Early Spring Flowers: Yellow Crocus and Blue Grape Hyacinths
Early spring flowers – the earliest ones – are frequently a variety of bulbs. For today, the first day of Spring 2015, I present yellow crocus and blue grape hyacinths.
Yellow Crocus Early spring flowers, yellow crocus
Grape Hyacinths Grape Hyacinths
Daffodils and narcissus are blooming now, as are a variety of fruit trees. I have a new peach tree that my neighbors gave me last year, and it was starting to bloom when we got the snow a couple of weeks ago. Those blossoms will not make fruit this year. However, my pear trees are just beginning to bloom, and I should have picture of those before too long.
Today itself was actually rather cool, but this weekend should be good for getting more work done in the yard.
‘Through Her Eyes’ Photography Exhibit – 2015 Insight New Mexico
‘Through Her Eyes’ is the theme of the 2015 Insight New Mexico Photography Show. All of the exhibitors are women photographers who live in New Mexico. The theme is perfect for this particular show.
The timing worked out especially well for me. My two images in this show, “The Observer/The Observed” and “The Postcard Series – Amaryllis” were created by me for me, after I returned from Texas to be with my son when he was in the hospital. They reflect my thoughts in January, at a time when I was lost in my own thoughts. They are the images not only through the eyes of a woman of New Mexico, but also of a mother. I did not intend to show them anywhere. They were personal, especially “The Observer/The Observed,” which was heavily edited and reflected my mood at the time.
The deadline for entry into Insight New Mexico 2015 was rapidly approaching and I thought, well, why not. I am very happy to have both images in this show, and honored that the jurors chose them. This is always a fun show (the brainchild of LeRoy Perea, which happens because of the hard work of his Insight committee members!), but this year’s show, “Through Her Eyes,” has special meaning to me.
I hope to see many of you from the Albuquerque area there.
“The Postcard Series – Amaryllis.” Brightly colored amaryllis in the middle of winter“The Observer, The Observed.” The Watchful, Observant Crow on a Cold Winter Afternoon
Winter to spring transition in roses is abundantly clear in my garden this year. A couple of weeks ago we had several days of above average temperatures. Many roses began to send out new growth.
Here in the high desert of New Mexico we are taught not to prune our roses until late March or early April, because pruning stimulates new growth. That tender new growth will die if we get a late freeze, which is not uncommon here in the high desert. So, my roses have not yet been pruned, nor will they be for several weeks. But, because the roses are sending out new growth, I have had the opportunity to photograph old spent blooms and hips with the new growth: a winter to spring transition. I sometimes think of it as “the junction of life and death,” but I realize that is too strong for some readers. I personally find with junction of the remains of last year’s growth and blooms with this year’s brand new growth to be beautiful and interesting.
Some of the new rose leaves are red. This is not a photoshopped color. The red color is due to pigments called anthocyanins, which actually help protect the tender new growth from harsh UV light. As the plants mature, and they no longer need this protection, the pigments disperse, the leaves become green, and become chlorophyll factories through photosynthesis. Not all roses produce the red leaves on early spring growth, however.
‘Betty Boop’ with spent bloom without petals, and new leaf growthSpent bloom of ‘This is the Day’Spent bloom and hip of ‘Incognito’
Cooper’s hawks visit frequently. I have seen one in the yard each day for the past week. I like to see the hawks. They are magnificent birds. But, I don’t want my little birds to be a daily meal. I think it is time for me to take down these bird feeders for the little birds for a bit, until this Cooper’s Hawk stops coming by every afternoon.
Cooper’s Hawk, hanging out waiting for an easy dinner
This part of Albuquerque, with its “urban forests,” is home to a very dense population of Cooper’s hawks – as dense as in any of their natural habitats. They are very successful in this urban environment, partly because of people like me who attract their meals for them. The hawks have to eat, too, but I don’t have to make it too easy for them.
Insight New Mexico has become the premier photography exhibition for New Mexico women photographers. Organized by LeRoy Perea, Insight is an outgrowth of the popular ANMPAS (Annual New Mexico Photographic Art Show), held in December. Both are juried shows, and it is always an honor to have images selected for showing in either one.
The theme of this year’s show is Through Her Eyes. From the press release:
“Through Her Eyes” the 2015 InSight exhibit opening April 5, 2015, at Expo New Mexico showcases the work of women photographers of New Mexico. It was juried by nationally respected women photographers: Jennifer Hudson, Linda Ingraham, Margot Geist and Phyllis Burchett. The show includes more than 125 images, representing the work of 61 emerging and professional women photographers residing in the state. You will see an array of diverse subjects, themes, and unique processes, and every image is available for purchase.
I am very happy that my two images were selected for inclusion in 2015 Insight New Mexico, a show which is always fun. This year’s theme, Through Her Eyes, spoke to me. “The Observer, The Observed” was photographed and processed after I returned from Texas to be with my son. The amaryllis in “Postcard Series – Amaryllis” was photographed last year, but the processing of this image was also done after I returned from being with my son. Although rather different at first glance, the underlying theme of each is life transitions, with moments of beauty and of insight, and layers of meaning.
“The Observer, The Observed”
The Observer, The Observed
The Crow as symbol and in myth is a powerful creature around the world, but nowhere more so than in the Southwest. Crow is a Messenger who moves between Worlds; a Trickster who can steal Light from the Sky (the Sun) and bring it to people who need it; and an astute Observer. In early January I was out photographing a cloud bank rolling over the Sandia Mountains, with a storm predicted to follow it. Suddenly, some raucous crows appeared, seemingly out of nowhere, and they left as quickly as they came. This one crow, however, stayed behind, briefly, and seemed to pose for this one image, almost as a gift.
This image will be available as a Fine Art Giclée Canvas Print.
“The Postcard Series – Amaryllis”
The Postcard Series – Amaryllis
Amaryllis – bringing life, colorful life, indoors in the winter. These flowers hold the promise of spring, while being beautiful in the present. Postcards – old postcards, saved postcards, speak to memories of the past. Past travels? Past good times with old friends? Memories of things that made us who we are? The Postcard series combines memories of the past with beauty of the present. But, beautiful flowers do not last forever. What of the future? That is for the viewer to determine…
This image will be available as a Fine Art Giclée Bamboo Watercolor Print.
The exhibit will be held in the Fine Arts Building at Expo New Mexico (the New Mexico State Fairgrounds) from April 5th through April 26th. Hours are Tuesday through Sunday (closed on Mondays) from 10:00 a.m. until 5:00 p.m. The cost to see the exhibit is free.
I hope to see my friends from the Albuquerque area there.
Snow rarely falls in Albuquerque as often as it is forecast, especially in these drought years. While I certainly do not want as much all at one time as we received in December of 2006 (22 inches in my yard), this morning when I awakened to five inches (12.5 centimeters) of the beautiful white stuff in my yard, I was very happy! I do not yet know the snowfall amounts for the surrounding mountains, but I hope they are significant.
Five inches/ 12.5 centimeters of snowfall overnight. This is the first time I have seen snow accumulate like this in my rain gauge.
Wind must not have been significant as the snow was falling. There must have been some wind later, though, because the accumulation on trees is not much this morning.
The white stuff can enhance the appearance of the ubiquitous block walls and stucco found in Albuquerque.
Snow on the block wall
Even the gates seem enhanced this morning.
Even the gate looks kind of pretty this morning
One really good thing is that the streets were warm enough that most seem clear, at least in my neighborhood, this morning.
(eta: FB friends are telling me the streets in some parts of town were terrible, at least earlier this morning!)
The snowfall overnight was really nice to wake up to this morning.
Winter sunset. This was a two-for-one, with interesting things going on both to the east over the Sandias, as well as in the sky to the west. A “winter storm” is due tomorrow, with perhaps 4 inches of snow in the city by Friday. Turbulence is certainly evident in the sky looking west.
Lenticular cloud over the Sandia Mountains at winter sunset. 5:57PM
We see lenticular clouds over the mountains not infrequently in the winter. I like lenticular clouds. I also enjoy the alpenglow of the Sandias. It does not last long, but it is striking when it appears. This view, looking eastward, appears “calm” to me.
The winter sky looking westward could not have had a more different appearance, and it is anything but “calm.”
A winter storm with possible snow is forecast for the next day; the sky certainly shows some turbulence. 6:03PM
The skies here are never boring, and often are quite interesting. This was a great two-for-one sunset.
Winter sunrises in New Mexico are as variable as the winter weather. We do have winter here, and every few years Albuquerque will have a heavy snowfall, such as 22 inches in 2006, or extreme cold, such as -12°F one night in 2011 and temps not above 5°F for three days. But those are extremes.
This was sunrise on a winter day in Albuquerque. It was cold; gusty winds contributed to the wind chill; it snowed a bit; and there was a fair amount of sun! Tomorrow will be warmer and less windy!
Stormy winter sunrise over the Sandia Mountains, on a day that saw wind, snow, and a fair amount of sun.
This is about as bad as it gets in Albuquerque at this time of the year.
Many winter days, and winter sunrises, in contrast, are spectacular!
Soft and beautiful winter sunrise on a day which had virtually no winds and above average temperatures
This sunrise was less than a week ago, on a day that was unseasonably warm and beautiful.
I do not have to be reminded how fortunate I am to call this “Land of Enchantment” home. Last winter I felt sorry for various friends in the Northeast dealing with the Polar Vortex. This year it seems to be not only cold, but wave after wave after wave of deep and heavy snow – blizzards!! Facebook friends are comparing various snowblowers, or concern about husbands having heart attacks while shoveling snow, and a variety of such concerns. (I keep thinking I really ought to buy a new snow shovel; I still have the one I had in Kansas City, and that was 30 years ago!! 🙂 ))))))) )
With the publication of the ebook, BOSTON SOLSTICE BLUES, a collection of 51 daily poems written in another year, between December 5 and January 24, friend, fellow anthropologist, and writer Jim Stallings has reminded me again how glad I am to be here and not there! On his blog, Jim has described how these poems came to be written. Of note, Jim and his wife are now living in a much warmer place!
A final happy note, at least from my perspective: Daylight Savings Time is almost here!!!! Sunday, March 8, is the day we will “spring forward” at 2:00am. One of my favorite days of the year!
Doves are generally thought of as peaceful creatures. And, in some ways, and most of the time, they are. They seem to spend all their waking hours eating and making more doves. The white winged dove did not have much of a presence when I first moved to Albuquerque, and now they are everywhere. I rarely see a mourning dove these days, which was the more common dove when I first arrived.
I photographed these white winged doves during the Great Backyard Bird Count last weekend. I was kind of glad they put on a show.
At first glance, you might think these two look peaceful enough. But, note the raised wing of warning!
See that raised wing? Someone is about to start a fight!
And then, a full blown warning:
“I’ll show what I’ve got!”
That was followed by a real attack:
“Take that! If you don’t like it, go somewhere else! This is MY territory!”
Then, the two began to settle down gradually. A little later they returned to ground feeding, as if nothing had happened.
These doves are ready – almost – to call the fight over.
They gave me something beyond the usual to photograph. 🙂
