Fine Art Images from the American Southwest

Day: January 13, 2021

Moon, Venus, High Road to Taos

Moon and Venus, San Cristobal. I was outside at 6 am with the tripod and camera set up, cuppa tea in hand, ready for one of the last good views of Venus in the dawn light at this time of year. She rises closer to the sun from this point in her orbit. I thought I was ready, as my phone app giving the precise location indicated I would observe the celestial event slightly north of where I had set up. Well, next time I won’t stand so close to my parked vehicle’s magnetic field. I stuffed some hand warmers in my gloves, it was 7º F, and with my tea in hand, I waited. My set up was spot on target. At 6:23 am, coyotes in the village made their announcement loud and very clear across the valley. At 6:24 am, a waning crescent moon peeked over Taos Mountain. At 6:29 am, Venus joined her. This was the most heart-stopping sight that I have seen in a while. Then, around 7 am when my heart started pumping again, when my hand warmers stopped making a difference, I went in and had more tea. Thanks for looking. G

01 crescent moon taos mountain SC 6362 1
First glimpse of the waning crescent rising after the coyotes singing.
02 crescent moon venus taos mountain SC 6372 6373 2
Venus appears in an appropriate divot in Taos Mountain.
03 crescent moon venus taos mountain SC 6379 1
Distant view of the whole scene from the from the garden.
04 crescent moon venus taos mountain SC 6387 1
Rising in unison, a kind of courtship dance over the mountain.
05 crescent moon venus taos mountain SC 6426 1
At 7 am when the temperature drops.

High Road to Taos. We made a few images on a short trip to Dixon, in the Rio Grande Valley last week. After exploring Dixon for a couple of hours, we drove a short way up the hill into the Sangre de Cristos Mountains. We passed by Picuris Pueblo, which is still closed for the safety of the tribal members, and stopped at the little chapel of Sagrado Corazón. Then on to the village of Llano de San Juan where we visited some familiar pinto ponies. Black and white seemed an appropriate choice for this particular day. G

Cross shadows, Dixon, NM
Village street in Dixon, NM
Dixon shapes and shadows
Shapes and Shadows.
Cross Shadow Dixon
Watching the shadows creep along the walls.
Sagrado Corazon Picuris
Chapel of the Sagrado Corazón.
Sagrado Corazon Picuris
Shadows at the Sagrado Corazón Chapel.
Pinto Horse posing on the High Road to Taos
Pinto Pony, Llano de San Juan.
Horse Mane, Llano de San Juan
Horse mane, cowlick.
Horse markings
Markings.
Cosmic Future Bus, Llano de San Juan, NM
Cosmic Future Bus, Llano de San Juan.
Cosmic Future Bus close up
Cosmic Future Bus.

I hope you enjoyed the tour and my first expanded blog, “Photo/photos of the Week.” As always, Thank you for looking. Stay safe and be well.

Geraint