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Image courtesy of Matt Schulze
The Abiquiu News is brought to you by Carol and Brian Bondy
Image Courtesy of Matt Schulze
See more of Matt's work here.
Image Courtesy of Matt Schulze
See more of Matt's work here.
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June 27, 2025
In GratitudeIf you are interested in becoming a sponsor either at a basic or platinum level get in touch and find out how we can support your business. Email
Thank you contributors and Paid SubscribersEvanna G
Penny G Submitting to the Abiquiu News. Submit to our primary email info@abiquiunews.com or abiquiunewsimages@gmail.com (
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News and FeaturesRed Flag Warning Extended through Saturday at 9PMDue to Strong Winds, Low Humidity and High Fire Danger
Rio Arriba County Burn Ban Until Further NoticeForecasted wind gusts and extremely dry temperatures are expected across parts of Rio Arriba County, increasing the risk of brush/wildfire ignitions. This burn ban will only be lifted at the discretion of the Rio Arriba County Fire Chief and/or Rio Arriba County Deputy Fire Chief. Please report any outdoor fires to 911.
Rio Arriba County Bans Use of Certain FireworksView PDF of Fireworks Ban here.
The wildfire is in the Jemez Ranger District, near the northwest boundary between the Valles Caldera National Preserve and the Santa Fe National Forest, adjacent to Forest Road 144 and Twin Cabins Canyon.
How many of you, our esteemed readers, remember General Stores? Before supermarkets, shrink-wrapped groceries, packaged goods, self-checkout, credit cards, and so many more new-fangled contraptions? When sugar, flour, beans, etc. were stored in big bins and had to be hand-measured into a paper bag by a clerk who then weighed the item and calculated the cost? In Germany where I grew up, such stores were common at least until the end of the 1960s, even in big cities where one could find several supermarkets as well.
Those of us who visit Plaza Blanca, the famed rock formation on the property of Dar al Islam, are used to approaching Abiquiu on paved roads. The next step is to drive up a slightly bumpy dirt road to the Plaza Blanca parking lot, before walking down to the white sandstone cliffs eroded by storms, winds, and water, the same elements that slowly cut gashes through them.
Republican-backed proposals to sell swaths of public lands represent an assault to tribal sovereignty, outdoor recreation, critical wildlife habitat and “our children’s birthrights,” U.S. Sen. Martin Heinrich (D-NM) said Wednesday.
State lawmakers assess health rankings ahead of potential Medicaid cuts. Even though state lawmakers have allocated billions of dollars in the last few years to improve access to health care, New Mexicans’ physical and mental health outcomes have remained the same or worsened, health officials and legislative analysts say.
SANTA FE – The New Mexico Farmers’ Market Nutrition Program returns Tuesday, July 1, providing nutritious, locally-grown foods to income-based eligible seniors, Native American elders and WIC families.
Sometimes, we experience moments of wonder that modern science cannot explain. Yeah, yeah, we now live in an age of magic because modern science has been defunded. But these moments are no less special for not being peer-reviewed. Truly spiritual glimpses beyond the veil of reason have no equal in this life, except maybe ice cream.
The cactus pictured above is Escobaria vivipara, or Spiny Star cactus—a species that grows right here in Abiquiú, NM. According to the Lady Bird Johnson Wildflower Center, it's actually the most widespread cactus in North America, and yet I had never seen it in my life until two weeks ago, when I stumbled upon a field of them in bloom.
Found in moist meadows, woodlands
Seen blooming in June near FS Rd 137 in Carson NF
If you use Facebook you’re probably aware that both the Facebook website and the mobile app collect all manner of data about you and then use that info for marketing and other purposes. But did you know that other companies share the info they collect about you with Facebook as well?
Previous News and Features
Rio Arriba County Groundwater Study
Looking to sample deeper wells in the Abiquiu and Mendanales area! As part of the groundwater study for Rio Arriba County we have been sampling wells in the Abiquiu and Mendanales area. We would like to further characterize the deeper aquifer in these locations. We are looking for volunteers that have wells in non-irrigated lands including the areas off Hwy 554, the mesa above Mendanales and the Plaza Blanca area above County Road 155. If you have a well in these areas and would like to volunteer, please contact Jessica Johnston at 575-770-8585 or email aguasnortenas@gmail.com. The sampling will include measuring the water depth in your well and a water quality test. You will be provided with a copy of the results. Please reach out if you have any questions. Community Café
The Community Café is open to the Abiquiu community. Come meet your neighbors. Come to discuss local issues and creative programming. Be a part of the solution. We are here to support and collaborate with local organizations.
At present, we are working with our County Commissioner and the DOT to lower the speed limit to 45 mph from the Dollar Store to Bodes - 2.4 miles. Call to action: Please contact the following people if the speed limit is a concern for you. Jeremy G. Maestas – County Commissioner. Please encourage him to request a FREE AUDIT from the Highway Safety Improvement Program. Email: JGMaestas@rio-arriba.org Phone: (505) 753-2992 District 5 Reps; Please request their support to follow up on the speed limits in the 2.4-mile area. Rhonda.Lopez@dot.nm.gov James.Murray@dot.nm.gov Javier.Martinez@dot.nm.gov NEXT MEETING – not until August – time change too! DATE: Thursday, August 14 TIME: 6:00 pm LOCATION: Rural Events Center We Get Letters
Do you have a story to tell, a history to share?Whether you have been here ten years or your family hundreds of years, you have a story to tell about your connection to Abiquiu. Email us
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 New Goat Milk Co-op
We're starting up a goat milk co-op. We need members to sign up for a shift.
Small membership fee lets you take home the milk from each shift (approximately 2.5 quarts). Pleasant environment to milk in. Never milked before? Training available! Call for more info: 505-920-0567 Scene Around Abiquiú
Courtesy of Ted Harsha
Courtesy of Greg Lewandowski
Send us your local images! Send to AbiquiuNewsImages@gmail.com. Please send images under 1mb. My inbox will thank you. ~Carol
Art, Music, Film, and BooksVisit our Arts sponsor page
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. Local Library NewsPueblo de Abiquiú Library & Cultural Center
LAST CHANCE - TICKETS FOR RIGOLETTO JULY 8TH
Deadline: Wednesday, July 2 by 5pm https://www.abiquiulibrary.com/ 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.
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 at the Abiquiu Library. Books are recommended by the members. All are welcome to join. Please call Analinda 927-6220 if you have questions El Rito Library
For the Birds
Image Courtesy of Paul Roberts
Courtesy of the NM Wildlife Center
Earlier this month, a tree containing six Northern Flicker nestlings was cut down in Taos. After the tree trunk was in pieces on the ground, the homeowners heard noise coming from a hole in one section and realized that there were baby birds inside. They called us and brought the tree section to our hospital. Since the tree was now gone, there was nowhere for the nestlings to be safely reunited with their parents, so they were now effectively orphans. The hole, a perfectly Northern Flicker-sized doorway, was not big enough to allow us to reach in far enough to access the nestlings, so we had to carefully saw away small pieces of wood until Libby, the Wildlife Rehabilitator on duty here that evening, was able to pull each chick out one by one. Unfortunately, one chick had not survived the fall, and two others had broken bones. All five survivors were cold, dehydrated, and lethargic, so our first priority was stabilizing them with fluids and a warm incubator. As of now, a week and a half later, all five are growing fast and doing great! The two injured babies are in the process of healing, which happens remarkably fast in young birds. Four days after intake, one chick's fractured femur was already beginning to develop a callus as the bone ends began to fuse back together! Such quick healing means that it's important for us to keep those fractures stabilized, with splints and wraps in this case, so the bones stay in the right positions as they re-form. This story is a great reminder that summer is not a good time to trim trees, if it can be avoided! A lot of animals nest inside tree trunks, so if you cut down a tree in the spring or summer, you might not know that you've destroyed a nest until it's too late. As long as it's safe to leave the tree standing, wait to cut it until the fall, when most nests should be empty. You might even choose not to cut it down at all, since even dead trees can provide valuable habitat for wildlife Looking for lodging near Abiquiú?
Northern Youth Project Update
Please support our NYP’s staff member Veronica’s son! Greyson has an upcoming surgery, and his family has launched a GoFundMe to help cover expenses https://gofund.me/93649242
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.
Announcements and ClassesVisit our Classes & Activities sponsor page
To make an appointment for an Akashic Record reading at Nest: magoon007@gmail.com
To register for a Reiki session at Ghost Ranch, click here, and scroll to bottom of page. 
Join us for immersive workshops at Ghost Ranch:
June Family Week | June 29 - July 4 Exploring C.S. Lewis “Mere Christianity” with J.D. Miller | June 29 - July 4 July Centering: On and Off the Pottery Wheel with Barbara Campbell | July 4-12 Introduction to Southwest Silversmithing with Jamie Halpern and Susie Sawin | July 6-12 Teen Venture: Arts and Adventure! with Chauncey Foster | July 6-12 Painting: Still Life and Landscape with KB Jones | July 6-12 Ghost Ranch Tin Types: Wet Plate in the West with Will Wilson | July 6-12 Journaling through Watercolor with Antonio Darden | July 6-12 Fire It Up! Art Welding with Connie B. Burkhart and David Kadlec | July 6-12 Ghost Ranch Chorale with Adam Waite, Leena Waite and Barbara Hulac | July 6-12 Plain Weave in Multiples with Sarah Noggle | July 6-12 Adult Service Corps with Martha Murchison and Art Myers | July 6-12 Intro to Stained Glass with Michelle Levy | July 6-12 Summer Venture | July 6-12 Tuning to the Desert with Brandon Wert and Cameron Newell | July 6-12 Stone, Shell, and Silver: Lapidary Jewelry with Jamie Halpern and Susie Sawin | July 13-19 Quilting Under the Cottonwoods with Rogene Ashford | July 13-19 Painting: Still Life and Landscapes with KB Jones | July 13-19 Coiling: Ancient Basketry Technique with Robin Przybysz | July 13-19 Fire It Up! Art Welding with Connie B. Burkhart and David Kadlec | July 13-19 The Art of Making Children’s Books with Colter Jackson | July 13-19 Figure Drawing and Portraiture with Helen Byers | July 13-19 Two Shuttle Shuffle with Sarah Noggle | July 13-19 Printed, Stitched and Bound with Alanna Austin | July 13-19 Adult Service Corps with Martha Murchison and Art Myers | July 13-19 TruGreen Pottery with Barbara Campbell | July 13-19 What’s Your Trail Name? with Brandon Wert | July 13-19 Summer Venture | July 13-19 Teen Venture: Nature, Adventure, and the Arts with Laurie Magoon | July 13-19 A Comprehensive Approach to Landscape in Watercolor with Sean Hudson | July 13-19 Beginning Silversmithing/Open Studio with Jamie Halpern and Susie Sawin | July 20-26 Welcome Quilts for Asylum Seekers with Rogene Ashford | July 20-26 Introduction to Watercolor with Patsy Welch | July 20-26 Pastels in the Painted Desert with Juliana Crownover | July 20-26 Fire It Up! Art Welding with Connie B. Burkhart and David Kadlec | July 20-26 Ghost Ranch Gospel Music - Heart and Soul with Todd O’Neal and Nathaniel Best | July 20-26 Summer Venture | July 20-26 Creating Beauty in Kilns with Fused Glass with Katrina Jameson | July 20-26 From Prompt to Poetry: Write! with Anita Skeen | July 20-26 Teen Venture: Birds and Beyond with Holly Thomas and Holly Merker | July 20-26 Dare to Lead: Values and Courage with Tasnim “Taz” McCormick Benhalim | July 20-26 Citizen Paleontology with Randy Irmis and Nathan Smith | July 20-26 Dust on the Page: Narratives of the Southwest with Irina Ruvinsky | July 20-26 Land is Body: Held in Gravity with Brad Stoller | July 20-26 Drawn to Clay: Exploring the Threw and Through with Misty Mawn | July 20-26 Community Camp 2 | July 28-31 August Color and Composition with Sean Hudson | August 8-10 On the Path Home with Dr. Richard Diamond | August 8-10 Five Stories to Rewrite Together with Ellen Petry Leanse | August 8-10 A Preacher’s Retreat with Working Preachers with Matthew Skinner, Karoline Lewis and Joy J. Moore | August 11-15 Living the Lord’s Prayer: God’s Revolution on Earth with San Williams | August 15-17 Ghost Ranch Community ASL Weekend with Joi Holsapple | August 15-17 Meditation in Motion: Mindful Hiking with Laurie Magoon | August 15-17 Indigenous Poetry featuring An Evening with Joy Harjo and Dg Nanouk Okpik | August 17-19 Writers Roundup with Lesley Poling-Kempes and Robin McLean | August 17-23 Painting the Ghost Ranch Landscape in Late Summer with Michelle Chrisman | August 24-30 Living with Hearing Loss with Dean Olson | August 25-29 Mindful Birding with Holly Thomas | August 29-31 Self-Discovery through Memoir with Deborah Taffa | August 29-31 Become a Great Storyteller with Judith Fein and Paul Ross | August 29 - September 1 |
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BootsBoots — lovingly nicknamed “Squeaky” for his tiny, squeaky meows — holds a very special place in our hearts. This 5yo tuxedo’d gentleman came to us shy and uncertain, his world turned upside down. But our cat team has poured their hearts into helping him feel safe again, patiently earning each blink, each soft purr, each lean into affection. He’s come so far — and every step has made him more beloved by our staff.
Squeaky isn’t a cat who shouts for attention; he whispers (and squeaks). And when he trusts you, he gives his love in the quietest, most tender ways. He’s looking for a calm, understanding home where he can keep all four paws on the ground and be loved just as he is. For the right person, this quiet little cat will be everything. Squeaky Boots goes home neutered, vaccinated, and microchipped; his adoption fee is waived and we are open to walk-in adopters Monday-Saturday 11am-4:30pm 🐈⬛ 
StellaStella is a star. She’s a tender soul wrapped in a stunning Husky coat who radiates a quiet grace. At five years old, Stella isn’t here for the hustle — she’s here for love. She leans into kindness, melts into gentle hands, and every tail wag feels like a thank you: I’m so glad you’re here. She’s the kind of dog who reminds you to breathe deeper, to sit longer, and to love a little more gently. Stella recently tested heartworm positive — but she found her way to us, where she’s now receiving the care she deserves. Her treatment has already begun, and we’ll continue it at no cost to her adopters. All she needs now is a heart to heal alongside.
She walks beautifully on leash, cherishes a stroll, and is past the whirlwind of puppyhood — yet still full of spark and sweetness. Her adoption fee is waived and she goes home spayed, vaccinated, microchipped - and we are open to walk-in adopters Monday-Saturday 11am-4:30pm.espanolahumane.org 
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