Descanso 4

Descanso_4
Originally uploaded by jmoule.

A single cross, such as this, is more typical than the dual crosses posted earler.

Another Descanso

Descanso_3
Originally uploaded by jmoule.

As you can see, this descanso has been sitting by the road for nearly forty years. It is well made. The cross on the right has been forged out of steel.

Why photograph descansos?

Descanso_2
Originally uploaded by jmoule.

They are the only remaining pure and non-commercial folk art that I am aware of in the United States.

Descansos

Descanso_1
Originally uploaded by jmoule.

It is not well known that one of my hobbies is photographing descansos. Here is one on the road to Chimayo', New Mexico.

A descanso is a monument to someone who died suddenly and unexpectedly. It represents a plea to passers by to pray for the soul of the deceased. Not surprisingly, nearly all descansos are placed along roads and highways.

Santa Fe

Chapel
Originally uploaded by jmoule.

We just returned from five days in Santo Fe. This photo is an icon for the trip. However, this is not actually in Santa Fe. This is the tower of the chapel next to the Sanctuario de Chimayo', in the mountains north of Santa Fe.

The highlight of the trip was listening to the Miro String Quartet - part of the Santa Fe Chamber Music Festival. There was no low point.

Lemons

Lemon-II
Originally uploaded by jmoule.

By popular request, here is another watercolor that Katherine entered in the California Watercolor Society miniature show. She believes it is better than her painting which won a prize.

I told Kat that she has her groove back. She says that she has her rut back. She wants to do something new and different than still life paintings of fruits and vegetables.

Portabellas

Portabellas
Originally uploaded by jmoule.

Katherine entered this painting in a California Watercolor Society show of miniatures and won second prize! She was amazed, particularly since she also entered two other paintings that she thought were slightly better.

All I can say is that I looked at the show today and the competition was really tough. Lots of talent here in the Bay Area.

Don't fight the tape

Despite my concerns about the US economy in the long term, and the fact that the stock market is overvalued in general, I have been slowly increasing my investments. The market has been saying that no matter what I think, it wants to move up. On a day to day basis, it has been ignoring bad news. So, I am moving to a 15% cash/85% invested position.

Taking a top down approach, I am moving toward the following allocation of resources:

Energy (i. e. oil & gas), 15%
Gold, 10%
International, 20%
Raw materials (lumber, copper, etc.) 15%
REITs, 15%
Other US small caps, 15%
Other US, 10%

Within those categories, I am emphasizing investments paying high dividends. That includes not only dividend paying equities, but also high yield ETF's, Canadian Royalty Trusts, and foreign telephone companies.