Bosque Del Apache National Wildlife Refuge

This week I decided to take a road trip around the state of New Mexico and see more of its wonders without taking Motel Miguel along.  It was only going to be a three day trip and therefore I decided to stay in hotels. 

I left Hal and Ann's home at 8 in the morning and headed east to the White Sands National Monument. More on that in another post. After White Sands I headed to Socorro where I wanted to find a room for the night, rest for a bit and then head out to the Bosque Del Apache National Wildlife Refuge before sunset to see the Sandhill cranes and Snow geese come into roost for the night. 

Only a few people were there and are very serious photographers wich made me feel very unprepared with my small 75-300mm lens!

A couple hundred Sandhills and about a thousand Snow geese came into this particular marsh for the night. 

Thursday morning I woke up at 4:30 to get ready, get some coffee from the McDonalds next door and get to the Reserve by 5:30am. I had been advised to get there very early or I would miss the blast off of geese when they head out for the day. I guess I was overly excited because I was the first one there and it was pitch black but you could hear the geese over the howling winds which were bitterly cold. 

Sunrise was amazing!

Early dawn and more Snow geese started coming into this marsh in the dark. 

A few more people showed up in the morning to see the blast off. Everyone was dressed warm for it. 

I'm calling this one 'The Breakfast Club'!

When there was enough light in the sky the Sandhills left in small numbers. The real treat was when the geese blasted off in unison into the sky. It was a scene I will alway cherish. 

Thousands and thousands of geese took off at once. The sound was so loud but the site of it all was amazing. 

Even with my inadequate camera I was able to get some decent pictures!

This is the last view I had of the Snow geese. They had given me another new experience for me and one to tell in my later years to anyone willing to listen. 

Onto Santa Fe and Taos to continue my Journey!

Still beautiful!

No matter where life is taking me lately, I find the most beautiful old barns, sheds, homes which to some back home in Los Angeles would be nothing but tear downs. They might be, but in my eyes I see beauty that brings joy to my heart!

These were along highway 153 and 293 in the Cliff/Gila of New Mexico. 

As I drove down these back country roads life was all around me. 

We all need to find what makes us happy in life. To some it's a fancy car, which I've had before but it cost too much just for the upkeep. To others it's taking vacations, which I've done and they seem to get me even more tired than when I started them because it's a mad dash for a week or two and then you're back to the daily grind. But for me at this point and time in my life these old ruins are bringing serenity into my life. 

I have many more I will share at a future day but this last one made me slam om the brakes as I came upon it. The beauty in her makeup, even though it's fading is so beautiful to me. 

Tractor Retirement Community!

It's Monday, January 26th and I felt like going for another long drive. I wanted to go in the opposite direction of what I had already seen, so Highway 180 heading North is where I would head for the day. My friends told me that the small towns of Cliff and Gila were up in that direction and not far away. 

They weren't kidding when they said small, if I blinked I would have missed them!  I turned off on Highway 211 east and immediately started noticing that the area is a farming community. One of the best things about a farming community is that they have lots of retired tractors sitting out in open fields, on the side of their barns or in the front of the home just living their last days until Mother Nature takes them back. 

This one had a friend to keep it company. It reminded me of two life long friends that worked their entire life together and now they just sit around enjoying the sunny days of Western New Mexico. 

Sometimes just like people some have to keep on working part time because they don't want, or are afraid to, stop working. 

Afraid that if they do stop the grass will grow tall around them and no one will even notice them. 

The makeup might be all gone but if you look closely into the wrinkles life has created you will see the beauty in the not so perfect skin!

Once the pride of the fields....

now just enjoying life in the Tractor Retirement Community!

The Thinker!

I have been going into downtown more this past week because my friends were gone to Texas on a short vacation. One day the weather would be real nice and then the next the snow comes down so hard for a few hours I think to myself "how in the world am I going to make it back home!".  Yesterday I went into town again and spent some time chatting with my new friend Simon that works at the Blue Dome Gallery. Since it was a little cold in the gallery I sat down by one of the windows with the warm sun on my back. I just happened to look down at the shadow on the floor and I snapped the picture above. As I sat there, and Simon helped the occasional customer that came in, I started noticing the people walking by and sometimes just wonder what are they thinking about as they go on about their life.

This young couple went by and he was carrying her across the street, they were laughing and giggling  as he twirled her around and almost dropped her!

This gentleman had a very serious look on his face and walked in a hurried manor as if he was late to his final destination. 

This young man was so interested in the book he was reading I was hoping he didn't walk right off of the sidewalk at the corner. If it weren't for the handrail by the steps he just might have gone right off!

I decided to take a walk around town and noticed more people in their stores and shops working away. The gentleman in this shop caught my eye because of the long dread locks he had and then I noticed that he was working the kilns at a local custom tile shop. He was so into his work that the outside world did not matter at the time. I watched him working for about ten minutes and I bet he didn't even realize that someone was outside admiring his dedication and craft. 

There's so much character in Silver City's downtown district and once again I start daydreaming of the history some of these old buildings can tell you if they could talk. 

I went into the occasional store here and there but one caught my attention because Simon had mentioned to me that they might have old, rustic frames for my water color paintings. 

The Curiosity Shop is just that, many old items, or treasures if you take the time to look. The short, little heavy set grey haired lady was really nice and helpful to anyone walking in. It had started snowing and I overheard her telling someone on the phone that if it kep up she was closing and going home. As it happens I did find an old treasure. There was a shelf with tin cans and I found these. 

The real treasure was the Campbell's Recipe can. When I got back home I opened it and it still had someone's favorite recipes, not only the original Campbell's, but some that had been hand written or cut out of magazines. Sometimes it pays to slow down and you will find hidden treasures where you least expect them. 

Sometimes life is going to hand you reasons for falling!

But you just have to get right back up, get into the same frame with the one you were meant to be with, and continue to be the bright and shiny object that you are!

Sketching & Water Coloring!

Some of the road trips I've been doing lately have presented me with a lot of inspirational photo opportunities. One photo really touched me and I wanted to try something totally new to me. I tried to do a little bit of sketching while in Phoenix and so I gave it a try with this little cabin that's about to fall over any day. 

I know I have a long way to go but this is the result. 

This week I decided to drive back out to that little cabin to get more pictures of it. This time I got pictures of the surroundings. I've wanted to water color in the past but never seemed to have the time. Another subject that caught my eye was this old Volkswagen rusting in a field. 

I loved the patina on it and it was enough to get me into a store to get some water color paints, brushes and paper. This is what came of it. 

I feel good about my very first ever water color. That was yesterday, today I decided to try again. I wanted to try my hand at the little cabin again and the old Ford truck keeping it company. Two old friends sitting out in a field, watching the world pass them by and waiting for the day it all ends for them!

Not even close but with practice I plan to revisit the old friends and do them justice.