Peggy Immel
The Magpies of Pacheco Ditch
Oil on Linen Panel
6" x 8"

Our property in Taos has surface (farming) water rights and that water is delivered to our property by the Pacheco Ditch. The Pacheco Ditch is an acequia which is a small irrigation canal. Our ditch has 12 Parciantes (partners) who belong to the ditch and are allowed to take water from it. Our neighbor has a small bridge across the acequia and these Magpies were perched on a nearby tree one spring while we were all taking part in the annual cleaning of the ditch. "The Milagro Beanfield War" is the book by John Nichols that tells the story of one ditch and the various battles of the nearby neighbors to use the ditch for irrigation.