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CLOUDCROFT ONLINE NEWSLETTER #75
September 14, 2001
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Dear Subscriber:

I had a nightmare Tuesday. A nightmare shared by every peace-
and-freedom loving person in the world.

I watched with millions of others as jet airliners crashed
into skyscrapers. I had the feeling that, at any moment, the
modern equivalent of Orson Wells would step in front of the
camera and say "I hope you enjoyed our fictional little TV
drama," yet it went on and on. The impossible became
horrifyingly real.

If any one of the events of Tuesday had happened by themselves,
the hijacking and crashing of 4 commercial jets in one
day, the Kamikaze assault on the Pentagon and the total
destruction of the world's two most magnificent buildings, the
cold blooded murder of as many as 10,000 Americans...it would
have been considered a catastrophe of monumental proportions,
but all these events happened almost at once. We, as a country,
were hit by a series of monstrous sucker punches.

Many people have said it was the worst day in US History. By 
almost any measure, that is accurate. The last time the US was
shot in the back like this, there were 2,500 killed in the 
surprise attack on Pearl Harbor on December 7, 1941. There 
could be 5 times more deaths as a result of Tuesday's assault...
and almost all of them innocent civilians...killed not because 
of what they had done, but because of the fact that they were 
Americans.

One thing is for sure. We will all remember September 11,
2001, and we will all be changed in some way by what happened 
on that day. It remains to be seen what kind of resolve it
kindles among us.

If anything positive should come of 9-11-01, maybe it will be
the blurring of our political and social differences as we come
together as a people with the respect and love of a nation in
common.

This newsletter has enjoyed a huge increase in subscribers over
the past months...from all parts of the country and the world.
It is possible that some of our readers have been touched
personally by this terrible loss of life...the extent of which
we are only now beginning to fully realize. If so, we want you
to know how profoundly sad we all feel for you.

God bless you. God bless America.

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 -- LOG HOMES OF CLOUDCROFT
4. CLOUDCROFT ONLINE SPOTLIGHT -- NEW MEXICO SKIES
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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Temperatures are becoming markedly cooler. Highs are reaching
into the high-60s. Lows are occasionally dipping below 40.

Still frequent rain showers in the afternoon.
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VILLAGE NEWS
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The Cloudcroft Bears football team was defeated by Tularosa
last weekend, 49 to nothing.

Schedule changes for future Bears games were announced. The
upcoming game against Hatch will be Friday Night at 7:30. Times
for the Lordsburg and Faith Christian Games (September 28th and
October 6th) have been changed to 7:30pm.

The Forest Service still has fuelwood for harvest. Call 
(505) 682-2551.
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INSIDE THE SHOP -- LOG HOMES OF CLOUDCROFT
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Blending old time craftsmanship with state-of-the-art 
technology, Log Homes of Cloudcroft provides a pre-cut log 
wall system, kiln dried logs, and thru-bolt construction. 
Modify our plans or we'll design one for you. Lodge Logs.

For details, call (505) 687-3818 or (800) -896-9936, fax 
(505) 687-2649, or email vaughtac@pvtnetworks.net.
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CLOUDCROFT ONLINE SPOTLIGHT -- NEW MEXICO SKIES
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Located in the beautiful Sacramento Mountains of New Mexico at
the top of Mt. Joy, New Mexico Skies is dedicated to providing
sophisticated amateur astronomers memorable experiences of the
night skies. Our night skies are very dark, very transparent
and the seeing is superb.

Contact Mike & Lynn Rice at mikeorlynn@nmskies.com
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Q AND A -- BECAUSE CLOUDCROFT ONLINE READERS WANT TO KNOW
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Q - Are gas prices going up appreciably in light of the
terrorist attacks of Tuesday?

A - Federal officials have announced they will not allow
appreciable increases in gas prices with the terrorist attack
as an excuse. Oil supplies should not be affected by the attack
according to energy officials in Washington.
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COMING EVENTS
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September 14 -- Cloudcroft Bears vs Hatch (football) (home).

September 15 -- Enchanted Jazz Festival.
Alamogordo, New Mexico.
For more information, call (505) 434-0559.

September 15 -- Dinner with Governor Johnson.
The Lodge, 6-7pm social hour, 7pm dinner, $30 per person.
Tickets at Copper Butterfly or by sending a check to SMSA,
PO Box 1213, Cloudcroft, NM 88317.

September 16 -- Governor's 10k Run/Walk.
40k Time Trial Bike Race.
For more information, call (505) 687-2133.

September 15-16 -- Hot Air Balloon Invitational.
White Sand National Monument.
For more information, call (505) 682-3785.

September 21 -- Cloudcroft Bears vs Ft. Sumner (football)
(away).

September 21-23 -- Healing Hearts 2001. For more information,
call (915) 550-3302 or visit http://www.GatheringOfCircles.com.

September 22 -- Oktoberfest. Holloman AFB.

September 28 -- Cloudcroft Bears vs Lordsburg (football)
(home).

September 29-30 Aspencade Tours.

October 6 -- Cloudcroft vs Faith Christian (football) (home).

October 6, 7 -- Art in the Aspens. Juried art show. Zenith
Park.

October 6, 7 -- Aspencade Tours.

October 12 -- Cloudcroft vs Capitan (football) (away).

October 19 -- Cloudcroft vs Animas (football) (away).

October 20, 21 -- Apple Festival. High Rolls.

Cloudcroft Art Society meets the second Thursday of each month
in the Old Red Brick School House. Call (505) 682-2494 for
more information. Beginning in October, the monthly meetings
change to the first Sunday of each month, 2-4pm.

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

If you have news of public events in the Cloudcroft area, email
us.

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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:

Yes, I do remember when you were in the Whistlestop.

I remember dipping ice cream 'till my back went out and I had to
go home, but I also remember how much your customers cared for
you. Though you couldn't make a living there, because of the
seasonal work, you sure did try. Peg made the best sandwiches
I ever ate. You guys worked so hard to make things work. I am
proud of you for trying.

I just wish all of your readers could taste her sandwiches,
but don't write her for one of her recipes, she is too busy
now with building on to their house and taking care of their
properties (Daisy's, and Dusty's). Peg is all anyone would want
for a daughter-in-law. She works from daylight 'till dark,
doing whatever it takes to make things go. She loves Don with
all her heart (and the dogs to). They have such a wonderful
life in the mountains. 

I miss them when I don't see them often enough. And I miss 
the nice cool weather there in Cloudcroft.

I love all of you,
Mom (Katie Vanlandingham)

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Dear Newsletter:

I love this newsletter and every time I think I have had enough
of city-living and get to missing Cloudcroft, here comes my 
newsletter full of laughs and things you will never forget 
once you have been a resident of Cloudcroft. I fondly remember
the Whistlestop and this newsletter certainly made me smile.

Thank You,
Val 
Everett, Wa

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Dear Newsletter:

I have been visiting Cloudcroft all of my life. When I got 
married, it was only natural to honeymoon there. Of course, now
that I have children, they know the the beauty and wonder of 
Cloudcroft also.

Thank you for keeping us informed through the newsletter. It 
lets us feel like we are there enjoying your mountains and 
people, instead of being back here in the heat at work. Hope 
to visit there again soon.

Malcolm Crawford
Snyder, Texas

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Dear Newsletter:

Fall doesn't get to me until around December, so when I visited
for the first time in August, I couldn't believe the weather
could be so nice ANYWHERE in August. I instantly fell in love
with y'all's neck of the woods. I'm thrilled my mom is buying
a cabin just outside of town to rent and for us to vacation.
The drive wasn't nearly as bad as I thought. We're coming just
after Christmas and I'm counting down the days. I can't wait to
see Paul and Dave's handiwork on the addition to the house up
there. 

Our only concern is the winter driving. Can a 1993 4WD Toyota 4
Runner do okay? We're inexperienced down here....

Andrea Henderson
Katy, TX 

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Dear Newsletter:

We have just returned from our trip to Cloudcroft. My husband 
has talked of nothing but Cloudcroft since last year before we 
got married. We were supposed to come for our honeymoon last 
October, but due to medical problems, we didn't get to come. All
I would say when he said something about moving to Cloudcroft
was "70 inches of snow."

When we had been there 2 days, he said something about moving,
and I told him we had better start saving our money. I loved 
being there, although I got cold a couple of times (not bad
for a woman that was born and raised in Texas). 

I really loved it. The countryside is absolutely wonderful and 
my husband got to see elk, bears and deer. I have never seen 
country as beautiful.

We went into Cloudcroft to shop on Sunday and I have never seen
anything as pretty as downtown Cloudcroft. I had a ball looking
and buying and buying and buying. Everyone was so nice and I 
love that the Candy Store has sugar free candy. That was the 
last place I went before we left. We got a subscription to the
paper and the lady at the Candy Store gave me my piece of candy.
Couldn't get much better than that. I was not ready for the 
weather in Ft. Worth. It was hot and humid, and then the storms 
started and it turned cool, so I felt right at home.

I would like to thank Norm and Beth Williamson for letting us
stay with them and taking us here and there and a special hello
to Ginger, their Yorkie, who was the hit of the town on the 
Sunday we were there. In fact if you can stand another dog 
story, we went to the First National Bank and they gave her 
dog treats. We went into Alamogordo and went through a drive-
through at a bank and she got in Norm's lap expecting a dog 
treat. We laughed and laughed about that.

Keep up the good work with the newsletter and keep us informed
about what is going on in "God's country."

Sincerely,
Phyllis Shaddix
Finney, Tx

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Dear Newsletter:

Do y'all remember the Walker store on the main street area in
1972? Does anyone remember Bill and Pearl Siengenthaler and 
the Froman Art School in the summers? Please respond if you do.

Helen Walker is still living, but is in OK. Aunt Pearl and 
Uncle Bill are both deceased within last year or so.

Patricia McNutt

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Dear Newsletter:

Although Americans are enveloped in great sadness today after
the impossible-to-imagine plunges of civilian aircraft full of
innocents into significant American landmarks full of other 
civilian innocents, I wish to simply comment on the recent 
newsletter opener and letters praising dogs.

First, let me clarify that I too am a great fan of dogs and
have owned them in the past. However, I do want to sing the
praises of the misunderstood and often maligned pet choice of
many the world over: the cat.

I believe that a human must often take just a little more time
and effort to befriend another's cat or to bond with their own
cat, but the small amount of extra attention to forming the
friendship is highly worth it. It is often said that cats are
more complex than dogs; this may be the reason one has to work
a little more with cats.

Actually, if (like me), you have gained a lifelong understanding
and appreciation of cats, you "have their number" and can 
immediately draw a cat lovingly to your side through tone of
voice, language, and non-threatening gestures. Cats (with 
historical reason) may just be, on average, more cautious than
dogs. Many, like me, who know cats, understand that their 
personalities and emotions are very similar to humans, 
explaining the highly rewarding bonds that so frequently form
between cats and their owners and owners' friends.

These same complicated personalities and emotions also can make
the cat a VERY entertaining, playful, and amusing pet. Like 
people, there are certain behaviors you would want to decrease
(not reward) and other behaviors you want to increase (reward).

Cats, like all higher animals, love attention. I interact a 
great deal with my cat and am rewarded for it. My current 
8-year-old female cat (a second 17-year old female recently 
died) shows recognition of over 50 English words. Sometimes cat
owners need patience, but if they are thoughtful, consistent,
and gentle in actions and approach, they will definitely be 
rewarded with the incredible love these animals are capable of
sharing with their humans, through purrs, meow "chirps", 
leg-rubs, extended paws, and kitty-kisses. Like many dogs, many
cats flip on their backs for a belly rub - mine always have.

Those of you who have not already experienced the endearing 
friendship and love of a cat should view cats with open minds
and positive expectations. A little patience, an open hand, and
gentle love-talk go a long way toward befriending a cat.

Lyn Canham
Sandia Park, NM

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