In Santa Fe I have found there is always something lovely and/or interesting to photograph.  I wanted to get out on our second day and visit some of my favorite spots ranging from churches to shops.  My father got to know a great many Native people on our family trips because he was Choctaw and I was anxious to revisit old friends.  While introducing our little one to the Chapel of San Loretto I snapped a picture of this rosary tree.  I thought it was full of grace and beauty, just like the Blessed Mother herself.  The chapel was inspired by my favorite church in the world, the French Sainte-Chapelle, but I did not fail to notice the southwestern influence of Our Lady of Guadalupe residing underneath the tree.  Built in 1878, the chapel is known the world over for its “Miraculous Staircase” which forms two perfect 360 degree turns in its spiral staircase without the use of any nails or visible means of support.  The staircase has undergone extensive reviews over the years by scientists and educated skeptics alike, and yet none have ever been able to disprove it.  The American entrepreneur Jim Rohn said:

“Learning is the beginning of wealth.  Learning is the beginning of health.  Learning is the beginning of spirituality.  Searching and learning is where the miracle process all begins.”

I thought this tree had a certain quirky eloquence — just like Santa Fe herself.  Never having seen one like it; I found it very moving.  Catholic or Protestant, Christian or non, and whether or not you believe in miracles, I do not think anyone can dispute the organic beauty of the rosary tree.