Got some hands-on adobe experience today at architect Mark Chalom's house in Abiquiu. He has some adobe veneer going on. These were narrow half-bricks planted on the inner walls to give it the adobe look. We smeared and smoothed the mud mortar. It looks good and I suppose adds insulation. The house is situated on a cliff directly across from Ghost Ranch, and above the dam. A stunning view. The Army Corps of Engineers happened to get this right--as opposed to other projects for which they are known...but, still, looking at the lake, I had to think of Ed Abbey. Saw a bald eagle cruise across the lake channel and light on the red rocks across the way. That's the third one I've seen since we got here. This morning in El Rito it had frosted with the snow and everywhere was that crystally, pointy kind of frost poking out from every grass blade and making things look furry. You know, that "secret ministry unhelped by any wind..." Also, when we walked Luna there seemed to be evidence dropped here and there around the campus that Kip has some, um, bovine classmates in the adobe program. What I am saying is there is apparently more than one way to make a mud brick with straw in it... "You want adobe? I got yer adobe right here! Moo."