Hello from Ghost Ranch, New Mexico. I hope everyone had a great week. It was a big beautiful cloud day yesterday on a photo tour around Abiquiu, and the Rio Chama Valley.
Big beautiful cloud, Ghost Ranch, NM
On a photo tour/workshop with photographer Kathy King. We hit the high country in the Valle Vidal on Monday where temps dropped from 94º F (34º C) to 54º F (12º C), with thunder, heavy rain and sleet. Yesterday we went to Abiquiu for the desert landscape.
Hello from New Mexico. This week, a day trip to Arroyo Blanco, Abiquiu, Ghost Ranch, and beyond.
On the last day of February, my good friend and fellow photographer, David Marks, met up at the visitors center in Abiquiu, parked the car, and headed out. First stop was to get some lunch at Bode’s General Store and a picnic along the Rio Chama just a short distance away.
Ghost Ranch, NM.
Picnic lunch stop along the Rio Chama in Abiquiu, with low water but a nice spot and view of the very rust colored Cerrito Blanco.
A drive on the Chama River road to the Desert Monastery always reveals another scene not seen by me before. The tenacity and fortitude of this lone tree. It makes you wonder how it survives at all.
Chama River Road Palisades.
Off-road near Abiquiu, NM off the Desert Monastery Road.
Off-road near Abiquiu.
Arroyo Blanco, and an easy stroll from the car, and not to be confused with Plaza Blanca.
Arroyo Blanco, Abiquiu.
And some bones of what’s left of a llama, I first saw fairly intact seven years ago. I can’t say for sure, but I think Georgia would love it!
Greetings from San Cristobal, NM. This week a favorite location at Ghost Ranch near Abiquiu, NM followed by a few shots from the road getting there!
There was a lot of heavy rain in these dramatic clouds. The cabin is named “Curly’s Cabin” from the film City Slickers. Enjoy!
“Curly’s Cabin” Ghost Ranch, NM
Just off the highway to Ghost Ranch is the Piedra Lumbre, shining red rock country. Piedra Lumbre means shining rock in Spanish.
Red rock country.
Hollyhocks, Ojo Caliente, NM
There are numerous, delightful murals in Ojo Caliente. This is a new favorite.
Mural by VelaArt, Ojo Caliente, NM.
This sign has been fading away for a long time. I’m unsure whether or not you’ll still find pigs. Here’s one from my “Signs of Life” series shot in 2005.
“Pigs” Ojo Caliente, NM.
And sharing the love, back home in San Cristobal this morning, on a walk with the dogs.
Driveway mirror-heart, San Cristobal, NM.
All in all a colorful day.
As always, thanks for looking. Have a great week. G
Greetings from San Cristobal, NM. This week, a trip around Ghost Ranch New Mexico.
This first image doesn’t scream “stunning,” but it is available as a postcard statewide and a good title shot for this post, “Welcome to Ghost Ranch”. Keep looking.
As always, thank you for looking. I hope you enjoyed the tour. If you are inclined, join me on a photo tour/workshop. I’d love to introduce you to the area and work on getting you some stunning images. Have a great week. G
Greetings from San Cristobal, NM, and beyond. We went to Abiquiu, Ghost Ranch, and the Rio Chama this week. We had the most changeable weather I’ve ever experienced in one eight-hour day.
If you’ve watched the movie “Silverado“ you’ll recognize this location in one of the earlier scenes. The four main characters come galloping across this landscape with a backdrop of spectacular lighting. If you haven’t seen the movie join me on a photo tour/workshop and I’ll take you out this way. On this day we were on an outing with friends Ron and Monica. It snowed, rained, and hailed with intermittent blue skies and sunshine, making for some dramatic images.
Ghost Ranch, NM landscape.
The landscape and light at Ghost Ranch, NM.
Returning home from Ghost Ranch we pulled over for a second time during the day. We watched it snow over the hills and Rio Chama as it winds and decides its way through to Abiquiu. The colors were astounding and the moisture made the air come alive.
The Rio Chama overlook with colorful cottonwoods.
My solo exhibition at Bareiss Gallery here in Taos continues through October 31, 2022. The gallery will be open 9 – 2 pm on weekdays. I’ll be there on Saturday, October 29, or by appointment. Come and visit. It will be great to meet you. If you purchased a piece of work in the show, thank you so much and please come by on Sunday, October 30, or Monday, October 31 to pick it up your new acquisition.
Bareiss Gallery is located at: 15 State Rd 150 Taos, NM 575-776-2284
Working backward from today, starting with the landscape around Ghost Ranch, New Mexico.
The Landscape near Abiquiu, NM.
I made a couple of trips on the high road over the last week. The aspens are doing their utmost to please fall color seekers. The horses performed perfectly, positioning themselves just right.
Horse backs on the High Road to Taos in Truchas, NM.
The forest floors were already full of fallen leaves. There are plenty more to go!
Dewdrops on the fallen aspen leaves.
The skies over New Mexico have performed quite admirably, as they usually do. This place, with the old wooden barn storage shed, is always a pleasing stop on Highway 64.
Wood barn off Highway 64 in northern New Mexico.
My favorite aspen group on the Cumbres Pass, just over the state line in Colorado. This is my go-to barometer for how things are progressing as far as the turning colors go. I’ll be back there tomorrow.
Aspen Copse on a hillside, Cumbres Pass, Colorado.
The colors in this image seemed appropriate for the season, on this old tractor parked in a field in Jaroso, Colorado.
The valleys are beginning to show signs of green. The desert has water running through it. The light illuminates the many forms and geology of the area.
Cloud formations with a complimentary tree.As they say, “a river runs through it” in Ghost Ranch, NMMany intriguing rock formations in Arroyo Blanco, Abiquiu, New Mexico
I’m never at a loss for places to explore in this area. Thanks for looking. Stay well. G
Tree and cloud, in the Piedra Lumbre (Shining Rock) Land Grant, Ghost Ranch, New Mexico. The landscape shines, the sky responds, and the dance between earth and sky continues. Thanks for looking. G
Ghost Ranch is Georgia O’Keeffe Country, and spring in New Mexico is a palette of shifting colors and light. Albeit, an image from a couple of years ago, I’m looking forward to tomorrow, and an experiment in social distancing and the art of photo touring. Not a stretch, but looking for more ways to share locations in our beautiful state with visiting photographers under our current conditions. Thanks for looking. G
Orphan Mesa, Ghost Ranch, New Mexico. I could go out there, it’s about an hour and a quarter drive from home, and that would be lovely, but I’m really enjoying my time at home and discovering armchair travel is just fine right now. Hope I still want to go out when all this is over… just kidding! Thanks for looking. G
