Features

How wonderful that for a change, the nation perhaps even the world, is focused on good news. I wish that every arrival could be heralded with such a warm welcome.
Perhaps this week we could do just that, even if it is over the kitchen table.
Imagine pulling out a photo from the arrival of their birth and reminding your child how proud you were at the time.
Perhaps you think your kids are too old for that, or perhaps they live too far away? I say put pen to paper and share some warm memory of that day long ago.
If you enjoy sharing old stories, drop that card in the mail and let the memory making begin.
If you aren’t that warm and fuzzy person, seal it in an envelope and put it along with some important papers for a grand discovery at a later date.
Maybe you don’t have children of your own. If not, share with someone your pride of that person’s arrival. It might be a niece, a nephew or close family friend. We all have some adult in our lives that isn’t related by blood but has been an important figure. Sometimes those are the best relationships.
Those old stories get lost in the shuffle and every year after, oh, I’ll say , age 30, don’t come as easy from the memory banks, but they’re randomly discovered more like an old paper filing system.

The Española Valley Humane Society is hosting the 6th Annual Santa Fe Kitten Festival July 27-28. It is the largest cat adoption event in New Mexico.

The event will include cats from five other shelters around Northern New Mexico and all around the state, which plan to pull cats and kittens from the euthanasia lists to save more lives than ever this year. The goal is the rescue more than 100 doomed felines.

The festival will be 9 a.m. to 5 p.m., July 27 and 10 a.m. to 4 p.m., July 28 at PetSmart, 3561 Zafarano Drive in Santa Fe.

The Española shelter, though struggling with its own intake numbers, knows that hundreds of cats and kittens are at risk of euthanasia from overcrowding, so staff is making room this week to take in more from Gallup, Carlsbad and Las Cruces.

Española Valley Humane Society started the Santa Fe Kitten Festival six years ago to cope with the overflow of kittens that occurs each year as a result of a long breeding season in the region and an ongoing nationwide struggle with feline overpopulation.

Entries are now being accepted for the Los Alamos County Fair.

For those into robotics here is an opportunity to exhibit a robot, as well as your home preserves, garden produce and quilts. Gardeners, bakers, quilters and artists have until Aug. 2 to register.

The County Fair and Rodeo runs Aug. 8-10. Anyone living or working in Los Alamos County is eligible to enter.
Exhibit categories include: culinary (baked items), preserved foods, hobbies and crafts, fine arts, photography, quilts, clothing, knitting, crochet, needlework, horticulture and 4-H projects. Age categories range from age 5 on up to seniors.

To enter exhibits, the public may also bring items to the Mesa Public Library from 2-6 p.m. on Aug 8.
The more entries there are, the more it contributes to everyone’s enjoyment of the fair. There will be four “Best of The Best” plate winners.

Viewing of all exhibits for handicapped individuals is 2-4 p.m., Aug. 9.

At 5 p.m., viewing for the general public beginning at begins until 8 p.m., upstairs at the Mesa Public Library.

Public viewing continues on Saturday also at the Mesa Public Library. Exhibits are open from 10 a.m. to 3 p.m.

Get a copy of the Exhibit Entry Booklet, which lists the various categories and classes available.

The Los Alamos Kiwanis Club presented Amy Neal with a scholarship. Neal will be attending the University of Tennessee and will study engineering. Pictured from left to right are: Ben Neal, dad; Kiwanis President Don Casperson; Neal and Ruth Ann Neal, mom. Amy was selected because of her vast contribution to the community and youth through Youth United Way, Mexico Mission, and Los Alamos Youth Leadership. Kiwanis meets each Tuesday at noon at Trinity on the Hill Church in Kelly Hall. Kiwanis was founded in 1948 and is the oldest service organization in Los Alamos and focuses on youth projects. For more information on Kiwanis, visit their web site at losalamos.kiwanisone.org. 

Natalie Goldberg and Mirabai Starr are the guest speakers at the last Summer Writers Series session, 7:30 p.m., July 31 at the Harwood Museum in Taos.
Nationally known writer, teacher, artist, and author of 11 books, Natalie Goldberg will read from one of current pieces.
Goldberg’s books include Wild Mind, Old Friend From Far Away and Long Quiet Highway. She teaches nationally and internationally using her skills as an experienced Zen practitioner and her unique writing methods.
Her newest book, The True Secret of Writing: Practicing Sit, Walk, Write was published in March.
Mirabai Starr writes creative non-fiction and contemporary translations of sacred literature.
She is a professor of Philosophy and World Religions at University of New Mexico-Taos and teaches and speaks internationally on contemplative practice and interspiritual dialog.
Mirabai’s newest book, God of Love: A Guide to the Heart of Judaism, Christianity and Islam, was named one of the “Best Spiritual Books of 2012,” and positions her at the vanguard of the emerging Interspiritual Movement.
Tickets are $6 Alliance and SOMOS members, $8 nonmembers.  

Whole Foods Market has selected The Santa Fe Community Farm to be the recipient of its upcoming community support day.
On July 24, five percent of the total day’s sales at the Whole Foods Markets in Santa Fe will be donated to the Santa Fe Community Farm to support the organization’s commitment of growing fresh, fruits and vegetables for those in need throughout Santa Fe County.
Established 60 years ago by Santa Fe native John Stephenson, the 11-acre farm located in Agua Fria remains one of the oldest farms in Santa Fe.
After retirement, John Stephenson who will be turning 99 next month, dedicated the operation of his farm to sustainable agriculture and charitable giving and the farm currently operates as a 501(c)3 nonprofit.
Working in partnership with The Food Depot, the Santa Fe Community Farm regularly makes charitable donations of its fruit and produce to the hungry, the homeless and the disabled across Northern New Mexico. The farm is an open classroom offering volunteer opportunities to people of all ages and abilities.
It serves as an agricultural education center to develop hands on skills in sustainable farming and runs almost entirely with the support of its volunteers.
To learn more about the Farm, visit santafecommunityfarm.org. 

July 22
2-3 p.m.
Lecture by Spanish Colonial Art Historian Felipe R. Mirabel, “Don Bernardo de Miera y Pacheco 1713-1785: The Construction of the Capella Castrense.” Museum of Spanish Colonial Art, 750 Camino Lejo at Museum Hill.
Reservations required call 982-2226. Society Members free. Non-Members $10/person.
July 23
Noon to 2 p.m.
Luncheon with the Artists. Hilton Santa Fe Historic Plaza, 100 Sandoval Street. A unique opportunity to discuss art and to get to know one of the artists personally. Tickets $55/person, or $500 for a table (9 guests and one artist). Reserve your space by calling 982-2226 or by e-mail education@spanishcolonial.org.
July 24
5:30-7:30 p.m.
Artists’ reception by Santa Fe Hispanic Chamber of Commerce: Scottish Rite Cathedral, 463 Paseo de Peralta. For tickets email roybmartinez@gmail.com.
July 25
7-8 p.m.
AnnaMaria Cardinalli in Concert: Loretto Chapel, 207 Old Santa Fe Trail.
AnnaMaria Cardinalli, a classical flamenco guitarist will share her passion for the richness of Latino culture at the Loretto Chapel. Seats $40/person (Very limited seating available). Reserve seating at 982-2226, ext. 111 or by email market@spanishcolonial.org.
July 26
5-7 p.m.

Two years ago, Pajarito Mountain Ski Area was a mess. The flames were out, but smoke was still rising, and the Las Conchas Fire had taken its toll. The steel haul rope and chairs of the Spruce lift, oldest on the mountain, were lying on the grass. They had fallen because the upper terminal had burned. And the Townsite lift, the newest four-seater, was likewise out of commission, its upper terminal also a ruin. General Manager Tom Long was thinking, “How can we ever recover from this?” The challenge was among the biggest in his 45 years in the ski industry.
But that was then, and this is now. Pajarito is back; and Long credits his crew for “an extraordinary job with minimal staff to resurrect Pajarito from the ashes.” Both lifts are better than ever. Pajarito indeed opened — and had some days with great snow — in the two intervening seasons, but without the two eastern lifts, much of the mountain could be reached only by traversing from the undamaged Aspen lift, and skating back above the lodge. Next year will be different. Both the Spruce and Townsight lifts are ready to roll, only waiting for enough snow to kick off the 2013-2014 season.

Here are the winners of the live flower show contest at Fuller Lodge Art Center on June 28. There is still time to see the Wallflowers exhibit until July 27.