Last Saturday I took a walk I have long been wanting to take. In spite of midday summer heat I strolled across the Montaño Bridge, one of the newer links between the West Side and the rest of Albuquerque. It spans the Rio Grande (imagine Mimi calling it my "little river" - teehee) and is "the road to church" when I am attending the "mother parish" of St Michael and All Angels.
The first shot looks south, this one looks across the lanes of traffic toward the north.
I enjoyed watching a great egret wading at the edge.
Here it is again, moving in toward the bank and the shelter of shrubbery (avoiding the gawking guy with the camera, I believe).
Afternoon clouds over the Sandias on the east side of town. They rise somewhat abruptly another 5,000 feet - 1524m - above the city (which is itself at 5,000 feet elevation). My friends and I never tire of looking at these mountains in the changing light and atmosphere.
Flores pequeñas
The acequia (canal) running parallel to the river on the east (mountain) side
The road to church - it felt almost like Sunday morning only I was on foot.
Looking toward Los Volcanes in the west (contrast and exposure enhanced)
The acequia on the west side of the riverWell, that is the tour. I needed some fresh air, big sky, mountains, and local river time and thus treated myself to the same. It had rained so the water is roiled and colored by the reddish clay soil. I have always lived in arid climes and so my "inner" dirt to water ratio is rather high.
I now have a couple of photos up in my office here in New Orleans - one of the gate to my friend's house and one of the Sandias rising over a mass of cottonwoods. They are comforting.
Some new folks have arrived here and now carpool with me. I took them on a long ride home after work tonight, repeating much of the route I was taken on two weeks ago. It was a nice buffer between work and Friday night. We enjoyed the immense older trees, the architecture, the sloping green of the levee, people out and about doing what folks do on Friday evenings.
--the dirty BB
6 comments:
Very nice picture tour of your beloved country, Paul. It was good of you to take the new folks around to see parts of MY city. I hope they are more compatible to share a car with than the others. Since you're the old timer, they should defer to you a little.
Signed,
Wet Mimi
Mimi,
I don't know about old timer but old codger for sure, and rather grumpily set in his ways. Self-awareness is a good thing.
It was nice to share the beauty of New Orleans, YOUR city, and it was a very pleasant drive. I said, at Magazine and Napoleon, "the steeple on the right is St Stephen's, my friend Mimi verified it!"
I can well imagine you are wet, dear heart. We had quite a downpour this afternoon and I was watching the lightning from my office window. Quite dramatic with the sky so dark. Got sprinkled on a bit walking to the garage after work. Just a few minutes ago one of the loudest cracks of lightning struck nearby and the thunder rumbled madly. I can hear it pouring down outside.
Do try to stay dry. And cool. I see we are slated for something like 97 degrees and thunderstorms on Monday.
Welcome back to Louisiana. Glad you could get away and be with family but your online family missed you terribly!
Aren't you a love, Paul. I did literally get wet during my walk tonight. It began to rain when I was a quarter of the way home. No umbrella, so nothing to do but get wet. Actually, it felt good, because it was still hot after the sun went down.
And you knew St. Stephen's Church because of me.
I had to stick in the bit about St Stephen's to prove that I do pay attention. You are a veritable font of information in many areas.
I love a place with great clouds! These are good photos Paul. Thanks for sharing.
My joy and pleasure, Lindy. And a woof out to Rowan!
Post a Comment