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

Geraint February 7, 2024 9 Comments

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.

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

On The Road Again.

Geraint March 10, 2021 16 Comments

Starting with the Valles Caldera National Preserve this week, Pami and I made a Saturday drive around the block… way around the block. We headed to the Caldera, Jemez Springs, the Gilman Tunnels, Cuba, Abiquiu, and home, a 334-mile block. I also added a couple of images from later in the week from Arroyo Seco, NM.

The Valles Caldera is a supervolcano and will be familiar to you if you’ve watched the series “Longmire.” Walt Longmire’s cabin is located here, the caldera doubles for Wyoming. On this day we listened to the melted ice waters gently lapping in the East Fork of the Jemez River and watched a couple of coyotes hunting way off in the distance other than this it was relatively quiet.

Valles Caldera, National Preserve, New Mexico — The East Fork of the Jemez River in the Valles Caldera.

The Gilman Tunnels were great to visit and the hike through the canyon but there were plenty of us people clogging up the views of the tunnels. If you are familiar with the latest “Lone Ranger” movie with Johnny Depp, then you have seen the tunnels.

Rio Guadalupe canyon — Sun setting over the vertical rock walls of the Rio Guadalupe Canyon at the Gilman Tunnels.

Here’s a cell phone snap of the tunnels. Yep there are tunnels. The real beauty is the canyon.

Gilman tunnels, Jemez NM — Gilman Tunnels, NM.

Not much to say about this abandoned car along the Rio Puerco in Cuba, New Mexico, except that Pami spotted it as we drove by on the overpass. She insisted I should turn around, that I would like it, and I did!

Abandoned car in Cuba New Mexico — Abandoned car along the Rio Puerco in Cuba, New Mexico.

Holy Trinity Church in Arroyo Seco, NM has some nice sculptural adobe details that make for nice accents catching the late afternoon light.

Holy Trinity Church, Arroyo Seco NM — Late after noon light at the Holy Trinity Church in Arroyo Seco NM

Always prepared to look past the obvious I spotted this detail of an exquisite little ornament placed there by a visitor.

Cross and ornament, Holy Trinity Church — Devotional ornament at the Holy Trinity Church, Arroyo Seco, NM.

Last but not least. Nearly all images on my website are available as prints. I’m particularly proud of this black and white print of White House Ruin made in Canyon de Chelly a couple of years ago. It is available on my website now, click on the image below to select a size option.

Black and white print of White House Ruin made in Canyon de Chelly — White House Ruin made in Canyon de Chelly National Monument.

As always thank you for looking.

Geraint

Paint Patina, Chevrolet, Arroyo Seco, NM

Geraint July 22, 2020 6 Comments

Paint patina on that old Chevrolet truck in Arroyo Seco, NM. I haven’t posted New Mexico patina colors for a while so here’s one from the archive. It also has some staple stitching going on, a little touch of Frankenstein, if he, Herr Frankenstein had a truck. Would that make it a monster truck? All joking aside, it’s hard for me to pass up a scene like this. Thanks for looking. G

Red-Tailed Hawk, Arroyo Hondo, NM

Geraint January 16, 2020 10 Comments

Red-tailed Hawk, in the old cottonwood in Arroyo Hondo, NM. The guardian of the Hondo Valley, steadfast and true. Shows up daily without fail. Critters beware! Thanks for looking. G

First Snow, Rim Road, Arroyo Seco, NM

Geraint October 27, 2019 2 Comments

First Snow, Rim Road, Arroyo Seco, NM. It’s coming again in a couple of days, more snow. This image was from last week, a real pretty snow fall, and crisp clear light. Thanks for looking. G

Colors Brighten The Day, Arroyo Seco, NM

Geraint April 15, 2019 2 Comments

Colors brighten a dull overcast day in Arroyo Seco, NM. And… New Mexico colors to boot. Peeling painters masking tape, with turquoise, caught my eye. The colors in this scene were the brightest element in the village a couple of days ago during the rain and snow and mist and rain and snow again. It truly brightened my day. Thanks for looking. G

Roof Ladder, Arroyo Seco, New Mexico

Geraint October 21, 2018 2 Comments

Roof ladder in Arroyo Seco, New Mexico. The walls weep when the snow melts. The ladder to the roof weathers another storm and so it goes. Thanks for looking. G

Tree Arroyo Seco, NM

Geraint October 18, 2018 2 Comments

Tree in the middle of the village of Arroyo Seco, NM. The first snowfall in the valley still lingers on the leaves of this colorful addition to the corner at the Snow Mansion in Arroyo Seco. Colors abound in northern New Mexico this fall. Thanks for looking. G

Holy Trinity Church Arroyo Seco, NM

Geraint December 29, 2017 4 Comments

Holy Trinity Church, Arroyo Seco, NM. A photo tour today to Abiquiu and Ghost Ranch, was a lot of fun and many images. This image I made of the church in Arroyo Seco from a photo tour earlier this month jumped out of the files archive and seemed to say … “choose me” … so I did. Thanks for looking. G

Chevy Hood Ornament, Arroyo Seco

Geraint November 29, 2017 2 Comments

Chevy Hood Ornament, Arroyo Seco, NM. That old Chevrolet truck in Arroyo Seco, parked by Arroyo Seco Mercantile is a feature of the village and great for a photo op. Today we dropped in to Arroyo Seco on a photo tour, and… standing over the hood of the old truck I saw this scene of the hood ornament against the dust, it looked like one of those images of an airplane breaking the sound barrier. Yes… New Mexico is run down and full of decay! Believe it or not this truck still runs in the 4th of July Parade. Drop in sometime. Thanks for looking.G

Geraint Smith Photography

Tag: Arroyo Seco