Old Adobe Ruins

This is the ruins of a adobe/rock house that is very old, maybe over a hundred years old. It can be seen from the road going through San Diego Canyon on the way to Jemez Springs. When I first saw this old cabin in about 1978 there were still most of the walls an roof on it. Now, mostly due to being vandalized it is almost gone. I know that weather has taken its toll but I am sure the rafters were hauled off or firewood at some ones camp as there are campsites nearby. I can't figure why any one is lazy enough not to bring their wood from home and leave our historic sites alone. I barbed wire fence is around this site but I am sure there are people that hop that fence and take parts of the walls as souvenirs. Wouldn't it be better to just take a few photos and memories? If you are interested or have one of the books there is a photo of this home when it still had walls and a rood in a Lous L'Amour book entitled Frontier. The photo is on page 111 and was taken by the famous photographer David Muench. The book was first printed in 1984 but I can't say when the photo was taken.

 Above the ruins of the adobe home is a strange rock formation. These formations can be found all up and down San Diego Canyon and above Jemez Springs and the ancient mission ruins that are in the town. This photo is a close up of how the wind and rain had made the pillars in the rock. The next photo shows how close to the pillars the cabin actually was. How beautiful and wonderful it must have been to live in this canyon before there was a highway going through it. We can hope future generations will appreciate nature and land as a few have always done.

Jemez Elk

We had almost given up seeing anything but birds and squirrels when we came around a corner and were surprised by a small herd of elk watering at a small manmade pond. 3 of them let me take their pics for a few seconds. The first photo is of the one that was the biggest. Don't know if these were cows or bulls as bulls have lost their antlers at this time of year. These did look to be very fat so were maybe pregent cows. But you don't normally see that much 'mane' on cows just the bulls. But they were very saggy as they are shedding their winter hair to get their nice slick summer hair. You can see a loose patch of hair on this ones flank that is just about ready to fall out. On the last photo you can see the white rump patch that elk us almost like the little white tail deer use when they thow up there white tail to warn the other deer of danger.

Spring Trip to Jemez

 while up in the Jemez Mountains yesterday we saw this rock squirrel and his mate chasing each other round and round a large rock. He moved and blurred each photo I took just a bit except the one where one of them though it was hid under the rock. At least I got his pic but the chipmunks and tassel ear squirrel moved even faster

 The Oregon grape (and it is not really a grape more like a holly) was the only thing I saw that was blooming and it wasn't quite all the way open. I saw more of these blooming than I have seen in many years. They don't get very big here in New Mexico like the do in Oregon and like the tame plants you can buy in the nurseries.

Pics of trees that I liked.

Sunrise

Panies

I planted gladiola bulbs in two big pots about 2 feet across and put white and dark blue pansies, yellow snapdragons and red dianthus on top of the bulbs.

Geraniums

Common or Zonal red geranium (these plants have been used as houseplants since the 1600's) I have 4 colors of the common geraniums, the red ivy one, and 2 colors of the Martha Washingtons. Will try to get photos of the other colors as they bloom.

 Red ivy (almost vining) geranium

 Salmon colored common geranium

 Martha Washington Geranium.

Full Moon

I took these photos over 2 nights of the new moon.

A Little Spring Snow

Most of my spring blooming trees were already blooming when this little snow came. It stuck to everything except the ground which was weird. Of course my peaches froze and I think most of the cherries and apples but a few of those are blooming now so might get a handful of fruit. Now sure I'm glad or sad over loosing fruit. I sure don't have what it takes to can or freeze fruit but it sure would have tasted good.

Spring Tree Blossoms