Marfa Impressions

I keep reminding friends, relatives, and anyone who will listen that this is a big country with huge variations from east to west, and north to south. I had never been to Texas but was certainly prepared for the accents, the boots, the big hair and magenta lipstick, and the cowboy hats. But beyond the obvious, there is much more in terms of graciousness and hospitality, manners that are too often missing in the northeast.

Marfa, Texas is on the western edge of the state not far from the Mexican border and the Rio Grande. In fact, at one time this territory was part of Mexico. This town was the set for George Stevens’ 1955 film “Giant” which starred Rock Hudson, Elizabeth Taylor, and James Dean. The shooting of this movie has to have been a highlight for Marfa as the Hotel Paisano in the center of town has a restaurant called “Jett’s Grill”, certainly a nod to Dean’s character, Jett Rink. While the movie setting is a desolate and arid dustbowl, I found this land to be dotted with sage and pinon pines. Locals commented that this year’s unusual rain has kept the landscape especially verdant. We traveled to Marfa at the urging of my sister-in-law and brother-in-law, neither of whom has sent us astray in terms of vacations. They had loved Cibolo Creek Ranch where they had stayed while they explored the nearby Chinati Foundation, a modern art museum that is unlike any traditional concept you might have about a museum.

Thirty years ago, artist Donald Judd discovered Marfa and the neighboring abandoned army barracks, a property that lent itself to vast spaces housing huge pieces of contemporary art. During the past several decades, this property has become somewhat of a mecca for art aficionados, artists-in-residence, interns learning to be docents, and those who generally appreciate works of art which adapt themselves to a series of buildings as well as buildings which adapt themselves to the pieces displayed within them. Here you can view Chamberlain’s crushed metal pieces, Wesley’s pop paintings, Price’s clay sculpture, Horn’s polished copper forms, Flavin’s fluorescent lights, and Judd’s concrete and mill aluminum boxes. Judd chose this particular kind of aluminum because it is a material that shines and reflects the environment just as his outdoor concrete boxes frame scenes of the tall grasses with the Chinati and Cienaga Mountains beyond.

The Chinati Foundation is named for the mountain range, which forms the backdrop for Cibolo Creek Ranch, an authentically restored hacienda that is reminiscent of the old west. From Marfa, Cibolo is about a 45-minute drive west on route 67. On our first afternoon, we hiked for an hour to an impressive waterfall. Part of the allure of this ranch land for those who settled it long ago was the natural water source and the ability to trap and conserve water. We quickly realized that if we wanted to get a true sense of these 32,000 acres scattered with prickly pear cacti and tumbleweeds, we would have to get on horseback and ride along riverbeds, up steep stone trails, and along hilly ridges. In the distance were long-horned cattle, antelope, and even a blue-tailed fox. Below me in the thicket, I could see centipedes, horned toads, and even tarantulas (!).

This being only my third time on a horse, I was jittery but the young wrangler, Elmer, inspired confidence as he gently explained what to do. Once when my horse, Rico, took off uphill and I feared galloping of into the “wild blue yonder”, I pulled back hard on the reins and shouted “whoa!” Rico actually stopped; Elmer rode up beside me and calmly nodded his approval.

Riding wasn’t the only activity that put me on edge. This being an extremely divisive political season, I was concerned that the meals served family style would encourage heated arguments. After all, we were in the president’s home state, so I assumed that the predominantly Texas guests would be his serious supporters. I was surprised to find not only democrats among them, but republicans who had decidedly mixed feelings about Bush, Cheney, and their crew. The discussions were thoughtful, occasionally heated, but never rude. Here it seemed possible for people to be carefully articulate whether or not they agreed with one another.

First Debate

Obviously a Kerry supporter, I have read editorials across the country this morning, written letters to editors and taken online polls. We live in a time when the packaging of the message can be so effective in swaying how people think. I feared that the Republican machine would insert itself in its famously insipid way and convince us all that the President was the winner last night. Guess what! In his baggy suit, Mr. Bush gripped his lecturn while he shifted from right foot to left foot and made silly facial expressions. He referred often to his "hard work" and his being the best to lead, but was short on facts as Senator Kerry literally stood firmly, dressed sharply, and kept a relaxed demeanor throughout the 90 minute debate while he kept hammering away at the facts. Although our president has often derided his opponent on the campaign trail, Senator Kerry showed himself to be the candidate with a statemanslike command of the information right in front of us and the international experience to truely elevate our stature in the world and build coaltions with other nations. In the end, this is what is so vital to our national security.