Ladder and Snow

Snow on a ladder and icicles across the eaves of an Albuquerque house show the effects of the second big snowstorm we've had in Albuquerque within ten days (it's still snowing as I post this photo).

Bosque Cottonwood

A cottonwood tree in the Rio Grande bosque is silhouetted by the setting sun.

Fruit Tree

Along a trail in the Sandia foothills, a tree is decorated with edible ornaments: a cranberry garland, apple slices strung on grass, and clove-studded oranges.

Old Town Cat

A cat in Old Town Albuquerque regards the photographer with deep suspicion.

Fire Hydrant and Luminaria

Luminarias (also called farolitos) are everywhere on Christmas Eve.

Luminarias and Candles

Entire neighborhoods in Albuquerque are renowned for their Christmas Eve luminaria (farolito) displays, but some folks routinely go above and beyond -- the yard to the left of the curve in this photo has hundreds of lit candles each year in addition to the luminarias.

Five Luminarias

Luminarias -- also called farolitos -- are a Christmas Eve tradition throughout most of New Mexico.

Winter Wonderland

An amazing amount of snow for Albuquerque, maybe the most I've seen in the 21 years I've been here. In search of snow photos, I managed to get my car stuck in the snow here (Elena Gallegos Picnic Area) for no fewer than three days. I'm not at all sure the photographs were worth it!

Vigas and Icicles

Snow piles up on vigas while icicles drip down from rain spouts.

House and Luminarias

A house lit up with rows of luminarias (which are also called farolitos in some parts of New Mexico).

Let It Snow!

The weather outside was truly frightful today (but beautiful in a way we don't often see).

Ladder, Luminarias, and Horno

A ladder decorated with Christmas lights is accompanied by electric luminarias and a blazing fire in an horno at Coronado State Monument.

Pond of Lights

A large sphere -- lit with Christmas lights -- reflects in the pond at the Rio Grande Botanic Garden, during the annual River of Lights display.

Spider and Web

A spider lies in wait in her web at the River of Lights display.

Jack in the Box

A large, lighted jack-in-the-box at the Rio Grande Botanic Garden's River of Lights is a favorite among children (you can see the kids as blurs at the lower right).

Galisteo Church

A beautiful little church in the town of Galisteo.

Jemez Luminarias

The annual luminaria event tonight at Jemez State Monument, with 1600 luminarias. Luminarias -- called farolitos in the northern part of the state -- are a New Mexican Christmas tradition.

Christmas Ornaments

Christmas ornaments sparkle in a shop window in the small town of Arroyo Seco (if you look closely, you can catch a glimpse of the photographer).

San Rafael Church Windows

Looking through an old window pane to another window on the other side of San Rafael Mission Church (Salman Ranch).

Galisteo Graveyard

Looking through the gate to the old graveyard in Galisteo.

Space Condos

A pair of spherical structures nestle together amidst snowy trees in the mountains outside of Questa.

Snowy Caboose

A bright red caboose (now a home) in the snowy mountains of northern New Mexico. (I just had to tempt the fates yesterday by saying what a warm fall it's been -- it's snowed all day today.)

Church in Lamy

A boarded-up old church in Lamy, on Thanksgiving Day when the chamisa was still blooming (it's been an amazingly warm fall).

Golden Hour Near Taos

Golden hour, a bit north of Taos, on a late November afternoon.

Crooked Cross

A building in Taos with many straight lines -- and not a single 90° angle in sight.

Cacti at the Gorge

Cacti overlooking the Rio Grande Gorge, west of Taos.

Fence at Golden Hour

The late afternoon sun casts its golden glow over a fence in the Sandia foothills.

Late Autumn Sunset

A late autumn sunset in the Sandia foothills transforms dry weeds into silhouettes.

Chimney Rock

At Ghost Ranch, Chimney Rock is framed by the limbs of an old tree.

Grass-Covered Foothills

Dry blue grama grass covers the Sandia foothills.

Twisted Tree

An old, gnarled, and twisted tree in the Ojito wilderness bespeaks years of tenacious survival.

Ojito Golden Hour

Golden hour in the Ojito Wilderness, northwest of Albuquerque.

San Francisco de Asis

The renowned San Francisco de Asis Church in Taos, and a statue of its patron saint (a.k.a. St. Francis).

Hear Me Snore

A lion at the Rio Grande Zoo lets loose with a mighty yawn.

Ghost Ranch Skull

A cow skull, reminiscent of Georgia O'Keeffe's 1930 painting, hangs on Ghost House at the ranch.

Ghost Ranch Cliffs

At Ghost Ranch, Chimney Rock and the surrounding multi-hued sandstone cliffs are seen from below.

Patient Patient

An exceptionally patient patient -- now a skeleton -- is still waiting for the doctor in the Corona Museum (feliz Día de los Muertos!).

Creepy Crawly Tarantula

A large hairy spider creeps and crawls over the sand at Ghost Ranch (Happy Halloween!).

Halloween Witch

A hot air balloon, in the shape of a witch, flies through the sky.

Ghost Ranch Reflections

A pond at Ghost Ranch reflects Kitchen Mesa and the surrounding vegetation.

Tularosa Bell Tower

A bell tower at the St. Francis Church in Tularosa (this is one of my all-time favorite New Mexican churches).

White Sands Reflections

A pool of water at White Sands National Monument, as clear and smooth as glass. There was more water there last week than I've ever seen. I kept sinking into mushy sand, wondering all the while if quicksand was real, and if I should be scared.

Corona Library

A room in the Corona town library, which is in a beautiful old house there.

Windmill and Blowing Grass

A windmill and small shack, framed by blowing grass in the foreground, and the snow-covered Sacramento Mountains in the background.

Mexican Furniture (Up Close and Personal)

Brightly-colored furniture piled high on a trailer from Chihuahua (you can see the whole enchilada here).

Mexican Furniture Truck

A truck and trailer, full of furniture from Chihuahua, Mexico, on its way to Ruidoso.

Hot Air Balloon and Moon

A colorful hot air balloon passes beneath a half moon.

Balloons Overhead

Hot air balloons directly overhead combine with an ultra-blue sky to create a blast of bright colors.

Church in Carnuel

The balcony of a small church in Tijeras Canyon, east of Albuquerque.

Balloon Fiesta Smooch

The little bees balloons pull off a big ol' smooch in mid-air.