Fine Art Images from the American Southwest

Tag: San Cristobal

Arroyo Seco, Arroyo Hondo, Winter Scenes. 02-07-2024.

Greetings from San Cristobal, NM. This week two sides of winter in Arroyo Seco and Arroyo Hondo.

As they say… “if you don’t like the weather, wait for five minutes”. The scene in the second image was shot a few days apart from the first image and about a 20º F warmer difference in temperature. Looking outside today we’ve had rain sleet, snow, hail, and blue skies. Tomorrow?… tee-shirt weather, who knows!

Arroyo Seco Lane
A winter scene in Arroyo Seco, NM.

The weather in the mountains continues to leave a lot of snow in its wake. I heard that the ski areas are doing well from the last three storms that moved through the area. That’s good for the spring run-off and the farmers. The skiers are enjoying it and apparently, it’s good powder skiing, but that part is lost on me. I’m looking forward to the peace and solitude of cross-country, and snowshoeing again.

If you look closely in the sky, upper right, in the following image you can see a flock of birds, commonly named Pinyon Jays. I waited for them to come closer but they had other intentions. Last year we had very large flocks of Pinyon Jays in the thousands in our San Cristobal Valley. I just counted 157 in this shot, a small number of the ones I saw.

Arroyo Hondo, winter
Cottonwood and Willows, Arroyo Hondo, NM.

On the day I shot the image above I drove with the windows down from Taos, across the mesa. When I got to this spot I made a U-turn to photograph one of my favorite locations.

Pinyon Jay
Pinyon Jay or as we like to spell it in New Mexico, “Piñon Jay”

The Pinyon Jay was outside the kitchen window feeding off seeds on the fence that the squirrels stole from the bird feeders and dropped. I was watching the bird through the iPhone wifi tether app on my camera with a 300mm lens.

As always, thank you for looking. I hope it’s a good week where you are. To all my friends in California, stay safe. G

White Homestead, Mountain Peak, Shutters. 01-24-2024

Greetings from San Cristobal, NM. This week a white homestead in Colorado, a mountain peak, some old shutters, and a hiking trail I look forward to being on in a couple of weeks.

I love this stand alone scene near the Great Sandunes in southern Colorado. Join me on a photo tour/workshop and I’ll take you there. Winter or any other seeson here doesn’t disappoint.

White homestead ruin Colorado
White homestead in a white field, Colorado.

Take a look here at another pictuer of this homestead. There are many of these old and abandoned homesteads in the San Luis Valley.

Vallecito Mountain is a favorite peak in the southern Rocky Mountains of New Mexico. I shot this on a drive into Taos yesterday. I can’t complain about the commute or the scenery. There’s a nearly full (98%) moon tonight. If the clouds lift I’m going to head out and get some shots of the Wolf Moon rising above this peak. I hope you get to see it where you are.

Vallecito Mountain Light
Vallecito Mountain Light.

I came across this image below by chance. It’s from many years ago. I’m certain they are gone now but I will look next time that I’m in Ranchos de Taos. I shot them even longer ago in the 1980’s. After living in one place for so long, I get to see, and often document the changes. My earlier original image was shot on Kodachrome in 1989.

Ranchos de Taos wooden shuttters
Wooden Shutters, Ranchos de Taos.

In about two weeks, snow and mud permitting, I’ll be hiking up here above our village. The mountain in the distance, with snow, is Taos Mountain, and the views to the west are perfect for watching a sunset. The area burned in May 1996. You can see that regrowth is slow. Scrub oak is resilient and prolific so these hills turn many shades of rust in the autumn.

San Cristobal ridge road
The ridge road in San Cristobal.

As always thank you for looking, and for all the well wishes for my right foot. It has healed faster that the left one did, for that I am grateful. I promise to shut up about it from now on and only post pictures from my hikes and trips with my two new feet. Best wishes. G

Wonderful Winter In The Neighborhood. 12-27-2023

Greetings from San Cristobal, NM. This week winter in the neighborhood.

I’ll keep it short and sweet this week. I hope everyone got what they wanted. I didn’t want anything and got nothing, it made my day. I already have plenty. That said I am now the owner of two happy feet and have been able to drive a little. So, I drove around the neighborhood and got a few new shots to add to the archives.

Last Friday, I followed a fog bank that was building over the Rio Grande Gorge and came across this scene a little ways up the road in Cerro NM. There was just enough moisture in the fog and temperatures dropped to 26º F to cover the trees and willows in hoar frost that created this winter wonderland.

Hoar frost, winter in northern New Mexico
Hoar Frost, Cerro NM.

I was reminded of other years when the weather elements came together to create the following scenes.

Trees with in snow
Winter in Arroyo Seco, NM.

When I drove the “High Road to Taos” I felt like I was entering “Narnia”.

Winter on the High Road to Taos
On the High Road to Taos, NM.

Back to the present! This was the moon on the winter solstice last week. It stood out clearly against a beautiful blue sky revealing the detail of the craters.

Solstice moon from San Cristobal.
Solstice Moon.

The sunset on December 24, was fuzzy and warm. The outdoor temps were not!

Mountain sunset San Cristobal, NM.
Mountain Sunset San Cristobal, NM.

The view below embodied a feeling of warmth but it wasn’t. Temps dropped to 9º F last night. Of course, it was coldest before dawn so I slept in and missed the moon setting across the plateau.

December 25th Moonrise
December 25th Moonrise

As always, thank you for looking, Happy New Year, I hope it’s a good one. G

Crows, Trees, Meadows, And More. 12-20-2023

Greetings from San Cristobal, NM. This week, Crows, trees, meadows, and more.

The crows that frequent our old cottonwood snag are fun to watch from the living room window and deck. I can observe from my chair out the window when they descend on the snags. I grab my camera and move to the deck. This image is a composite mostly of those going and those staying. I never tire of this view. The reason for their routines and nagging, comings and goings as they do, eludes me, but I keep watching. Observers of crows praise their intelligence. The Smithsonian says this.

Crows and magpie, cottonwood tree, San Cristobal, NM
Our cottonwood with Crows and Magpie, bottom right.

We watched these clouds develop on our drive home from Angel Fire in the Moreno Valley yesterday. They look like very localized lenticulars. The main cloud resembles a stingray or stealth bomber.

Unique cloud formations, Moreno Valley NM
Clouds, Moreno Valley, northern New Mexico.

Evening light in El Prado (the meadows) just north of Taos. Snow is predicted for this weekend. We shall see.

El Prado, the meadows, winter light
El Prado, the meadows, winter light.

When it snows the meadows look like this. El Prado has wide views across the meadows to the mountains.

Cattle in snow field El Prado, Taos, NM
Cattle in El Prado, Taos, NM.

Things change. I found this tree in the forest. Outlived by the surrounding trees its impact on me inspired me to make a picture. Then this poem by Hermann Hesse came to mind.

SOMETIMES

Sometimes, when a bird cries out,
Or the wind sweeps through a tree,
Or a dog howls in a far off farm,
I hold still and listen a long time.

My soul turns and goes back to the place
Where, a thousand forgotten years ago,
The bird and the blowing wind
Were like me, and were my brothers.

My soul turns into a tree,
And an animal, and a cloud bank.
Then changed and odd it comes home
And asks me questions. What should I reply?

~ Hermann Hesse

I listen and I make a picture.

Dead Pine tree
Pine in the woods.

As always thank you for looking, following, comments and compliments. Also thank you for all the well wihes. I’ll be back in a shoe next week. Happy holidays. G

Northern New Mexico, Moonrise – 11-29-2023.

Greetings from San Cristobal, in the beautiful mountains of northern New Mexico. This week a few moonrise images from around the area.

Below is one of my favorite peaks in northern New Mexico, and the subject/location for photographing the full moon rise.

A northern New Mexico moonrise
Moonrise, Vallecito Peak, Northern New Mexico.

Horse and moonrise Arroyo Seco, NM.
Horse with moonrise Arroyo Seco, NM.

I haven’t been to the Bosque del Apache NWR in a few years, preferring instead to make the shorter drive to the Monte Vista NWR in southern Colorado. I was pleased to see this image below, a reminder of the peace and tranquility experienced in the early hours at the Bosque del Apache.

Bosque del Apache moon and snow geese
Moonrise with Snow Geese, Bosque del Apache, NM.

Ladder to the moon, Toas
Ladder to the Moon, Taos, NM.

As always, thank you so much for all the comments, compliments, and well wishes for a speedy recovery. Have a great week. G

First Snow, Winter Flashbacks. 11-22-2023

Greetings from San Cristobal, NM, and a Happy Thanksgiving. This week we had the first snow on our local peaks and in the valley.

Not too much snow. It’s a late start to winter where we are this year. I see from our weather forecast that temps will drop next week. It’s all good for me as I’m in a foot brace again on my right foot this time, and with my leg elevated, I still have a lovely view out the windows and from the deck.

This was the scene from the kitchen window this week after the clouds lifted, leaving a few stragglers behind to fill in the little valleys.

First Snow San Cristobal
First Snow, San Cristobal.

With my right leg elevated, I’m revisiting the archives again. Pretty much a repeat of last February, when my left leg was elevated. This time next year I look forward to hiking up and down the hills in the first photo.

Early snow, Taos
First snow, Taos, 2011.
Great Blue Heron and Mallards, Rio Grande, Pilar
Great Blue Heron and Mallards, Rio Grande, Pilar, NM.
Red-winged Blackbirds
Red-winged Blackbirds, Arroyo Hondo, NM.
Horse, Ranchos de Taos
A horse taking shelter in Ranchos de Taos.
Vintage truck in the snow, Taos
Vintage truck in the snow, Overland Ranch, Taos.

Lastly, a picture I came across, edited on my iPhone, from last year.

Church window and adobes, Colorado
Church window and adobes, Colorado.

As always, thank you for looking. Happy Thanksgiving. G

A Golden Eagle. A Leaf. A cloud. 11-15-2023.

Greetings from San Cristobal, NM. This week a Golden Eagle in flight. A lone cottonwood leaf and an unusual cloud formation over the San Cristobal Valley.

Golden Eagle in flight, southern Colorado.
Golden Eagle in flight, southern Colorado.

There’s a little wetlands in Taos I often take a walk there. This cottonwood leaf, bigger than my hand, was asking to be photographed. I was happy to oblige.

Cottonwood Leaf and a sun star
Cottonwood leaf and a sun star

The cloud below screamed out for a picture. It first appeared much like any other lenticular cloud forming, but quickly grew a tail. Moments after, just like that, it became one with all the other particles.

Cloud formation, lenticular
Lenticular cloud formation.

I was sure it was going to become a Bottlenose Dolphin… almost!

As always, thank you for looking. Have a great week and if I miss you next week, Happy Thanksgiving. G

Solar Eclipse, Aspens, Autumn Continues. 10-18-2023.

Greetings from San Cristobal in northern New Mexico. This week, the solar eclipse from the deck. Our perspective at this latitude gave us 80% coverage. We could have gone to Albuquerque for totality but decided to put our feet up, play with the dog, shoot a few pictures, and save on a tank of gas. The photos below were shot using a tripod with a Sony camera and lens. I purchased a couple of pairs of eclipse glasses that worked very well. They’ll come in handy for the total eclipse next April. I hope you saw the solar eclipse where you are.

Solar eclipse, October 14, 2023, San Cristobal, NM
Solar eclipse, October 14, 2023, San Cristobal, NM.

In the image below, I opened up the exposure to get the clouds that were surrounding the event. There is some refraction from the use of two neutral density filters but you get the idea.

October 14, 2023 solar eclipse. San Cristobal, NM
October 14, 2023, solar eclipse. San Cristobal, NM.

The aspen groves continued to delight with colors at their peak in many areas. There is still a lot more peaking to come. I’ll be on a five-day photo tour during the coming week. It’s safe to say I’ll probably post more images.

Aspens sun star, New Mexico
Aspens and a sun star, Hopewell Lake, New Mexico.
Aspens near Hopewell Lake, NM
Off the beaten path near Hopewell Lake, NM.

No trip in the area is complete without a stop at the Red Barn. It was a beautiful sunny day in the San Luis Valley, however, the barn looked a little forlorn later in the day under the brooding sky. I plan to keep documenting it until…

Red Barn, San Luis Valley, Colorado
Red Barn, San Luis Valley, Colorado.

On the climb up the Cumbres Pass, the road crosses over the state line from New Mexico into Colorado. The picture below looked much more appealing in black and white during the midday sun. The type of clouds in the picture looked like this all day long. The Cumbres and Toltec Scenic Railway also crosses the pass. If we are lucky, we sometimes meet the train there.

Black and white near the Cumbres Pass, New Mexico
Black and white near the Cumbres Pass, New Mexico.

We visit the location below numerous times throughout the year. Fall is my favorite.

Aspen grove and sky, Colorado
Aspen grove and sky, Colorado.

As always thank you for looking. Have a great week. G

Summer Sunset, Salida Colorado, And More. 09-13-2023.

Greetings from San Cristobal, NM. This week I’ve included a late summer sunset with a rainbow in a super storm cloud.

Summer is almost over and autumn is upon us. The aspens and cottonwoods will shroud the landscape in a cape of gold, glowing against the blue skies in the pristine mountain light. At this time of year, the night skies are crystal clear. The moon, constellations, galaxies, and Milky Way light up the night sky like few other places on Earth. New Mexico will soon be a magic carpet ride into the throes of winter. It’s not too late to sign up for a fall photo tour.

The summer storm cloud picture below followed a week after my last post on the rainbows. Many pictures of this massive cloud were floating around on social media. Naturally, we are so fortunate where we live, that we only have to step outside into the garden for a spectacular view.

Rainbow storm cloud sunset San Cristobal, NM
Rainbow storm cloud sunset San Cristobal, NM

Last weekend Pami and I drove to Salida, Colorado to the fiber arts festival. Pami did some shopping for alpaca yarns and I took a few images walking down the side streets and dark alleys!

Kayaks, Salida Colorado
Kayaks, Salida, Colorado.

Just over my shoulder was an artist painting a picture of these kayaks. This was his working palette.

Painters Palette, Salida, Colorado
Painters Palette, Salida, Colorado.

Alley in Salida, Colorado
A dark alley in Salida, Colorado.
Honor roll wall, Salida, CO
Honor Roll Wall, Salida, CO.
Alley, Salida CO
Brickwork with peeling paint, an alley in Salida CO.

Looking down, watching where I put my feet, was all I needed to see that “Love is all you need”… and water and food and housing…!

Love is all you need!
“Love is all you need!”

It poured with rain over the last three days. It isn’t over yet. I had errands to run in Taos so I stopped by the Saint Francis Church in Ranchos de Taos to add another image to my reflection collection. As I’ve said before, “I can’t resist a puddle!”.

Reflections, Saint Francis Church, Ranchos de Taos
Reflection at the Saint Francis Church, Ranchos de Taos.

I went to a friend’s open studio last weekend and also got caught up on gallery visits, it’s been a while. I liked the vase of flowers and took a quick cellphone shot. After tinkering on a cell phone app I came up with this. Here’s another image I did using the “Formulas” app on my phone.

Vase of flowers in a Taos Studio
Vase of flowers in a Taos studio.

I got a number of print orders this week. I shipped this image of the Cliff Palace ruin in Mesa Verde National Park, Colorado to Florida. I printed one for myself to hang in my office. If you would like a print for your wall, message me here!

Cliff Palace, Mesa Verde, Colorado
Cliff Palace, Mesa Verde, Colorado.

I saw the scene below today on my drive home from town. This guy was trucking along the highway so I thought I’d catch a shot of him as he passed the flashing road work sign that has been there for three/four years. Road work? No problem!

Summer Road work rider
Road work? No problem!

Summer is coming to an end and colors are turning on the tips of cottonwoods and aspens. I still have dates available for private photo tours and workshops. Last year was outstanding. Let me know if you are planning a trip to the area and would like a personalized guided trip.

As always, thank you for looking. Have a great week. G

Super, Blue Moon Rise, San Cristobal, NM 09-06-2023

Greetings from San Cristobal, NM. This week the Super, Blue Moon Rise from the deck at home in San Cristobal. I said I would share the moon rise if the skies were clear. They cooperated fully, with the thin veil of clouds adding an air of mystery.

I’ll begin with the first glow I saw about five minutes before the moon appeared. It gave me time to adjust my settings and anticipate the next few shots.

Super Blue moon rise San Cristobal
Super Blue Moon Rise San Cristobal, NM

Full moon rising over the ridge San Cristobal
The full moon’s appearance over the foothills.

Super Blue moon rising San Cristobal
Moon and trees on the ridge.

Full moon over the ridge San Cristobal
Super, Blue moon rise, in all its glory.

Of course, every moon rise is a sight to see. I am always excited as the moon clears the mountains where we live. Also, there is nothing like having a bright moon that you can drive with your headlights off and see the driveway ahead and the whole valley beyond lit up. The upside is that it’s like daylight in the house, so no nightlights are needed. The downside, sleep may be elusive on such a night.

Moon
Full Moon.

The next full moon will be the Harvest Moon on September 29. Here’s a Harvest Moon nearly full with a rainbow for added glory. Read more here about the Super Blue Moon.

As always, thanks for looking and for all the comments and compliments. Have a great week. G