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CLOUDCROFT ONLINE NEWSLETTER #167
June 20, 2003
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Dear Subscriber:

One of the uplifting things about living on this mountain is
the people around me.

When you live in a big city, with your neighbors sometimes just
feet away, you tend to be inhibited. You don't always express
your true feelings because the closeness ingrains an incentive
to go along to get along.

I've found the people of the Sacramento Mountains to be free
spirits. What you see is, as they say, what you get.

Take my recent experience with Carla...our neighbor that lives
down the road and up the hill. Carla is a teacher. I love
talking to her. She's very smart and she has an extremely
infectious laugh.

Since there was no one home at Carla's house a few weeks ago,
the UPS man left a package for her at my house. I took the
package to her later. No small chore. Carla's house is way
up the hill. Mountain goats would be challenged by the climb.

"It's my Lady Bugs!" she said.

I was still wheezing from the climb and my hearing isn't what
it used to be, or maybe "Lady Bugs" was a term given to jewelry
or exotic spices or something.

"You ordered Lady Bugs?" I asked in a way that I hoped didn't
sound like I was questioning her sanity. I'm the last person
to question someone else's sanity.

She didn't hear me. She was already tearing into the half-
shoebox size package. She trotted over to her small garden and
shook out the contents.

Honest to goodness live, flying Lady Bugs. They were zooming
everywhere. I'm infatuated by little Lady Bugs myself but with
a zillion of them flying around I got a little nervous.

"I gotta go now," I said. Carla didn't hear me again. She was
too busy trying to corral the little creatures into her garden.
It was like watching a conductor leading and orchestra.

That was over a month ago. We live about 100 yards from Carla's
house. Now, every time I see a Lady Bug on my deck rail, I say
"Go home to Carla."

Carla is one of my favorite people, and if UPS delivers another
package to my house addressed to her, I'll accept it as long as
it's not a large crate with noises coming from inside.

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 -- ALPINE ALCOVE
4. CLOUDCROFT ONLINE SPOTLIGHT -- ATOMIC MUSEUM
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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The skies have threatened rain of late, but nothing substantial
in the way of moisture. Perhaps a signal that the curtain is
going up on the rainy season.

Highs in the mid-70s. Lows in the mid-40s.

Some forest restrictions in place. Call the Forest Service 
(505-682-2551) for the latest updates.
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VILLAGE NEWS
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The Rails to Trails Association is conducting weekly guided
hikes. The hikes begin at 10am each Saturday morning.
Participants should meet at the Depot recreation area. There
are some steep grades on the 3.5 mile hike.
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INSIDE THE SHOP -- ALPINE ALCOVE
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Charming, modern, 2 bedroom, 2 bath, modified A-frame cabin on
the edge of the village. Two decks, 2 TVs, jetted tub, grill,
microwave, fireplace, propane heat, washer/dryer, spiral
staircase, cathedral ceiling. Easy access, walking distance to
shops, but private, with a nice view. Sleeps 6 comfortably;
non-smoking, but will consider pets. For rates and reservations
please call Steve at (505) 647-9778 or (505) 524-0122 or email
sklinger@zianet.com. Credit cards accepted. 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 -- ATOMIC MUSEUM
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Every thing you wanted to know about the atomic age. Located in
Albuquerque.

http://www.atomicmuseum.com/

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Q AND A -- BECAUSE CLOUDCROFT ONLINE READERS WANT TO KNOW
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Q - Are real estate prices in the Cloudcroft area going up
substantially?

A - Probably no more so than any other resort area. My friends
in the real estate business around here still call it a "buyer's
market".

As in any other area, there are some over-priced properties, but
there are also some bargains for the patient prospective buyer.

Most asking prices are not "firm" and counter offers are usually
welcome. I know of properties that have sold for about half the
original asking price.
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COMING EVENTS
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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:

Having fought the Miller Moth wars down through the years, I
have used all those methods that never seemed to help until
now.

I suggest you go to your local Feed Store and buy a "Country
Vet" Insect and Odor control sprayer. This is a 4 by 10 inch
plastic box. The cost is around $30. Purchase 2 size D
batteries and a can of Country Vet "Fly Spray." Follow the
directions and you should be rid of the Millers in a hours.

It works for me and I have never had any bad effects from the
spray.

Dick Trone
Carlsbad, NM

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Dear Newsletter:

In Newsletter 166, you wrote:

"To clear your house of moths, it is suggested by our sources
that you hang a naked light bulb over a pail of water. The bugs
will drown and it makes an interesting conversation piece during
cocktail parties."

"Naked light bulb?" What do the moths do? Going skinny dipping?

Don Ammons
Dumb, TX

[Yes, but not voluntarily.]

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Dear Newsletter:

In response to Philip and Valerie Davis' letter:

Cloudcroft is the closest place to heaven I've ever been! I
look forward to retiring there as soon as I can! You guys
definitely have to see the real thing.

Karen Bailey
Flower Mound, Texas

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Dear Newsletter:

I so enjoy your weekly newsletter. You always have a good
story. It helps to cool me down during the hot West Texas days. 

Last year you had some pics of your visit to the base in
Alamagordo. I saved your pic of the Stealth and used it as a
background on my PC at work. Students here at ASU all loved
my picture of the Stealth.

I recently changed offices and I wanted to find the pic and
again use it as a background on my office PC. Trouble is, I
cannot find it in the past issues. Could you let me know which
issue it is located in?

I did manage to find a picture of a "Tornado" and I get a lot
of ooooh's and awe's about it also. But I truly love the
Stealth. It just looks so majestic.

Thanks and keep up the great newsletter!

Terry Faubion
San Angelo, Texas 

[Here's the issue:]

http://www.cloudcroft.com/news/news146.htm

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Dear Newsletter:

I have really enjoyed the newsletter. I absolutely love the
seasonscape photos by Kit Richards. Keep the good work. I hope
to live in Cloudcroft someday, sounds like a very nice
community.

Sharon Westfall
Las Cruces, NM 

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Dear Newsletter:

Thanks so much for a terrific newsletter! I look forward to it
each week.

We will be up a week from today. Hopefully to stay at our place
in Cloud Country West, if we can get a water heater up there
and replaced! Otherwise, we may come up that Tuesday and stay
with Doug, the new owner of the Aspen Motel.

We love Cloudcroft and look forward to our visit each year.
Hope to possibly meet you while we are there.

Lynn Schaedel Clark
Coppell, Texas

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Dear Newsletter:

I love all the great stories keep them coming. In regards to
the moth stories we have had our share also. We bought us a
bug zapper and got all of them at one time.

Thanks for all of the neat newsletters.

Shirley Myers

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direct them to: newsletter@cloudcroft.com
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