El Morro

Inscription at El Morro

 El Morro National Monument, previously called Inscription Rock, is one of those places I always meant to visit and never got around to until this last vacation. It actually was not on our list but as it was very close to my sister's house we fit it in on a down afternoon after doing the laundry. It had a couple things going for it besides close; One it was dog friendly, and two was very photogenic.

Oasis that was major draw of pioneers

Closeup of pool that is sheltered by the cliffs

There is a half mile self-guided trail that takes you around the base of Inscription Rock and points out all the significant inscriptions and gives a brief history of the lives of some of the "graffiti artists" after they left their mark. Frankly I found that very interesting but was frankly amazed that they carved rock in old world script. We have to get back to teaching penmanship in schools.

Beyond the easy trail is another mile and half trail that leads to the back of the cliffs and ultimately to the top. The Mesa-top Trail at El Morro National Monument was hand-carved into the sandstone by a Civil Works Administration (CWA) crew in 1933. CWA was one of the New Deal programs initiated by President Franklin D. Roosevelt during the Great Depression.

Rounding the point

Looking back on the switchback trail

Taking a breather at the top

This trip was about exercise and photography but also about educating the pups to be good on leashes over difficult terrain and lots of steps, and patient while mistresses took pictures. They were stars.

And so were the shadow people

At the top new vistas

Nobody mentioned these views

One of the reasons beyond the perpetual pool at its base that inscription rock became so popular is that it was visible for miles across the open mesas. I would like to revisit this national monument and explore other trails in the boundaries.

Grand Canyon Dawn

South rim of Grand Canyon at Dawn

Of all the parks on our list to see this vacation I have been to the Grand Canyon most often. I first went after my senior year in high school. And in the '70's had the good fortune to go down the Colorado River on a raft twice. It is far more than a huge hole in the ground. And light changes it dramatically.

Our task this trip was to see it at dawn. My sister had accidentally had the great good fortune to catch it just this last year as the sun paints the canyon, so she knew where to go and set up our tripods and focus our cameras and wait for the sun.

Watching the canyon come alive is so spectacular that it is possible to forget to click the shutter. And other times I wanted three different cameras with tripods aimed in different directions. The only solution to this is plan another trip with multiple dawns to capture.

Current favorite

There are five inner canyons and at this point the river is so far down it cannot be seen. Does not prevent you from looking or even thinking you see it. On the Colorado at the bottom on both raft trips I kept looking for some sign of life at the rim. It is like being swallowed up by the earth. And at night there is only the sounds of the rapids and a zillion stars.

Where most tourists stood

I wish I had the money everyone had spent on camera equipment to capture this event that happens daily. One car parked next to us in the predawn disgorged three huge aluminum cases of equipment. Debbie and I grabbed our tripods and camera backpacks and beat them to the spot they wanted. First come and first serve. Many of the tourists perched on the canyon wall to the left in the above photo. Some ranged along the south rim trail and snapped at will without a tripod. I find myself wondering what they got in focus. And if those with iphones were able to see any details.

I must confess, however, that I found my photos a disappointment. Debbie with her super wide angle telephoto lens got some awesome ones. Next trip I am at least going to rent such a lens. I have left my photos of the canyon to near the end of my post processing frenzy because of my disappointment. But as I found out in college - darkroom can make a huge difference.

And I want to make use of my polarizing filter next trip. It proved to be such a great help in dealing with the desert light later in our trip.

Mission San Esteban Ray at Acoma

Mission San Estaban Ray

The Mission San Estaban Ray at Acoma Pueblo dates from circa 1641, and has undergone reconstruction. All my pictures are of the exterior because photographs of the alter piece and the santos are not allowed. The mass of the mission and its nearness to the cemetery and other buildings also makes a total view impossible. Still the geometry of the structure makes it a wonderful photographic model.

Two bell towers

Detail of bell tower and original bell

School Balcony

The church and its interior and the art dating from the 1500's are all remarkably cared for even with the treatment the Spanish Catholic church gave the Acoma Natives. Two major Catholic feast days are still celebrated but the center of the spiritual life of the residents are the kivas.

The kivas on Acoma are not round but square as disguise from the Catholic friars and priests. Entrances are on the roof and ladders lead to them.

Kivas and ladders

Many of the residences are also entered from the roof and have ladders to enable access, however the ladders to the kivas are painted white. And the main kiva has a three upright ladder with cross piece to represent clouds. Not sure how this went along with the secret of kivas.

Main Kiva ladder

Chaco Views

Casa Bonito at Chaco

I rather like sepia treatment of Anasazi ruins. Seems to fit the era in which many of these archaeological finds were first unearthed. But the ruins and cliffs of Chaco are also great in color.

Pueblo walls against the cliff face

Petroglyphs

Raven soaring over cliffs

Balancing act

Wall at Casa Bonito

Geometric balance

But I also could not resist playing around with the geometry and shapes and shadings with some post processing.

Snugged up against the canyon wall

Standing alone

Kiva wall

Magpie Tales - Open Land

Friedman photograph provided by Tess Kincaid

Just back from a vacation with very few cities involved. The prompt provided by Tess for this week's Magpie made me want to run back to the open spaces. Looking back in the rear view mirror at the places I have seen in the last ten days and the sense of freedom few experience.

Open Land

East to west

North to South

Miles traveled without a turn

Like sailing the rolling seas

Unmarked by signs.

Driving for hours

Hill to gully

Mesa to ridge

A land unmarked 

By neon signs or city lines.

Across the Navajo mesas

A random pickup

A gate to a hogan

A lone walker

Slowly walks in dust.

The setting sun

The only directional marker

Monuments of stone

and shifting shadows

Marking time.

J. Binford-Bell

October 2011

Raven Watch

Raven Watch

Praying high

Bowed on ancient tower

Head to rising sun

Listening to old spirits

As he meditates.

Raven with head bowed

Deep in his own thoughts

Unaware of the others

Preening sleek feathers

As the sun rises.

Raven stays

Safe on the wall of stones

Laid by ancient hands

High above the mesa floor

Gathering energy to soar.

Dance

Rise on the wind

Soar uncaring

Of the world below

Raven fly over the red cliffs.

Jacqui Binford-Bell

October 2011

Oh, such a surprise!
Recognition for words penned
When mother said I could not write
Right.

Thank you to the Poetry Palace

I nominate Peter

Success in another field

Stampede

I recently entered another juried exhibit and got all three of my pieces accepted: Two watercolors and one photograph. As frequent readers know my photography, a long time hobby, is just beginning to be taken seriously by me so I had hedged my bets on this one show by entering two watercolors. I seriously thought Stampede would win some prize. It did not. However, Volkswagon Acid Trip, a photograph did. It won first. My sister captured best of show with a black and white photograph she submitted. Interestingly enough not the one that won 1st place in the International show recently.

Volkswagon Acid Trip

She entered that first place photo in this latest show. It had previously won over Volkswagon Acid Trip but got beat out this time by another photograph of hers and VAT by me. Every show and every judge is different.

The really good news is the Binford Sister Act has scored the top two positions in the MVAC Fall Invitational show. Winners Reception is tonight in Angel Fire.