Image Courtesy of Greg Lewandowski
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The Abiquiu News is brought to you by Carol and Brian Bondy
Image Courtesy of Greg Lewandowski
See more of Greg's work online
Image Courtesy of Greg Lewandowski
See more of Greg's work online
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February 21, 2025
We thanks Joy Nagle of Soufire Yoga for renewing her sponsorship
“Soulfire was created as a sacred space to receive—offering rest, renewal, well-being, or simply a moment to reconnect with yourself. It is a place to explore movement, energy, and the deeper aspects of self while being supported with care, presence, and acceptance. It is our birthright to be whole, to live vibrantly and authentically. My guiding intention is to support that journey, honoring each individual and nurturing the light they carry. See the light, be the light, shine the light—each of us is called to this in our own unique way. Over the past year, 64 individuals from our local community and beyond have come to Soulfire, in person and virtually, to explore and grow. I am deeply grateful for the opportunity to do the work I love and for the shared intentions that bring us together. Whether you seek well-being, connection, transformation, or simply a soft space to let go and breathe, you are warmly welcome.” Joy Nagle, Founder Soulfire offers weekly yoga classes, energy medicine sessions, Ayurvedic wellness guidance, and Reiki practitioner training up to the Master level. Virtual options make it easy to connect from anywhere, while personalized retreats at Soul Retreat Casita provide a deeper, immersive experience. Joy has worked with body, mind, energy, and spirit consciousness for over two decades. She is a Certified Yoga Teacher, Ayurvedic Yoga Specialist, and Holy Fire III Karuna World Peace Reiki Master Teacher. Contact: Joy Nagle, Soulfire with Joy 247 NM 554, Abiquiú, NM 802-855-3003 (call/text) Online Thank you Contributors and Paid SubscribersBill B
Stuart F Carol F
News and Features
Oil and gas companies are not required to tell state officials if they are injecting cancer-causing chemicals such as PFAS into the ground as part of the extraction process.
While companies say they are not currently using PFAS in hydraulic fracturing — better known as fracking — some advocates and lawmakers say a full ban on PFAS use is needed. Read More
ISSAQUAH, Wash. — President Donald Trump’s moves to slash the federal workforce have gutted the ranks of wildland firefighters and support personnel, fire professionals warn, leaving communities to face deadly consequences when big blazes arrive this summer.
“There’s going to be firefighters that die because of this, there will be communities that burn,” said Steve Gutierrez, a union official who served 15 years as a firefighter with the U.S. Forest Service. Read More
Santa Fe, NM — The Food Depot joins nonprofits across New Mexico in a call to modernize the state’s anti-donation clause. The outdated constitutional provision prevents efficient, trusted community services from directly accessing awarded state funds. The delays or legal barriers have blocked critical projects for food banks, libraries, community centers, mental health organizations, and other essential services. Read More
Abiquiú is almost synonymous with Georgia O’Keeffe. Because of her, the area has attracted a steady stream of artists over the years. The annual studio tour just celebrated its thirtieth anniversary, with over fifty participating artists. However, there’s a number of residents with other fascinating interests and occupations: for example, I’ve interviewed paraglider Mario Manzo (a photographer also), or model railroad builder Bob Dolci, or geologist Kirt Kempter.
Read More
In my last Abiquiu News article, In Search of a Different Path, I indicated that I’ll be writing a series of pieces about Dar al Islam, the mosque and madressah (retreat and educational facility) in Abiquiu, New Mexico. As we all know, a project of that scope has to begin with an idea and a dream. It also helps when different parts of a puzzle fall into place to create a finished picture of what was meant to be. Read More
On Friday, Feb. 28, at 7 p.m. in the Lower Pavillion at Ghost Ranch, the 9th Annual Rio Chama Congreso will screen Thinking Like Water: Episode 1 “Willing to Try Things” as part of this year’s theme focusing on riparian health and river restoration in the Rio Chama watershed. The premiere along the Abiquiu corridor is free but you must register at www.sanjuanchama.org or email Sage Faulkner at sage@chamapeak.org. Read More
To be clear: I am not one of those people who leave the Christmas tree up until February.
Oh no, I’m far more insufferable. I’m one of those people who leave the solstice tree up until February. Read More
For all the great press native plants have received, they are still hard to find relative to traditional ornamental nursery stock - particularly in terms of species diversity. The muddling of the very definition of a native plant is also problematic. We see more and more native cultivars, or 'nativars', casually represented as native plants. This is tricky because while they may be fundamentally native, they may not function normally as part of an ecosystem. Read More
Late in December I noticed one morning that my suet was covered with tiny little light gray birds that I had never seen before. About thirty clustered together almost like the way bats do. High pitched chirps, peeps, and chattering filled the air. All plumages of these little birds are similar; They have gray caps, blue-gray upper-parts, and white or buff colored under - parts. Read More
Right upfront I will say that I don’t create content, generally. I don’t want to be an influencer, I don’t want to be a content creator, basically, I want to be left alone and go rock collecting and hang out with my shmoofy. Read More
Previous News and Features
Interview with Mariaelena Jaramillo
After talking to quite a number of individuals from Abiquiú and around for the Abiquiú News, one thing stands out for me: the strong sense of community most of these people have. They want to serve and help others, they put time and energy into supporting those around them, more often than not on a purely voluntary basis. Less concerned with their own dreams, they assist those near them to lead fulfilling lives. Read More
Mayordomos and other acequia advocates from across New Mexico gathered at the Roundhouse on Tuesday, carrying shovels and signs calling on lawmakers to expand a recurring stream of funding for the historic waterways. Read More
In a letter sent Tuesday to the acting secretary for the U.S. Department of Agriculture, U.S. Sen. Martin Heinrich (D-N.M.) and colleagues put forth a list of concerns related to wildfires, including a halt of fund disbursement for forest management and restoration projects, and what they characterized as a universal hiring freeze that includes permanent and seasonal firefighters. Read More
Espanola, NM – Prepare for an inspiring night of music and community! Moving Arts, in partnership with the Los Alamos Arts Council, invites you to a magical celebration featuring the breathtaking talent of world-renowned Russian pianist Katya Grineva. Fresh from her 22nd season at Carnegie Hall, Katya’s spellbinding performance will leave you in awe.
Read More
I want to tell you about the first two times I was murdered.
But first, you need to know about Paige Galvin. Ms. Galvin taught me in sophomore year of high school. I have no idea what she taught me, as far as my transcript was concerned—it wasn’t any of the core subjects. It also wasn’t any of the elective subjects. She taught a practical class, though; a practical class on getting away with murder. Read More Read Zach's follow-up "A Learning Moment"
Windows is messy. So was Oscar. Felix was the neat one. That’s a fair analogy to Microsoft and Apple, Oscar and Felix. They each had their endearing qualities.
Microsoft has just released an app for Windows 10 & 11 that cleans itself up. This can potentially speed up your computer and free up some disk space. Read More
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Abiquiu News needs you. If you are interested in providing local news for the Abiquiu News on a regular basis, drop us a line. Let's talk!
If you have a story to tell, send it in. If you want, interview your friend, relative, teacher, co-worker. If you think it would be interesting, I bet other people would too. Give it a try and send something in to us. Carol Bondy Scene Around Town
Image courtesy of Jo Gordon
Ted Harsha, Greg Lewandowski, Matt Schulze
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Art, Music, Film and Books
https://abiquiuartistsmarket.com/home/
The Locals’ Picks Book List
Zach Hively Casa Urraca Press has created a place for locals in our area to recommend books to each other, and a place to find book suggestions with a personal touch.
Have a book to recommend? Send it to Zach at casaurracaltd@gmail.com – title, author, and the reason you suggest it.
The full Locals’ Picks list is available to view here on Bookshop. A purchase from Casa Urraca's link helps support independent bookstores. Abiquiu’s Casa Urraca Press earns a commission from every shopping trip that starts with the above Bookshop link—you can shop the entire Bookshop site in addition to the locals' picks. Plus, a percentage of every book (at least 10%) goes straight to independent bookstores. This is an opportunity to support small businesses with the same convenience as large online retailers. Abiquiu Book Club
The group has compiled the list of books they plan to read for 2025. Check this out and mark your calendar if you wish to join in the discussions.
March - Violeta by Isabel Allende (6) April - Goodnight Irene by Luis Urrea (6) May - Whiskey Tender: A Memoir by Deborah Jackson Taffa, (5) June - The Women, by Kristen Hannah (5) July - Theo of Golden by Allen Levi (5) August - The Music of Bees by Eileen Garvin (5) September - Cher Ami and Major Whittlesey by Kathleen Rooney (4) October - James: by Percival Everett (4) November - All Fours by Miranda July (4) December - Anthropology of Turquoise by Ellen Meloy (4) January '26 - Eventide by Kent Haruf The group meets the last Tuesday of each month. Books are recommended by the members. All are welcome to join. Please call Analinda 505 927-6220 if you have questions 
EventsPlease remember, events will go in for a maximum of three Fridays before the event. Send text, word or publisher file and a separate image, please keep images below 1 mb and send to info@abiquiunews.com. Vertical PDFs or JPGs will be edited for space. Send by Wednesday Noon for inclusion in that Friday's News.
8th Annual Rio Chama Congreso - Water after Wildfire
9th Annual Rio Chama Congreso
following 2-3-2 Events at Ghost Ranch Event Center February 27, 28, March 1, 2025 Save the dates! You won't want to miss this joint meeting of the Rio Chama Congreso and 2-3-2 Partnership. Join us for three days of learning and connecting about the state of the Rio Chama watershed. On Thursday 2/27, the 2-3-2 will host a meet and greet in the evening, before the Full Partnership Meeting on Friday 2/28, followed by joint field trips looking at projects in the Rio Chama watershed and an evening premier of the first episode of "Thinking Like Water" and discussion, and the 9th annual Rio Chama Congreso on March 1. Congreso participants will have a full water and riparian health agenda, including a keynote presentation from Mike Hamman (former NM State Water Engineer), water and fire outlooks for the year, legislative water update, and panels featuring irrigators impacted by the flooding in 2024 on the Rio Chama, discussions on restoration projects in the watershed, and lots of opportunities to network across the watershed. We welcome everyone to join us as we explore the 2025 Congreso theme of "The River and Watershed, Top to Bottom." And, of course, we will provide food! Share the invite and RSVP today! Email sage@chamapeak.org with any questions. 
Announcements and Classes
All three weeks in July of Fire It Up! Art Welding at Ghost Ranch with Connie B. Burkhart & David Kadlec are now open for registration! The ranch’s online booking system is down, please call 505.685.4881 or 505.685.1019 to register.
PROGRAM DESCRIPTION: Join our “welding-in-the-round” community and experience the thrill of metal art welding surrounded by the incredible beauty of Ghost Ranch. Learn the basics of oxygen acetylene welding and brazing, MIG & stick welding, plasma cutting and other metal cutting and forming techniques to make functional pieces and metal sculpture. Create your pieces using scrap metal from ferrous (iron) and non-ferrous materials that are in our ‘treasure’ pile. All materials are provided, but you will want to bring your own snug fitting leather gloves for comfort and dexterity. Please read the welcome letter for more class details and daily studio schedule info. The Ghost Ranch legacy of ‘Wretched Welders’ is honored to be offered for over 45 years, come be a part of the family! Open to all levels of experience age 15 plus. DATES: July 6th-12th, 13th-19th, 20th-26th Hoy Recovery Seeking New Board MembersHoy Recovery Program, a non-profit substance abuse treatment program located in Velarde, NM is seeking new Board members. If interested please send email to Eugene Gutierrez, HR Mgr.
E.gutierrez@hoyrecovery.org www.hoyrecovery.org
Movement to Strengthen and Invigorate
Winter invites us inward for reflection but also calls for balancing warmth and energy. This class offers a fun mix of yoga postures and inspired movement focused on physical strengthening, conditioning, balance and ending with a feel good stretch and relaxation. All levels are welcome. Thursdays at Soulfire Studio or Virtually 9–10 AM ($10 per class) ✨✨✨✨✨✨✨✨✨✨ Soul Deep 1:1 Immersion This is your time to receive, restore, and go Soul Deep. Indulge in a personal mini retreat designed to renew and empower you. This sacred space blends self-care with authentic connection, helping you realign and leave feeling deeply refreshed and inspired. Your Immersion Includes: Sacred Ceremony & Intention Setting: Begin with clarity and purpose to guide your experience. Personalized Yoga Practice: Tailored movement to meet your unique physical, emotional, and spiritual needs. Guided Yoga Nidra: Deep, conscious rest to plant intentions and cultivate manifestation. Reiki Energy Session: Energy healing to balance, bring integration and empowerment across all levels. 3 Hours | $225 (In person or virtually) ✨✨✨✨✨✨✨✨✨✨ Contact Joy for details or to reserve your spot at 802-855-3003 or joyousOM@gmail.com Soulfire Studio is located at 247 NM 554 in Abiquiu |
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FiaThis blonde bombshell was just described by one of our volunteer dog handlers as "The world's most perfect dog." Come to the shelter to meet 8-month-old Fia and see why we can’t stop singing her praises! Fia loves treats and pets, sniffy walks, exploring new places, and this gentle yellow Lab mix loves people as much as she loves other dogs! She has some training under her belt and she was a star student of the world at her first ever adoption event. We are open to walk-in adopters Monday-Saturday 11am-4:30pm!
www.espanolahumane.org 505-753-8662 
CometComet is a 5-year-old supernova with a personality as cosmic as his name! His adventure began when a kindhearted Good Samaritan spotted him strutting onto their property, boldly trying claim it as his own galaxy. Though his diplomacy skills were a little questionable (cue the dramatic growls), his heart was clearly in the right place. Thankfully, they scooped him up and brought him to safety, where his true affectionate nature immediately shined. This celestial sweetheart absolutely adores human attention and isn’t the least bit shy about demanding it. He’s a pro at making the softest, dreamiest biscuits with his paws and has mastered the art of the dramatic flop—his signature move to summon unlimited pets and adoration. While he’s still navigating his feelings about other cats, his love for people is infinite. If you’re searching for a cute companion with a heart as big as the universe, Comet just might be your guiding star!
Monday-Saturday 11am-4:30pm! www.espanolahumane.org 505-753-8662 
Wanting to rehome our friendly and well mannered 2-year old female Mastiff/Shar Pei cross. She is a loyal pet who likes people and gets along with other pets but has a tendency to go on walk-abouts looking for adventure. She is a good watch dog and will bark at strangers but is not aggressive. She is paper trained if kept inside but she spends most of her time outside. She knows how to sit, shake paw, down, roll over, and likes her belly rubbed. A forever home with a fenced area is best for this big girl. She is spayed, vaccinated, and chipped. To the right home we will offer her very large Igloo doghouse for a small cost. Located in Abiquiu. Call 505-412-8220 if you want to come meet this sweet pup.
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