San Felipe de Neri Church and Puppet

Yesterday featured a Founders Day celebration in Old Town Albuquerque, commemorating Albuquerque’s 306th anniversary along with the 100th anniversary of New Mexican statehood. There were a number of larger-than-life-size “puppets” hanging around Old Town, representing Albuquerque’s wide diversity of peoples. I didn’t catch the full name of the puppet-maker but believe his/her last name is Zamora.

Kokopelli and Christmas Lights

The shops in Albuquerque’s Old Town are gearing up for Christmas — with a little traditional help.

Dwan Light Sanctuary

Rainbows created by the prisms embedded in the walls and ceiling of the Dwan Light Sanctuary, in Montezuma, New Mexico — a photographer’s dream.

Madonna and Pigeon

This carving of the Virgin of Guadalupe is in a cottonwood tree behind the San Felipe de Neri church in Albuquerque’s Old Town. I was told that the carving was originally done by a veteran returned from the Korean War — that he made the carving in thanks for his safe return from the war.

Ghost Bike

There are many, many New Mexican characteristics I love — including descansos — but a sometimes cavalier attitude toward the lives of cyclists is not one of them. The rider this bike represents was killed while riding on a designated bike/multi-use trail about a year ago. It was over four months after the accident that the driver — whose car jumped three lanes, an embankment, and a fence to end up on the bike trail — finally was charged in his death.

Tractor Mailbox

Winter’s always tough for me because browns are predominant and bright colors are scarce. This mailbox was a nice visual break.

New Mexico Museum of Art

Shadows of winter trees play on the wall of the New Mexico Museum of Art in Santa Fe.

Dwan Light Sanctuary

A candle glows in the light of a prism at the Dwan Light Sanctuary, in Montezuma.

Virgin of Guadalupe

In Old Town Albuquerque.

Merry Christmas

Another critter from the River of Lights display, wishing you a Merry Christmas.