Trees in the Chiricahua Mountains, the rock formations in these mountains are amazing to see, but the trees are what caught my eye as well, as we made our way to Echo Canyon hiking trail.
Here is a link to Pancho Villa State park in Columbus New Mexico, with a bit of a time lapse. I am always a little ahead on these post compared to the video’s I put of these areas on my You Tube channel.
I have always been fascinated with trees and all the different kinds across the country. These here in the mountains of Arizona are quite unique as they grow out from the rocks in many forms. Twisted and curved, they are an artistic display of nature.
Sulphur Canyon Road Tank in Arizona, what is a Tank you might be asking? A tank is a man-made reservoir and this one was built in 1950 as a holding tank to flood the surrounding cotton fields back in the day.
There came a time when the fields around the tank no longer were planted and the area became a pasture for cattle. The owner of this tank decided to keep this oasis going as he discovered how important this water is to the wild life that would stop here to quench their thirst in this dry desert environment.
They installed solar panels back in 2016 to keep the pumps running adding water to this tank. The owner fenced off the area from the cattle and built bird blinds around the water so folks can stop here and see the wildlife up close and not disturb them.
It is now home to a variety of birds who stop here during their migration. This tank provides an oasis in this dry and dusty land and the most reliable source of water on the east side of the Chiricahua Mountains.
Someone at the campground told us about this place and to take the drive across the mountain where you will end up at Chiricahua National Monument. A must see place if you are ever in eastern Arizona.
By far the most noticeable natural features in the park are the rhyolite rock pinnacles for which the monument was created to protect. Rising sometimes hundreds of feet into the air, many of these pinnacles are balancing on a small base, seemingly ready to topple over at any time.
Hop Skip and a Jump to Arizona, we were in Texas for the entire month of March, Texas is a big state. But by April we skipped on over to Arizona, not a long drive from El Paso Texas. This is where I found a wonderful campground called Rusty’s Rv Park.
What a beautiful area this is, most people travel a little farther north to the big national park called Gila national forest. I had checked it out but it was completely booked when we were passing through the area.
I tend to look closer at the smaller green areas on the map like the area with the arrow on the picture below. This is where I found Rusty’s rv park and a wonderful surprise called the Chiricahua Mountains.
Someone told us at the park to take a drive over this mountain in the photo below and you will end up at one of the most interesting landscapes hidden in the hills of Arizona called, Bonita Canyon and Echo Canyon Trail head.
It is a 5 hour drive over the mountain to get to the other side, pictured below is the road that takes one on this beautiful journey. One lane in most places and yes I was a little nervous about what one does if another car is coming from the other way.
Luckily we left very early in the morning and did not meet anyone on the road.
If you ever find your self in eastern Arizona down by the border, be sure to stop by this place. In the middle of a hot desert, this is a true oasis for people and animals alike. Nothing like I have ever seen before.
I will have more photos and video coming this week of the drive into the mountains.
Plus at this RV park, like many others, we met a wonderful group of genuinely kind folks. A shout out to Kathy whom we met that is a photographer and writer. We had a wonderful time visiting with her.
Pretty in Blue, One of the most defining features of a bird is its plumage. But as complex and capable as feathers are, they don’t last forever: They begin to break down after some time, forcing its owner to replace them. Which is the process of molting.
Which usually starts around July and August, depending on the species.
As a result, a bird’s appearance may radically change through the molting period, or just look odd and patchy.
The blue jays are back in my area and some of them are still missing their crown feathers. This one in the picture is a young blue jay and its blue feathers are a color all onto themselves. Such a pretty blue.
Molting is a fascinating behavior, just like migration and breeding, and it’s one of the vital parts of a bird’s life. So if you see some song birds and they appear to be missing a few feathers this time of year. Don’t worry, they are probably molting and growing some new ones soon.
August and Golden Colors, after a hot summer I always look forward to the golden hues of fall. Now technically autumn doesn’t start until September 22nd. But warm colors of gold, yellow and browns are pleasing to the eye and warms the heart.
If you would like to see the video of Cloudcroft and White Sands National park, Link is Here; Cloudcroft and White Sands.
We only stayed a week at this park and then moved farther west to one of the best parks all along the southern border. We had been in the desert for a couple months at this point. Dry, dusty and not much for trees at all.
But what a surprise we found at the next stop, birds, mountain, forest and water. The Chiricahua National Wilderness, just across the border of Arizona.
Pancho Villa State Park New Mexico, after leaving El Paso Texas, we headed west to our first stop right along the US and Mexican border in a little town named Columbus. Now this is back in April when we were here. This little town is home to 1,118 people.
This historical park features an exhibit hall and structures that capture the rich history of the Pancho Villa Raid and Camp Furlong.
The exhibit hall also showcases the Punitive Expedition, which was led by John “Black Jack” Pershing in 1916-1917. This military expedition to chase down Pancho Villa threatened to bring the United States and Mexico into direct conflict with one another during the height of the Mexican Revolution in Mexico itself.
Below is the campground we stayed at for about a week. It was a very nice place, wonderful people running the park and lots of space.
When the wind blows the air is full of dust and dust tornadoes. Very seldom is it a clear day.
Just behind the park is the wall between the two countries. The road going to Mexico past the park is always busy. Lots of trucks bringing produce from south to the north. It seemed to be a constant flow of traffic and it was the off season.
But with all this open space, the sunsets are beautiful.
Gypsum Sand in New Mexico, The “sand” in these miles of shifting dunes is not composed of silica, like most inland sand. Interestingly, the sand at White Sands is almost pure gypsum. Gypsum is different from many other rocks because it is readily soluble.
That means it will dissolve in water, just like sugar or salt. When rain falls on the mountains, the layers of gypsum start to dissolve, and the gypsum runs down the mountains as fast as the water can carry it.
Since the Tularosa Basin and the dunes are fully enclosed, there is no outlet to water of any kind, so the gypsum stays in the monument.
Gypsum is actually a clear substance; the dunes appear white like snow because the gypsum grains are constantly banging into each other. The scratches then reflect the sun’s rays making them appear white.
Also, unlike silica sand, gypsum doesn’t absorb heat from the sun. So even on the hottest day of the year, the dunes are cool and comfortable to walk on, making White Sands a nice stop in the summer. Just visit when the sunrays are not at their peak, and remember to bring plenty of water to drink.
The gypsum dunes are home to a unique ecosystem of plants and wildlife, many of which only exist here in the northern end of the Chihuahuan Desert.
Cloudcroft, New Mexico gets 30 inches of rain, on average, per year. The US average is 38 inches of rain per year.
Cloudcroft averages 69 inches of snow per year. The US average is 28 inches of snow per year.
On average, there are 289 sunny days per year in Cloudcroft. The US average is 205 sunny days.
Cloudcroft gets some kind of precipitation, on average, 98 days per year. Precipitation is rain, snow, sleet, or hail that falls to the ground. In order for precipitation to be counted you have to get at least .01 inches on the ground to measure.
Cloud Croft New Mexico, I don’t know about you but when I look at photos of snow like these, I can almost feel the cold air, even when it is hot outside now in July. This is the only moisture we saw during our month visiting Texas and New Mexico area back in March.
Established as a vacation getaway and logging town in the late 1890s by the developers of the El Paso and Northeastern Railroad, tiny Cloudcroft (pop. 688) sits in the heart of the Sacramento Mountains at nearly 8,700 feet above sea level. The railroad chugged away in the late 1940s, but this easygoing village, with its unpretentious Western vibe, continues to draw tourists from all around the country.
Cloudcroft Trestle Bridge
The trestle was regularly used and maintained by the railroad until about 1947, when the line was abandoned. By the 1980s, a dip had formed in the center of the trestle, and Lincoln National Forest personnel had become concerned about its condition.
The trestle was built in 1899 as a part of the A&SM’s efforts to access timber in the forest, and after that, the line was used for nearly half a century to transport tourists to Cloudcroft, the picturesque little village located nearby. At 8,675-feet in elevation, Cloudcroft is among the highest-elevation communities in the United States—hence, the numerous references to the clouds.
Desert to Snow to Gypsum Sand, all within 100 miles of each other near El Paso Texas. I have never seen anything like this, all in one area. When we were camping at Franklin Mountains by El Paso back in March, we had one day that had sleet and snow.
Video Link to a short clip of Snow and Sand; Snow to Sand
It was March 22nd, so the next day we figured it was a good day to drive up to Cloudcroft New Mexico, about 112 miles NE from where we were camping, to an elevation of 9000 ft.
From the warm desert to this beautiful scenery high in the mountains, was a welcome sight. We were traveling last winter to avoid snow. But I sure liked seeing this snow when we got up there.
This photo below is from the top of Cloudcroft looking towards the White Sands National Park in the distance.
But, after the cold and snow we were ready to head back to warmer weather and drove back down the mountain and headed SW to White Sands National Park where it immediately went back to 80 deg weather. With the most beautiful white sand dunes every where.
Situated in the Tularosa Basin, between Alamogordo (northeast) and Las Cruces (southwest), the White Sands National Monument is a vast, natural playground of brilliant particles that reflect the sun – making the crystals shine “white” to the human gaze.
I will have more photos this week of these two areas. A must see if you are ever visiting Texas and New Mexico.
The Rubies are Back, now I am still posting photos from our trip around the states from this last winter. But we are home now so I have to throw in some photos from here, like my favorite little Ruby Throated Hummingbirds that visit my flowers here every summer.
They are hard to photograph, they are constantly chasing each other.
On occasion I can find them sitting almost still on my garden fence. But the camera still has to be set at a very high shutter speed to get a glance at those wings that move so fast.
The Light of the Nights When we accept that there is only One Father, we have no ethnicity to any group. By that we are different just by the virtue we accepted one thought, One Father, One Creator One Creation
Time Lapse Video from Day to Evening to Lighting Storm at Night; Time Lapse Clouds
In whatever condition each was called, there let them remain with the Father
While the sun, or the light, or the moon, or the stars, be not darkened.
Life is a teaching experience we are either taught or we mimic back.
Flower Art with a Flashlight, there are some beautiful wild flowers growing around our place this summer. So I was feeling a little artsy today and decided to try something new.
I picked this one flower and put it in a vase and brought it inside. Grabbed a flashlight and pointed it directly at the flower and if you hold the light close enough it will create a dark background as well.
Light always brings out the details of any object and lets you see the extraordinary creation in front of you so much clearer. 🙂
But, my cat decided to get in on the photo shoot. She stuck her nose in just as I clicked the shutter button. She is good for wanting to be up front and getting more attention from me.
Songs and Sounds of Desert Birds, I just posted a video on my you tube channel highlighting all these wonderful birds and the sounds they make. The bird one hears the most is the White Winged Dove, but the most interesting one I think is the Gambel’s Quail.
Tree Frog Bird Frog or Just a Frog, it is extremely hot here today and I was out walking along the tree line and I looked up at a bird house on a tree. I had to squint a bit as I saw something in the entrance hole of this bird house.
I wasn’t quite sure, so I went and got my camera and sure enough it is a frog sitting in a bird house. Well, if the birds don’t want it, I guess the frog can make it his home. He definitely has a great view from way up there.
I don’t know what kind of frog it is, if any one knows please leave a comment below.
I took a picture of this frog below down by the water.
Texas is Big Sky Country, well they say Montana is Big Sky also, but Texas can give it a run for its money on that title. I think anywhere that is pretty flat when you can see the horizon can be considered big sky.
Birds and Bunnies in Soft Light, what is soft light you might ask? Well it is considered to be diffused light, which I have the best luck finding in the early morning hours of a day. But you can always use the shade of a tree or the soft shadows of any structure.
One doesn’t always have a chance to place our wildlife in the right lighting for that, so the rule of thumb, depending on where you live of course, is to not photograph between 11am and 2pm. That is usually when the sun is straight over head and it is like shinning a giant flashlight right on your subject.
So for me, early morning is my favorite time of day to photograph outdoors..
Franklin Mountain State Park, our next stop as we travelled this past winter. A beautiful state park just north of El Paso Texas. We were here once before when my husbands son was stationed here for the Air Force.
So as we are traveling west we decided to stop here again. The park itself is a great place to camp, it is dry camping here, meaning they do not have water or electrical hookups. When I went to check in, I told the ranger we will be here for 2 weeks. He said, ” What?”, no one usually stays that long. 🙂
We have learned to become pretty resourceful with water and as long as the sun comes out, we have electricity or use the generator.
They have wonderful hiking trails here and when you get to the top of any of the mountains around the park the view is spectacular.
The photo below is the campground, it only has 5 sites. I would like to go back when the flowers are in bloom, they were just starting to come out when we were there.
Wild Horses in Big Bend, now I am not positive these are wild horses but they were out in the middle of no where with no fences or anything. What I find fascinating about this first photo, is that the horse in the back ground, which I am pretty sure it is a mule, looks gigantic compared to the horse in the for ground.
This is the last of the photos from Big Bend National park. It was quite the trip, I had never heard of this place until we went to it. I am glad we had the chance to visit and be a part of a landscape that seems like time forgot.
Smaller horses are probably ideal for desert life. Mules are even better, they are a cross between a male donkey and a female horse. I grew up with horses so I still have a love for them and enjoy being around them when I can.
Below we were wandering down by the Rio Grande river when this gentleman came around the corner to let his pony get a drink of water.
My brother and his wife have had mules for years, when I was visiting them this year I took a few photos of both of their mules and created a frame around them so they would have something to hang on their walls. A nice portrait, which took quite a few photos to get them to look up with their ears forward.
Beautiful animals with the sweetest eyes.
The eyes can tell a story all on their own, right now you can see my camera and I in the reflection of Mac’s eye. 🙂
Its the Simple Things that make me smile the most. Like this first photo, I did not have the camera prepared for this shot, but this little hummingbird showed up out of the blue and I just clicked away. Capturing a bit of light illuminating its beautiful colors.
Life can be a long bumpy road at times, but a journey worth taking, as it is a gift. The idea that any of us are here at all is worth thinking about. The true miracle of birth is something that I think about often, for I have never had children of my own. But, when you stop and remember how we are even here, that we all started from a tiny little cell.
Why is it Called Big Bend, The region was named Big Bend for the drastic change in course of the river from a southeastern to a northeastern flow. As the Rio Grande flows through the Chihuahuan Desert, it carves not only majestic canyons, but also a political boundary.
4 Most popular places to see in Big Bend Video here; 4 Most Popular Places in Big Bend
Big Bend includes massive canyons, vast desert expanses, forested mountains, and an ever-changing river. Here you can explore one of the last remaining wild corners of the United States.
Chisos Basin is Next on the List, The Chisos Basin Campground is nestled in an open woodland within a scenic mountain basin. Campers enjoy the iconic views of Casa Grande and Emory Peak. The sunset through the nearby “Window” is a Big Bend highlight. Some of the park’s most popular trails begin nearby. Elevation is 5,400 feet.
This area here was quite a surprise. We were camping down below at 1800 ft. elevation and it was very hot down there. We begin the drive up to the Chisos Basin and the temperature cooled off right away and the landscape was completely different.
Pine trees and lush green grasses and signs everywhere that this is the home to mountain lions and bear. Obviously they like the higher elevation as well.
So, Big Bend has such a variety of landscapes, wildlife and activity. I highly recommend this place if you have not been here.
These are the top three places people like to see, Chisos Basin, Santa Elena Canyon and Ernst Tinaja. But there is so much more to this 800,000 acre park that one will never see all of it in one visit. I have more photos coming up of this beautiful place to come.
Ernst Tinaja in Big Bend, now this spot here was a fun road to travel on just to get to this area. It was highly recommended to have a high clearance vehicle and I will be having a video soon that shows the off roading here in Big Bend National Park.
Once you get to the end of this long, bumpy dirt road, it is about a mile hike to reach this beautiful area named Ernst Tinaja.
This popular feature at the mouth of a limestone canyon is noted for three things: vibrant orange swirling striations in the rocks, fossils of giant oysters, and the Ernst Tinaja itself – a 13-foot natural rock pool. The word tinaja (pronounced “tin-AH-ha”) is Spanish for “large earthen jar” and in Big Bend refers to natural water holes, usually formed by erosion.
You don’t want to hike down here if there is any chance of rain, because it floods very quickly and you would be trapped in here. Luckily in March it was completely dry and you can walk all the way through the canyon.
The rock formations are so unique and beautiful, very picturesque.
The Most Scenic Areas at Big Bend, When you enter Big Bend National Park they give you a map and a guide of the most scenic areas to visit in the park. You can visit all these areas in one day by vehicle, they have a loop that travels around the park to each one of these spots. Make sure to go early because this first one draws a crowd.
It is Santa Elena Canyon, an experience of nature that is beyond ones imagination and a photographer’s dream to photograph in the right conditions.
This narrow canyon is cut by the Rio Grande River. Texas is on the right side of the picture and Mexico on the left. Here the Rio Grande separates the limestone outcrops of the Mesa de Anquila, on the Texas side, from the Sierra Ponce, on the Mexican side. In places, the canyon walls tower 1,500 ft (457 m) above the river.
The photos do not do the canyon walls justice, if I was standing next to the wall in this photo I would look like a speck of dust.
Santa Elena Canyon is 8 miles (13km) long and 1,500 feet (450 m) deep. In some places the canyon walls are only 30 feet (9 meters) wide. The Rio Grande established its present course on basin-filling sediments that covered the rocks and faults we see exposed today. The river eroded through the surface layers and cut steep-sided canyons in the more resistant Lower Cretaceous limestones.
Today you can see those ancient limestone formations exposed in the canyon walls. A popular way to explore the length of Santa Elena Canyon is on a two or three-day river rafting trip that begins in the town of Lajitas,
Big Bend National Park, getting back to our travels through Texas. Now I had never even heard of Big Bend National park until this past winter when someone mentioned we should visit there as we drove along the southern border of Texas.
So we looked it up and made reservations for the first of March this past winter. One has to reserve early because this park is full all the time. We were able to book 11 days at their largest campground and I have to say the terrain of this part of Texas is just breathtaking.
Here is the link to my video if you want to see all the campgrounds that are available to use in this park and some of the wildlife and landscapes; Big Bend National Park
The largest campground is Rio Grande Village campground sitting at 1800 ft. elevation. So it get pretty warm down there even in March. We had a couple days in the 100 degrees and where we were at you can not use generators for your air conditioning. We had to go for a drive in the Jeep just to stay cool, but only a couple of days.
Then the highest elevation is Chisos Basin, a world onto itself. Completely different with lots of trees and green grass and much cooler temperatures sitting at 5400 ft. elevation.
Big Bend spans over 800,000 acres. I will be showing more of the beautiful landscapes in the next few post.
Wildlife at the campground consist of Javelinas, shown below. They would just wonder by all the campers munching on the grass.
One morning we woke to the sound of cows mooing, as a small heard was enjoying the green grass as well as they passed through the campground.
You can also find this little beauty of a bird here, the Vermillion Flycatcher, there were quite a few of them as the park would flood the center of the park, using water from the Rio Grande River. It kept the trees green and the grass, hence the wild life and birds enjoying this park as well.
A New Hummingbird From Washington, Well I finally photographed a new hummingbird. I have only ever seen one species of hummingbird and that is the Ruby Throated. We just happened across another nature preserve in Washington when we were there and found two new birds, no 3 new ones, including this hummingbird. Bird count is 152.
One of the feistiest hummingbird in North America. The brilliant orange male and the green-and-orange female Rufous Hummingbird are relentless attackers at flowers and feeders, going after (if not always defeating) even the large hummingbirds of the Southwest, which can be double their weight.
Rufous Hummingbirds are wide-ranging, and breed farther north than any other hummingbird. Look for them in spring in California, summer in the Pacific Northwest and Alaska, and fall in the Rocky Mountains as they make their annual circuit of the West.
