Search Results for: san cristobal

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

Geraint September 6, 2023 10 Comments

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.

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

Nature’s Fireworks, San Cristobal, NM. 07-05-2023

Geraint July 5, 2023 10 Comments

Greetings from San Cristobal, NM.

New Mexico, is not the fireworks capital of the universe but certainly the aerial bombardment capital of other projectiles. In the spirit of wanting to keep our dogs safe from audible shock treatment, I posted nature’s fireworks on Facebook yesterday, and it received a number of comments and compliments. Below is an expanded version of the post with almost all of the flowers I’ve shot in the garden this year to date.

Nature's fireworks, San Cristobal — Nature’s Fireworks, San Cristobal, NM

The first of four supermoons this summer looked splendid as it rose over the northern flanks of Taos Mountain, (Pueblo Peak) this week. There are two supermoons (one a blue moon) in August and another in September.

Supermoon rise Taos Mountain — Supermoon rise, Taos Mountain.

As always, have a great week, and thanks for looking. G

San Cristobal Valley, Winter, Ranchos de Taos. 01-18-2023

Geraint January 18, 2023 18 Comments

Greetings from San Cristobal Valley. Winter is beginning to settle in, with temperatures dropping to single digits and a decent amount of snow. Not at all the amount we are used to, but we’ll take it.

Last week, on my way home, I just had to pull over to watch the shadows move through our valley. Ten years ago, I shot this same scene. It became the centerpiece in our galley and home and has been a best seller since then. I don’t think I could ever top it though I keep trying. As you can see, the foreground is overgrown, with the meadow obscured.

San Cristobal valley cottonwoods — San Cristobal Valley.

Here is the same view, one of my iconic images from ten years ago. Here is the same location in fall 2020.

San Cristobal valley cottonwoods, and aspens — San Cristobal Valley cottonwoods, and aspens

That cottonwood and willows in Arroyo Hondo, I can’t seem to pass this spot without making an image.

Arroyo Hondo cottonwood, willows. — Arroyo Hondo cottonwood and willows.

Early one morning this week I went south to the adobe mission church of Saint Francis in Ranchos de Taos. This iconic building always looks good with accents of snow and a dramatic sky. One important feature of this image… I arrived in time to get a photo before the parking area filled with cars.

Saint Francis church, Ranchos de Taos, NM.

Below is an image from December 2010 on the road that connects the villages of Arroyo Hondo and Arroyo Seco. When I had my gallery in Arroyo Seco I drove this route most days. It’s a sweet country road with close-up views of the surrounding mountains. It is an especially beautiful, and magical drive when the hoar frost covers the trees and landscape.

Hondo, Seco Road, New Mexico — Arroyo Hondo, Arroyo Seco Road, New Mexico

If you plan to visit New Mexico this year and have a desire to improve your photographic skills, and see locations off the beaten track, look me up and consider a photography tour/workshop. I’ll look forward to meeting and working with you in some of my favorite places in the area.

As always, thank you for looking. G

Snow in San Cristobal, and lots of it.

Geraint February 2, 2022 14 Comments

I’ve cleared the deck, walkways, and a path to the car three times today. It’s easier to move the snow in smaller doses. The sun came out for a few minutes to help melt some of it. A lot of good that was! It’s all covered again now at 4 pm. Reckon I’ll wait until tomorrow to clear some more. It will also be -4º F at sunrise tomorrow morning getting colder by Friday at -9º F. Brrrr!

Garden snow Buddha — Garden Buddha wearing a blanket of snow.

Winter Sunflowers, San Cristobal — Last summers sunflowers and cottonwood this winter in San Cristobal, NM

This is the biggest snowfall for us here in northern New Mexico this winter. I’m happy for the moister, we all are. I go out tomorrow and shoot some images. I post more next week.

As always thank you for looking. Stay safe and warm. G

Around the Block, San Luis Valley, San Cristobal

Geraint June 30, 2021 12 Comments

A couple of days ago I headed north to Sanchez Lake, actually a stabilization reservoir, just south of San Luis, Colorado. I hadn’t visited in a while and as it was such a nice evening I wanted to go and check things out. There were some RV’s parked close to the lake on the east side just off the highway so I made my way around to the west side. To my surprise, I came across several American White Pelicans, I know not what the three on the left were up to, when a lone American Avocet strolled by, oblivious to me. I spotted some Grebes in the middle of the lake too far away for a decent shot, but a Killdeer came next wading in the mineral foam (not a pretty picture) on the edge of the lake. The winds picked up, the waders moseyed further down the shoreline foraging voraciously as they went. The pelicans swam to the middle of the lake. Later, when making a few images of the drying adobe mud in the dirt road ruts, I noticed an optical illusion. Is the mud concave or convex? Let me know what you see.
As the shadows lengthened I made my way home stopping off at my favorite location, the red barn. The red paint on the barn is now more of a muted coral color softened by the grey, weathered wood and the sky seemed to dominate the scene begging for a black and white image. Except for the lone raven who sits in our cottonwood tree every evening waiting to greet me, that was that. Enjoy, I did!
Stay cool if it’s too hot where you are. It’s been raining here for a week in northern New Mexico with more on the way.

American white Pelicans — American White Pelicans, San Luis Valley Lake, Colorado.

American Avocet, San Luis Valley — American Avocet San Luis Valley Lake, Colorado.

Killdeer, San Luis Valley Lake — A Killdeer wading along the shoreline, San Luis Valley Lake. Colorado.

Drying adobe mud, San Luis — Drying adobe mud along the dirt roads, San Luis Valley, Colorado.

Red Barn, San Luis Valley — Red Barn with Ute Mountain and tumbleweed, in the San Luis Valley, Colorado.

Raven, San Cristobal — Lone Raven in the cottonwood tree, San Cristobal, NM

As always, thanks for looking. G

San Cristobal, Mid-Winter

Geraint January 13, 2021 No Comments

San Cristobal Fall

Geraint January 13, 2021 No Comments

Hunter’s Moon, San Cristobal

Geraint January 3, 2021 No Comments

Tree, Mountain Cloud, San Cristobal, NM

Geraint December 28, 2020 No Comments

I missed the ball this evening as I didn’t pay attention to the time. I was busy making images of my neighbor Dennis’s tree with the low cloud and peaks breaking through when I remembered the time which was getting close to the moon’s rise. Because we live so close to the mountains I sometimes have to drive a little bit north and west to see it at the right time. I had planned a drive out toward the fourteeners in Colorado. Oh well. I did drive north a little way to see the moon rise over Lama mountain. The first image is from our garden and the second is the moon rising over Lama. Thanks for looking. I promise to do better next time. G

Red Wheelbarrow, Surprise, Snow, San Cristobal, NM

Geraint December 23, 2020 2 Comments

Red Wheelbarrow with a surprise in the snow, San Cristobal, New Mexico. I like to wander early in the morning, well not too early, in the garden. This little surprise was waiting to be discovered in Pami’s red wheelbarrow after the last snow. So…, something red for the holidays. Thanks for looking. G