San Luis Valley Homestead, Colorado
San Luis Valley homestead, Colorado. A former family home on the plateau long ago deserted, currently frequented by scavengers who steal the copper wiring from the power lines and dwelling. The current owner allowed me access to the property but warned me of snakes. Consider me warned! It’s a lovely stop on my San Luis Valley photo tour, to learn the history and make some images, while pondering a bygone era. Thanks for looking. G
Valley Homestead, Beyond The Fence
Valley homestead, beyond the fence in the San Luis Valley. If you are familiar with my work and my website you’ll recognize this old dwelling. Over the years the fence has also featured prominently in my images. Someone, at some point in time, peeled back the barbed wire in order to get access to the building. Personally, I like to document these abandoned homesteads from pretty much the same perspective for continuity and posterity. Here’s another view. Thanks for looking. G
Little House, San Cristobal, Mountains
Little white house, in the pasture, San Cristobal, NM. There were snow covered mountain peaks when the clouds cleared today. Pristine skies overhead. I just think, sometimes, how many days like these this homestead and it’s occupants have experienced. However many that is, the days and lives come and go in the valley, if only the mountains could talk. Thanks for looking. G
Bunker View, White House, San Luis Valley
Bunker view, of the white house in the San Luis Valley, Colorado. Winter in the valley is a special time of year. Peace, silence and solitude prevail. A perfect place to perfect the craft of photography. This is one of many potato storage bunkers, (root cellars) around the vast San Luis Valley. Thanks for looking. G
Iron Gate, Rust, Abandoned Homestead
Iron gate and rust at an abandoned homestead in the San Luis Valley. Every day the decay and deterioration by the elements continues. Derelict structures throughout the valley are bombarded by the sand borne winds. These same winds which helped create the Great Sand Dunes at a northerly corner of the valley. I’m playing with found rusted steel siding again and incorporating it into an image of a gate, that leads to one of the abandoned homes. Perhaps the steel had originally come from this home. Thanks for looking. G
Homestead, Tree, San Luis Valley, Colorado
Homestead with tree, on the plateau in the San Luis Valley, Colorado. Today we criss-crossed the valley looking for a view of the Blanca Peak Massif. There were some great views of the spectacular fourteen thousand foot plus peak, but I always remember to look over my shoulder. Thanks for looking. G
Ghost Chair, Shadows, San Luis Valley Homestead
Ghost Chair, Shadows, San Luis Valley Homestead. Met the owner of this place who was very generous to let me photograph in here. Someone has ripped out the copper pipe and wiring in the house, so it felt good to build a rapport with the owner. Anyway, goodness knows what the ghosts think of the looters who come in the night. Thanks for looking. G
Patterns Of Decay
Patterns of decay. Slowly creeping down the wall like two dimensional stalactites. Here there and everywhere as abandoned buildings deteriorate beautifully back to the earth. Thanks for looking. G
White House From The Potato Bunker
White house from the potato bunker. The old homestead ruin from inside the abandoned potato bunker. The shadows are incredible, every which way one looks. This was yesterday. Today the shadows were stark and heavy, the sun only cracking through from the eastern side. One of these days I’m going to meet some one who knows the history of this place and the white house, former home. Until then we’ll wander among the shadows, the bird nests, and the light that illuminates the nooks and crannies, deciphering what we can from the past. Thanks for looking. G
Snow Day Photo Tour, San Luis Valley
Snow day photo tour in the San Luis Valley. A wonderful trip around one of my most favorite places on earth, with two wonderful photographers, at one of my favorite locations. Deep snow trudging! Hawks, wild horses, frozen lakes and rivers; snow capped high peaks of the Sangre de Cristo mountains with pristine light for image making. Thanks for looking. G
Homestead #53 San Luis Valley
Homestead #53 San Luis Valley, southern Colorado. Over the last few weeks we’ve spent many days in the San Luis Valley. I hope you will indulge me my fascination with the landscape, history and architecture of the valley. The area is sparsely populated with many abandoned homesteads. We don’t often meet people out there. Those who do take the time to stop and say hello, asking “is everything ok?’ are more likely a asking a question wrapped in guarded curiosity. Always, everyone we pass driving along, give us a friendly wave, a nod of the head and sometimes a smile. We are welcome for sure, but in return we are gentle with the china and wipe our feet before entering the proverbial home. Thanks for looking. G
Sunshine Valley Homestead
Sunshine Valley, and an abandoned homestead in northern New Mexico. There is an inscription in the door step threshold on the east side, facing the moon rise and the mountains, dated 1946. It’s good to know that someone living here, at one time or another, saw the moon rising over the Sangre de Cristos. I wonder if they marveled at it like I do or were they too busy to notice. Thanks for looking. G
White house, San Luis Valley, Colorado
White house with hay bales, San Luis Valley, Colorado. I never miss an opportunity to pull over at this location near the Great Sand Dunes National Park and Preserve, which is just discernible on the right in front of the mountains. The hay bales add an element making the place feel less abandoned, almost like someone might be home. Thanks for looking. G
Harold’s House, Jaroso, Colorado
Harold’s House, Jaroso, in the San Luis Valley, Colorado. The first time I saw this house there was a matching tree to the right of the building where the stump is now. There was a large Great Horned Owl flew out of it and through the scene. I didn’t spot it until I reviewed the images later. It was sitting in the tree the whole time that I was making images. Goes to show, you never know who, pardon the pun, maybe watching. Thanks for watching. G
“A wise old owl sat on an oak; The more he saw the less he spoke; The less he spoke the more he heard; Why aren’t we like that wise old bird?” ~Unknown
Abandoned Ruin Alive With Lilacs
Abandoned ruin alive with lilacs in the village of San Cristobal, NM. It’s a good year for lilacs. We can use more lilacs. This abandoned homestead couldn’t agree more. It’s the Lilac Festival in Taos, coming up May 18 -20. Thanks for looking. G
Elizabethtown Homestead, #2
Elizabethtown Homestead, #2 at the old “ghost” town site in northern New Mexico. For the past few years I’ve been making images of the abandoned homesteads around this area and over the border in southern Colorado. The collection is growing, and as these treasures are now beginning to vanish, I’ve put together a collection of images made over the last couple of decades that are now “gone”. More of those later. This homestead in Elizabethtown appears to be pulling apart and heading in two separate directions. The cemetery is just up the hill to the right. Thanks for looking. G
