Morning Glories

This is the sky that greeted me this morning. 

It's monsoon season here in the desert. This is the fourth wettest year on record, so far. That means lots of clouds, which make for interesting photos. 

Yesterday, the sun was just breaking through some gloomy morning clouds. As long as those clouds bring rain, we are happy to have them here. 

The day before that, the morning clouds were echoing the shapes of the mountains again. 

And this is the friend I see on my morning walks, the little goat who lives on the other side of the orchard from us and who likes to climb trees. I was ready to get a photo of him doing just that, but this time he decided to teeter on top of his fence instead. 

If you peer through the pecan orchard, you can make out a part of our garage roof on the left. Whenever I go out to see the chickens or to tend to the garden, this little goat calls to me and I say hello back to him. 

Cloud Pictures for Skywatch Friday

Most days, it feels like Clovis, New Mexico doesn't have a lot of scenery down here on the ground. But the sky--now that's another story. One afternoon while driving home I saw so many cloud pictures that I wanted to stop the car right there in the road.

I must tell you that another thing Clovis, New Mexico doesn't have a lot of is traffic, so I probably could have stopped the car. However, I continued driving for the remaining two minutes of my "commute" and dashed into the house (do arthritic people dash? It's an interesting visual, I know) to grab the camera and capture these pictures before the clouds moved too much.

My retired life out here on the High Plains is just chock full of these stressful situations.

Here is what I saw. If you click on the photos for details, I am sure you will see the very same things as I did:

A big jet, coming in for a landing

A fat-cheeked baby chick and a mustachioed walrus

A boomerang approaching from the left

A Douglas Dolphin WWII transport plane, also known as a C-21 or C-26

(I needed a little help on this one)

and a fancy bulgy-eyed goldfish!

For cloud pictures from around the planet, be sure to visit Skywatch Friday.

"That Orbed Maiden" for Skywatch Friday

Click on the photo for a better view

... That orbed maiden with white fire laden, whom mortals call the Moon...

~The Cloud by Percy Bysshe Shelley

For day skies and night skies from all over the world, be sure to visit Skywatch Friday.

Arrow to the Sky for Skywatch Friday

Summer sky; Estancia, New Mexico

For skies from all seasons, be sure to visit Skywatch Friday.

Early Morning, Before the Clouds Moved In--For Skywatch Friday

I was out early the other morning admiring this sliver of moon next to Venus. I think I finally (accidentally) found the button to push on my camera that stops the flash from going off automatically.

Good thing I ran for the camera, by the way. Moments after these shots were taken, clouds moved in and completely hid the moon. If I were a "late" riser--up after 5:38 AM, say--I would have missed this wonderful sky...

For sky photos from all over the world, taken all through the day and night, be sure to check out Skywatch Friday.

Camel Skies for Skywatch

Sometimes in eastern New Mexico the sky is just blue--lots and lots of nice clear blue, and we're not complaining. Since I'm bringing you such plain blue skies for Skywatch, I'm including a camel. Why not?

Camel says howdy

Camel gets kiss

Camel expresses delight

Camel moseys home

For skies, plain and otherwise, from all over the world be sure to visit Skywatch Friday.

Clear Skies Over Cochiti for Skywatch Friday

Cochiti Lake is in the northern part of New Mexico, located on the Cochiti Pueblo about 30 miles south of Santa Fe. From the lookout at the campground you can see the Sandia Mountains, the Jemez Mountains, the Bajada escarpment, Tetilla Peak, the lake itself, and the Rio Grande, which supplies the water to the manmade lake.

The skies were clear on the day that we visited. The air was still and hot and smelled of pine duff, one of my favorite fragrances. I just stood in one spot and turned in a circle to get all of these views.

Looking across the lake and toward the Sandia Mountains

Part of the campground with the Rio Grande in the background

South toward the neighboring town of Peña Blanca

A little west of Peña Blanca

Cochiti Lake Campground, looking toward the Jemez Mountains

June Afternoon Rainbow for Skywatch Friday

I see lots of photo opportunities. I am slowly learning to have my camera close by to take advantage of them. I was lucky this time.

To see rainbows, clouds, and skies all over the world, be sure to visit Skywatch Friday.

New Mexico Sunset for Skywatch Friday

Be sure to view the sky photos from all over the world on Skywatch Friday by clicking on the Skywatch button in the margin of the blog.

California Desert Skies for Skywatch Friday

After our years in New Mexico, it turns out that some of my favorite California landscapes during our recent trip were the ones around the Mojave Desert.

Be sure to click on the Skywatch Friday banner on the side of this page to see skies from all over the world.