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CLOUDCROFT ONLINE NEWSLETTER #164
May 30, 2003
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Dear Subscriber:

You can tell it's summer.

Parents all over the country are wondering what the heck
they're going to do with their kids for the next 10 to 12
weeks. Teachers all over the country are smiling at the paradox
as they purchase their airline tickets and buy sunblocker.

In our community of Silvercloud (just outside the village of
Cloudcroft), we mark the beginning of summer with the annual
Silvercloud Water Association Property Owner's meeting.

Silvercloud has it's own water well and water distribution
system apart from the village and we all pitch in monetarily
and energetically to keep it running. Accordingly, we have a
board of directors, a group of maintenance volunteers, and
three or four sore-heads. We get together as a group once a
year and it's always on Memorial Day weekend.

The Silvercloud Water Association Property Owner's annual
meeting is a snapshot of Americana. It is for the people and
by the people.

We held the meeting in Jim's car-port this year. Jim's a
Silvercloud Water Board member and he has one of the biggest
garages in the neighborhood. Everyone brings their own lawn
chairs. There aren't many young kids around. As an aggregate,
we're all old people. Our kids are grown and out working to
support us.

There is business to attend to. Don, (not me...another Don) the
president of the Silvercloud Water Association, brings the
meeting to order. It's just a little organization of property
owners, but we take the meeting seriously, following Robert's
Rules of Order (as we interpret them) and giving each member a
chance to speak his or her piece.

We discuss the water system. We discuss the books. We discuss
the ruts in the road and dogs running loose in the neighborhood
and the possible introduction of speed bumps. We hold elections
for new board members. Don finally gavels the meeting closed.

Then comes the main reason we're all there.

The food.

Kate is Jim's wife. (You remember Jim. He's the guy with the
big garage.) She coordinates the cornucopia of meats, salads,
veggies, and breads. Rita did the desserts this year. Man oh
man.

Pepper the scene with great conversation among friends with the
place we live in common, the cool breeze whispering through the
mountain pines...don't get me started. It's like living a Berle
Ives song.

In 2 weeks my high school classmates will be here for a reunion.
More great food. More nice people. I'm gonna have to cut a new
hole for my belt buckle.

I love the winters in Cloudcroft, but the summers are to die
for.

Don Vanlandingham
Cloudcroft.com

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IN THIS ISSUE
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1. LOOKING AT THE WEATHER
2. VILLAGE NEWS
3. INSIDE THE SHOP -- ALTA VISTA CHALET MOTEL
4. CLOUDCROFT ONLINE SPOTLIGHT -- NEW MEXICO SCENIC ROUTES
5. Q AND A -- BECAUSE CLOUDCROFT ONLINE READERS WANT TO KNOW
6. COMING EVENTS
7. LETTERS TO THE EDITOR
8. CONTACT INFORMATION
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LOOKING AT THE WEATHER
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A remarkable week. Cool temps and a little rain. Some days were
windbreaker weather (unusual for late May).

Highs in the high-60s/low-70s. No measurable rain, but several
sprinkles and high humidity and lots of cloud-cover (good for
putting down wildfire danger).

Some restrictions in the camp-grounds and in the village, but
nothing is closed.
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VILLAGE NEWS
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Campfire restrictions in the National Forest and the Village of
Cloudcroft remain the same this week as last.

No open campfires. Propane stoves OK in supervised camping
areas. No smoking except in buildings or vehicles or in
designated areas. No access restrictions.
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INSIDE THE SHOP -- ALTA VISTA CHALET MOTEL
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Alta Vista is the first motel you see as you're entering
Cloudcroft from Artesia on Hwy 82. We are the only blue motel
with a red roof in town. We offer accommodations that sleep from
1 to 8. Queens, some with fireplaces, phones, cable. Very clean.
Pets allowed. For rates and availability, call (505) 682-2221
or email us at altavista@zianet.com. For more information, see
the link to our web site on the Lodging page of Cloudcroft.com.

http://www.cloudcroft.com/lodging.htm

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CLOUDCROFT ONLINE SPOTLIGHT -- NEW MEXICO SCENIC ROUTES
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http://pw2.netcom.com/~wandaron/nmex.html

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Q AND A -- BECAUSE CLOUDCROFT ONLINE READERS WANT TO KNOW
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Q - Any bear sightings since the weather got warmer?

A - I've been told there have been a couple in the village. No
reported confrontations with humans.

As I've said before, there is no record of bear attacks on
people in the Sacramento Mountains in memory.

Yogi (the bear we wrote about this time last year) hasn't
returned. May was a wetter month this year than last, giving
the bears a chance to feed off vegetation in the forests instead
of the dumpsters (or out of the back of my pickup).

http://www.cloudcroft.com/news/news116.htm

Yogi put us on edge a little with his rather prominent size and
his lack of shyness, but I kinda miss him. Hope you're doing
well, Yogi, wherever you are.
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COMING EVENTS
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May 30 -- Star Talks. White Sands National Monument. 479-6124

June 7 -- National Trails Day.

June 7 -- Miss New Mexico Day Parade.

June 7 -- Miss NM Golf Tourney at The Lodge. $40 per person or
$160 per team. You get golf, a cart, prizes, and lunch with
the 23 contestants all for just $40! For more information or
reservations, call (505 )682-2733 or (505) 682-2566.

June 13, 14 -- Melodrama. Open Air Pavilion

June 20, 21 -- Western Roundup

June 21, 22 -- High Rolls Cherry Festival.

June 27-29 -- Chimney Spring Bluegrass Festival. $5.00/Friday
only, $8.00/Saturday only, $12.00/weekend pass. 10 bands
scheduled, plus open stage time on Friday and Saturday.
Call (505) 687-3520 for more information.

July 4 -- Burro Avenue celebration.

July 4-6 -- Melodrama. Open Air Pavilion

July 5 -- Street Dance. Burro Street.

July 11, 12 -- Melodrama. Open Air Pavilion.

July 12, 13 -- July Jamboree.

July 12 -- Street Dance. Burro Street.

July 18, 19 -- Melodrama. Open Air Pavilion.

August 7-10 -- Gathering of Circles.

August 30, 31, Sept. 1 -- Labor Day Fiesta.

September 1 -- Lumber Jack Day.

September 19-21 -- Healing Hearts.

September 21 -- Governor Johnson's Run/Walk.

Cloudcroft Art Society meets the second Sunday of each month,
2-4pm, in the Old Red Brick School House. Call (505) 682-3004
for more information and details on the Cloudcroft Summer Art
Workshops.

Would you like to help deliver meals to the homebound around
Cloudcroft? Monday through Friday deliveries. Call the
Cloudcroft Senior Center at (505)-682-3022. For information on
other Senior Center services, see their web site, listed on the
Cloudcroft.com Links page.

http://www.cloudcroft.com/links.htm

Mountain Garden Club meets every third Monday of each month.
Call (505) 682-2910 for more information.

Senior Van from Timberon to Alamogordo leaves the Timberon
Lodge promptly at 8:30 every Tuesday morning.

Free Vitals Clinic. Cloudcroft Senior Citizens Center, every
Wednesday. High Rolls Senior Citizens Center, first Thursday
of each month.

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For an online calendar of area events, click the Events Calendar
link in the left column of our home page:

http://www.cloudcroft.com/index.html

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LETTERS TO THE EDITOR
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Dear Newsletter:

I really enjoy the SeasonScape photos, keep em coming. I would
like to see the trestle in Mexican Canyon done the same way.

Zach Beadle 
Devine, Texas

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Dear Newsletter:

I am stationed at White Sands Missile Range and currently
deployed to Kuwait.

For several years now, even when I have been sent overseas
(about 4 times since 2000), I have been scouring the
Cloudcroft.com real estate page looking for a cabin up there
and think that I've finally found something I like.

I just found your newsletter and subscribed to it at my
deployed email address. Thanx for the newsletter, I will look
forward to reading it every week.

TSgt Mahurin
Ahmed Al Jaber Air Base, Kuwait

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Dear Newsletter:

I thoroughly enjoyed your article about Tipper and your dogs. I
have an Australian Shepherd who also believes she is human. I
have had her since she was a puppy and she just had her
fourteenth birthday! We celebrated both our birthdays by coming
to Cloudcroft the first weekend in May. I think she enjoyed the
cool dry air as much as my husband and I. 

We had a wonderful time and appreciate all the hospitality
given us during our stay. Can't wait to come visit again!

Keep the great newsletters coming--it's wonderful to have a
little piece of Cloudcroft in my mail each Thursday!

Karen Bailey
Flower Mound, Texas

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Dear Newsletter:

Your house sounds like our house. We have three dogs, two act
like kids and one acts like a dog. We have 1 Schnauzer,
1 miniature pincher, and 1 little mixed mutt. She is 20 years
old. She is in real good health. We love dogs.

That is really nice of you and Peggy to take in that dog and
give it a good home. Thank you for the nice newsletter. I
really enjoyed reading it.

Shirley Myers

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Dear Newsletter:

This being Thursday, it is our first email read. We really
enjoyed Cloudcroft, and now this reminder.

Love your Tipper story. We have a KOKO story. We live on a
highway about a mile out of our small community. When dogs or
cats are unwanted or ill, they get dumped at our house.

The last one to stay was a 4/5 month old chocolate lab. There
was not one inch not covered with fleas and ticks. There were
sore, draining spots. After about a week of eating the food
we would leave out, she would stand at the edge of the woods
and watch us, as long as no other people were around.

When she was properly cleaned up, Front-lined and heart-wormed,
we had to go on a business/pleasure trip from Arkansas to
Virginia Beach, Cleveland, Ohio and Tennessee. We had to take
her because we could not give her away. She stiff hid out if
anyone came into the house. She was totally un-house-breakable.

We thought we could surely give her away on the trip. We placed
rugs and plastic over the seat of the van, she had to be
physically picked up and placed in the car, then hopped up on
the seat and did not move until she needed a potty break. It
was a miracle. When she was ready, she returned to the car and
entered on her own.

It was a rewarding year and half that we spent teaching her to
trust. Then she was killed on the highway. She could have been
a perfect dog except for the fear of people she had. I can only
imagine how she was mistreated before she came to us. The
bruises and sores, the parasites and fear, plus the malnourished
condition, made everyone who saw her think she would have to
be put down.

The love she gave us was worth way more than her expenses. She
became a beauty, healthy shiny coat, happy eyes. She liked to
cross the highway for potty breaks. We could not teach her it
was dangerous, so--she did not make it.

We still grieve for her, a year later. Windy, our Westy,
wouldn't eat for several days, and moped for months.

Ilda

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Dear Newsletter:

Loved your story about Tipper - I can relate to it because my
husband & I adopted a little poodle 13 years ago who had been
abandoned by folks who lived behind us, they simply moved off
& left her.

It was so sad because when we would feed her - she would act
as though she was doing us a flavor by eating the food, then
she would go to the back door of the empty house & bark, "hey,
someone else is trying to get me".

Finally, one day I decided to clean her up, take her to the Vet
for shots, etc. Asked the Vet if he could find her a good home,
so she was put on his list - after getting home, my husband
said, she's a $100.00 dog now, we'll just keep her, which we
did, she lived with us, but let on like it was no big deal - 
one day out of the blue, she hopped up in the chair with my
husband and snuggled up and became "our little friend" from
that day forward - needless to say we loved her with all our
hearts until the day she died - even today when I think about
her I smile.

Thanks for your sweet story & reminding me of mine. Enjoy your
newsletter very much.

Sandra Albert
Breckenridge, TX

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Dear Newsletter:

A month ago I wrote that my mom is coming from Germany to see
where I have "landed" - referring my home in Roswell since 1999.

And, as before with friends and my aunt from good old Germany,
one of the highlights was visiting Cloudcroft. It was great to
see our local friends and introducing my mom to them. And of
course... my mom left all her "souvenir-money" at the shops.
Too bad for Carlsbad, Ruidoso and Roswell, but we support
Cloudcroft *smile*.

As my mom does not have access to the internet yet, I want to
give you her impressions of Cloudcroft. SHE LOVES IT! And not
just the area, but especially the wonderful people in the shops
and at the Western Bar/Restaurant.

PS: About your Collie thinking to be a human... Hey, I grew up
with a Cockerspaniel, who thought he was my brother....

Thank you for your newsletter. It brings a smile to a lot of
people....

Christina Stock

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Dear Newsletter:

Since renewing our acquaintance with your village a couple of 
years ago, my husband and I have enjoyed both another summer
visit as well as a winter holiday. Soon, we will venture back
to enjoy the brilliant hues of Autumn. With most of our
previous visits having been in the summer and one in the
winter, we look forward to experiencing a different season
altogether.

Recently, I shared with a colleague the opportunities for 
relaxation away from a busy schedule that a visit to Cloudcroft 
would offer. Her son and his family will soon be relocating to 
Alamogordo, and she is anticipating a visit to the area within
a few months as well. I know she and her family would enjoy 
Cloudcroft, even if there's only time for a drive to and from 
Sunspot or a sumptuous dinner at The Lodge. We, too, are
looking forward to the 10 days we have planned in the Fall.

We still dream of eventual retirement to Cloudcroft. Whether or 
not circumstances actually allow us to realize that goal, we
still enjoy imagining the possibilities!

Again, thanks for the good work on the newsletter! We really 
appreciate all your efforts.
Sincerely,

J Dalton
Fort Worth TX

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