Geese n Cranes

Geese n Cranes, originally uploaded by nicholsphotos.

Geese and sandhill cranes at sunrise on an overcast morning in the Bosque del Apache National Wildlife refuge.

Three Reeds

Three Reeds, originally uploaded by nicholsphotos.

Bosque del Apache National Wildlife Refuge in New Mexico.

Santa Barbara Playground

Santa Barbara Playground, originally uploaded by nicholsphotos.

Reworking an image earlier processed in sepia tones.

Casa Rondena Vineyard in Autumn

Casa Rondena Vineyard in Autumn, originally uploaded by nicholsphotos.

I'm a little late in posting these, as fall is already waning in Albuquerque. It was a feast for the eyes this year.

All Dressed in Marigolds

All Dressed in Marigolds, originally uploaded by nicholsphotos.

A side plaza in Old Town, Albuquerque all decked out for Dia de los Muertos.

See other phots of the Dia de Los Muertos celebration in Albuquerque here:

Save the Last Dance For Me

Save the Last Dance For Me, originally uploaded by nicholsphotos.

Albuquerque Balloon Fiesta: October 2007.

See more images of the Albuquerque Balloon Fiesta.

New Mexico Harvest

New Mexico Harvest, originally uploaded by nicholsphotos.

This time of year, nothing could be more marvelous than a visit to the local grower's market. The hardest thing for me is not buying way more than I can eat.

Get your veggies now while they are fresh and local!

Joyful Joyful

Joyful Joyful, originally uploaded by nicholsphotos.

Fall Cosmos in my next door neighbor's yard.

Chipmunk's Feast

Chipmunk's Feast, originally uploaded by nicholsphotos.

The grassy meadows of the Valles Caldera provide great eating for the wildlife. Valle Grande is one of two short open access trails in the Valles Caldera. Other trails are by limited reservation only.

Sunflower in Black and White

Lonely Little Sunflower in a Bosque Bokeh Patch, originally uploaded by nicholsphotos.

Out of the Mist

Out of the Mist, originally uploaded by nicholsphotos.

Went hiking yesterday in the Valles Caldera and Bandolier. This rare New Mexico fog was captured on the Cerro Grande Trail in Bandolier.

Twilight Idyll

Twilight Idyll, originally uploaded by nicholsphotos.

A great place to watch the sunset: The end of the Bosque trail on the Rio Grande Nature Center grounds.

Bosque Sunflowers

As summer fades down into fall, it is sunflower season in the Rio Grande Valley. Photo taken near the Rio Grande Nature Center in Albuquerque, New Mexico.

Insect/Auto Bonding

Insect/Auto Bonding, originally uploaded by nicholsphotos.

I came back from a walk in the Bosque yesterday to find this dragonfly clinging to my antenna.

The Aerialist

The Aerialist, originally uploaded by nicholsphotos.

Hummingbirds at the Rio Grande Nature Center in Albuquerque.

High Summer at Casa Rondena

High Summer at Casa Rondena, originally uploaded by nicholsphotos.

A walk at the golden hour in Los Ranchos de Albuquerque, New Mexico.

Cathedral Basilica of St Francis

Cathedral Basilica of St Francis, originally uploaded by nicholsphotos.

The Cathedral Basilica of St. Francis of Assisi, near Santa Fe Plaza in Santa Fe, New Mexico.

Rust Rock Medley

Rust Rock Medley, originally uploaded by nicholsphotos.

Details from the intertidal zone and the rocky coast of Douglas Island near Juneau. The entire area is littered with detritus from the area's years as a Gold Rush boom town.

Summer Love Affair

Summer Love Affair, originally uploaded by nicholsphotos.

One of the best parts of summer is fresh local produce from my neighborhood grower's market.

Still Life at Low Tide 5

Still Life at Low Tide 5, originally uploaded by nicholsphotos.

Details from the intertidal zone on Douglas Island near Juneau, Alaska.

Happy Dancin Cat

Happy Dancin Cat, originally uploaded by nicholsphotos.

Photos from the We Art the People Folk Art Festival, held annually on the 2nd Saturday in August in Albuquerque's Robinson Park. The festival is sponsored by Off Center Arts.

Reach Out and Touch

Reach Out and Touch, originally uploaded by nicholsphotos.

St Francis Statue at Cathedral Basilica of St. Francis of Assisi in Santa Fe, New Mexico.

Whale Fluke

Fluke, originally uploaded by nicholsphotos.

The real highlight of my summer was a visit to Juneau, Alaska. The humpback whale lifts its tail, or fluke, as it goes under for a sounding dive. See all my Juneau photos .

Calm Regard

Calm Regard, originally uploaded by nicholsphotos.

Summer ends for me tomorrow as I return to work in the public schools. So, two entries today to recall the photographic highlights of my summer. The first, photographing the Albuquerque Gay Pride Parade and Pridefest. View my Pridefest Set on Flickr.

Sunflower

Sunflower--Corrales, originally uploaded by nicholsphotos.

In front of a gallery on Corrales Road.

The Walls Became the World all Around

The Walls Became the World all Around, originally uploaded by nicholsphotos.

Ruins of Treadwell Mine in Juneau Alaska, closed in 1922, seeping slowly back to a state of nature.

"That very night in Max's room a forest grew, and grew, until the ceiling hung with vines, and the walls became the world all around." Maurice Sendak--Where the Wild Things Are

Posing

Posing, originally uploaded by nicholsphotos.

This is my new desktop background. The morning after a monsoon in Albuquerque, NM, These fallen leaves, dressed in rain droplets, were just posing like this on the hood of my Saturn. I added a texture to the background to make it more interesting. Otherwise no fiddling beyond simple color adjustments.

Daisies

Daisies 2, originally uploaded by nicholsphotos.

Flowers along the West Fork Trail that follows the Santa Barbara river in Northern New Mexico.

Farmers Feed and Supply

Farmers Feed and Supply, originally uploaded by nicholsphotos.

A rainy evening on North 4th Street in Los Ranchos de Albuquerque

Calla

Calla, originally uploaded by nicholsphotos.

This image of a Calla lily at the Albuquerque Biopark botanic gardens was published in this month's ABQ Arts Photography Edition.

Santa Barbara Playground

Santa Barbara Playground, originally uploaded by nicholsphotos.

Playground equipment in Santa Barbara park with the San Ignacio church in the background. In Martineztown/Santa Barbara neighborhood, Albuquerque.

Bosque Firefighter at Sunset

Bosque Firefighter at Sunset, originally uploaded by nicholsphotos.

In 2003, two fires destroyed portions of the Rio Grande Bosque in Albuquerque, including this area just sourth of Montano. Chainsaw artist Mark Chavez, one of the firefighters who helped put out the Montano fire, has turned these burned trees into a sculpture garden.

San Jose de Gracia Church

San Jose de Gracia Church, originally uploaded by nicholsphotos.

This church is right along the High Road to Taos, in Las Trampas. It was built in 1760.

Sugar Nymph's Bistro

Sugar Nymph's Bistro, originally uploaded by nicholsphotos.

Sugar Nymph's Bistro
I stopped to shoot this on the way out to Santa Barbara Campground, and we had lunch here on the way out yesterday. Tasty gourmet food that you wouldn't expect to find in rural New Mexico, and a very bustling place when it's open (lunch and dinner only).

Co-owners Kai and Ki came from the Bay area and have an impressive resume of chef's experience in some of San Fransisco's best restaurants. El Puente Theater is also housed here.

http://www.nmgastronome.com/nm/american/nymph.htm