Winter Beauty

Nothing like a trek through the Rockies on snowshoes to keep you in shape, and the scenery and peace and quiet were marvelous.

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America the Beautiful

Whatever brand the city settles on, it would be almost impossible to convert such beauty into words.

Fun Day for All

  The smiles say it all.



His First Fish

You should have heard him squeal.  It was his first fish and I don't know who was more tickled, him, his dad...or me.  He even told the fish he loved him and he wanted to kiss it.  So...what the heck, a little fish spit won't hurt anyone.

We're Eating What???

If you look at all the faces you'd think we were going to feed them poison.  In actuality they were flown in alive from Maine, cooked perfectly, and absolutely delicious.

Caught in the act...don't tell PETA

 Yum Yum



Santa

I caught a glimpse of Santa under our tree and I just happened to snap this photo of him.

Merry Christmas to all...may God bless you throughout the year.

Winter is Here

I've been watching but I have not seen any humming birds lately...wonder why.

An Artsy Kind of Place

Santa Fe is simply filled with artistic endeavors of all sorts.  It takes some conditioning, and a few visits to learn to appreciate it all and avoid sensual overload.  This is a street scene in one of our favorite parts of downtown. 

Make Mine Red

A good steak cooked to medium rare perfection…a couple of bottles of Opus One, and a nice tossed salad is truly a carnivore’s delight.  This was how we celebrated our anniversaries and the evening only got better from here.

A different kind of cell phone

I remember when I was younger, driving someplace and needing to make a phone call to someone.  It usually took a little time to find one of these and then dig up a dime or a quarter to make the call. With some drivers today I think we were all a good bit safer when this was as close to a cell phone as they could get.

Smart Rocks

I have always heard the saying (and I have actually voiced it a time or two in reference to certain people)..."he was dumber than a box of rocks".  Well these rocks look pretty smart to me...smartly dressed anyway.

Strange Find

Sometimes when you are wandering around with your camera, you just never know what you will find.  I can't imagine anyone buying this and putting it on display in their home, but I can tell you where it's for sale if you are interested.

You Never Know

Sometimes when you tell your GPS to take you someplace you never know where you will end up.  When traveling from Ojo Caliente to Arroyo Seco by the "quickest route" the GPS directions took us down a very steep, very windy, very narrow road deep into the Rio Grande River canyon.  It was a totally unexpected path but also very beautiful.  We wondered, at times, if anyone would ever find our bodies, but we saw some wonderful scenery and learned some exciting new country.

Moon Over the Cathedral

Such a magnificent cathedral…decorated for Christmas…and sitting under a full moon.  What else could you ask for to get you in the mood for the holidays?

The Cathedral Basilica of St Francis of Assisi, Santa Fe, New Mexico.

Navajo Swastika

The historic Hubbell Trading Post in Ganado, Arizona was established in 1876 and is still a functioning trading post today.  It was opened by John Lorenzo Hubbell and was home for him and his family until his death.  The Hubbell home is filled with antique furniture, works of art, and Navajo rugs.  One of the rugs is shown here with the Navajo Swastika woven in.  The Swastika was a Navajo symbol long before Hitler chose it to represent the Nazi party.  According to Navajo teachings the four points of the swastika represent many things:  the four seasons - winter, summer, fall, spring; the four directions - north, south, east, west; the four sacred Navajo crops - corn, beans, squash, and cotton, and the four sacred mountains that define the Navajo Nation - Mount Blanca, Mount Taylor, San Francisco Peak and Mount Hesperas.  It was fascinating to learn so much about Native American history as we ferreted out these, sometimes very remote, trading posts.  The Hubbell Trading Post is now owned by the United States government and is a National Historic Site.
 

Water Bubbling Up

The Toadlena Trading Post (Toadlena means, water bubbling up) in New Mexico has been in business since the 1800's and although it has gone through some changes, it remains virtually the same as it has been for many years.  It was interesting to step back in time and see what a true Navajo reservation trading post looks like.  These trading posts are often the only close by source of supplies for those living on the reservations and they also provide an outlet for the Indians to sell their rugs, pottery, and jewelry.

Make mine Hot and Spicy

One of my favorite things about New Mexico is the zesty cuisine.  It is impossible to find Mexican food as flavorful anywhere else.  Carne Adovada is something I always look forward to and these beautiful red chilies make it the best.

A Place in Gallup

If you are ever in Gallup try the Hotel El Rancho. It's old, but loaded with old west charm.  They also have the biggest natural Christmas tree I have ever seen.

Time to Relax

Naturally hot mineral pools bubbling up from deep within the earth, soothing almost spiritual music, a beautifully secluded mountain setting, and almost no one there, all combine to create a place where relaxation is simply unavoidable.  It's called Ojo Caliente and it's easy to understand why the Native Americans considered this a sacred place.  The temperature each morning was around 1° but the pools were hot and inviting.

Explanation

Good morning to everyone.  I received input that some readers were disturbed by yesterday’s posting referring to a “murder of crows”.  They evidently thought something sinister was going on. 

Here is a brief explanation:  "One of the craziest oddities of the English language is that there are so many different collective nouns that all mean group but which are specific to that particular thing there is a group of, i.e. a herd of elephants, a crowd of people, a box of crayons, a pad of paper, a sleuth of bears and… a murder of crows".  If you have never taken the time to sit and watch a “murder of crows”, try it sometime.  Their antics are very entertaining.

Have a great day.  Due to my upcoming schedule I will not post again for about a week.

Nature's Shows

Nature’s entertainment is boundless

if time is taken to find the shows.

Nothing more comical and fun to watch

Than this… a murder of crows.

Hard to Pass Up

When I have my camera in hand it is simply impossible for me to pass up a beautiful sunrise.  I especially like this one for the subtle mix of pastel colors in the sky and the gold lining on the mountains. Definitely a great sight to wake up to.

His First Buck

Preston has been applying for a deer license in this area for the past 15 years.  He finally drew a hunting permit and this is his first mule deer buck. It was a very exciting hunt! Congratulations on a job well done!

Long Treks in Deep Snow

Preston returns after a long unsuccessful stalk to try and get close to a deer.  Most stalks are long hard efforts that end up being unsuccessful.  Perseverance pays off...usually.

Enchanted Evening

A frigid night, about 9 degrees...one star...one moon...one buck deer...and us returning to camp after hunting all day.  This was just one of the many moments that made this trip a wonderful success.