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"Stirrings of Spring"
by Peter Hurd | |
"Of all the seasons, I suppose spring arouses the most excitement. Then it is that the subtle pinks and reds of tamarisk and acequia willows first appear along our water course, the green of young cottonwood leaves to follow soon and be greeted by bursts of bird song. All nature seems to be awakening and it is at this season that the most delicate colors announce the break of day as the light filters through the river woodland emblazoning the stark trunks of nogal trees as if they belonged in some Gothic landscape. A time long past." ~Peter Hurd, 1971 | |
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Honoring St. Patrick in
San Patricio
The faithful of San Patricio gathered on March 19th to honor St. Patrick.
It was a gorgeous 75 degrees (with no wind) as the pilgrims walked from the newer St. Jude's church to the old San Patricio church. | |
Bells tolled through the valley as the pilgrims arrived to celebrate St. Patrick with music and a special mass. | |
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Happy Birthday | |
Peter Wyeth Hurd
March 22 | |
("Portrait of Peter Wyeth Hurd" by Henriette Wyeth) |
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Bringing Life Back to Sentinel Ranch | |
An annual task throughout the Hondo Valley is the cleaning of debris from the acequias. | |
If pasture and orchards are the heart of a ranch, the acequias are the bloodlines.
Debris accumulates in the ditches throughout the year and acts like cholesterol, clogging the ranches life-giving arteries.
It is back-breaking work to clear the acequias, but for those of us in the valley, there's nothing quite as beautiful as seeing an acequia flowing with plenty of clean, clear water. |
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If you're new to our online newsletter family, you've missed a few! Click on the photo above to view our newsletter archive page. | | |
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What's St. Patrick's Day without a limerick?
In 1939, Peter Hurd was traveling with his dear friend Eric Knight when a rooster crossed the road in front of their car. Ever the wordsmith, Eric
Knight composed this limerick in less than sixty seconds:
There was an old lady of Brewster
who had an affair with a rooster.
To him she was true
'til one day their flew
Through the window a gander and goosed her. |
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Study of Butte in Sepia by Peter Hurd | |
Price: $3,500
Size: 8 3/4" x 11 1/8"
Medium: Pen & Ink, Watercolor
Signed: Lower Left |
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The Plowed Field by Peter Hurd | |
Price: $2,400
Size: 8 3/4" x 7 1/8"
Medium: Pen & Ink, Watercolor
Signed: Initials Lower Right |
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Behind the Art: The Legend of San Ysidro, by Peter Hurd | 
Spring is a very spiritual time in the Hondo Valley. As winter grudgingly releases it's grip and the people venture to their fields and orchards to begin working their land, it is inevitible that thoughts will turn to San Ysidro, the patron saint of ranchers, farmers and laborers.
Many variations of the legend exist, but in every version, Ysidro is described as a laborer who was a man of faith. In one version of the legend, Ysidro's employer apparently became upset by reports from other workers that Ysidro would take time out of his work day to pray. And yet, somehow, Ysidro always managed to complete his day's tasks.
Deciding to investigate, the employer visited the field where Ysidro was supposed to be working and sure enough, Ysidro was kneeling in the dirt of the field with his eyes tightly closed and his hands folded in prayer. Just as the boss approached to reprimand Ysidro, he noticed a team of brilliant white oxen, being guided through the field by an angel, thus allowing Ysidro to complete his prayers.
In 1967, Peter Hurd presented a painting depicting the story of this miracle, a legend that has been handed down through the centuries to those who still work and love the land. |
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Where Every Day is April Fool's Day | |
You have been warned. Tomorrow is April Fool's Day. And if you know any member of the Hurd or Wyeth family, I'd watch my back if I were you.
It's hard to say who was the first or the best prankster in this clan, although Uncle Andy was certainly a strong contender for that prize. As a little boy, he was known to put laxatives in the punch bowl at family parties or to follow his older sisters on their dates where he would hide and make obscene noises.
Peter Hurd seemed perfectly suited to join the Wyeth family since he was already a seasoned prankster by the time he arrived in Chadds Ford. While attending the New Mexico Military Institute, Peter conceived and partially executed a fine prank. About 3 weeks before graduation, he began sawing into the legs of his table in the dining hall. He knew that the day before the core of cadets was dismissed, they would rise and the table would collapse. Unfortunately, piles of sawdust on the floor revealed the plot and Peter was made to walk tours and look generally ashamed of himself. Although he admitted, "I'm afraid I was ashamed of myself only in that I was unable to realize the moment of beauty."
In 2006, I personally experienced this apparently inherited gift for practical jokes. I was meeting Michael one sparkling spring day and as I approached the ranch house in my car, I could see Michael and two other men visiting in a doorway. After parking, I hopped out of my car and approached the group who fell suddenly silent. Michael introduced his two friends who extended their hands with extreme hesitance. Neither of the men smiled and both were barely able to keep their mouths from hanging open.
Michael obviously sensed my discomfort with this strange greeting, so after a minute or two of barely concealed glee, he revealed that before my arrival, he had told his two friends that I had recently undergone a sex-change operation. He had warned them that I would be sensitive to any behavior that might reveal their awareness of the situation. Without my knowledge, these two men had been told that my new name is Tiffanie, but I used to be George.
So if you plan to visit us at Sentinel Ranch on April 1, don't forget...you have been warned. |
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