Bandelier National Monument

"It's not what you look at that matters, it's what you see."  - Henry David Thoreau

Canyon Wall - Main Trail 

Bandelier National Monument

Some time ago I visited Bandelier which is about 30 minutes from from Los Alamos in New Mexico.   The park has over 33,000 acres of canyons and is home to more than 55 species of mammals such as mule deer, elk, coyotes, and mountain lions.  Thank goodness I did not see any mountain lions or black bears up close when I was there!   Seriously, the main loop trail in the park (which I ventured down) had fairly steady tourist traffic, so the wildlife stayed pretty much out of sight.   

Another beautiful canyon view at Bandelier National Monument

This photography blog was conceived to depict mostly pure nature scenes and wildlife, however I find the photos and information on the ancient Pueblo people that once lived in this area around 1150 to 1550 to be extremely fascinating.   More information about all that may be found on the internet.   What I wanted to share here is some photos of the settlements the Pueblo people constructed here; see below:

The cavates, or holes dug into the walls were not only to live in, but some were for storing food as well.

This flowering plant was quite high up in the rock wall  and my camera at the time was not the best to zoom in on it, but I wanted to share this photo just the same to comment on how this plant not only survived in rough territory, but seemed to thrive on this rocky environment and let its beauty shine no matter what the obstacles.   People can take lessons from nature.   Keep smiling, keep going, persevere with faith no matter how bad things seem, and something wonderful and lovely can happen .   It will also make you stronger.  Philippians 4:13 reminds us that it is the Lord Who strengthens us; we cannot "go it" alone.

Ruins of Tyuonyl Village

See the tiny people near the ruins; gives you an idea how high above them I was .... me who is afraid of heights conquered that fear from being so enthusiastic about new discoveries in this park.  The ruins were once 2 stories with over 400 rooms.

Frijoles Creek

I took many photos of this creek and definitely hope to make a painting from this shot.    Below are a couple of my paintings of another area of this creek.

 "Footbridge at Frijoles Creek"

12" x 16" oil 

Available 

Recently, when I began this painting, I talked with a ranger at Bandelier to find out more information for reference, and he said that a strong flash flood had destroyed this footbridge.   This creek flows all year, and I could not resist adding a coyote in my painting.

"To Everything A Season"

12" x 16" oil 

Available

Another area of Frijoles Creek; I turned it into a fall scene on purpose even though I was there around the end of April one year when I took my reference photos.    The mule deer just seemed to belong there.

There are many more images I could share with you, but I will save it for another time.   

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Waikiki Banyan Trees

This photo of a banyan tree was taken at Kapiolani Park across the street from the beach at Waikiki.  This mother is taking photos of her son in the tree, which I have seen many people do of friends and family. The banyan tree is native to India and is the national tree of that country, but it is found in various parts of the world as well.    The banyan tree is also known as the "strangler fig". This tree is impressive, but it is not as large as older banyan trees which can cover a lot of ground because of their aerial prop roots which spread and spread .   Below is a shot of some of these aerial prop roots which can become indistinguishable from the main trunk over time.

This is a larger, older banyan tree than the previous photograph.   It clearly shows how thick and woody the aerial prop roots can become.   This was taken in Waikiki on the Honolulu Zoo grounds by Kapiolani Park.
I intend to create a painting from this and/or other photographs of this man and the pigeons enjoying the shade under the branches of this old tree.   One of the largest banyan trees in the USA was planted in 1873 at the Lahaina Courthouse by the harbor at Lahaina, Maui.  I have been there, but do not have photos of that particular tree, which is over 60 feet high and covers an entire city block.

Here are two banyan trees at the Honolulu Zoo ground in Waikiki.   The very first banyan tree in the USA was planted  by Thomas Edison in Fort Myers, Florida.  Edison and Henry Ford were endeavoring to find a cheaper way to produce rubber for car tires.   When first planted, it was only 4 feet tall but now it covers an acre of land.  In fact, my first time to ever see a banyan tree was in Florida around 2001 when I visited one of my granddaughters who lived there.  I did not see any more of these trees until I moved to Hawaii a few years ago.

Let me close with a beautiful rainbow shot taken at Waimea Bay on the North Shore of Oahu.

Enjoy !   Please return again soon as I will be posting more frequently in the future.   

reynoldsrenditions@gmail.com

Red-Crested Cardinal (Video and Photos)

The Red-crested Cardinal, or Brazil Cardinal, was first introduced to Hawaii around 1930 from South America. It is native to Southern Brazil, Northern Argentina, Bolivia, Paraguay and Uruguay.  Personally, I think it is a more striking bird than the solid red Northern Cardinal of the mainland USA (which has also been introduced to Hawaii).   But the Brazilian Cardinal is in reality not closely related to the true cardinals, but instead is a member of the tanager family.  Below are more of my photos of this beautiful bird.

I definitely intend to paint from the bottom photo of the Red-crested Cardinal with the coconut.  He was at Bellows Beach on Oahu and was quite content pecking away at whatever tidbits were in the coconut shell.  

Here is a video (not mine) that you might enjoy of these birds on the island of Kauai :

The brown-headed "Cardinals" in the video are juvenile birds.   The adult birds are about 7.5 inches in length and the sexes are similar.   They feed on seeds and insects, as well as fruit. 

Sometimes I wish there were more time in a day so I could paint everything I photograph !   But I enjoy photography almost as much as my time spent painting.   I hope you enjoy these photographs as well. 

White-Rumped Shama Thrush

The photos above are of male White-Rumped Shama Thrush.   They are quite beautiful and have a wonderful rich song.   They were first introduced from Malaysia to the Island of Kauai in 1931 and on Oahu in 1940.  It is rather a large bird....9 to 11 inches.   

The above photo is a female Shama Thrush that has bitten off more than she can chew.... a creepy centipede.   Notice that the female is duller in color than the male and has a bit smaller tail.   Below are a couple of my photos of baby Shamas.

As of this date, I have only painted one Shama Thrush.   Below is the reference photo and the painting.

Shama Thrush

12" x 12" Acrylic on panel

One of the reference photos for the acrylic painting above.

All of the shown photographs were taken at two different botanical gardens on Oahu, but occasionally I have seen Shama Thrush elsewhere on the island.  They are not backyard birds and tend to stay primarily in forests.   One time I saw a handsome male Shama at a well landscaped restaurant in the suburbs of Honolulu.   

These photos were taken when my camera was fairly new and I was just learning how to use it.  But the photos are at least clear enough to give you a good idea of the coloring, etc., of this much loved bird. 

Ala Moana Beach Park - Honolulu

"The sun will not rise or set without my notice and thanks."  - Winslow Homer

The above photographs were taken at sunrise at Ala Moana Beach Park in Honolulu .   It is a wonderful family park, although rather crowded later in the day.  My favorite time to visit there is at sunrise.

This clearly shows the marina across from the park looking towards Diamond Head, the famous extinct volcano which is located in Waikiki, about a 10 minute or less drive from Ala Moana Beach Park.   

These photos are rather peaceful, and here is wishing you a peaceful and productive day !

The Path

"All the paths of the Lord are mercy and steadfast love, even truth and faithfulness are they for those who keep His covenant and His testimonies"  Psalm 25:10

This one of many paths located at Foster Botanical Gardens in Honolulu.   Different paths lead to new delights, botanically speaking.   It is rather like life; the paths we choose determine our destiny, which may not always be delightful if we are not wise in our choices.  We could take a path by a Cannonball Tree shown below; it has pretty flowers on it and may appear appealing, but the rather large round "cannons" on it   can really hurt you if you are hit by one as they fall.   When they smash on the ground (or you) they give off a foul odor.    Kinda like bad choices we make.   But we are always given a new day to try our best again; never give up by always looking up for guidance !   Life is too wonderful to spoil in any way.