The Colors of Taos

On Saturday, I spent a couple of hours walking around the plaza in Taos looking specifically for things with bright colors to match my bright springtime mood.  In the soft spring sunshine, they were easy to find.

Despite the predominately earth tones of its adobe and stucco buildings, Taos is splashed with brilliantly colored windows, doors and sidewalk art, along with many surprises.

Taos was established around 1615 as Fernandez de Taos, following the Spanish conquest of the Indian Pueblo villages in the area.  The name Taos derives from the Native Taos language meaning "place of the red willows."

Beginning around 1900, artists began to settle in Taos, forming the Taos Society of Artists in 1915.  In time, the Taos art colony developed, and art remains a strong influence in the town's culture today.

As I stepped out of my truck and onto Paseo del Pueblo Sur, I spotted this couple strolling past turquoise-painted store fronts.  The man's t-shirt and the woman's skirt picked up the colors of the store fronts, tile roofs, and the wares displayed on the sidewalks.  Even her bag picked up the surrounding colors.

Color-coordinated Couple

Taos is nestled at the foot of the Rocky Mountains, and the mountains are visible from anywhere  in town.

Mountain View 

With the warm springtime temperatures and a sunny, dry day, lots of folks brought their classic cars out of winter storage to cruise the streets of Taos.  I barely snapped this 1956 Chevy Bel Air post, complete with wire wheels, as it whizzed by.  Nice!

Chevy Bel Air

I continued up Paseo del Pueblo Sur where I passed a shop showing these metal wind bells.  I couldn't resist snapping this cheerful and artfully done display.  Notice how the bells' wind catchers follow the top line of the shrubs.

Wind Bells

After enjoying an ice cream cone and exploring side streets for a while, I turned towards the plaza.  Here I encountered this wooden Indian guarding a store front.

Store Front Indian

Just look at this fun and inviting toy store.  What child - of any age - could resist!

Toy Store

In the plaza park, I encountered several of these benches. The cameos on the bench backs each show what appears to be a European agricultural scene.  If anyone reading this knows the significance or symbolism of these, I'd sure like to know.

Park Bench

I browsed many of the art galleries and shops that surround the plaza, but none showed anything as fun and whimsical as these larger-than-life metal chickens.

Colorful Chickens

To find out more about what to see and do in Taos, click here.  This site provides lots of ideas and info on restaurants, galleries and seasonal activities.

I also captured a couple of new images to add to my Southwest Windows collection, and I'll have them up on my website soon.

Cheers til later....Gail.
www.gailyovanphotos.com

All images and text ©2014 Gail Diane Yovanovich

Snapshots from Old Town

On Sunday, I hopped in the Blazer and drove into Old Town Albuquerque.  Just a short 40-minute drive away, I hadn't been there in quite a while, and I sure needed a break from work.  I had no lofty photographic goals, just strolling with camera to snap what appealed to me.

Old Town is the original Albuquerque, founded in 1706 by Francisco Cuervo y Valdes, the Spanish governor of New Mexico.  Spanish law at the time required setting a plaza at the center of all towns, and that plaza still exists today.

On the north side of the plaza sits the San Felipe de Neri Church constructed in 1793.  Here is a photo of one of the church's two beautiful spires and a few of its many gleaming white crosses.

San Felipe de Neri Church

Albuquerque's original settlers built their homes, shops and offices around the church and the plaza, and most have since been converted into art galleries, restaurants and gift shops.  Old Town Albuquerque is a popular tourist destination, and today the galleries and shops feature Southwestern jewelry, paintings, sculpture, textiles and pottery.

I just love the brightly colored blankets and ristras (strings of dried red chili peppers) displayed outside this shop.

Mexican Blankets and Chili Ristras

As I walked around the plaza peeking into galleries and courtyards, I found this charming scene behind a locked gate.  Chili ristras - a New Mexico staple - and turquoise-green benches brightened the scene, highlighted by a large Mexican pottery urn.

Colorful Courtyard

The architecture in Old Town today looks much as it did centuries ago, with Pueblo and Spanish style flat-roofed buildings, soft adobe contours, and brightly painted window and door frames.  Just look at this gorgeous doorway!

Turquoise Doorway

Porches line the fronts of most buildings, offering shade from the New Mexico sun, and plenty of benches provide resting places to sit and people watch.  I snapped this elderly gentleman, decked out in copious turquoise-and-silver jewelry, taking a break.

Turquoise Guy

In Old Town, you'll also find the Albuquerque Museum of Art and History, the New Mexico Museum of Natural History and Science (lots of dinosaurs and a planetarium), the Rattlesnake Museum, the Albuquerque Little Theatre and much more.  For more info on Old Town cultural activities, see www.albuquerqueoldtown.com/cultural-activities.html.

It's a fun day, and I won't be waiting so long to get back out there again.

Cheers 'til next time....Gail.
www.gailyovanphotos.com
All images and text ©2014 Gail Diane Yovanovich

In Your Own Backyard

With the press of business upon me - getting ready for my first art fair of the season in late March, preparing for both a speaking engagement and a major exhibit in early April, working on income tax, composing an email newsletter, and more - I'll have little time for photography during the next few weeks.

In searching for a blog subject this week, I recalled times past when commitments prevented my getting on the road to explore with camera.   During those times, I would just grab the camera and head out into my own backyard for a few minutes of relaxation away from the desk and the telephone.

There's a world of photo ops in your own backyard.  In my yard in spring and summer, lots of wildflowers grow along the peripheries of my two and one-half acres. Wildflowers attract critters of all kinds, from ants and bees to butterflies, birds and rabbits.  Here are a few of these types of casual images from my archives.

The first is a Tiger Swallowtail.  This gorgeous butterfly visited a honeysuckle in my garden for quite a while and gave me lots of time to photograph it.  So pretty!

Tiger Swallowtail

Next is a katydid on prairie primrose.  Prairie primroses grow like weeds in this part of the world, and they attract a wide variety of insects.

Katydid on Primrose

Here's a bumble bee on penstemon in my garden.

Bumble Bee

Each spring, I allow several native sunflower plants to grow up near the house.  These striking plants sometimes reach heights of six feet or more, and they attract lots of birds.  They also grow like weeds and will take over the property if not controlled, so I pull most of them up early in the season.

The tiny black seeds of native sunflower are an important food source for many birds.  All finch species adore the seeds, and in the fall clouds of Pine Siskins descend on the plants.  It's so much fun to watch!  Here's a Pine Siskin feeding on a sunflower in front of my house.

Pine Siskin on Native Sunflower

Since native sunflower attracts so many insects, they also attract the insect-eating birds.  Below is a lovely Bewick's Wren gleaning insects from a sunflower stalk.  A pair of these cheeky little birds nests in one of my bird boxes each spring.

Bewick's Wren

So you see, you don't need to venture out of your own backyard to photograph nature.  Simply walk around looking for the "small picture," and you'll be surprised how much you can find.

Cheers 'til next time....Gail.
www.gailyovanphotos.com

All images and text ©2014 Gail Diane Yovanovich

California Dreamin'

I recently made a quick trip to southern California to escape our cold weather for a couple of days.  The sunshine, beautiful beaches and lush tropical surroundings made for a great break from the snow and cold of central New Mexico.  Here's a snapshot of me photographing at Laguna Beach sans my normal winter attire of down parka and shearling boots.

At Laguna Beach I took lots of photos of the beautiful sand patterns left by the retreating tide.  Here's one that I call Sand Flames.

Sand Flames

Also at Laguna Beach, I photographed crashing waves with a long exposure to soften the surf and spray.

Crashing surf at Laguna Beach

Traveling the Surfin' USA route, I drove south to La Jolla where I snapped this surfer leaving the waves behind.

Surfer at La Jolla

California Sea Lions, along with Brown Pelicans, cormorants and assorted gulls, like to hang out on the cliffs at La Jolla.  Here is an image of a sea lion resting on the rocks with surf boiling behind it.

California Sea Lion

I concluded my trip in at the Embarcadero in San Diego where I photographed some of the tall ships there in the harbor.  This photo shows a portion of the rigging of the Star of India.  I love the lines and angles in this image.

Star of India

Within the next couple of weeks, I'll have many more photos from this trip posted on my website.

Cheers til next time....Gail.
www.gailyovanphotos.com
All images and text ©2014 Gail Diane Yovanovich

Cold and Snowy

Well, the big news from central New Mexico the past couple of weeks has been the snow and record-breaking cold temperatures.

Last Tuesday our morning low here in Edgewood was -10 degrees, and Wednesday morning the low was -20 degrees.  I've never been in temperatures that cold, and keep in mind, I'm a Southern girl, having lived in the warm regions of Texas for most of my adult life.  I'm really suffering!

Add to that the 15 inches of snow we had last Tuesday, and you can imagine how miserable it's been.  So I've been mostly holed up in the studio trying to stay warm.

During the storm last week, I did manage to snap a couple of photos of birds in the snow.  Both images were taken through a closed window since the weather was simply too nasty to venture outdoors with the big lens. The first is a male Ladder-backed Woodpecker perched on a spent native sunflower stalk.

Ladder-backed Woodpecker in Snow

The second photo is a Dark-eyed Junco of the pink-sided race, also on a spent native sunflower stalk.

Dark-eyed Junco in Snow

Ten inches of snow was predicted for last night, but, thankfully, only an inch fell.  If it weren't for the -10 degree temperature just before dawn today, I'd be feeling pretty lucky.  At least the sun is out....

Here is a photo of a Western Scrub Jay that I took this morning through the same closed window.  It's enjoying breakfast at one of my seed blocks.

Western Scrub Jay

All three of these photos were taken with the Canon 500mm f/4 L IS lens on the Canon 7D body.

While hiding from the cold and snow, I spent a good bit of time renovating my website.  Check it out at  www.gailyovanphotos.com.  It is now simplified and easier to navigate, and I hope you enjoy it.

Cheers 'til next time...Gail.

www.gailyovanphotos.com

All images and text ©2014 Gail Diane Yovanovich

Snapshots from the Car Show

On Sunday I attended the Annual National Classic Car Show in Albuquerque.  I do love the classic cars, and classic cars are all about art.  In a departure from my usual subject matter, I'm posting some of my favorite snapshots here in no particular order.  

Renowned custom car designer Chip Fosse built the Ford shown below.  You can't believe what a gorgeous piece this is - clean, sleek lines - truly a work of art inside and out, from top to bottom.

Chip Fosse 1937 Ford custom

I should mention that photography conditions at the show are very difficult.  With harsh overhead lighting, spot lights from the floor on every vehicle, nonstop clutter, and people milling about constantly, it's always a real challenge.

Love this Corvette!

custom motorcycle

While strolling through the show, I'm always looking for interesting subjects, like these rows of model cars at a vendor booth.  So random and colorful.  And then there was the tiger motorcycle....

model cars

tiger motorcycle

This very sharp jet black 1932 (I think) Ford was outfitted for a romantic picnic.

1932 Ford Custom

And don't you just love this Simpson graphic hand painted on the bright yellow background.

Simpson hand painted graphic

Two young men gave a demo of their craft - hand pinstriping.  These talented fellows paint designs on cars and motorcycles, helmets, snowboards and much more with just a tiny brush.

pinstripers demonstrating their craft

And check out the exquisite air brush and pinstripe art on this gleaming bike.

portrait on a motorcycle

The custom pedal cars were delightful, complete with fancy paint jobs, pinstriping and airbrushing.

custom pedal cars

In one hall, a section was devoted to Chevy Belairs, complete with a drive-in setup.  The carhop in the photo is an incredibly life-like manikin.  And this Belair convertible was drop-dead gorgeous.

Belair convertible

And check out the Continental kit....

Belair convertible

Here's an amazing custom (I don't know what kind of car it is) - everything about it was eye popping.

fabulous custom

I thoroughly enjoy this car show every year, and this is just a fraction of the photos I took.  I'll post more later.

The weather here today is abominable - a foot of snow on the ground, it's still snowing, and our BIG snow is supposed to get here tonight!  Need to get outside and start shoveling....

Cheers 'til later....Gail. 

www.gailyovanphotos.com

All images and text ©2014 Gail Diane Yovanovich

West Texas Musings

With the dead of winter upon us here in north central New Mexico, I didn't venture out this weekend (I do detest cold weather, yet I live in the mountains).  So instead of hitting the road, I spent some time in the studio processing a few photos taken last fall.

Over Thanksgiving weekend last year, I drove down to the Big Bend area of West Texas, about an 500 mile trip one way.  While there, I visited some friends in Alpine where I lived for several years.  We had so much fun visiting, eating and reminiscing that I was loathe to leave when Sunday finally rolled around.

I do love the Big Bend area and its spare desert beauty, so on Saturday traveled down to Big Bend National Park to see what I could see.   For photography, I much prefer this area in spring and early summer when yucca, agave, ocotillo, cacti and sage bloom as it's quite spare in winter when these beauties are dormant. But there I was, and so I set out with camera.

Departing from Alpine, I headed east on US 90 towards the tiny village of Marathon.  Stopping in town to stroll, I spotted a leather-and-rope bridle hanging on an adobe wall next to a wooden gate.  Drawn by its rustic patina, I snapped the photo below.

Back in the truck and heading south on US 385, I saw "miles and miles of Texas" (with apologies to Asleep at the Wheel).  Here's a photo of a bit of the road within Big Bend National Park.

After a brief stop at the Panther Junction Visitor Center, I headed southeast to Rio Grande Village.  There I bought a Lunchable, then sat at a picnic table outside the little store to eat.  What a glorious day - warm sunshine and light breezes, made even more delightful when I recalled the snow-and-ice storm I battled through Albuquerque on my way down.

Next on to Boquillas Canyon, where I explored the Rio Grande and Boquillas Canyon overlooks.  Below is a snapshot of the placid Rio Grande flowing through Boquillas Canyon.  The canyon wall seen here is in Mexico, and the trees on the left are on the US side.

After a bit of hiking, I drove up to the Chisos Basin. Emory Peak in the Chisos Mountains is the second highest peak in Texas at 7,825 feet. A bronze sculpture of a Peregrine Falcon greets folks at the visitors center. Here's a snapshot.

I didn't see any Peregrine Falcons on this trip, but I did see Golden Eagle, Red-tailed Hawk, American Kestrel, Greater Roadrunner, Northern Mockingbird, Ladder-backed Woodpecker, Northern Flicker, Lesser Goldfinch, White-crowned Sparrow, Dark-eyed Junco and lots of little brown birds too quick and too far away to identify.

It's beautiful up in the Chisos Mountains, with many hiking trails winding up through pine and fir, and lots of broad vistas offering panoramic views of the desert below.  Here is a look at a small section of the mountains from the Chisos Basin Visitors Center.

Big Bend National Park encompasses more than 800,000 acres of the Chihuahuan Desert and is bordered to the west, south and east by 118 miles of the Rio Grande.  One could spend many days driving the roads within the park, rafting the river and hiking its trails through the desert and mountains.  Unfortunately, I had just a few hours.  

Due to both the time of year and time of day, I didn't have a great photo trip.  I'd like to get back to the Big Bend in March or April when the desert is in bloom and birds and wildlife are more active and visible.  With my busy schedule, it's hard to get away - perhaps next year. But I did enjoy spending time in one of my favorite places - the Chihuahuan Desert. Yeah, I'm a desert rat at heart (yet I live in the mountains).

So with a dinner engagement back in Alpine, I headed west out of the park and picked up Hwy 118 in Study Butte.  No time to explore Santa Elena Canyon or Terlingua.  I'm saving those for next time.  Here's a parting shot I took on my way out.

For more information about Big Bend National Park, try clicking on www.visitbigbend.com.

Cheers 'til next time....Gail.

www.gailyovanphotos.com
All images and text ©2014 Gail Diane Yovanovich