True confession: I went out to El Malpais again last week. It has proven to be one of several intense photographic interests this year.1
There’s an overlook there called Sandstone Bluffs, with a fairly high and sheer drop down to the old lava flow below.2 For the longest time, I thought it would be impossible to hike there but several years ago I became aware of a trail along the bluffs — and I was off and running hiking.
There are multiple areas where it appears there’s a partial veneer of rust over the sandstone (above and below). All the different colors in the sandstone, in addition to a huge variety of lichens, contribute to my ongoing fascination with the bluffs.
Last week I ran into an area where some of the rock seemed to be a shade of purple. I’d seen it previously, but that was the first time I was able to capture photos with reasonably accurate colors.
Pebbles and small pieces of broken rock make Mother Nature’s collages even more spectacular (in my humble opinion).
As you might have guessed, I often spend quite a bit of time on the bluffs looking very closely at the ground. Last week I saw something totally unexpected.
It was a potsherd! Yes, it’s true that El Malpais has all those spectacular petroglyphs — but they’re miles away from the bluffs.
Between my excitement and my extra-conscientious desire to leave the sherd exactly where I found it, I took only this photo. If I had it to do over again, I would move the potsherd around and take multiple views of it, and then put it back in exactly the same place.
Still, I saw it on the day after my birthday, so it seemed like an extra-special gift.
Other El Malpais posts from this year include those from January 17, September 28, October 4, and October 10.
Fantastic “Art photos”! I think you have the blessings & love of the “nature gods”
So interesting. Nature’s paintings!