This is our sixth (I think) trip to Taos since we moved to Texas. We always rent a house, and this time, for the first time, we rented one we’ve stayed in before, three years ago.

It is in the foothills of some of the peaks near Taos Ski Valley. It is one mile up a steep, rutted dirt road with switchbacks and just one house, this one. The road was built, buried electricity and phone lines were put in and addresses assigned so houses could be built, but so far our house is still the only one here. Sure, it’s a little isolated, but it’s quiet and dark at night. The stars are phenomenal with no lighted houses around. It is high enough to have a view of all of the valley and the town of Taos out the front. In the back, we can gaze up to some of our favorite mountains.

It is a house I could live in just as it is, with all of these strangers’ belongings and all. It is a new adobe, just one bathroom and one bedroom, with a loft upstairs with a futon and a desk.

The loft has windows on all four sides, and a deck which affords wonderful views of the sunsets Taos is famous for.

In the morning we watch the hot air balloons dipping down into the Rio Grande Gorge.

The kitchen is small, and has no dishwasher, garbage disposal, or microwave, but somehow we don’t mind at all. The dishes are the same Russell Wright style we had as kids, and the linens and many of the utensils are vintage as well. The stove is an antique gas model converted to use propane.

No TV, no stereo, but they do have DSL. They have very interesting art and have added many great touches such as imported carved doors and built in drawers.

The owner is a Hollywood writer, and I am writing this in his little writer’s cottage behind the house. The cottage even has a woodstove for the winter.

All around the house as far as we can see are trees. We bring our camping hammock and string it up anywhere we want to.

I love this little house and I think it is the only house we have rented that I really wish I owned. I could get to the ski area in no time, could cross-country ski right out the back door, and could run, bike and hike the all the great trails nearby. And despite the hassle of the unimproved mountain road, it is still easy to get into the village of Arroyo Seco and the town of Taos. I wonder if these folks would like a neighbor?

UPDATED: Here’s the satellite view of the house.