ラロミタ、静かな隠れ家、ビッグスカイ、北部NMフード、スパ、スキー、ハイキング、ラフト

Carl Valdez is a native of the Finger Lakes area of New York State and Gretchen is a native of Minneapolis, MN where they live and have raised 8 daughters, 8 grandchildren and a great-grand daughter. Carl is a veteran of the US Air Force of the Viet Nam era. Both are retired teachers, but Carl works full-time as an ordained deacon in the Archdiocese of St. Paul and Minneapolis. Su ministerio es primeramente con los de habla hispana.

Carl is named after his paternal grandfather, Carlos Borromeo Valdez. His father's ancestors originally settled in Abiquiu, NM in the early 1800's, then in Los Valdeses, Colorado (now Seven Mile Plaza) between Del Norte and Monte Vista in the San Luis Valley. The church there, San Francisco de Asís, was founded by Juan Pio Valdez, Carl's great (5 times)-grandfather who was raised in Abiquiu. The land on which the church sits is called La Loma (the Hill) near the Rio Grande; thus the name for our home, La Lomita. Our home is situated 100 miles south, also very near the Rio Grande.

Some of his aunts, uncles and cousins eventually moved back to Española, Santa Fe and Albuquerque, and it is primarily in Monte Vista and this area that he and Gretchen began regular visits more than 30 years ago.

We love the excitement of watching our grandchildren start 'the climb' to the top of the mesa (five have made it with a lot of help from grandpa) or climb on the surrounding rock structures, watch hummingbirds dive and look forward every day to a new adventure - just minutes away.

We are delighted that there is something to do year around. In some months, it's possible to ski in the morning (Taos) and golf in the afternoon (Albuquerque).

We are also pleased to have a modest collection of reading material including New Mexico history and New Mexican authors, mysteries, nature, and spiritual topics. A number of visitors have commented that they have enjoyed reading on the portal (porch) without interruption (other than hummingbirds), and others have enjoyed adding to our growing collection.