Change of Plans (again . . .)

Once again our plans have changed.

Originally, we thought we'd be leaving tomorrow. Then we took a look at the calendar, and realized we're a bit ahead of schedule, so we've decided to wait another week before heading north.

One reason we've decided to stay is that we've heard that pelicans have moved in to the Bosque, so hopefully, we'll have some pictures soon.

Isn't it wonderful when plans are loose and fluid?

I love it.

A Slight Case of Spring

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Just a few pictures today.

Spring is finally here in Socorro, but I don't have any flower pictures! What can I say? I guess my head was just somewhere else.

We got up early to go to a book sale at the local University. Since it was early, I was not quite awake and left my Canon at home. Fortunately I had my old Panasonic with me, so I was able to take a couple of shots.

I'm getting into macro shooting these days. In case you don't know, macro is extreme close up photography. It also relates to aperture and depth of field.

We were walking around the lovely campus (well worth a look if you're ever in the area), and spotted this birds nest.

I can't seem
to pass a birds nest
without taking a picture,
so here's one for today.

The trees are full of these little acorn caps.
I think they're just a
wonder of nature.

They come in all kinds of colors.
I particularly liked the red ones.

That's it for today
Hope you're having a great weekend.

A Day in the Desert (and More Photo School)

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We spent the day out in the desert.

I remember when I thought of the desert as nothing but boring tan and brown. Endless miles of blah.

Not any more though, I've fallen in love.

We like to look at a map and find the tiniest town we can, then jump in the car and go look for it. We usually find that nary a trace of the town remains, but we're rarely disappointed.

The subtlety of the desert in spring continues to fascinate. The colors don't jump out at you, but they're there if you just slow down and take a look.

Since I've been into photography, that's something I appreciate. We always slow down to look now, cameras in hand, and oh what we find.

Since I'm using this blog as a sort of photography journal, bear with me, lots of pictures. As always, you can click any image for a larger version.

We started off by crossing the Rio Grand

These trees are all along the river.
They stretch for miles.

Then we got far out into the desert.

I love the way these trees
silhouette against the skies.

Doesn't this guy look like a
little walking alien?
We are in New Mexico after all . . .

With the new camera,
I'm trying to learn about aperture.
The higher the number
the smaller the aperture
(go figure)
and the more of the image
in focus.

The lower the number
the larger the aperture.
This means less of the image is in focus
and more of the background
is blurred.
This is called Depth of Field.

The shadows are as interesting
as the foliage.

I think it looks just as good
in sepia.

We got so far out in the desert
we began seeing these signs.
You can bet we stayed
right on the road.

I don't know what this is supposed
to be guarding.

A close up of the post above
(and another test of aperture).
I'm learning,
slowly . . .

Another test
of focus and aperture.

I call these walking plants.
They're all over the New Mexico desert.

I even like the dead plants.
They're not really dead,
just waiting to bloom again.
Sometimes this is how I feel.

I'm really enjoying
playing with close ups.

I like them nice and sharp.

Driving along,
we saw this nest.

So once again,
I had to play with aperture
and depth of field.

And I couldn't finish this post
without one more cow shot.

As always

Bananas, Mosquitoes and More Pictures (of Course!)

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Today's post will be mostly ramblings and some pictures.

So what else is new???

Bananas, I've been meaning to write about bananas. How do you buy your bananas? Do you just grab a bunch off the shelf in the grocery store? That's what I've always done till just a month or so ago. Then I stood in the vegetable section of the local Smith's and it struck me, what a fool I'd been! So I found two very ripe bananas and pulled them off their stalk and put them in a bag. Then they were joined by two half ripe bananas, then two very green bananas. And now, our bananas don't get ripe all at once, leading to those brown mushy things that are so disgusting!

A small thing perhaps, but I thought I'd pass it on.

In going through some of my pictures from the last couple of months I found some I wanted to post here.

This shot was taken through our tinted windows, one afternoon when the sky turned the most amazing color. Our windows do affect color, but otherwise, this was pretty much what we saw. We both think it had something to do with dust storms that had been kicking up for days.

Whatever the reason,
it was a pretty amazing sight.

The following shots
were all taken in the Bosque.
I never seem to tire of the views.

I admit to manipulating the color here,
but the scenery is all genuine
New Mexico.

And yes,
the water is this blue,
as is the sky.
What’s not to love?

Finally, shots from this lovely evening.
It was so colorful outside,
I had to take a few pictures.
The light changes by the second,
but what light it is . . .

Then I decided to try this panorama.
This is our view every day.
We often comment
and call each other out to see
the amazing turquoise blue sky.

Remember,
you can always click to enlarge
any photo.

And the mosquitoes?
They were outside
waiting for me
when I went out to take
these last two pictures.

They got me about a half dozen times
in just a few minutes.

Still . . .

the Hamel Museum (and a few Cows)

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Note: I posted this late last night, then got up and read it this morning and fixed all the typos and mis-spellings. My bad, apologies.

We've been coming to Socorro for close to five years and for all those years, every single time we passed the Hamel Museum, it's been closed.

This year we determined to get in and see the inside. We did a bit of research and found that it's only open on the first Saturday of them month.

It's a beautiful structure, all stone. We've appreciated the architecture for so long, I was excited at the prospect of finally getting to take pictures inside.

So of course I brought the wrong lens for the camera.

I'm just not used to this. aperture, exposure, different lenses, will I ever learn? I'm beginning to wonder.

Anyhow, here's a shot of the front of the building. I love the look of this place, so I decided to give you the same view, presented in three different styles.

As shot

brightened up a bit,
then softened.

Sepia tones,
like the old west.

Here's a closeup of the lintel
over the front door.
I love all the blue doors
we see here in New Mexico.

This building has served
a variety of functions over the years.
Beer Brewery.
Ice House
Bottling Company.

They have a nice variety of old bottles
and advertising art on display.

But mainly I found the stonework
to be so full of character.
Quite beautiful.

They also have a wonderful selection
of old license plates.

1939,
yellow with the Zia

and 1947
red with the Zia

There's a new commemorative plate
turquoise with the Zia.
I want one.

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Then there are the cows.

We see them
every time we go to town.
Yet when we stop to take pictures,
they look at me
and run away.

So today I had to settle
for a couple of long shots.

I like these girls,
they're like a coffee klatch.

Portrait of
Mother and Baby

More soon.

Till then

The Excitement of the Day

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was watching the top half of the tree outside the rig fall down!

There we were, sitting inside the rig, listening to the wind tear through the Rio Grand Valley. I love the view out our windows, it never bores me.

But it was kind of strange to watch about a hundred blackbirds land on this tree (one of their favorite roosting spots), hanging on in the intense wind, then all take off as the top half of the tree slowly sank to the ground.

Fortunately it didn't hist a thing.

What can I say, I take my excitement where I can get it. . .

Today, I took just one shot, a watcher quail. Do you know what a watcher quail is? Each group (also known as a battery, a drift, a flush, a rout or a shake) of Gambel Quails has a watcher that sits on a high point and keeps an eye out for trouble. Next time you see a battery of Gambels, look around and you'll find the watcher. I think they're very cool.

This is the original picture,
not so great.

Then a bit of cropping,
a bump in saturation

Then just a bit more cropping
and all of a sudden,
you can really see him.
I like the way ,
when you look at him close up
you can see the wind
ruffling the feathers
on his head.

Which shot do you like the best?