No other place on earth has the beautiful skies of New Mexico.
People who have not been here to see the brilliance and clarity of light, and all the fabulous colors produced, often believe Wilson Hurley made up those colors in his paintings of the sky. But those people are mistaken -- Wilson Hurley painted the beauty of New Mexico skies as he saw it!
If you are lucky enough to live in New Mexico, you are blessed with spectacular skies on a daily basis!
The Greater Roadrunner of New Mexico and the Desert Southwest is not as comical as it has been portrayed in animated films. Roadrunners are carnivorous hunters, and this Wile E. Roadrunner is hunkered down near a bird feeding station, waiting for a sparrow or finch to arrive. They are known for hanging out around hummingbird feeders and gulping the little hummers down in one bite. Look at that beak!
The White-winged dove is not as abundant throughout New Mexico and the Desert Southwest as its relative, the mourning dove. However, the white-wingeds are rapidly expanding their population, and once established in an area, will often push the mourning doves out.
The Sacred Datura is also known as 'Jimson Weed' and 'Georgia O'Keefe's Flower.' It is open early in the morning, and closes by midday. It grows as a weed in New Mexico and the Desert Southwest, but it is also cultivated for its beauty.
Sacred Datura is poisonous, and has killed cattle, other animals, and humans. Some Native American groups have used a tea made of Sacred Datura to induce religious hallucinations. The hallucenogenic -- and poisonous -- properties are due to the belladonna ("beautiful flower") alkaloids contained in various parts. Belladonna alkaloids are also used in pharmaceuticals of Western medicine.
Last, but not least, is Lisa, who made learning enough to put this project together so enjoyable!
THANK YOU, LISA!
Thanks also to Richard Nuñez. This project is a combination -- and culmination -- of what I learned in Digital Photography I and Beginning HTML,University of New Mexico Continuing Education Digital Arts Program, Fall 2008.
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