Promise of More Pictures

My last post focused on some photographs that I made during a storm here in Las Cruces. II have not published many of the photographs in this forum, usually depending on Facebook albums and Flickr albums to circulate them. I guess I am still sometimes dealing with comparing myself to other photographers I know and don’t feel as if I am their league. This is something I have been trying hard to work on. It is why I joined the Camera Club, to be able to one day realize my photographs are in the same league. It was why I volunteered to teach in the symposium last November as it served as a review of things I know, things I never knew, and things long forgotten. Extending it into the Digital Camera Workshop Series, continues to give me good ideas and a very sturdy platform from which to learn more.

Perhaps thought, the most important factor has been practice. “In Outliers: The Story of Success  a non-fiction book written by Malcolm Gladwell, Gladwell examines the factors that contribute to high levels of success. To support his thesis, he examines the causes of why the majority of Canadian ice hockey players are born in the first few months of the calendar year, how Microsoft co-founder Bill Gates achieved his extreme wealth, how The Beatles became one of the most successful musical acts in human history, how Joseph Flom built Skadden, Arps, Slate, Meagher & Flom into one of the most successful law firms in the world, how cultural differences play a large part in perceived intelligence and rational decision making, and how two people with exceptional intelligence, Christopher Langan and J. Robert Oppenheimer, end up with such vastly different fortunes. Throughout the publication, Gladwell repeatedly mentions the "10,000-Hour Rule", claiming that the key to success in any field is, to a large extent, a matter of practicing a specific task for a total of around 10,000 hours. (Wiki)”

In an average year, one of the the last several, I would take about 500 pictures. In this past year, I have taken close to 3000. I don’t know how to gauge the time in this, nor how to include classes, both as teacher and student, and camera club time, a place where I have learned a great deal. I am sure I am not close to 10,000 hours but I am building up the time and I am making progress.

So, in order to continue to improve, I will be posting some pictures here on a regular basis, whatever I am shooting. If people want to comment on these, please feel free as constructive criticism is always worthwhile. Now, as for pictures, today I am posting some from tthe last few weeks, some dried red peppers, a llama, a cat in therapy and an old wagon. Hope you enjoy!

A Serendipitous Affair

Last weekend a moment arrived that I have waited for. A full moon, rising over the Organ Mountains to the east, just around sunset. We loaded up my camera gear, put the Skippster on his leash and walked out the door, only to see clouds stack on clouds. I was disappointed for sure but we also planned to go to Caliche’s for ice cream and a poochie cone for Skippy so we had that ahead of us. I decided that I would take this opportunity to scout out a location and still accomplish something on this outing.

As we began to drive, the clouds moving a swirling in the strong winds and the ever changing lighting from the setting sun, began a spectacular show. It seemed like I was stopping about every 5oo feet to snap a picture or two. This culminated in a double rainbow, one that even impressed my friend Lou. The light on the mountain was changing by the second, due to the clouds in the west and the setting sun interacting. I shot a lot of nice photos and inclde a few here.

But this story did not end with the sunset. We arrived at one of my favorite spots in the desert, the wind pump in Baylor Canyon. This picture I took of it on a sunset evening won a ribbon at a camera club competition. 

However, this time I barely recognized it at all. It was spinning so fast, you could hear the metal creaking a quarter mile away. The angry clouds in the north east added an almost surreal feeling to this, and off in the distance a dust and rain storm approached. I quickly set up and under cover of the car rear hatch, started snapping pictures. I like these a great deal too. I will sometime soon publish them to an album on Facebook, so keep your eye out for it.

Wanted a moon rise that ended up being blocked out by clouds and a storm. Ended up with pictures of the mountains splashed with color and a scary wind pump. All followed by ice cream. Serendipitous for sure!

And the winner is...

Over the last 7 months I have really enjoyed the different things I have been involved in here in Las Cruces. The camera club experience has been great. I’ve made some good friends, good connections to the community and have learned so much more about photography. I was able to coordinate and plan a photography exhibit at the Bosque State Park that was very well received. All of this leads me to talking about the Park itself and the Friends Group that focuses on the goal of exposing more and more people to the park.

I loved the Bosque the first time I went there, when we visited Las Cruces in February 2011. We spent an afternoon there, soaking up the sun and the beauty. Of course, we went back during our second visit to Cruces as it quickly became  obvious to me that this park and the desert were to be the places I searched for my calm, thoughtfulness and reflection. As happens when people retire, I had some time on my hands and so became a volunteer at the park, but it did not stop there. I went to the park in June of 2012 to see the opening of the Camera Club exhibit. I was not a part of it but enjoyed meeting the members and made a mental note of the level of talent and expertise.

When I first started volunteering at the park, on the application form, I made note of computer skills. Well this day, at the park, the park superintendent introduced me to the president of the friends group. He immediately told me he was overwhelmed by doing the Friends newsletter and wondered if I might be interested in taking on this project. And thus, I became part of the Friends of the Bosque Group. Over the course of the next 4-5 months, I wrote and edited the Newsletter and enjoyed it. As the fall came to a close, I was asked by the staff at the park to plan the Park’s holiday festivities. With this project I was working both with the Friends and the Park and generally speaking, the day was a success. A friend of mine played Santa and posed for pictures with pets with the donation going to the Friend’s group. Over a hundred people came to the park that day and 10 pets got photos with Santa.

 This is the Park Supervisor, Jan and her dog Murphy. Unfortunately he had to be put down a week after 

this photo was taken due to the spread of his cancer.

 These are two of countless gods belonging to our friends Bill and Clair. Obviously, they have gotten into 

the spirit of the season, caroling for our entertainment.

Finally I was asked about doing a beginners class for digital photography and with several members of the Camera Club, we have completed a 6 hour workshop that also was a great success with 15 participants.

This is one of the photographs taken by a class participant

This brings me to last Saturday. The first Friend’s meeting of the year was a chance to review what was done over the course of 2012. Also there was election of a board for the group. The president entered my name into the mix and I am now the vice president of the Friends group. Then came the surprise. The president announced that they were going to give out a “Best Friend” award,  in recognition of things done over the year. There were plenty of people there who have done lots of good things for the park, so I didn’t give it a second thought until the president called my name. He game me a certificate and a gift card. I was totally surprised, honored and humbled. I just felt good that I was doing something nice for the park but the recognition felt so good, that I was taken aback.

So 2013 has begun and I figure to have a very busy and great year. I will get to continue to do camera workshops at the park, the park staff have asked me to be an event planner and the friend’s newsletter and other projects call. On tap, a Native American Heritage Day and an “Accessibility Day” just waiting to be planned. I can’t wait!

The Hat Trick of Indignities

“A hat-trick or hat trick in sport is the achievement of a positive feat three times or more during a game, or other achievements based on threes. The term was first used in 1858 in cricket to describe HH Stephenson's feat of taking three wickets in three balls. A collection was held for Stephenson, and he was presented with a hat bought with the proceeds. The term was used in print for the first time in 1878. The term was eventually adopted by many other sports including association football, water polo, and team handball, but did not become popular in North America until the mid-1940s in the National Hockey League”...Wiki

Well this past year our cat Kanye, has suffered a hat trick of indignities, so foul, so inconsiderate, I am surprised he did not simply pack up and leave. I would like to take a second to detail them for you.

Kanye used to be an outdoor cat. We lived on 3+ acres of heavily wooded Massachusetts countryside, surrounded with land that could not be built on. It was idyllic for him. He would be out all day in the woods stalking whatever met his fancy. He would go over to our neighbors home daily for a tummy rub and some treats. What a life. However, we ruined this paradise for him. We threw him in a cat carrier, drove 2500 miles to the southwest, and moved into a home in a neighborhood where cats are not allowed to roam. Besides that restriction, there are also coyotes and bobcats so he is safer inside. He hates us for it but it is for his safety. Indignity number one.

Kanye was used to being the ruler of the roost. He was our only pet after MollieJupiter moved to her own place and took her cat Millie. Kanye enjoyed this role very much. So what did we do? We brought in a dog. Not just any dog but one who was a tad hyper. It took several months for them to settle into a routine but they eventually slept on the same couch or chair and allowed each other plenty of space. So what did we do? We got a second dog, a chihuahua, even more hyper than the first dog. They have not yet settled down to a peaceful coexistence, it is more like a riot, and Kanye has taken to sleeping in our closet, on our bed, and in the dirty laundry in the bathroom, to avoid them. Indignity number two.

So now, Kanye is an inside cat who doesn’t even feel safe in his own home. He obviously has been feeling stressed and one of the things that happen to a stressed cat is matting of their fur and Kanye hit the jackpot in this game. He got one and we carefully snipped it out as best we could but then suddenly overnight he got about 8 of them. This was way beyond our capabilities so we brought him in to get groomed. The groomer, a cat expert who had been grooming them for 13 years felt there was no choice but to shave most  of his fur off and have him start again. Indignity number three.

So now, he is stuck inside, hated by the dogs and so stressed about this that he got mats and now is a very naked, cold cat. At this point I figure he has suffered so much at our hands, what is a little more embarrassment in his life so I present a picture of him in his current state.

I can only imagine that in those quiet moments he is just sitting there, giving us the finger. Poor guy.

Winter Slams Las Cruces...

The news broke early Thursday afternoon. The US Weather Service had issued a “Winter Storm Warning” for the borderlands which include El Paso and Las Cruces. Local news this night was dominated by doom and gloom forecasts from meteorologists and news pieces about the city making plans for the Snowpocalypse 2013 heading right for us. Reports called for 1-2 inches of snow. It was reported that ALL SANDERS WERE BEING FILLED TONIGHT! Sanders here in New Mexico use a mix of sand, salt and small rock. The small rock is imported from Arizona. I guess we don't have enough rocks in NM /sarcasm.

I could tell this was serious stuff because Mrsfabp was camped out on the couch watching coverage of the storm all night. Imagine, we may get 1-2 inches, YIKES! Declare a national emergency.

When people refer to this as a blizzard, I tell them that in Massachusetts we refer to this as snow flurries. As I write this, it is 3 pm and has essentially been snowing lightly since 10 am. Five hours of snow and we basically have some trees and bushes wearing soft white caps of snow. Roads are wet and this is about it.

Now I realize the seriousness of the weather situation. Last year in December 2011, we got about 1 inch of snow. It took me 90 minutes to drive about one mile to get home. Traffic crawled at 0 miles per hour and I actually saw several cars riding along the curb in order to avoid slipping.

So, this is it. Our first winter storm of the season. In like a lamb, out like a baby perhaps. Panic in the streets. Everybody talking about it. I don’t think there was this much excitement in this town since the big freeze a couple of years ago. Or when that coyote walked through the center of town.

I’ll keep you posted

Two Dog Nights

Get a dog, they said. He’ll keep you young, they said.

Thus Skippy joined our family just under a year ago. He was a rescue dog. He attached himself to Mrsfabp and absolutely hated me. Barked at me for months. Would only take a treat at arms lengthy and sometimes not even then. Wouldn’t let me put his leash on and wouldn’t let me take him for a walk. We’d get outside and he would simply stand at leash length and not move, until we went back inside. Over the year, he has slowly changed. He comes when called, loves his crate and likes sitting next  to Mrsfabp as she watches TV or knits or even naps.

In September, Mrsfabp and I celebrated belatedly, our 30th anniversary with a trip to Santa Fe. As always, our friends Bill and Clair offered to take Skippy in for a couple of days. We took the high speed commuter rail there and had a wonderful time. Skippy too had a great time, hanging out with the Pirate Dogs (read about them here). When you have that many pets, what is one more. Skippy fitg right into the pack and enjoyed his stay. Maybe enjoyed it too much. We picked him up when we got home and when we got inside, he plopped himself, chin down, on the kitchen floor, barely moving a muscle. He obviously was depressed and in need of puppy uppers for sure.

That next Saturday we went to Nellie’s as usual and told our friends about our depressed doggie.

Get another dog, they said. It will give him a playmate, they said.

And with this encouragement, we went to the animal shelter booth at the Farmer’s Market where we found a little chihuahua. He was skin and bones, shaking nervously and loved to be held. I didn’t want a big dog and this one, fit the bill. We named him after our favorite restaurant here in Las Cruces, Nellie’s. Now for those who might think that that is a girls name and silly for a boy, I say Nellie Foxx, Nelson Briles, Nelson Figeroa, Nelson Cruz, Nelson Liriano,  and Captain Tony Nelson (kids, ask your parents) all say hello. So Nelson it was.

Skippy on left, Nelson on the right

How do they get along now? Like two brothers, they fight and taunt and get under each others skin at times. They still are figuring out the Alpha dog thing, although Skippy wins that battle most days. He will take Nellie’s whole head in his mouth when they play fight but Nellie rarely backs down. There is nothing quite like seeing them asleep together on the couch or walking on their hind legs begging for a treat.

Playing tug of war

Mrsfabp quote "No need to fight over the sweater boys, its 70 degrees

Now if this post was written by our cat, Kanye, it would simply say, “I HATE THOSE DOGS...”

Santa Fe

One does not really move to NM without some thought of a visit to the capital, Santa Fe. Just in case you begin to wonder why we didn’t consider moving there, I offer several reasons. Santa Fe has plenty of sunshine, an average of 300 days each year but Las Cruces gets closer to 350. It can snow as early as October and as late as May. WTF is this, Massachusetts?  Santa Fe averages 14 inches of rainfall a year and 30–34 inches of snow. Heck, Worcester only averages about 60 inches of snow. Las Cruces, maybe 1-2 inches. That pretty much ends that conversation.

Santa Fe is often called “the City Different” and having now been there it is easy to see why. In 1912 the town had only five thousand people as civic leaders designed and enacted a sophisticated city plan that incorporated elements of the City Beautiful movement, the city planning movement, and the German historic preservation movement. It anticipated limited future growth, considered the scarcity of water, and recognized the future prospects of suburban development on the outskirts. The planners foresaw conflicts between preservationists and scientific planners. They set forth the principle that historic streets and structures be preserved and that new development must be harmonious with the city's character.

Santa Fe Plaza

In some ways, Santa Fe is mindful of the Northampton area in Massachusetts except that instead of one main street with shops lining it, Santa Fe is built around a square in its center and the roads move out from that, each street lined with shops and galleries and restaurants. We went to several places there to eat and made very good choices both for lunch and supper. We noticed that there were signs in every restaurant warning the people (gringos, what New Mexicans call the people who don’t want the hot foods) that the green chiles are hot. I had these three thoughts right in a row while in this offbeat, very cool cafe. As I sat I noticed at least 3 signs warning of the chiles and there was one on the menu too. I thought “gee why do they have to warn the tourists so much?” Then “why don’t they take  the wait staff’s advice?”  And finally “Why are tourists so stupid?” This is an actual conversation I overheard. The names have been changed to protect the innocent.

Stupid tourist: I’ll have the green chile burrito. Is it very hot?
Patient Waitress: Yes mame, the green chiles are very hot but you can get a burrito and not have the green chiles on it.
Stupid Tourist: No, that’s OK. I want to really experience the full flavor of Santa Fe. Bring me the green chile burrito.
The waitress brings her the green chile burrito. The Stupid Tourist takes two bites and starts to moan and fan her mouth with her hand.
Stupid Tourist: Oh, this is tooooo hot, I’m burning up. I can’t take it, what should I do?
Patient Waitress comes back to the table: Can I do something?
Stupid Tourist: This is way too hot, you should have told me how hot it was.
Patient Waitress: I told you it was spicy. Let me go and get you some milk, that should help.
Stupid Tourist: She didn’t tell me it was going to be THAT hot.

This is why they put warning labels on toasters say don’t operate in the bathtub, or fine print car commercials where the car runs off a cliff and the disclaimer says, “don’t try this at home, cars cannot fly.”

So overall, I give our trip to Santa Fe a very positive review. The Folk Art Museum was amazing. The terrace on top of the La Fonda offered spectacular views although it was way over priced. The free transportation system was a nice touch and Tomasita’s was so good, we went there twice. The Native American Crafts were great. Mrsfabp and I bought hand made silver rings there. Certainly this is a place we want to return to. Taking the high speed commuter rail was wonderful but having a car would have given us access to even more. Maybe in the spring!

Native American Vendor Market

Portico, Governor's Mansion