Tag: clouds

Rainbow, Mountain Clouds, Bighorn Sheep. 05-31-2023.

Geraint May 31, 2023 20 Comments

Greetings from San Cristobal, the valley, and beyond. This week a fleeting rainbow makes an appearance. The morphing mountain clouds put on a show. Bighorn sheep show off their stature, and a sweet little dove preens itself in the garden.

The storms here move quickly. They say the best camera is the one you have on you. In this instance, it was the iPhone. I was sure to get as many shots as possible before popping into the house to get the big Sony. By the time I got back outside, the rainbow had vanished. The clouds still looked stunning, but those were gone very soon after. Sometimes I think nature has a way of taunting us or at least attempt’s to keep us alert and on our toes. Not from the deck this time but a few steps into the meadow.

The clouds spent the morning building into the afternoon canyon and ridge formations. Changes occur in no time at all. As they say in the Southwest, “If you don’t like the weather, wait five minutes.” I have plenty of time to look and time to stare, which reminds me of a poem my friend Martin would occasionally recite.

Leisure.

What is this life if, full of care,
We have no time to stand and stare.

No time to stand beneath the boughs
And stare as long as sheep or cows.

No time to see, when woods we pass,
Where squirrels hide their nuts in grass.

No time to see, in broad daylight,
Streams full of stars, like skies at night.

No time to turn at Beauty’s glance,
And watch her feet, how they can dance.

No time to wait till her mouth can
Enrich that smile her eyes began.

A poor life this if, full of care,
We have no time to stand and stare.

William Henry Davies

Building storm clouds — Morphing clouds, San Cristobal.

A couple of days later, this pastoral evening scene happened. I could watch it from my deck chair. I had to move to get this photo, but not that much.

I’d heard reports of these three a week before this photo. I was surprised to see them on my drive through the canyon last week. The cold weather we have experienced for a few weeks made them stay put. They have fresh grass and a dirt mound, with a fortress-like view, in all directions. They weren’t bothered by me or others but seemed to enjoy the company and attention.

Bighorn Sheep, Rio Grande Gorge Rim trail — Bighorn Sheep, Rio Grande Gorge Rim Trail.

I know they are an introduced species, and we have both Eurasian-collared Doves and Mourning Doves in the garden. This one immigrant put on a show last week on the fence post. I enjoyed watching it.

I hope you enjoyed this week’s post. As always thanks for looking. See you next week. G

Morning Clouds, Latir Peaks, Red-Tailed Hawk, Street Figure, Wolf Moonrise.

Geraint January 12, 2022 21 Comments

Morning clouds yesterday over the Sangre de Cristo, (Rocky Mountains) from the dining room window. I love my views from the various rooms in the house. I saw a goldfish endeavoring to escape the fishbowl. You?

The high winds morphed the clouds rapidly into a badger! I’m sorry but I often see badgers in the clouds. All and any interpretations are welcome here!

Morning Cloud shapes — Morphing clouds, San Cristobal, NM

If you are interested here’s an interpretation of Badger Totem.

The following image is the snow-capped Virsylvia Peak in the Latir Peaks Wilderness. Not from the dining room window but a short drive north to the Colorado state line.

A familiar sight on the drive to Taos, a Red-tailed Hawk in its usual place. This power pole or at other times a treetop across the street offers this raptor a view of what I suspect is a choice hunting spot. It’s gratifying to see the same bird day in and day out. I would miss this creature if it wasn’t there.

Not a spectacular photo but I photograph what I see and like. I found this figure under my car in downtown Taos. I liked it so I’m posting it. At first, I thought it was a Lego® figure, no, but it was definitely a flattened figure becoming one with the road.

Street figure, Taos — A street figure, downtown Taos, NM

Coming up next Monday is the “Wolf Moon”. Here are five sequential images of last year’s Wolf Moon rising over Vallecito Peak from Arroyo Hondo, NM. I wish now I’d turned on the video camera. Maybe I’ll do that with next Monday’s upcoming Wolf Moon.

As always, thanks for looking. Have a great week. G

Blanca Peak Massif, Colorado

Geraint April 7, 2021 9 Comments

Road trip to Alamosa for covid shots. No matter the reason for the trip, there’s always something to see. On this occasion a very large storm cell moving through the Central San Luis Valley carrying spitting kernels of snow. Standing up in the bed of the truck was stinging but exhilarating, to say the least. It didn’t stop me. We stopped into other locations as well for the black and white below. There are 14,000 ft peaks in this range behind those clouds.

Blanca Peak Massif, highway 160 Colorado — Storm cell, Blanca Peak Massif, and Highway 160, Colorado.

Storm cell San Luis Valley, Colorado — Storm cell over Blanca Peak, San Luis Valley, Colorado.

Following are a few pictures from one of the five photo tours/workshops during the last month. I’m booking tours/workshops from June through the rest of the year and beyond. Let me know if you want to join me on the road in northern New Mexico and southern Colorado.

Rust Paint Patina — Rust, Paint, Patina on a farm tractor in Jaroso, Colorado.

Combination mail boxes, Jaroso — Combination mail boxes with Eagle in the Jaroso, post office, Colorado.

Garcia Colorado photo tour/workshop — Working the ruins in Garcia, Colorado on a photo tour/workshop.

Thanks for looking. Stay healthy. See you next week. G

Raven Flight, Three Peaks, Tres Orejas, Sunset

Geraint December 19, 2020 6 Comments

Raven flight with Three Peaks, also known as Tres Orejas, and the sunset. I was waiting for the crescent moon when a couple of ravens flew by. I got the second one nicely placed. Thanks for looking. G

Columbine-Hondo Wilderness, Sangre De Cristos, New Mexico

Geraint December 11, 2020 4 Comments

Columbine-Hondo Wilderness, Sangre de Cristo Mountains, New Mexico. Last light on the mountains this evening. I had to pop the 4 Runner into 4wd and plow through snow and get to a vista point with a clear expansive view. I got off a few shots, then it was gone. Here’s some info on the Columbine-Hondo Wilderness. Thanks for looking. G

Wave, Surf, Clouds, Dawn, Taos Mountain, NM

Geraint December 4, 2020 8 Comments

Wave, surf, clouds, dawn with Taos Mountain, NM. The correct name of these fascinating cloud forms is Kelvin-Helmholtz clouds. Here’s the scoop from earthsky.org. Looks warm, doesn’t it? I won’t be getting up this early again for some time. At 9º this morning I think I’ll crawl into my bear den and come out in the spring. Thanks for looking. G

Big Cloud, Ute Mountain, New Mexico

Geraint November 22, 2020 2 Comments

Big cloud over Ute Mountain, New Mexico. Ute Mountain, like its companion, San Antonio Mountain create their own weather systems. Ute Mountain and San Antonio are both free-standing, that rise to over 10,000 feet above sea level. On the plateau, they are unmistakable. Thanks for looking. G

San Jose De Gracia De Las Trampas, NM

Geraint November 11, 2020 4 Comments

San Jose de Gracia de Las Trampas, on the High Road to Taos, NM. On a little safari today, we stopped at the mission church and set up to photograph the adobe building with the fast-moving clouds. We spent a few hours in the location waiting as the clouds built and disappeared before our eyes, only to billow up again and vanish once more. Eventually, they returned and became thick, heavy storm clouds and the cold drove us back to Dixon on the Rio Embudo for coffee and snacks. Thanks for looking. G

San Antonio Church, Valdez, New Mexico

Geraint September 14, 2020 No Comments

San Antonio Church, Valdez, New Mexico. Back to gorgeous skies and quintessential New Mexico scenes. The little village (would be more of a hamlet in Britain), and the church of San Antonio, nestled in the valley along the banks of the Rio Hondo. So much subject matter here in this area lends itself to black and white photography. Thanks for looking. G

Northern New Mexico, Evening Sky

Geraint September 9, 2020 12 Comments

Northern New Mexico, one epic evening sky. In celebration of my fifteen year anniversary of posting one photo every day since September 9, 2005. I started my website with a rainbow so I thought I post a rainbow, with walking rain (virga) followed literally by the most amazing sunset a few days ago. Today we have snow and cold temperatures, so I stayed in all day. My website is my visual journal, I visit often. Thank you for joining me all these years. Onward! G