Home on the Range...

...where dinos and jackalopes play. Lawn ornaments on a ranch between Belen and Mountainair. No, I did not photoshop them in -- they're really there.

Gran Quivira

Gran Quivira is south of Mountainair, part of Salinas Pueblo Missions National Monument (of which Abó and Quarai are also a part).

Windmill and Gazebo

What is it about New Mexico and gazebos? I've seen gazebos in some extraordinarily out-of-the-way places. This is one of a pair in Punta de Agua (the other is across the road).

Abo Canyon Trains

Trains in Abó Canyon: one moving, one still.

Abo Revisited

I went back to Abó yesterday, twice -- once in the morning and once later in the afternoon. It looked, as I had suspected, dramatically different at different times of the day. This is a shot of the main, older ruin (established in the 1600s, I think) from one of the ruins of a 19th century settlement.

Home on the Range

Highway 60 between Belen and Mountainair.

Abo Ruins

Old Spanish mission ruins at Abó, near Mountainair.

Church and Sunflowers

San Antonio Church in Tajique, during sunflower season.

Carrizozo Golf Course

If you look closely, you can see an arrow on the sign, pointing to the left. But I didn't see much evidence of a golf course on the other side of the road either.

Canyon Confluence

Looking north to the confluence of the canyons carved by the Rio Guadalupe and the West Fork of the Jemez River (with the Rio Guadalupe to the left).

Bears R Us

Yesterday I was in Ruidoso, which has been overrun by chainsaw-carved bears. I was fascinated by the place where I saw these little guys (and many, many more) -- Bears R Us.

Carrizozo Freight Train

A freight train heads north out of Carrizozo, New Mexico, under cloudy skies.

Field of Coneflowers

A field of yellow coneflowers, as tall as I am.There was a multitude of butterflies and other insects flying, buzzing, and hopping all over the place.

Guadalupe Gorge

Looking north through the Guadalupe Gorge in the Jemez. You can't see them in this photo, but the Gilman tunnels are just to the left of the canyon.

On the Mesa

Just off US 550, near San Ysidro.

Elena Gallegos Sunset

Last night's sunset at Elena Gallegos Picnic Area. It really was this colorful.

Tall Grass and Moon

Elena Gallegos Picnic Area in Albuquerque. It had just rained and the air was cool and fragrant.

Atlantis Fritillary

Found this little guy on the east side of the Sandias today, near Cienega trailhead.

Dragonfly

The Rio Grande Nature Center had its Summer Wings Festival today. A speaker took us to a generally off-limits pond... where I was too busy trying to take photos to hear what the name of this dragonfly was.

Frog and Lily Pads

A little green frog perches upon a lily pad at the Rio Grande Botanic Garden.

The Pilgrimage

Barak's field trip. The way everyone's trudging up the road, into the hazy mountains, makes me think we're all searching for photographic nirvana.

The Photographer

No, it's not me -- I'd much rather be the photographer than the subject! This is the same stone cabin as in August 6's post, to which Barak Naggan took a bunch of us on a photo field trip.

Painted Lady

A painted lady butterfly rests on goldenrod. I happened upon her on the Sandia Mountains' Tree Spring Trail a few days ago.

Big Sky and Skulls

The porthole of a really cool antique car reflects a classic New Mexican sky. I wasn't able to get a good shot of the car itself.

Tree Spring Trail

Looking south from the top of Tree Spring Trail, Sandia Mountains (near the Crest).

Stone Hut

A stone hut in the Sandia foothills, near the La Luz trailhead.

Summer Rainbow

Looking east towards Tijeras Canyon: a rainbow (with a hint of a double) arches through the summer sky.

La Fonda Hotel

The dining room at La Fonda Hotel in Santa Fe.

Another Windmill

A windmill outside Raton. I shot this photo in late June; for those who distrust my colors (perhaps with some justification), the green and yellow in the foreground are not enhanced.

Alvarado Transportation Center

The Alvarado Transportation Center was built several years ago as a transfer point for city buses. I think Greyhound (or at least New Mexico's version of Greyhound, TNM&O) makes its stops there as well. This structure was modeled on the old Alvarado Hotel.

Common Buckeye

A common buckeye butterfly at the Rio Grande Botanic Garden.