the actual ribbon cutting.  (That photo taken by a member of the Chamber of Commerce staff, will be in the monthly Chamber section of THE NEW MEXICAN this coming Tuesday)  Ooops.......

 But now, the calling of the membership to community service as official greeters can commence....

And my darling cousin can return to the myriad of other official duties she performs in the course of her professional life......

 And so the celebrating begins.......

 And the civic duty of our organization is under way.....

 A few days later, it's another team's turn to man the booth....

 And my first "tour of duty" in the booth for Summer 2012.

 Along with my good friend, Marsha......With the combination of her knowledge of several languages and familiarity with Santa Fe, she is a very, very helpful tourism guide and a lot of fun to work with........

And again, since this is a new squaw dress since the CAPSHAW INVENTORY, here is the description:  This is a navy blue and chartruse raincloth one-piece bi-tone dress with a full circle pleated skirt and beautiful green, blue and gold ric-rac and gold braiding.  Despite the lovely embellishments, due to the problems with fit associated with one-piece dresses, it earns a rating of:  ***
AND A GOOD TIME WAS HAD BY ALL!

VOCES DE SANTA FE

 Today I am going to be attending a get-together of the Voces de Santa Fe group.....

 We all have met on Facebook on the "YOU KNOW YOU'RE OLD SCHOOL SANTA FE WHEN...... site and eventually we evolved into our own site and group because we are all have a true love for....

 Our hometown of Santa Fe!  So, before I get into the get-together, here are some photos of our hometown on a beautiful sunny morning in late spring.  First off--the Plaza!.....

 The Federal Courthouse in the sunshine.....

 Bird's eye view from atop Fort Marcy Hill........

Cathedral Park................

 Wildflowers bursting into bloom along the hillside after our recent rains.....

 Temporarily, the river has water in it..........

 The Masonic Temple from the hill--looking very like the Alhambra on which it was patterned.......

 Yes, these are the hills of home...........

 At the meeting, Connie, one of Santa Fe's "Living Treasurers", is a welcomed guest......

Kathy came down from Colorado just for the luncheon and meeting...........

 Femme Pensive--Miss Edie.........

 Mike, a former State Historian and author of books about New Mexico explains to members how to access lots of NM historical sites--especially those on genealogy..........

 "Yikes!  Don't tell me that!"............

 Waiting for "the surprise".......

The surprise!! Mike as the driving force behind the new website and the member with the most hours of time devoted to both Voces and the new site, is given the honors of opening our gift.--T-SHIRTS FOR EVERYBODY! Stephen has very graciously printed T-shirts for the group featuring a lovely photo of a New Mexico moon. For a video of the surprise, check out the timeline on my Facebook page--I don't know how to get it on my blog......

 My T-Shirt--I guess we're officially a GANG now..............Actually, I am going to "Kikify" it with pinking shears to modify the collar and sleeves.........

 Our benefactor--the always generous Mr. Stephen--all the way from Oklahoma..........

 So thank you, Maria for offering us your lovely home and all your efforts to create this very original association of new "cyber" friends from a scattered group of dyed in the wool Santa Fesanos...........

And for teaching this old blogger that it is never too late to make NEW friends!  AND A GOOD TIME WAS HAD BY ALL!