Fine Art Images from the American Southwest

Tag: Wildflowers

Wildflowers Around Taos. 07-30-2025.

Greetings from San Cristobal, NM! This week, the neighborhood is bursting with wildflowers. I took an early morning hike with the dogs today. It was still quite cool, and the signs of incoming weather prompted us to keep it short, a 4.5-mile round trip on the Columbine Canyon Trail. The wildflowers are in full bloom and looking beautiful, although the dogs seemed a bit impatient, frequently giving me looks that seemed to ask, “Are we stopping again?” We turned around and started heading back down the trail, chatting and interacting with other hikers along the way. Although it’s mostly uphill and the climb is moderate, the descent is much quicker. I need to train the dogs to slow me down on the way down; their pulling was very helpful on the way up!

Columbine along the creek
Columbine along the creek.
Columbine and other plants
Columbine, Fireweed and other plants.

Mexican Hat flowers everywhere, especially along highways and meadows at 10,000 ft.

Mexican hat flowers everywhere
Mexican Hat flowers.
Mexican hat flowers everywhere
Mexican Hat flowers in our field, San Cristobal.
Shooting stars in the high country.
Shooting Stars in the high country.
Wild Columbine, Italianos trail, Hondo Canyon.
Wild Columbine, Italianos trail, Hondo Canyon.

Showy Locoweed. Details on this plant, as pretty as it is.

Showy Locoweed
Showy Locoweed.
Indian Paintbrush in the Valle Vidal
Indian Paintbrush in the Valle Vidal, Valley of Life.

I think this hummingbird is in amongst Rocky Mountain Penstemon growing wild in the Moreno Valley, NM.

Hummingbird in the Moreno Valley, NM
Hummingbird in the Moreno Valley, NM

My friend David Marks on the trail a few years ago in Taos Ski Valley. Check out his website for some superb wildlife and his journey in phoytography.

Photographing wildflowers in the creek at Taos Ski Valley
Photographing wildflowers in the creek at Taos Ski Valley.

Next month the sunflowers wildflowers of the valley will be showing up along the roadsides. I hope I get to see them this year before the road crews mow them down.

Here’s the print of the week, I call it Sunflower Shower.

Sunflower Sun Shower
Sunflower Shower.

As always, thanks for looking. I think my comments section is working again. So if you’re inclined to comment, I look forward to hearing from you. Have a great week. G

Taos Mountain Cloud, Mourning Doves, Wild Iris Meadow, Venus Moon

Another fun week in the field and a couple of instances from the deck! During one of the last snowstorms not long ago in memory but ages ago for the much-needed moisture. We can watch the storms build up over Taos Mountain from the deck. The mourning doves have been enjoying life and seem to be inseparable, hanging out side by side in the old cottonwood tree, also visible from the deck. We made a trip to join our friends Chris and Carla at their ranch in Black Lake, New Mexico a few days ago. The meadows were carpeted with millions of wild iris. I’ve seen similar fields of iris in the Valle Vidal but nothing like this. And this was only a square mile of it. On June 11, the waxing crescent moon swung by the planet Venus. I have a favorite parking spot to watch this particular sight when it occurs. Summer Solstice is coming up on Sunday, June 20th. Where to go for a Solstice moment photo? We shall see!

Taos Mountain cloud
Taos Mountain storm cloud building up, San Cristobal, NM

Mourning Doves
Mourning Doves in the old cottonwood tree, San Cristobal.

Wild iris, Black Lake, NM
Wild iris, Black Lake, NM, in Lonesome Dove country near where they filmed the TV movie.

Venus, Moon, sunset
Venus, Moon and sunset across the Taos Plateau.

Enjoy the summer where you are and as always, thanks for looking. G

Badger, Northern New Mexico

Badger, northern New Mexico. This badger is building a “set” in the middle of a meadow, strewn with wild flowers, in northern New Mexico. It has taste in locations, the setting was stunning. Pami spotted dirt flying in the air from a hole in the ground. We were going slow, as we drove along the rain muddied road, or we may have missed this outstanding creature. I made a number of images before it was done digging, before it disappeared down the hole. I’ve seen three of these animals over the years, one alive in England, one dead at the side of the road in England, and this magnificent specimen. This badger made our hearts beat faster today. Thanks for looking. G

Badger, Northern New Mexico

Sunflowers Galore In The San Luis Valley

Sunflowers galore in the San Luis Valley. Made a quick trip to the valley today to shoot some drone footage with my friends. The Rio Grande was glistening in the late afternoon light from 400 feet. Down at ground level the sunflowers were glowing along the backroads. Thanks for looking. G

Sunflowers Galore In The San Luis Valley

“Perky Sue” East Rim, Rio Grande Gorge

“Perky Sue” East Rim, Rio Grande Gorge at the Wild Rivers Recreation Area. Yes they are perky, indiscriminate and glowing in the morning light. It’s an appropriate name for these, “Perky Sue” in this particular arid climate. Not sure I’d be so perky. Thanks for looking. G

"Perky Sue" East Rim, Rio Grande Gorge

Yucca Plant, Monument Valley, Utah

Yucca plant, amidst a “forrest” of yuccas in Monument Valley, Utah. I’ve visited this most beautiful place a hundred times and it is always magical. I’m not an authority on the place but this is the first time I’ve seen so many yucca plants. Not only yuccas but so many other desert wildflowers are everywhere in this southwest super bloom year. Thanks for looking. G

Yucca plant, Monument Valley, Utah

Mexican Hat In The Garden

Mexican hat in the garden this morning. It’s that time of year when these wildflowers proliferate the roadsides, gardens, and meadows in the high country. I always look forward to their appearance here. It reminds me that summer is in full swing and the afternoon monsoons are constant now, bringing much needed rain after a month or two with minimum moisture. Hats off to this beautiful little wildflower. Thanks for looking. G

mexican_hat_wildflower_6679-1474764

Wild Iris, Big Dog, Photo Bomb

Wild iris, big dog in a Taos Valley meadow. I had just set up amongst these wild iris, with a view of Taos mountain as a backdrop, when this hound moseyed in to the viewfinder. The pooch decided my camera was worthy enough for further inquiry. It was now for me to protect my lens from a big wet nose and a sloppy kiss. Yes, he had a penchant for the lens, methinks this be his modus operandi. I never did get the “shot” I had in mind at this location. This image, and only this image is what I got that day. Thanks for looking. G

wild iris big dog

A composition in the field

brush and tree roots
Dried wildflowers seem to have busted through this old tree root, that appears a lot like a hand bearing a bouquet to a lover.