Greetings from San Cristobal, NM. This week’s images depict the nature of March. The wind-swept madness of March came in like a lamb, and never mind the analogy of a lion, it morphed into a rhinoceros in an English tearoom. Haboob-like dust storms occurred earlier in the month, and again yesterday, they delayed flights and closed interstates with winds fanning the flames of wildfires.
The pictures of the Lunar Eclipse I’d planned to post this week didn’t occur due to the crazy March weather here. Thick clouds, freezing rain, and snow made sure of that.
That said, here are some images of the gentler side of March.
Spring Weather, Taos, NMChama River Road, NMArroyo Hondo, NMBighorn Sheep, NMBighorn Sheep, NMBighorn Sheep, NMCoyote, Rio Pueblo, NMGreat Sand Dunes NP, COGreat Sand Dunes NP, COEnchanted Circle Drive, NMGhost Ranch, NMGhost Ranch, NMGreat Sand Dunes NP, COMonument Valley March, 2022Monte Vista NWR, CO.Moonrise, Vallecito Peak.Latir Peaks SunsetTaos Mountain Storm.Raven, CORed Barn, snow San Luis Valley, CORio Chama Abiquiu, NMRio Grande near San Luis, CORoadside Puddle ReflectionsSandhill Cranes, Monte Vista, COSandhill Cranes, Monte VistaSangre de Cristos MoonriseSan Luis ValleyShiprock, NMSpider Rock, Canyon de Chelly, AZSun Star, Chaco Canyon, NMSunset Clouds, San Cristobal, NMPueblo Peak, Taos MountainTaos Mountain Clouds,Last Years Cornfield, Taos, NMUte Mountain, NMAspens, Tres Ritos, NMZapata Falls Ice Cave, CO
Cumbres Pass, aspen grove, spring, Colorado. Spring in the Rockies is just a most beautiful time of year. The temps are crisp and cool, the light is pristine and warming moisture surrounds and invigorates me. Thanks for looking. G
Green willows and a few cottonwood trees, Orilla Verde in the Rio Grande del Norte National Monument. Watching the seasons and colors change along the banks of the river and living here, surrounded by all this beauty, does this soul good. Thanks for looking. G
Spring blossoms, downtown Taos, NM. Spring is in full bloom and these trees in blossom are lining the streets, filling the gardens and orchards with color. We made a quick drive out today. I have to say it was a pristine spring day, one of the most glorious we’ve seen in a while. I hope your day was wonderful. Thanks for looking. G
Elk, Chaco Culture, National Historical Park, NM. Elk can be seen year round here in the canyon. I’ve photographed them on many visits over the years. Here’s another image of a herd of elk after a spring snow. And one more of an elk and calf on a winter assignment in the canyon. Thanks for looking. G
Spring, Taos Mountain light, from the archives this month a few years ago. I’m taking this distancing seriously. I figured that this is enough distance to get in the whole mountain, plus a few extraneous snow capped peaks. I also don’t have to be physically out there! Thanks for looking. Stay well. G
Yesterday, Pami, myself and friends, Chris and Carla, made a trip to beyond, the back of beyond. We have future plans for more trips back, to the back of beyond. Much of the trip was spent driving Arroyo del Cobre, north of Abiquiu, NM. The arroyo narrowed considerably, until, what can marginally be called a road clambered out of it to a bench. After more sandy driving and choking dust we arrived at an artesian spring in a boggy meadow. Later, we visited an ancient petrified river bed and this shady ledge with a cave, probably dug many years ago by a prospector. There are camps and hunting grounds of indigenous peoples, strewn with artifacts, in this land of red rocks. These days, hundreds of bonsai junipers and tranquility abide. Chris said “we are geological time travelers”. Thanks, Chris and Carla for being our guides. Thanks everyone for looking. G
Rio Chama overlook, in Abiquiu, NM. Lets stay in this area one more day. It’s greening up in northern New Mexico. It’s not looking quite like this just yet but it’s getting there. That means spring is here and that’s a good thing. I can feel the days warming up, with milder evenings where the wind has second thoughts. This place on the Rio Chama is a favorite stop on many photo tours. You can see why. Thanks for looking. G
Taos Mountain, spring clouds, sunshine, feels good with a slight breeze and scent of sage. It is beautiful out there this spring despite the current situation. And, as I said recently, there’s a lot of out there, out there. Be safe, be safer. Thanks for looking. G
Comanche Point, Valle Vidal, NM. On a photo tour today in the Valle Vidal (Valley of Life) at Comanche Point where the Rio Costilla and Comanche Creek meet. The temps were in the low 30’s F. and the windchill ten degrees colder. Flocks of Cowbirds, Mountain Bluebirds, and Robins were in abundance, impervious to the snow and cold. By noon the snow was gone. The wind eased up by mid afternoon as we photographed hawks, wild horses and old homesteads in the San Luis Valley. By the end of day 6oº F felt positively tropical. Thanks for looking. G
