Santo Domingo Market

Thirty-five miles north of Albuquerque, Santo Domingo Pueblo is located near the ancient Cerillos turquoise mines. The people of Santo Domingo are known for crafting fine jewelry and heishi. The annual Labor Day weekend Santo Domingo Arts and Crafts Market features more than 350 artists, traditional dances, and food booths. We were short on cash last year when we accidentally stumbled upon the Pueblo's Indian Market, but resolved to return this year with pockets full of legal tender.

Saturday afternoon we arrived at the Pueblo just after a huge cloudburst sent rivers of rainwater coursing through the village. The storm left massive amounts of mud and huge, deep, cocoa-colored puddles in its wake. Though many vendor tents were flooded, the good spirits of the villagers were not dampened. Smiling children swinging pieces of sugar cane like long skinny bats played in ankle-deep brown water as we made our way from one soggy tent to the next, slogging through slippery muck that made our sneakers feel heavy. In the end we decided to leave and return the next day after the village had dried out. It took some doing to wash and scrape the hardened clay from our Nikes. Sneakers, it turns out, are mud magnets.

Sunday was hot and dry. The weather seemed conducive to spending lots of money on pretty things. While I wasn't able to shoot photos in the Pueblo (tribal law forbids photography without a special permit), I captured these images of our jewelry and pottery purchases in the comfort of my dining room. The jewelry is mostly turquoise, with some red jasper, carnelian, spiny oyster shell, and silver.

The famous black pottery of New Mexico comes from two Pueblos: San Ildefonso and Santa Clara. I was excited to find a table of Santa Clara wares--thick black pots with designs deeply carved into the shiny walls. While I hadn't planned a major pottery expediture, I couldn't resist this pot.

I also spotted an Acoma horsehair bear I had to have. Horsehair pottery is one of the most recognizable and beautiful forms of authentic Native American pottery, made by applying actual horsehair (taken from tail and mane during grooming) to the pot. Black lines are formed where the hair burns into the clay.

Every woman needs some inexpensive fun earrings, and late in the afternoon I needed something frivolous to take my mind off the green chile. When I spotted a family selling bushels of "Santo Domingo" chiles under a canopy off to the side of the main plaza, I couldn't wait to inquire about the variety of chiles grown in the Pueblo (Big Jim, Sandia, or extra hot Barker).
      Are they very hot, I asked.
      No, try some, the grandmother said.
      Gracias, abuelita.
I broke off a small piece of the raw green pepper and popped it in my mouth. An hour later my lips were still numb. Worse yet, several hours later--after washing my hands three times with soap--I absent-mindedly rubbed my eyes and realized a potent capcaisin residue still covered my fingers. No, they weren't hot. They were incendiary.

On a completely different subject, Telly came into her second season several weeks ago, much to my chagrin. Her spay surgery planned for late August has been temporarily shelved until she finishes this cycle, which should be (God-willing) any day now. To Telly's delight, Murphy immediately revived his role as stud muffin as hormones kicked in. The dogs didn't miss a beat and proved that practice makes perfect. Telly's fashionable indoor denim diaper-garment has served her well. All that's missing is rhinestones. I guess I need a Bedazzler.

This afternoon I told Murphy this is his last hurrah as Telly's boy-toy. Surgery for Little Miss Flirty Pants is around the corner. Murphy is not amused.