There was a creek running along the opposite side of Alameda Street, across from the hotel, and after breakfast I took a walk along both sides of the creek for a couple of blocks. This Wilson's Warbler was among the trees above the water.

Wilson's Warbler

Clay-colored Sparrow along the creek next to Alameda Street, Santa Fe, NM

Clay-colored Sparrow

We all drove over to see the condo where Kay, Kevin and Kraettli had been staying and I found this tree trunk art across the street from it.

We had seen many ravens on our trip, then this American Crow showed up, making noise at the condo.

American Crow

American Crow

One of our favorite bookstores, a source for all kinds of spiritual, cultural and regional books-- that we haven't visited since the last time I had a meeting in Santa Fe--we went to The Ark to browse and shop this morning. Kraettli got a book and Mary bought a "few" things too.

Mary and I drove north out of Sante Fe to find a fishing lake near the community of Ohkay Owingeh. We never did find the lake, but we did see this Lewis's Woodpecker near an old adobe house on a back road near there.

Lewis's Woodpecker

Lewis's Woodpecker

Lewis's Woodpecker

There were lots of sunflowers growing along the side of the road.

Sunflowers along the road near the community of Ohkay Owingeh

Abandoned adobe house and tree where we found the Lewis's Woodpecker

Big cottonwood tree outside of the community of Ohkay Owingeh

Close-up of the trunk and bark of the cottonwood tree

As we drove back to the main highway, we spotted this female Summer Tanager in the trees.

Female Summer Tanager at the outskirts of the community of Ohkay Owingeh, NM

Summer Tanager with a wasp

Summer Tanager

Summer Tanager eating a wasp

Summer Tanager

Summer Tanager

From the community of Ohkay Owingeh, we drove to the Purple Adobe Lavender Farm, where we met Kraettli, Kay, Kevin, Kent and Cheryl. This big yellow-flowering bush was on the perimeter of the lavender beds.

The leaves don't look right, but the seeds look like cockleburs.

There was a labyrinth in the middle of the lavender beds and Kay and Kevin relaxed at its center.

Kay and Kevin

The labyrinth provided a focal point and gathering place: Cheryl, Mary, Kevin and Kay

Purple Adobe Lavender Farm

Kay, Kevin, Mary, Kraettli, Cheryl and Kent, in the labyrinth at Purple Adobe Lavender Farm, NM

Our group in the garden

Kay, Kevin, Kraettli, Kent and Cheryl

Mary, Kay, Kevin, Kraettli, Kent and Cheryl

Kent, Cheryl, Mary, Kraettli, Kay and Keven in the labyrinth

Rows of lavender

An arbor at the entrance to the lavender fields

Close-up of lavender; the season was past

Rows of lavender

I walked to the back of the farm, where it borders Rio Chama, and found another Lewis's Woodpecker for the day.

Lewis's Woodpecker in a tall cottonwood tree along Rio Chama

Lewis's Woodpecker

This Say's Phoebe sat on a piece of irrigation equipment in the lavender fields.

Say's Phoebe

Entrance to Purple Adobe Lavender Farm

Kay and Kraettli, under the arbor at Purple Adobe Lavender Farm, Abiquiu, NM

Mary and Steve, under the arbor

It had been threatening rain as we drove farther north and rain began to fall as we approached Abiquiu Lake.

Common Ravens on a power pole along the road into Abiquiu Lake.

Common Ravens

Common Ravens

American Kestrel

While Kent and Cheryl went to look for rocks, Mary and I went to look for birds below the dam at Abiquiu Lake.

The first bird we found, hopping among the rocks just below the dam, was this Rock Wren.

Rock Wren, below the Abiquiu Lake dam, NM

Rock Wren

Rock Wren

Rock Wren

Chipping Sparrow, in a tree along Rio Chama, below the Abiquiu Lake dam

Rio Chama, below Abiquiu Lake dam

Rio Chama

Bush with interesting flowers or seed heads

A bush (or vine?) along the road next to Rio Chama

Is this part of the same plant?

Looking more like a vine

Mallard in Rio Chama

Not sure of the meaning of this sign...

A couple of Mallards at the edge of Rio Chama

We had noticed some Double-crested Cormorants flying up and down the river below the dam, then found this perching rock parther downstream with several of them resting on it.

Yellow wildflowers

Black Phoebe, at the edge of Rio Chama

As we were driving back to the dam, we saw two Townsend's Solitaires fly into a bush along the river.

Townsend's Solitaire

Townsend's Solitaire

Leaving Abiquiu Lake, we drove toward Ghost Ranch, enjoying the scenery.

Scenery along the north side of NM SH 84 as we went NW toward Ghost Ranch

Scenery along the north side of NM SH 84

Scenery along the north side of NM SH 84

Scenery along the north side of NM SH 84

Scenery along the north side of NM SH 84

The view W of the road into Ghost Ranch after turning off NM SH 84

The rain we had seen earlier was still moving through the area.

Looking SE from the road into Ghost Ranch

We met Kent, Cheryl, Kraettli, Kay and Kevin at Ghost Ranch; after parking, we walked around the property. The gate at the left of Ghost House led to a small meditation garden.

The doorway into the meditation garden

Objects in the meditation garden

Cross in the meditation garden

Metal sculpture under a rough arbor in the meditation garden

Main building at Ghost Ranch

Kevin inspects the grounds and landscape at Ghost Ranch

Georgia O'Keefe Cottage at Ghost Ranch

These House Sparrows were still drying out from the rain that had fallen before we arrived.

Part of a prominent ridge at the SE edge of Ghost Ranch

Ridge bordering the Ghost Ranch property

Female Hairy Woodpecker

Female Hairy Woodpecker, investigating a hole in a stump

Male Western Bluebird

Chipping Sparrow

Female Hairy Woodpecker

Male Lesser Goldfinch

Lesser Goldfinch

Scenery at Ghost Ranch

Scenery at Ghost Ranch

Mary, at a bridge on the north side of the Ghost Ranch complex

Scenery at Ghost Ranch

Scenery at Ghost Ranch

Scenery at Ghost Ranch

Male Hairy Woodpecker

First winter male Black-headed Grosbeak

Male Hairy Woodpecker

Male Hairy Woodpecker

Lesser Goldfinch

Lesser Goldfinch

Sky over Ghost Ranch

Sky over Ghost Ranch

Sky over Ghost Ranch

Mary and Kevin study the landscape at Ghost Ranch.

Sky over Ghost Ranch

Landscape and sky at Ghost Ranch

Landscape and sky at Ghost Ranch

The Pedernal

Old ranch house at Ghost Ranch with Pedernal in the background

Cassin's Kingbird on the fence along the highway as we headed back to Santa Fe

Cassin's Kingbird

Red-tailed Hawk on a power pole along NM SH 84

This little building (about a 10x10x10 cube) with its little dome sat on the south side of the highway.

Picturesque building

Sign in front of the property where the little domed building stood--but surely that little windowless building is not the casita

We had noticed the names on bridges as we drove north and captured photos as we came back into town. Looking them up, we found they are the Tewa names of the communities near the bridges.

Highway contractors chose artists Frederico Vigil, Anthony Dorame and George Rivera to design the bridge artwork. Rivera, lieutenant governor of Pojoaque pueblo, came up with the designs for the Cuyamungue and Pojoaque overpasses. The words "K'uuyemugeh" and "P'osuwageh"— the Tewa names for the two communities— are written on the center of the overpasses.

Back at our hotel after our day out

Sunflowers and dried peppers on the exterior wall of our hotel
We did have dinner out this evening, but it was cold and a bit windy--aided by a fan above us on the porch where we were eating--so we were distracted and failed to get a group photo of our last evening. The next morning, Kent and Cheryl and Mary and I headed back to OKC, leaving Kay, Kraettli and Kevin to spend a few more days in NM.