Sunset & Sliver Moon
Category: landscapes
Clearing Clouds
We had one of those rare times for the Albuquerque area where it started raining Saturday night, stayed cloudy and rained all day and into the night on Sunday. The clouds were starting to break up when I got to the parking garage a little before 7:00 am this morning.
Parched River
The Cabin At The End Of The Caldera
At one end of the Valles Caldera in the Jemez is a cabin that sits all alone with nothing else around for miles. I was told this might be a cabin used in the Longmire TV series. I wouldn’t know as I have never seen or read Longmire. The first time I saw Longmire’s name was on a bumper sticker on a 1946 Ford pickup truck that read “Honesty & Integrity Walt Longmire Sheriff Absaroka County“.
Stormy Sunday
We had thunderstorms coming in from all directions this afternoon. The thunderstorm that built up over the Sandias was the most dramatic. While out on a walk before the storms, I encountered a little bit of wildlife.
Buckeye Butterfly
This video of the Great Purple Hairstreak Butterfly shows how it moves the flanges on the ends of its wings while it feeds. I assume it’s to fool predators into going after the flanges on its wings, giving it a chance to escape.
Blue Hairstreak
Silver kitty
Thunderstorm activity to the north.
Virginia & Two Coyotes
I went for a walk in the bosque at sunset, and caught the pink on the Sandias — there was not a cloud in the sky. I headed north after sunset and ran into two coyotes on the trail. They perked up when they saw me, then high-tailed it in the opposite direction. Then I saw Virginia perched on a branch. It was nice to see Virginia, I hadn’t seen her in months.
Fireworks & Sliver Moon
4th of July evening 2019. I had fireworks to the left of me, a sliver moon to the right, and I was stuck in the middle, on the edge of the Rio Grande, water lapping at my toes, with beavers, badgers, porcupine, skunks, coyotes, Chupacabra and La Llorona all enjoying the show.
Wildflowers @ 11,000 Feet
With it 100º F (37.8º C) at our house, we hopped in the Mazda Miata MX-5, put the top down and headed for the hills — well Sandia Crest at 11,000 feet (3352.8 meters) above sea level. The drive to the top was a blast as the MX-5 hugged the corners well above the posted speed limit. We could see the clouds swirling above us, and hear the birds singing with the top down, as rounded one hairpin turn after another on our way to the top. Once at the top of the Crest, the temperature was 55º F (12.8º C) with drizzling rain and cold wind. Quite a contrast from the sunny, hot valley below. We walked around on the mountain top and noticed there were lots of wild flowers blooming.
Sundown Thursday
Saturday’s Sunset
