Welcome to
Collectors Corner!
Ed Sandoval Gallery's Newsletter
102-B Paseo Del Pueblo Norte, Taos, NM 87571
edsandovalart@gmail.com
(575) 770-6360
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A Heart-Warming Tale for the Holidays: How My Horse Saved Two Lives
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We ran this story two years ago, but since we have so many new followers/readers, I thought I'd feature it again - a wonderful story of a horse's intuition and love.
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Toronado & Patron Playing in Pasture
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Me & Cinco Hunting near Black Mesa
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Me & Cinco Hunting in the Mountains
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In Taos, if you drive up Quesnel, you will see my Arabian horses grazing in the Couse pasture: Toronado and Patron. Patron was given to me a decade ago by a wonderful friend - country music singer Lynn Anderson. At the time, I was unsure about receiving this incredible horse. I was still heartbroken by the death of Cinco De Mayo, my trusty companion of two decades.
I was in the barn when Cinco was born on May 5 (hence his name), and from the beginning we were best friends. He was so gentle, smart and intuitive, knowing exactly what I wanted him to do. I rode him in the mountains of northern NM, and there were occasions where he protected me from threats…like bears. We were so close and had such a strong man-horse bond.
One day, I became confused because Cinco absolutely refused to go where I wanted him to go. I was living in Truchas, and each Sunday I would saddle Cinco and ride to church. There was a turnoff - to the left was a dusty road down into the village and to the right was a winding road up into the mountains. It had snowed the night before, and I was relaxing and looking at the scenery while letting Cinco walk. He knew where to go – we had gone to church hundreds of times –
but at the turnoff, he turned and went right…up toward the mountains.
“What?” I thought. He had never done that before. I turned him around and got him headed toward the village. Less than a minute later, he turned back around and started up the mountain road. I corrected him, but once again he turned the other way. This happened over and over, and I was getting frustrated and even angry.
A feeling came over me, and I thought, “Okay Cinco. Looks like we’re not going to church today. Take me where you want to go.” Cinco headed up the mountain road, which is remote, narrow and winding. As we went up, we were plodding through more and more snow. Four inches. Six inches. Eight inches. I didn’t know what to think, but I trusted Cinco. He was on a mission - he didn’t waver and kept going up.
Finally, around a bend, I saw a white van that had slid off the road into the ditch. Cinco went up to that van and stopped. I got off the saddle and looked inside. An old woman was slumped over the steering wheel and an elderly man sat limply in the back in a wheelchair. Neither were conscious. I rapped on the glass, and the woman came to and rolled down the window.
They took a wrong turn and were lost. When the van got stuck, they were trapped all night long and used most of their gas to keep the heater running. The man was unresponsive. I checked his pulse, and it was faint. I gathered brush, put it under the tires, climbed in the driver's seat and got the van unstuck. I tied Cinco to the back bumper and started down the mountain slowly.
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Once we got to the village, I called 911, and it took the paramedics an hour to get there. Truchas is a mountain village with no hospital (nearest is in Espanola). The paramedics checked them both and rushed them to the hospital. I am convinced if they had stayed there one more night, they would both be dead. It's hard to describe just how remote that mountain road actually is – NOBODY would have gone up there in the winter. If it weren’t for Cinco and his horse intuition, two people might have lost their lives. The couple called later to thank me, and I thought, “Cinco deserves the thanks. He absolutely insisted that I take that road that morning.” I love Toronado and Patron, but I still love and miss Cinco.
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Online Store: Still Time to Order!
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It accepts Paypal, and we usually get orders out within a day (USPS priority shipping of 1-3 days' delivery time depending on location). So there is still time to get a calendar, coasters, cards, posters, etc.
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Christmas/Holiday Cards: Set of 10 Different Images
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2020 Calendar Signed by Ed
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Road Trip! Thank a Farmer - Revisited
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Last year at about this time, I wrote about three wonderful farmers who are hard at work putting trees in our houses and food on our tables during the holidays: Phil in La Mesa, New Mexico, Walter in Gruver, Texas, and
Garrett in Braman, Oklahoma.
CLICK HERE
to read the stories of these salt-of-the-earth farmers.
Last month, we took a road trip and visited two of the three. Let's check up on them and see how they are doing this year!
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First stop: Kansas!
Our lovely hostess, Janell Vickery Davis, took me to a magical place called Boot Barn! I almost had an anxiety attack trying to pick out one pair of cowboy boots from among the thousands and thousands of pairs. After a couple of days cruising through antique malls and hanging with the family,
we loaded up and headed south to Oklahoma!
Garrett Haskins is still hard at work on the Vickery farm/ranch near Braman, growing wheat and raising Angus cattle. He showed me his massive and truly impressive farm equipment, which is essential for the vast amount of planting and harvesting he does. Looking over the endless fields of winter wheat and watching the glowing sunsets, I kept thinking time was standing still...
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Garrett Showing Me His Combine
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One of Garrett's New Tractors
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Me, Garrett, Janell and Garrett's Painting "The Chile Farmer"
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Garrett has also been decorating the farmhouse with furniture and art that reflects his love of Taos and the Southwest! On his last trip to Taos, he even bought one of my paintings: a farming scene so it fits well in the home. It is so comfy, cozy and relaxing there.
One day, we all jumped in the car and went to Oklahoma City to eat lunch at the Cattleman's Cafe (yummy!) and to tour the
National Cowboy & Western Heritage Museum
(used to be the Cowboy Hall of Fame). The museum had paintings of the old Taos masters (the Taos Society of Artists - Ufer, Couse, Hennings, Blumenschein, etc.). You could walk right up and study the brush strokes. AND, we got in FREE! Something called "Wild Wednesday," so that was pretty awesome too.
After that, it was back to the farm for cocktails and another sunset. I didn't want to leave, but we had another state to visit.
Back in the car we went, heading to Texas!
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Upon arriving, we went straight to the barn and found Walter listening to his favorite tunes (blasting very loudly). Walter just LOVES to unwind after a long day of work by putting in a CD and turning the volume up, Up, UP! The vibrations rock the tequila bottles hanging from the ceiling - they shake and rattle to the beat. Texas tunes! :-)
Talking is somewhat impossible, but eventually Walter will mosey over, turn down the volume and chat for a while. Then another favorite song comes on, and off he goes again to turn it back up. At that point, you sit back, sip your beer, listen and wait. Too fun!
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Walter was getting ready to work cattle again, and Deena was making pumpkin rolls (a ton of pumpkin rolls) for Thanksgiving. We went to visit grandkids and ventured BACK into Oklahoma (Guymon) to eat steaks at a wonderful restaurant. I've never had a blooming onion before and now I'm obsessed with them! I hope Santa brings me a blossom maker...
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Me and Walter Rounding Up Cattle on a Previous Trip to Gruver (I'm at the Back of the Herd)
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I didn't get a chance to visit Phil in La Mesa on this trip but hope to get down south soon. Phil's mainly a tree farmer, so I know he's crazy busy filling orders for trees all over the U.S. right now. Phil, if you're reading this, Happy Holidays and see you soon!
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Featured Paintings
To inquire or request a high-resolution photo, please contact
575-770-6360 or
edsandovalart@gmail.com. For all available paintings, click
HERE .
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"Acequia Madre II" (48" x 72")
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"Changing of the Seasons" (48" x 72")
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NEW: "Rio Grande Chamisa" (14" x 18")
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"Trail to Hondo" (24" x 36")
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On Dec. 6, I was honored to participate in this year's Festival of Trees at El Monte Sagrado. The
DreamTree Yuletide Celebration raised funds for its mission of providing housing and compassionate support services to youth in crisis. Their light is always on for youth in need!
I had started two paintings for the event and finished them surrounded by the soft glow of twinkling lights. Both sold, helping to support DreamTree's important mission! The Rifters played and people danced, ate, drank wine, laughed and bid on trees and artwork. Everyone thoroughly enjoyed the holiday festivities.
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If you live in northern New Mexico and want a Christmas tree, look no further than Carson National Forest!
Buy a permit (very reasonably priced at $5 to $15 depending on the height you want), get in a four-wheel vehicle (preferably with chains handy), head into the mountains and onto a rugged forest road, park, hike, cut and haul away your prize! It's that easy! :-)
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Would you like to be a featured collector?
If so, please send your personal story and photo(s) to edsandovalart@gmail.com.
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Contact
Ed Sandoval Gallery
102-B Paseo Del Pueblo, Taos, NM 87571
www.edsandovalgallery.com | (575) 770-6360 | edsandovalart@gmail.com
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