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The Abiquiu News is brought to you by Carol and Brian Bondy
Image Courtesy of Mario Manzo
See Mario's work here.
Image Courtesy of Mario Manzo
See Mario's work here.
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June 13, 2025
In GratitudeIf you are interested in becoming a sponsor either at a basic or platinum level get in touch and find out how we can support your business. Email
Thank you contributors and Paid SubscribersVivian J
Deborah A Bob A John A Judith L Submitting to the Abiquiu News. Submit to our primary email info@abiquiunews.com or abiquiunewsimages@gmail.com (
DEADLINE WEDNESDAY NOON Please follow the criteria.
Website Notice: Recent Link Issues Resolved
Last week, our web host experienced technical difficulties that caused some article links to return a “not found” error when clicked. Several readers reached out, and we appreciate your patience while the issue was investigated. According to our web support team, it was an internal system error, and their engineers worked to resolve it. As of Monday, June 9, the issue appears to be fully resolved. We sincerely apologize for any disruption and thank you for bearing with us. If you missed any of last week's articles, you can find them under the “Previous News and Features” section below. News and Features
SANTA FE – No cost back-to-school vaccinations are available from dozens of medical providers statewide.
The annual Got Shots special immunization clinics will be held between June 14 – Aug 30 for all children 0-18 years-old.
As many people know, the foundational elements of Islamic practice are based on the Five Pillars: the Shahada, or Declaration of Faith, praying five times per day, fasting during the month of Ramadan, giving alms, and making the pilgrimage to Makkah if one is physically and financially able to do so.
ESPANOLA, NM — The inspiring short documentary MOVING ARTS | Setting Hearts Ablaze by the award-winning production company Docufilms is gaining international recognition for its powerful portrayal of how art can transform young lives. The film, which features the non-profit Moving Arts Española, has been named a 2025 Cannes World Film Festival Finalist, a New York International Film Award Semi-Finalist, and the Best Documentary Short winner at the Touchstone Independent Film Festival.
Jun 6, 2025 | Press Release
SANTA FE – Out of an abundance of caution and with public safety as its top priority, the New Mexico Department of Transportation (NMDOT) will close the historic Oñate Bridge in Española at 8 a.m. on Saturday, June 7, ahead of the anticipated monsoon season.
My eyesight has always been superb.
I hyper-specifically remember testing at 40/20 or 20/10 or whatever really good vision is, back when I got my first driver’s license. The DMV employee’s reaction of awe made me internalize that I was a mofo-ing superhero. I could read street signs an entire second before anyone else in the car, back when people still read street signs.
Have you ever had a moment with a garden, or ‘built landscape’—a perfectly normal one—where the normality of it suddenly seemed perfectly bizarre? It happens to me all the time—even on projects I, myself, have designed.
Found in sandy, disturbed areas, roadsides, under old junipers
Seen blooming in June by FS Road 23, Carson NF
As you probably know by now, scammers love using the Internet to perpetrate frauds and trick innocent people into doing things that are harmful to their devices and/or their financial lives.
Previous News and Features
Due to declining flows along the Rio Chama and pursuant to NMAC 19.25.13.7.C(4) and the Ohkay Owingeh Rio Chama Water Rights Local Settlement Agreement, the Office of the State Engineer will begin implementing the Rio Chama Water Sharing Agreement. During this time, Water Masters may reduce or limit diversions to Acequias/Ditches and individual users in accordance with the water sharing agreement. For more information or to obtain a copy of the sharing agreement, please contact: Lorraine Garcia (Upper Chama) 506-827-6155, or Joe Piña (Lower Chama) 506-795-0358
*The date is subject to change due to precipitation events within the basin. 
Rio Arriba County Groundwater Study
Looking to sample deeper wells in the Abiquiu and Mendanales area! As part of the groundwater study for Rio Arriba County we have been sampling wells in the Abiquiu and Mendanales area. We would like to further characterize the deeper aquifer in these locations. We are looking for volunteers that have wells in non-irrigated lands including the areas off Hwy 554, the mesa above Mendanales and the Plaza Blanca area above County Road 155. If you have a well in these areas and would like to volunteer, please contact Jessica Johnston at 575-770-8585 or email aguasnortenas@gmail.com. The sampling will include measuring the water depth in your well and a water quality test. You will be provided with a copy of the results. Please reach out if you have any questions. Community Café
The Community Café is open to the Abiquiu community. Come meet your neighbors. Come to discuss local issues and creative programming. Be a part of the solution. We also support all local organizations.
At present, we are working with our County Commissioner and the DOT to lower the speed limit to 45 mph from the Dollar Store to Bodes - 2.4 miles. Issue: There are four different speed limits in this short area – 60-50-45-40. Ten businesses, several residential roads, and driveways. Often, people drive 70 mph to Bodes and it is dangerous to pull in and out of the road. Call to action: Please contact the following people if the speed limit is a concern for you. Jeremy G. Maestas – County Commissioner. Please encourage him to request a FREE AUDIT from the Highway Safety Improvement Program. Email: JGMaestas@rio-arriba.org Phone: (505) 753-2992 District 5 Reps; Please request their support to follow up on the speed limits in the 2.4-mile area. Rhonda.Lopez@dot.nm.gov James.Murray@dot.nm.gov Javier.Martinez@dot.nm.gov Do join us to discuss more details at our monthly meeting. Please join us: Date: The 2nd Thursday of every month Next meeting: June 12 Time: 4:00 – 5:00 pm Location: Rural Events Center We Get Letters
Do you have a story to tell, a history to share?Whether you have been here ten years or your family hundreds of years, you have a story to tell about your connection to Abiquiu. Email us
Abiquiu News needs you. If you are interested in providing local news for the Abiquiu News on a regular basis, drop us a line. Let's talk! If you have a story to tell, send it in. If you want, interview your friend, relative, teacher, co-worker. If you think it would be interesting, I bet other people would too. Give it a try and send something in to us. Carol Bondy Scene Around Abiquiú
Courtesy of Ruth Ann Johnson
Send us your local images! Send to AbiquiuNewsImages@gmail.com. Please send images under 1mb. My inbox will thank you. ~Carol
Art, Music, Film, and BooksVisit our Arts sponsor page
The workshop will be housed at historic Casa del Sol, amid the spectacular Ghost Ranch landscape made famous by Georgia O’Keeffe. We’ll luxuriate in the peacefulness of our morning workspace, under the shady portals of the courtyard. Afternoons will offer free time. Evenings will bring us together again for camaraderie and star-gazing. Join us!
For more info, visit the Ghost Ranch web page. Visit Helen’s website to see examples of her work. Call 505.685.4881 or 505.685.1019 to register. 
Visit abiquiuartscouncil.org for more info!
The Locals’ Picks Book List
Zach Hively Casa Urraca Press has created a place for locals in our area to recommend books to each other, and a place to find book suggestions with a personal touch.
Have a book to recommend? Send it to Zach at casaurracaltd@gmail.com – title, author, and the reason you suggest it.
The full Locals’ Picks list is available to view here on Bookshop. A purchase from Casa Urraca's link helps support independent bookstores. Abiquiu’s Casa Urraca Press earns a commission from every shopping trip that starts with the above Bookshop link—you can shop the entire Bookshop site in addition to the locals' picks. Plus, a percentage of every book (at least 10%) goes straight to independent bookstores. This is an opportunity to support small businesses with the same convenience as large online retailers. Local Library NewsPueblo de Abiquiú Library & Cultural CenterPALCC Board Meeting: June 25th at 6 pm https://www.abiquiulibrary.com/
Abiquiu Book Club
The group has compiled the list of books they plan to read for 2025. Check this out and mark your calendar if you wish to join in the discussions.
July - Theo of Golden by Allen Levi (5) August - The Music of Bees by Eileen Garvin (5) September - Cher Ami and Major Whittlesey by Kathleen Rooney (4) October - James: by Percival Everett (4) November - All Fours by Miranda July (4) December - Anthropology of Turquoise by Ellen Meloy (4) January '26 - Eventide by Kent Haruf The group meets the last Tuesday of each month at the Abiquiu Library. Books are recommended by the members. All are welcome to join. Please call Analinda 927-6220 if you have questions El Rito Library
Children and some adults enjoyed a visit from the Santa Fe Raptor Center as part of the Summer Program at the El Rito Library. The program runs twice weekly through July 16th.
For the Birds
A Towhee’s Story: NM Wildlife Center is Here to Help
Courtesy of the NM Wildlife Center Last week, this nestling Spotted Towhee, patient number 25-261, was brought to our hospital with multiple life-threatening conditions. The person who brought the bird to us explained that they had found 25-261 on the ground, near domestic cats, several days prior. Since that time, the rescuer had been attempting to care for 25-261 but was starting to notice what appeared to be a wing injury. We are so glad that the rescuer decided to bring this bird to licensed wildlife rehabilitators, but unfortunately, 25-261 did not get to us soon enough. What looked like a wing injury was actually a subcutaneous emphysema, a damaged air sac that had inflated so much that it was pushing the entire right wing out of place. On the left side, there was a puncture wound on 25-261’s neck. These injuries may have been from contact with one of those free-roaming cats, which raised immediate concerns for us. It’s dangerous enough for wildlife to be exposed to the deadly bacteria on cats’ teeth and claws, but we knew that at that point, any potential infection had been left untreated for multiple days. Complicating matters even further, the bird’s whole body was covered in inappropriate food material and an oily substance (the oils on human hands can severely contaminate feathers if a bird is handled or stroked frequently with bare hands). 25-261’s feather quality was so compromised that the young bird was unable to regulate their own body temperature. When we listened to 25-261’s lungs, we could hear the crackling sound of fluid or other material in the airway, a common outcome when birds are fed using unsafe methods. We immediately began supportive care - fluids, medications, oxygen therapy, supplemental heat in an incubator - and planned for a series of gentle baths over the next few days to remove the contaminating substances. Unfortunately, 25-261’s health was compromised in too many ways, and despite our best interventions, the bird did not survive even another day. We aren’t sharing this story to shame anyone or to make anybody feel bad. The rescuer did the right thing by getting 25-261 away from cats and by bringing the bird to us, and we are happy that they now know that we are here to provide professional care to sick, injured, and orphaned wildlife. We wanted to share this story because it illustrates so many of the reasons it’s so important to contact a licensed wildlife rehabilitator if you ever find a wild animal who needs help. If this bird had come in right after their encounter with cats, it’s very likely that we would currently be caring for a healthy, healing, feather-perfect Spotted Towhee fledgling. That was sadly not the outcome in this case, but we hope that this story will serve as an opportunity for education so that injured wildlife in the future can receive safe, professional care. Looking for lodging near Abiquiú?
Northern Youth Project Update
NYP interns & participants came together to support the youth of Casa First and United Way’s Collective Impact Team in building and planting raised bed gardens at the McCurdy Family Resource Campus last weekend at the youth and families event.
We want to give a big thank you to our sponsors at Plants of the Southwest for donating food and medicinal plant starts and Hacienda Home Centers for donating soil for this project! EventsPlease remember, events will go in for a maximum of three Fridays before the event. Send text, word or publisher file and a separate image, please keep images below 1 mb and send to info@abiquiunews.com. Vertical PDFs or JPGs will be edited for space. Send by Wednesday Noon for inclusion in that Friday's News.
Bindweed Mite Workshop at NMSU's Sustainable Agriculture Science Center in Alcalde
We have scheduled a workshop for 10 am, Thursday June 19th at NMSU's Sustainable Agriculture Science Center at Alcalde to learn about the use of bindweed gall mites to control field bindweed . Directions to the center can be found at the bottom of https://alcaldesc.nmsu.edu/about_us.html with a map. There will be a short walk to the insectary. So, wear appropriate shoes and outdoor clothing. A ride will be available for those not able to walk. These workshops generally last 1 to 1.5 hours. Tell your neighbors and I look forward to meeting each of you in person! 
Announcements and ClassesVisit our Classes & Activities sponsor page
To make an appointment for an Akashic Record reading at Nest: magoon007@gmail.com
To register for a Reiki session at Ghost Ranch, click here, and scroll to bottom of page. Northern New Mexico College El Rito Campus
Continuing Education Opportunities 
Take your pick: Instant Piano or Instant Guitar! Both for hopelessly busy people
In just a few hours, you can learn enough secrets of the trade to give you years of musical enjoyment! Classes are online over Zoom and are partly hands-on instruction and partly lecture/demonstration. For ages 13+. Fees include the online book, online recorded follow-up lessons, a recording of the class, and an optional live periodic Q&A session. Instant Piano for Hopelessly Busy People Monday, July 14, 2025 6:30pm- 9:30pm | Fee: $69 | Online Class Learn to play piano the way professionals do- using chords. The chord method is LOTS of fun and dramatically easier to learn than reading notes. Instant Guitar for Hopelessly Busy People Tuesday, July 15, 2025 6:30pm- 9:00pm | Fee: $69 | Online Class You won't have to take private lessons! This crash course will teach you some basic chords and get you playing along with your favourite songs right away. To register: https://nnmc.edu/community/continuing-education.html Click the "REGISTER" red box. For more info: Virginia Cata • (505) 747.5477 • virginia_c@nnmc.edu 
Join us for immersive workshops at Ghost Ranch:
June Community Camp 1 | June 16-19 Church Youth Week with Loye Troxler and Connie B. Burkhart | June 22-27 Painting the Ghost Ranch Desert at Casa del Sol with Michelle Chrisman | June 22-28 Be Still, My Soul: Sabbath Rest & Wonder with Larry Goleman and Carol Bechtel | June 23-28 Mindful Birding with Holly Thomas | June 27-29 Contemplative Astronomy with Wayne Hicks | June 27-29 “Look Closer” Watercolor Cloudscapes & Botanical with Jean Cate | June 27-29 Earth Body: Movement for All with Rulan Tangen | June 27-29 Meditation in Motion: Mindful Hiking with Laurie Magoon | June 27-29 Family Week | June 29 - July 4 Exploring C.S. Lewis “Mere Christianity” with J.D. Miller | June 29 - July 4 July Centering: On and Off the Pottery Wheel with Barbara Campbell | July 4-12 Introduction to Southwest Silversmithing with Jamie Halpern and Susie Sawin | July 6-12 Teen Venture: Arts and Adventure! with Chauncey Foster | July 6-12 Painting: Still Life and Landscape with KB Jones | July 6-12 Ghost Ranch Tin Types: Wet Plate in the West with Will Wilson | July 6-12 Journaling through Watercolor with Antonio Darden | July 6-12 Fire It Up! Art Welding with Connie B. Burkhart and David Kadlec | July 6-12 Ghost Ranch Chorale with Adam Waite, Leena Waite and Barbara Hulac | July 6-12 Plain Weave in Multiples with Sarah Noggle | July 6-12 Adult Service Corps with Martha Murchison and Art Myers | July 6-12 Intro to Stained Glass with Michelle Levy | July 6-12 Summer Venture | July 6-12 Tuning to the Desert with Brandon Wert and Cameron Newell | July 6-12 Stone, Shell, and Silver: Lapidary Jewelry with Jamie Halpern and Susie Sawin | July 13-19 Quilting Under the Cottonwoods with Rogene Ashford | July 13-19 Painting: Still Life and Landscapes with KB Jones | July 13-19 Coiling: Ancient Basketry Technique with Robin Przybysz | July 13-19 Fire It Up! Art Welding with Connie B. Burkhart and David Kadlec | July 13-19 The Art of Making Children’s Books with Colter Jackson | July 13-19 Figure Drawing and Portraiture with Helen Byers | July 13-19 Two Shuttle Shuffle with Sarah Noggle | July 13-19 Printed, Stitched and Bound with Alanna Austin | July 13-19 Adult Service Corps with Martha Murchison and Art Myers | July 13-19 TruGreen Pottery with Barbara Campbell | July 13-19 What’s Your Trail Name? with Brandon Wert | July 13-19 Summer Venture | July 13-19 Teen Venture: Nature, Adventure, and the Arts with Laurie Magoon | July 13-19 A Comprehensive Approach to Landscape in Watercolor with Sean Hudson | July 13-19 Beginning Silversmithing/Open Studio with Jamie Halpern and Susie Sawin | July 20-26 Welcome Quilts for Asylum Seekers with Rogene Ashford | July 20-26 Introduction to Watercolor with Patsy Welch | July 20-26 Pastels in the Painted Desert with Juliana Crownover | July 20-26 Fire It Up! Art Welding with Connie B. Burkhart and David Kadlec | July 20-26 Ghost Ranch Gospel Music - Heart and Soul with Todd O’Neal and Nathaniel Best | July 20-26 Summer Venture | July 20-26 Creating Beauty in Kilns with Fused Glass with Katrina Jameson | July 20-26 From Prompt to Poetry: Write! with Anita Skeen | July 20-26 Teen Venture: Birds and Beyond with Holly Thomas and Holly Merker | July 20-26 Dare to Lead: Values and Courage with Tasnim “Taz” McCormick Benhalim | July 20-26 Citizen Paleontology with Randy Irmis and Nathan Smith | July 20-26 Dust on the Page: Narratives of the Southwest with Irina Ruvinsky | July 20-26 Land is Body: Held in Gravity with Brad Stoller | July 20-26 Drawn to Clay: Exploring the Threw and Through with Misty Mawn | July 20-26 Community Camp 2 | July 28-31 August Color and Composition with Sean Hudson | August 8-10 On the Path Home with Dr. Richard Diamond | August 8-10 Five Stories to Rewrite Together with Ellen Petry Leanse | August 8-10 A Preacher’s Retreat with Working Preachers with Matthew Skinner, Karoline Lewis and Joy J. Moore | August 11-15 Living the Lord’s Prayer: God’s Revolution on Earth with San Williams | August 15-17 Ghost Ranch Community ASL Weekend with Joi Holsapple | August 15-17 Meditation in Motion: Mindful Hiking with Laurie Magoon | August 15-17 Indigenous Poetry featuring An Evening with Joy Harjo and Dg Nanouk Okpik | August 17-19 Writers Roundup with Lesley Poling-Kempes and Robin McLean | August 17-23 Painting the Ghost Ranch Landscape in Late Summer with Michelle Chrisman | August 24-30 Living with Hearing Loss with Dean Olson | August 25-29 Mindful Birding with Holly Thomas | August 29-31 Self-Discovery through Memoir with Deborah Taffa | August 29-31 Become a Great Storyteller with Judith Fein and Paul Ross | August 29 - September 1 |
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Missing Dog - Miles
Please help us get the story out there to help bring Miles home. Miles was last seen in rural Abiquiú, New Mexico — but could now be anywhere in NM or southern Colorado.
Miles isn’t just any dog — he’s a rescued survivor. This 4-year-old beagle was saved through the Beagle Freedom Project, an organization known for liberating animals from laboratory testing. After surviving a traumatic start to life, Miles finally found love, safety, and a home. But now he’s missing — and his family is desperate to find him. He vanished in the rugged, expansive terrain of Abiquiú, NM, and may have traveled a great distance or been picked up by someone unaware of his story. His family fears he may be lost, scared, or in need of care. Miles is:
We urgently ask media outlets, community networks, newspapers, and community networks to help amplify his story. With your reach, Miles could be found. A hiker, a truck driver, a small-town vet—anyone might be the key to bringing him home. Monetary compensation is being offered for information leading to his safe return. Contact Immediately With Any Information: Jessica Ourisman 📧 jgourisman@gmail.com 📞 510-381-9302 Miles survived the unimaginable once. With your help, he can come home again. Please share his story — every moment matters. 
AquamarineMake way for royalty! Aquamarine is the Queen of cattitude & cuddled. With her luxurious tortie coat and regal flair, Aquamarine rules every room she enters—but this queen has a soft spot. She lives for affection, lap time, and being worshipped with head scritches and brushings. Aquamarine is the perfect mix of diva and darling. Bold, loyal, and absolutely irresistible, she’s ready to reign supreme in a forever home of her own.
Spayed, microchipped, vaccinated—and ready to claim her throne. We are open to walk-in adopters Monday-Saturday 11am-4:30pm with extended hours on Fridays ‘til 6pm. 
LeoLike his namesake, Leo shines bright. This sunny 2-year-old German Shepherd is bold, brilliant, and born for adventure. With the heart of a lion and loyalty that runs deep, he’s ready to be someone’s sunshine AND their shadow. Leo knows his basics, loves having a “job,” and thrives with structure and purpose. He walks well on leash (just give him a sec to settle), and his playful, affectionate side beams once you earn his trust.
If you love to chase sunsets, climb peaks, or just soak up the sun & good vibes (seriously, just look at that smile!), Leo’s your ride-or-die. He’s not just looking for a home—he’s looking for his solar system. He goes home neutered, vaccinated, chipped, and with six months of free heartworm prevention. espanolahumane.org 
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