Tied to the Post

It was a winter afternoon, and the sun was beginning to fade. Late February light in Bluff is stunning, so I was sitting in my office staring absently out the picture windows when I heard a car come to a sudden halt in the gravel parking lot. The driver apparently overshot his or her intended mark...
The cityscapes of New York, London, and Paris are woven into the exquisite basketry of local artist Chris Johnson. Courtesy photo
Over the 35 years Twin Rocks Trading Post has been working with the Monument Valley Navajo basket makers, Chris Johnson has emerged as one of the best. Chris is a full-time shepherd, so during any given year he will produce only a few baskets. When he arrives at the trading post, however, you can...
The incredible beauty of Comb Ridge, a few miles west of Bluff. Courtesy photo
It’s time again for Rick Bell’s annual year in review, a photographer’s look at life in and around Bluff. Some folks say Bluff is the middle of nowhere, at Twin Rocks Trading Post we think it is the center of the universe. We are in the bull’s eye of an amazing array of fascinating places. All...
 A beautiful weaved basket featuring a spider in the design. Steve Simpson photo
It is Thanksgiving, and Grange and his friend Abbey will be visiting over the holiday. Consequently, I was reminded of a time several years back. It was long, long ago that I took Grange to Bluff Elementary School to conclude his Student Education Plan. Every year, parents convened with their child...
The Fair Trade mural by Brad Goodell located at Twin Rocks Trading Post Steve Simpson photo
For me, the catastrophe started innocently enough, but the Native American woman involved in the incident didn’t see it that way.  She viewed it as a deliberate act of racism, one that was all too familiar to her and one that was fully expected from a trading post operator. It began around mid-...
Hatching the future, one egg at a time. Courtesy photo
Earlier this week it was time for a haircut. As anyone who knows Bluff knows, you can’t get that done here; getting a trim means taking a trip. Some go to Moab, some go to Cortez and I, for many years, have gone to Blanding. Stephanie is my go-to when I grow shaggy, and that means driving 25 miles...
Creative chaos at the Post. Courtesy photo
The woman in colorful clothing walked in through the Kokopelli doors, stopped in the center of the trading post, carefully surveyed the situation, and said, “What is your guiding principle?” “Hum,” I said, trying to buy a little time. “Mine or the shop’s?” “Probably the same,” she correctly...
Pearl and Opal are just two of those that are free to enter and exit the trading post.
It was a Sunday afternoon, and the summer heat had already arrived. Outside on the porch, Pearl and Opal, aka the Gems, panted as they worked at perfecting their greeting skills. I am a fan of keeping the Kokopelli doors open, so on this particular day I delayed turning on the cooler. I like...
An eight-legged master weaver survives the summer heat in San Juan County. Staff photo
The other day I was cleaning the glass showcases in the trading post when I noticed a spider creeping behind one of the folk-art carvings. Polishing the glass is a part of my regular routine, and at times I find it therapeutic. Some people drink coffee to start their day; I clean the glass. I have...
These children become part of the scenery entering Bluff.  Courtesy photo
Division is defined as “the act or process of dividing; the state of being divided,” which most of us associate with mathematics. On many levels this topic has perplexed me throughout childhood and into my adult life. For example, when Kira and Grange were in grammar school, I had to cede...

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San Juan Record

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