Let’s start with my grandkids acting out the meaning of our state flag with “Zia Rays.” Click here. But be it known that the Zia Pueblo has a much deeper meaning of this sacred symbol, and my interpretation is only from latest NM Blue Book from the NM Secretary of State, which lists the state’s symbols.
- We have a State Cookie! – the Biscochito! Learn all about it from my grandkiddos! Click here!
- https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=3q5EYSwTWro&t=1
This noisy little river goes by several names as it trickles from springs way above Tres Ritos, through Picurus Pueblo, on down through Dixon filling acequias, then spilling into the Rio Grande at Embudo.
*
Click here for “Free Land.” This song is based off the book, “Six Miles to the Windmill.” The story of the the Annie King and John Gordon Greaves family homesteading in eastern New Mexico, covering the time from 1908-1913. Tough times, resilient folks, living in a dug-out, hauling water for 6 miles .
*
Click here for “Big Hole” – about the Blackwater Draw archeological site in eastern New Mexico, where woolly mammoths once roamed some 11,000 years ago. Home of the famous “Clovis Point” spearhead.
*
Click here for “Ogallala” – the lifeblood of eastern New Mexico – water – a precious resource flowing deep, deep underground, over 300 ft deep. This huge water aquifer extends all the way up to South Dakota – but it’s slowing drying up.
*
“Long Walk” is about the tragic tale of the US Cavalry running the Navajos out of their homeland at Canyon de Chelly, AZ in the 1860s and forcing them to walk to Ft Sumner’s Bosque Redondo along the Pecos River. A miserable failure and a waste of so many lives. A sad piece of NM history that should be remembered and never repeated. You can learn more about it by visiting the Fort Sumner/Bosque Redondo Memorial in Ft Sumner NM.
*
If you have ever been fortunate enough to discover Las Vegas NM, surely you’ve stumbled upon Charlie’s. Here is a little commercial I did for them. Panza Llena, Corazon Contento (Full Belly, Contented heart)
*
Valencia Peanuts are big in eastern New Mexico and west Texas. These are not to be confused with the Virgina Peanut! Learn more about through my music!
*
Here is a tribute to New Mexico’s state insect, the Tarantula Hawk Wasp….a wicked wasp and her gruesome fight with a poor tarantula victim. My grands help me act out this one and sing along as well. Click Here for “Pity Pity Pity Poor Tarantula.”
*
Here is the real story of little Smokey, rescued out of the Lincoln National Forest. But there is a prequel to this story. Listen here.
*
Ah, we can’t forget the good ole state tree of New Mexico, the Pinon. But “beware the bark beetle!” And it’s true that several years ago, acres and acres of Pinions across New Mexico were decimated by this beetle. Here are young Jace and Riley whooping it up. Click Here for Green Little Pinon Tree.
*
Beep! Beep! I mainly see these fast little guys in Albuquerque, but I am sure they are all over! Watch out Wile e Coyote!
*
Introducing…..the state fish, the Rio Grande Cutthroat Trout! He’ a tricky one. Use barbless hooks and throw em back please! But check out the red strip under his chin first! Click here
*
Here is a tribute to the state fossil of NM – a little dinosaur named Coelophysis. After you Click here to hear my song, then head to the Museum of Paleontology at Ghost Ranch OR visit Mesalands Community College Dinosaur Museum in Tucumcari NM to see some real fossils of these little guys!
*
The NM Spadefoot Toad is the NM state amphibian – interesting life they lead, asleep in the mud for most of their lives!
*
Click here for “Over the Broad Horizons” about the lesser sandhill crane migration from Canada to southern Texas, via the Bosque Del Apache in New Mexico!
*
Here is another song about sandhill cranes, the ones who migrate through Park Lake at the Muleshoe Wildlife Refuge outside of Muleshoe TX. Ok Ok that’s not New Mexico, but after their sunrise mass ascension, they fly west over to the freshly harvested corn fields of eastern New Mexico before heading back at sundown!
*
We could never forget the infamous state plant, the Yuck! Yuck! Yucca! Eastern New Mexico is nicknamed the “Staked Plains” because the prairies are so flat, treeless, and barren, except for these tall yucca blossoms were like stakes, marking our homesteaded land!
*
One little factoid from the NM State Blue Book of facts is that one of the official slogans of New Mexico is “Everybody is Somebody in New Mexico” so that phrase of course lends itself to a little song! And why not include all 33 counties in the lyrics of the song!
*
I am a native of P-P-P-O-R, T-T-T-A-L, P-O-R-T-A-L-E-S! Well, listen to the song and you’ll get it! Click here!
*
Back in the early 70’s, on my way back home to Portales from Albuquerque, I started counting telephone poles out of boredom, and I discovered this hard-to-prove mathematical factoid. 12 poles = 1 mile (ish)! BTW, it only applies to that stretch of road on NM 267 between Melrose and Floyd. Click here. to hear my song. Some of those old poles have been replaced with those new fancy schmancy ones tho. My son Ryan is a high voltage electrician in Kona and he has done his best to teach how old dad the difference between transmission poles and distribution poles – and to tell remind me that my “12 poles=1 mile theory” is a myth! Good for a song tho.
*
Near Portales is the ranching community of Dora…don’t blink your eyes or you’ll miss it. Some fine folk come out of there though. Again, out of boredom one day a long time back, I counted all the entries in the Roosevelt County telephone book that said “Dora” as the town and I got 167…I am not really all that bored, just curious I guess!
*
My hometown of Portales NM is “90 Miles Away” from anything it seems! Click here to understand what I mean!
*
Click Here for a train song, all about the 1899 Pecos Valley and Northeastern Railroad, better know as the “Pea Vine” – crossing from Pecos, Texas then up along eastern New Mexico then over to Amarillo. The Pea Vine basically established my hometown of Portales.
*