Cows at Shiprock

Cows grazing near Shiprock, in northwestern New Mexico.

Route 66 Arrow

One of a number of large arrows surrounding a Route 66 gas station and tourist shop in Gallup, New Mexico.

Sandhill Crane

A sandhill crane browses through tall grass near the Rio Grande Nature Center.

Downy Woodpecker

A downy woodpecker takes a few bites from a feeder at the Rio Grande Nature Center.

Old Town Sunset

The gazebo in Old Town Plaza is silhouetted by a particularly colorful sunset.

Old Town Calico

A calico cat keeps an eye on a sidewalk in Old Town.

Santa's Sleigh

Santa and his sleigh. But wait -- is it really Santa? And where are his reindeer?!?

Santa's Helper

Peering through the window of a shop in Old Town, it's easy to imagine you're seeing one of Santa's elves hard at work.

Old Town Luminarias

Luminarias in front of a shop in Albuquerque's Old Town. Luminarias -- paper lunch bags filled with sand and a votive candle -- are a Christmas Eve tradition throughout most of New Mexico.

Here Comes Santa

Santa was spotted earlier this evening in Old Town.

Ristras and Ribbons

A gift shop in Old Town Albuquerque, decked out for the Christmas holidays with chile ristras and big blue bows.

Tumbleweed Snowman

The AMAFCA tumbleweed snowman that appears each year alongside I-40 in Albuquerque.

Santa's On His Way!

Santa's on his way -- and everyone knows it!

Old Town Shop

A shop in Old Town Albuquerque, gearing up for Christmas.

Statue with Luminarias

A statue, on the UNM campus, holding a luminaria in each hand.

Truck with Lights

An old truck covered with Christmas lights, at the Botanic Garden's annual River of Lights display.

Christmas Dachshunds

Two dachshunds in a stroller, dressed in their Christmas best.

St. Francis Cathedral

Santa Fe's St. Francis Cathedral. The original building (not this one) was built in 1610.

More Tent Rocks

More tent rocks, as viewed from a memorial to Vietnam Veterans, a bit northwest of the national monument itself.

Pena Blanca Church

Our Lady of Guadalupe Church, framed by autumn trees and a quarter moon, in Peña Blanca, New Mexico.

Red and Green

The sidewalk patio of La Hacienda, a restaurant in Albuquerque's Old Town. It's a little too chilly to eat outside these days -- but not too cold for Christmas decorations!

Lady of Guadalupe

A stained glass representation of the Lady of Guadalupe at the St. Francis Cathedral in Santa Fe.

Angel and Prickly Pear

A house in the Martineztown area of Albuquerque.

Route 66 Sign

Sign at a motel on old Route 66 in Albuquerque (Central Avenue).

Scaled Quail

A scaled quail keeps a wary eye on me from over his shoulder. They're skittish little critters.

El Vado Motel

El Vado Motel, the "purest Route 66 motel surviving," is behind a chain link fence these days.

Take the Train

The new Tingley Beach narrow-gauge train. Rides are free on weekends through the end of the year.

Chaco Canyon

Consecutive doorways at Chaco Canyon.

River of Lights: Reflections

River of Lights at the Rio Grande Botanic Garden. The reflections of several light scupltures in the Garden's pond shimmer in the water.

Cranes at Sunset

Sandhill cranes flying in at Bosque del Apache NWR. This is a composite.

Bullwinkle (the cat)

Bullwinkle, my bad boy kitty cat, "hides" in a sack. If you look closely at the box to the right, you can see the result of one of his favorite hobbies -- gnawing on cardboard.

Abo Mission Ruins

The old mission ruins at Abó, part of the Salinas Pueblo Missions National Monument.

Roadrunner

A roadrunner in a tree, up close and personal. I think it was too petrified to move.

River of Lights

A yucca at the Rio Grande Botanic Garden's annual River of Lights display.

Shiprock & the San Juan

The San Juan River is in the foreground; Shiprock in the background. This photo was taken several years ago from some indeterminate point in the four corners area -- where New Mexico, Colorado, Utah, and Arizona all meet.

Albuquerque Park

A colorful covering over a bench at the Jack and Jill Park in Albuquerque.

Crane Silhouettes

Sandhill cranes -- and their reflections -- are silhouetted at Bosque del Apache.

White Sands Yucca

A lone yucca at White Sands National Monument.

Bosque Sunset

Sunset at Bosque del Apache. There weren't as many birds at the pond as I've seen at other times.

Frijoles Canyon Wall

The tuff wall of lower Frijoles Canyon, dotted with the air pockets characteristic of the Jemez area. There are some small "tent rocks" in the foreground as well.

Wood Duck

A wood duck at the Rio Grande Zoo (part of the Albuquerque Bio Park).

Western Scrub-Jay

A western scrub-jay perches atop a dried cholla branch.

Autumn Sunset

An especially vivid sunset photographed from Elena Gallegos Picnic Area in Albuquerque.

A Tree Grows in Tent Rocks

A small tree, with just a few leaves left on it, leans toward the sunlight from within the slot canyon at Tent Rocks Natl Monument.

Kasha-Katuwe Tent Rocks

Looking southeast from near the top of Kasha-Katuwe Tent Rocks National Monument.

Slot Canyon

Looking through part of the really narrow slot canyon at Tent Rocks National Monument. It's just wide enough to walk through at this point.

Gnarled Tree

An old, gnarled tree near the top of Tent Rocks Nat'l Monument.

Church in Nambe

Sacred Heart Church in Nambé, New Mexico. A fairly new church built in a traditional style.

Acmon Blue Butterfly

A tiny acmon blue butterfly. These butterflies are about the size of a small fingernail and have been flitting all over the southwestern end of the Sandia foothills lately.

Bird in Autumn

I'm sorry to say that I have no idea what kind of bird this is. I saw it at the Rio Grande Nature Center last weekend.