Tree at Ghost Ranch

A stunted tree is framed by the many colors of Chimney Rock and its environs.

Mother and Child

A mother giraffe nuzzles her new baby at the Rio Grande Zoo.

Two Tailed Swallowtail

A two-tailed swallowtail butterfly flower-hops among cliff fendlerbush blossoms.

Claret Cup Cactus

One of the first cactus blossoms of the season, a claret cup, spotted in the Sandia foothills.

BioPark Train

The little train that runs between the Botanic Garden and the Zoo chugs through Heritage Farm.

Sandia Mountains

One of a number of spectacular views from La Luz Trail, heading up the west side of the Sandias.

Jemez Adobe

An adobe building in the Jemez. I recently read that New Mexico's median income is $53,000, yet this is a common type of scene in the state's rural areas. There must be some very, very rich people in New Mexico.

Old Car and Cholla

A long-abandoned car is framed by cholla cactus and the red rocks of the Jemez.

Quail at Sunset

A scaled quail, perched on a boulder in the Sandia foothills, is silhouetted by the setting sun.

More Cactus Blossoms

A pair of cactus blossoms at the Rio Grande Botanic Garden in Albuquerque.

Peter Cottontail

Peter Cottontail was recently spotted among the petroglyphs at Piedras Marcadas, on Albuquerque's west side.

Roadrunner and Tulips

Colorful tulips decorate a carved wooden sculpture of a roadrunner and prickly pear in Albuquerque.

Cactus Blossoms

A couple of cactuses at the Rio Grande Botanic Garden, in Albuquerque, sport buds and blossoms.

Petroglyphs

Lizard petroglyphs at the Piedras Marcadas site in Petroglyph National Monument, on Albuquerque's west side.

Tree Silhouette

The bare branches of a silhouetted tree remind the viewer that spring is still partly a promise.