Monthly Archives: December 2012

December 10, 2012 · 5:35 am

Random Photo Week — Monday

Believe it or not, we almost hit 70° (21° Celsius) again on Saturday. So, for probably the last time this season, out came the roadster for one last fling. This trip, like the one a couple of weeks ago, took us to San Elizario, but this time we went for the second annual Holiday Market, were artisans and craftsmen displayed for sale their various wares. Oddly, the fall colors were even more spectacular this trip than just two weeks ago, even though most foliage in the El Paso area have long passed their optimum viewing.

However, I’m sure you’re by now getting tired of reading about roadsters and road trips, and I’ve been accumulating an array of other interesting photographs over the course of the past month that are starting to get stale. So, this week I’m running a three-part series of just plan, ol’, interesting photographs taken not only this past Saturday, but over the past three weeks as well. You’ll see a searing sunset, a colossal cloud, archaic architecture, holiday hubbub, and nifty photographic conversions to black and white.

I’ll start off with my favorite shot from today’s collection:

A Fun Composition

Click on any image in the gallery below to see a larger version:

: A Study in Rusts

: Dark Clouds

: A Study in Reds

: An Ochestra of Color

: Slats and Shadows

: Rustic Door, Rusty Lock

: Christmas Shoppers

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Tagged as photography

December 7, 2012 · 5:35 am

Of Road Trips, Restaurants, and Recreation — Part 3

I was rather surprised to stumble across a reference to the Mesilla Valley Bosque State Park. I never knew it existed, even though I’ve lived in this area for over thirty years. Then I found out why I hadn’t heard about it before — this state park was only dedicated just four short years ago, and there wasn’t a whole lot of local publicity on it at the time.

So, what exactly is a bosque? A bosque refers to a narrow forested area (called a Gallery Forest) in and around the flood plain of a river running through one of the desert areas of the Southwestern United States. The largest bosque is along an almost 400-mile stretch of the Rio Grande running from Santa Fe, New Mexico, through El Paso to just beyond Fabens, Texas. Pull up the Google satellite view of this area and the narrow, green corridor of vegetation bracketing the river is easily distinguishable from the vast surrounding brown dessert environment. The most prominent wildlife refuge along this stretch is the famous Bosque del Apache National Wildlife Refuge, which acts as a refuge for migratory water fowl (including the endangered Sandhill Crane) and other wildlife. If you’re a birder, these areas are a must during the fall and spring migration seasons.

Alas, migration season has long since passed. We did see many a bird, but mostly of the quail variety. We also saw a cottontail rabbit, but none of the bobcat, coyote, deer, or javalina that also inhabit this reserve.

But we did see one unwelcome visitor to this land — the invasive salt cedar (tamarix) — which displaces native plants and disrupts the habitat. State Park employees are working diligently to eradicate this oversize weed, but it’s a struggle.

Click on any of the images below to see a larger version:

: Outside the Visitor Center

: Hiking Trail

: Along the Trail

: Vast Spaces

: Invasive Salt Cedar

: Trail Post

: Along the Hiking Trail

: Backlit Cottonwood

: More Salt Cedar

: Organ Mountains in the Distance

: Flowers in White

: Some Green Remains

: The Colors of Fall

: From Grass to Tree

: Grasslands

: Light Filtering Through Cottonwood Leaves

: Wetlands and Mountains

: The Lonely Tree

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Filed under Automobiles and Driving, Photography, travel

Tagged as Mesilla, Mesilla Valley Bosque State Park, photography, road trip, travel

December 5, 2012 · 5:54 am

Of Road Trips, Restaurants, and Recreation — Part 2

Along the way to Old Mesilla we took a route we’d not taken in the past. This particular route placed us between I-10 to the east and the farmlands and orchards through which we normally traveled to the west. Along the way we found ourselves slipping in behind the dairy farms that lay along I-10 between El Paso and Las Cruces and heading through cattle ranches and horse farm country.

As we motored along the main street into Mesilla we were distracted by a very colorful display of chili ristras and hand-painted furniture off our right. Ristras are made after the annual chili harvest by stringing together chilies (usually red) so that they may dry out. These dried chili pods are then ground into powder or used throughout the year to make chili sauces. In making sauces, the dried pods are slit, the stems, seeds, and interior ribs removed, and soaked in hot water until rehydrated and ready for blending with other ingredients such as garlic, onion, broth, and thickening agents. (click on images below for larger versions)

: Willow-lined Drive

: Changing Willows

: Traditional Red Chili Ristra and Colored Ristra

: The Ristra and Furniture Store — What, you don’t have one of these?

: Chili Wreath and Traditional Ristras

: Ristras and Furniture — What a Combination

: Multi-colored Ristras

Once we hit Mesilla and had lunch (see Monday’s review of La Posta de Mesilla New Mexican Restaurant) we strolled around town a bit. I’ve already blogged about and displayed photographs of this area, so I won’t bore you with a lot of detail. Anyway, here are the photographs from this particular trip (click on images to see larger size):