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CLOUDCROFT ONLINE NEWSLETTER #204
March 5, 2004
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Dear Subscriber:

One of the great things about the U.S.A. is that each state is
like a different country. Every state in this union has its
own distinct personality.

Take New Mexico, for instance. New Mexico is known for its
cultural and ethnic diversity, its beautiful mountains and some
of the ugliest city limits' imaginable.

How long are we going to have to stare at that burnt out mobile
home just off Highway 82 going into Alamogordo (just down from
the snake ranch and junk yard) before a civic leader realizes it
doesn't speak too highly of the town's image? 82 into
Alamogordo is, after all, a major entrance into and a major
artery from points east to points west. You know what they say
about first impressions and Alamogordo drops the ball on 82.

Artesia's a nice town, but the big smelly gas plant at the
entrance is not exactly one of the world's seven wonders. But
as one Artesian once said to me "Smell that? That's the smell
of money."

I think Cloudcroft rates pretty high in the first impression
category. Not a difficult task since everyone loves trees and
mountains. I just wish the ski area had people skiing on it.

But of all the states in the country, California is the one that
has the rest of us scratching our heads. A pretty state but
full of people that are full of themselves.

Sunday was Academy Awards night, when dozens of self important
people paraded into a large Hollywood pavilion on a red carpet
lined on each side by bleachers so they could be seen and
worshiped by the underlings. They went inside and gave each
other awards and when they got one they stood up and told us how
lucky we were to have seen them in the movie they were in and by
the way the world should dedicate itself to saving the Silver
Stink Minnow.

Most of these people are good at only one thing...memorizing
dialogue and reciting it into a camera, but because they're seen
in theaters around the world, they begin to believe they're
experts on a bunch of stuff. Not just the Stink Minnow but
domestic and geopolitical dynamics as well.

They have about as much business voicing their opinions as
internet newsletter writers.

Don't get me wrong. There are lots of great Californians...
like the ones that got tired of the buffoonery and moved to New
Mexico.

Don Vanlandingham
Cloudcroft.com

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IN THIS ISSUE
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1. LOOKING AT THE WEATHER
2. VILLAGE NEWS -- ELECTION RESULTS
3. INSIDE THE SHOP -- THE CROFTING
4. CLOUDCROFT ONLINE SPOTLIGHT -- STATE PARKS
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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Good snow fall at the beginning of the week but warming toward
the end. Highs in the 40s. Lows in the teens.
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VILLAGE NEWS
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Village elections were held March 2 and featured a change in the
configuration of the Village Council.

Incumbent council member Brad Rasch and challenger Andy Olson
received the most votes (Olson 161 and Rasch 151). Gary Wood
lost in his bid for re-election (114 votes).

Challenger Jack Smith defeated incumbent Ron Todd for the
village judge job, 131 to 107.

The results are unofficial pending canvassing.
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INSIDE THE SHOP -- THE CROFTING
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Step back in time in this wonderful 80-year-old home. The
Crofting Inn is truly a unique experience. All rooms have
private baths, cable TV, and coffee and tea service and
breakfast each morning. Other amenities include a game room
with pool table. The day room has a cozy fireplace and cable TV,
which you are invited to use as often as you desire.
Occasionally, we have home baked pies or cakes as a special
treat for our guests. For more information, call (888) 682-3601
(toll free), email lindalc@tularosa.net, or 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 STATE PARKS
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A complete list.

http://www.emnrd.state.nm.us/nmparks/
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Q AND A -- BECAUSE CLOUDCROFT ONLINE READERS WANT TO KNOW
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Q - Is it true that Cloudcroft policemen make $60,000 a year?

A - According to our sources, yes.
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COMING EVENTS
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March 20 -- Project Linus. Old Red Brick Schoolhouse. 10am.

April 10 -- Easter Egg Hunt and Easter Bonnet Parade

April 11 -- Community Sunrise Service. Baptist Church, 7am.
There will be a breakfast following the service.

May 8 -- Old Timer's Reunion

May 29, 30 -- Mayfest

June 12 -- Miss New Mexico "Show Me Your Shoe" Parade. Golf
Tournament at the Lodge Golf Course. Proceeds go to the
Scholarship Account for the Miss NM Contestants.

June 18, 19, 20 -- Western Roundup

June 25-27 -- Chimney Spring Bluegrass Festival. For more
information call 505-687-3520.

July 10, 11 -- July Jamboree

September 19 -- Gary Johnson’s Cloudcroft Run. World’s highest
certified 10k run. For more information call 505-687-2133.

October 2, 3 -- Oktoberfest

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. March program is "The Basics of Art" by Ed Woten.
All artists are welcome - especially beginning artists.

Cox Canyon Volunteer Fire and Rescue is organizing an
auxiliary unit. If you would like to help support this group
of dedicated men and women, call 682-3084, 682-4664, 682-3719
or 682-3234.

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 button.

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 always look forward to Thursdays. It means that Friday is
only one day away and I get to catch up on the activities in
our favorite retreat, Cloudcroft.

Your editorials are most always something that I can relate
to. Today, 2/26, it brought tears to my eyes. Mrs. Nettles was
my grandmother and the primary reason that I am a teacher
today.

She, and thousands of others like her, are the unsung heroes
of our generation. When you grow up in a small town, like you
and I did, everyone knows everyone's' mom, dad, grandmother,
cousin, etc., and how to hit you where it will do the most
good.

I know that many students considered Mrs. Nettles a really
"tough Lady". She was, in her own way. She refused to accept
less than the best from her students in school and in life.
When she reached the retirement age for Morton schools, she
went to Bula to teach for many more years. To her, age was
just an insignificant number. She still had love and knowledge
to give and she refused to stop just because she reached a
designated age.

The best gift that a student can give a teacher is to return,
years later, and say "Thank You". It really makes all of the
time, heartache, and worry worthwhile.

My grandmother passed away twenty-six years ago, but on her
behalf, I would like to tell you how much your sentiments
meant.

Sincerely,
Linda Nettles Fowler

PS: Do you remember the homemade popcorn balls that Mrs.
Nettles reserved for all of her current and former students
who stopped by her house on Halloween? Even though she may have
seemed tough, once you had been one of her students, you had
a place in her heart forever.

[Thanks for your nice words and thanks for having such a
wonderful grandmother. -- Don]

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Dear Newsletter:

By a strange coincidence, that's almost the same way I came to
read the 'Adventures of Tom Sawyer'. I was sick, home from
school, and I was in bed with nothing to do. I picked up the
book on Tom Sawyer and took about two or three days to read it.
I was about 10 years old too.

I'm glad that they didn't have Nintendo or Game Cube back in
those days or I might be even dumber than I am now. I think we
were the lucky ones, all we had were books to read! 

Ray Fourzan,
El Paso

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Dear Newsletter:

Someone wanted to know about there being a dentist in
Cloudcroft.
 
For many many years, there was one. He was Louis Breck
(father I think of the Louis Breck who was the Doctor at the
clinic there until maybe 6 or 8 years ago). Dr. Breck (the
Dentist) owned my little cabin there and hung a shingle out
on the front porch which advertised his trade. I don't know
when he stopped his practice, but it had to have been before
around 1944 when the Brecks sold their cabin. I understand
they had owned the cabin for about 50 years at that point. 
 
Some time ago, I sent you a postcard picture of that cabin
after it was purchased by my family in 1946.

http://www.cloudcroft.com/photos/postcard.htm
 
The young Dr. Breck had a wonderful gallery of old Cloudcroft
photos at the medical clinic while he was there. He gave me
a photo of the cabin when it was owned by Dr Breck the dentist.

I'm afraid that photo is stored at my cabin in Cloudcroft so I
can't get my hands on it. In the photo there's a little boy 
standing in front of the cabin. I think the little boy may be
the young Louis.
 
Just fun Cloudcroft lore. I wish I knew more.
 
Suzannah Barnebey
Rockport, TX

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Dear Newsletter:

This may be the third time you get this message, I'm sorry I'm
a little confused with the way the e-mail works.

Could you please tell me if and which cellular phone services
work in your area? and whether or not they require roaming or
extended area service (usually at a premium)?

Thanks and keep writing the way you do, I think it's wonderful.

Rigo Chavez 
El Paso, TX

[I use Verizon. Cell phone service is pretty iffy in the
mountains, but Verizon is totally digital now and has pretty
good service. There are still some dead spots, but it is about
90% reliable. -- Don]

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