Winter Solstice Moments, Blue Heron, Bald Eagle, Bighorn Sheep, Mule Deer.

Geraint December 22, 2021 18 Comments

Greetings from San Cristobal on the Winter Solstice.

I’m back on track this week, after last week’s 55-hour power outage. Though not as badly hit as some areas in northern New Mexico that were out of power for a week, I’m really happy that it came back on when it did. I was due my weekly bath night. I’m British and we bathe once a week whether we need it or not! I’m kidding. I knew as soon as I stocked up on water, food, and propane for the camp stove things would return to normal, that’s Murphey’s law, right?

I found the scene below in our back forty, a little wooded area behind our house, and really nice to wander around in the mornings. It’s not a huge expanse of trees but I like to explore with the camera and find little vignettes such as this. I shot this on the winter solstice, an alignment at the moment of the solstice at 8:59 am MT yesterday. I’d had big plans to return to Chaco Canyon for the winter solstice this year but as I would be camping the freezing temps put me off. The last time I spent the winter solstice in Chaco was in 2010 on an assignment for AAA Magazine. It was fairly mild that year. This year I stayed home and wandered around the neighborhood.

The Solstice moment and alignment in San Cristobal, NM.

We drove north later in the day yesterday to get this image of my favorite red barn in black and white. I’ve done this type of shot here before, but at a different time of year, so I had a clue what to expect though not the position of the sun and the alignment with the holes in the roof and walls. This is as far south as the sun reaches. As you can imagine the barn was in silhouette with not much color so I went for a black and white. I like it a lot.

Red Barn winter solstice in the San Luis Valley, Colorado — Red Barn in black and white, with Ute Mountain.

A few country blocks, about a mile up the road is a tree with Ute Mountain. I’m saving that particular image for another day. Over my shoulder was this picture. The two crosses are actually a fallen power pole. I’d not seen this before on many trips in the San Luis Valley so it may have occurred in a recent wind storm. I like the languishing nature of the pole.

Farm Buildings, Colorado — Farm buildings in the opposite direction from the red barn.

On a photo tour a week ago we came across a Bighorn Sheep crossing the Rio Grande, with this Great Blue Heron, and the Bald eagle below, all in the same vicinity. The bighorn was crossing away from us, showing us his best side! The blue heron took up a vantage point with a commanding view of the river. We waited for it to fly and strike a fish. That didn’t happen this time. We returned to the eagle also nearby. The eagle launched off and after chasing a raven who had food returned to this familiar tree. The bald eagles are opportunistic, to say the least, and will steal what they can rather than waste energy getting it for themselves. The raven got away with its catch, probably stolen too. I love nature, and the rams behind!

Great Blue Heron, Rio Grande del Norte National Monument — Great Blue Heron, Orilla Verde, Pilar, NM.

Bald Eagle, Orilla Verde, Rio Grande del Norte National Monument, NM.

Bighorn sheep Rio Grande — Bighorn Sheep, ram crossing the Rio Grande, NM.

And finally, the mule deer buck who visited our field last week during the full moon. Not a bad week after the blackout. Now it’s getting brighter from here on.

Mule Deer, San Cristobal — Mule Deer, a young buck.

Coming to you from my warm office this week, as always, thank you for looking. G

Around the Block, San Luis Valley, San Cristobal

Geraint June 30, 2021 12 Comments

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

Red Barn, Horse, Tree, Snow, San Luis Valley, Winter

Geraint December 25, 2020 No Comments

Following on from yesterday’s image… down the road is the red barn, just beyond it is a field with a horse sheltering under a tree from the snow. Thanks for looking. G

Red Barn, Black And White, Cloud, Capulin, Colorado

Geraint October 26, 2020 4 Comments

Red Barn, in black and white with an unusual cloud, Capulin, Colorado. Yes, the barn is red. I like the toned black and white in this photo with that cloud that wafted across the San Luis Valley. We are hunkering down today with 18 inches of snow and still coming. Thanks for looking. G

Ute Mountain, Red Barn, Crescent Moon, Colorado

Geraint October 19, 2020 6 Comments

Ute Mountain with the red barn and crescent moon in the San Luis Valley, Colorado. I headed north to the state line and into Colorado yesterday evening. The sun and moon were setting as I drove forty-five minutes for a shoot at the dilapidated barn. Flocks of crows went where ever crows go at night and owls took up their nightly vigil in the cottonwood snags. The holes in the barn let the dusk and moonlight in. A few stray critters dodged my tires as I ran over their tracks in the twilight. Thanks for looking. G

Red Barn, San Luis Valley, Milky Way

Geraint September 20, 2020 4 Comments

Red Barn in the San Luis Valley under the Milky Way yesterday evening. Sitting in a chair, tripod set up, a pleasing composition, waiting for it to get dark. It was a beautiful sky after the clouds and fire haze cleared. Half the fun of doing night photography is being out under pristine skies enjoying the peace and tranquility, a pack of coyotes far off in the distance, their chatter echoing across the valley, and a nice cup of tea. If nothing else, landscape photography keeps me in the outdoors, in nature and good company. Thanks for looking. G

San Luis Valley, Red Barn, Black And White

Geraint June 15, 2020 4 Comments

San Luis Valley, the red barn in black and white with a magnificent sky. Another great day out today, in and around the SLV (as it’s known locally), shooting video for a future project. I’ll let you know how it turns out. When it is done you’ll see it here. Thank you as always for checking in, looking and for all the comments and compliments. G

Red Barn, Revisiting, Under Rain Clouds

Geraint March 9, 2020 2 Comments

Red Barn. Revisiting this favorite old barn in the San Luis Valley to continue documenting it’s demise, this time under threatening rain clouds. It rained heavily, shortly after this shot, which sent me ducking quickly back into the car. It then snowed for a while on the way home. Not too bad a day, though, despite the weather on the road in southern Colorado. Thanks for looking. G

Winter Fields, Red Barn, San Luis Valley, Colorado

Geraint January 13, 2020 8 Comments

Winter fields, red barn, San Luis Valley, Colorado. This is one of the most fertile valleys, surrounded by ancient, extinct volcanoes, lava cones and scattered scenes like this one. Another in this series of barns and abandoned homesteads of the San Luis Valley. Thanks for looking. G

Red Barn, San Luis Valley, Where The Rain Gets In

Geraint December 30, 2019 2 Comments

Red Barn, San Luis Valley, where the rain and light gets in. So many holes in the roof and walls to fix. Barn’s letting in the light. Soon there will be only holes and no barn. Thanks for looking. G

Geraint Smith Photography

Tag: Red Barn