Fine Art Images from the American Southwest

Tag: Mud

Around the Block, San Luis Valley, San Cristobal

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

Peeling Earth, Plaza Blanca, New Mexico

Peeling Earth, Plaza Blanca, New Mexico. The “White Place” in Georgia O’Keeffe country, Abiquiu, New Mexico is a great place to photograph abstract earth forms. As the flash floods recede and the land dries out wonderful formations occur in the arroyos. Thanks for looking. G

Peeling Earth, Plaza Blanca, New Mexico

Weeping Adobe Wall, Ranchos De Taos

Weeping adobe wall, San Francisco de Asis church, Ranchos de Taos, NM. The walls were freshly mudded by parishioners in June. The rains came and nature took it’s course. Next year the work will begin again in the continuous cycle at this iconic building. Thanks for looking. G

Weeping Adobe Wall, Ranchos De Taos

Looking Down At The Drying Mud

Looking down at the drying mud following a rain storm in San Cristobal. It didn’t rain much and not for very long. The next morning I was fascinated by the shining light on the mud in the roadside ditches. Thanks for looking. G

Looking Down At The Drying Mud