Arroyo Self-Portrait
Arroyos are the great gutters of the desert. As dry as this place appears much of the year, its shape is dominated by the rare running of water. Before I came to New Mexico, I had never even heard the word arroyo. I grew up in Pennsylvania Dutch farm country and I had no concept of what a dry river bed might look like; all the rivers I knew were wet. And even if I had tried to picture such thing as a dry river bed, with its intricate erosive layers, twists and turns, treasures and debris, I never would have imagined the Earth’s basement to be quite so beautiful.
In celebration of Earth Day, my favorite holiday, here are a few of my favorite shots from the arroyo in my big backyard. Enjoy!
Into the Arroyo
Erosion is Beautiful
Arroyo Window
Natural Bridge
Arroyo Dogdoor
Watch Your Step!
Wind Between the Walls
Shale Spillway, Filled With Tumbleweeds
Spillway Self Portrait
Desert Dogs Bruce & D.O.G.
Four Dog Hike
Blue Eyes Bruce/ Salty Dog
Evaporites
Desert Seep
Desert Treasure: A giant bivalve from the deep blue sea!
Desert Seashell
Here was once an ocean…
Swirly Juniper
Two-story Taproot!
Chimesa Bruce
Desert Denizen. Notice the cactus stuck to his face. I wanted to pull it off but I chickened out.
For more on water in the desert, check out my previous posts: Desert Snow, the Weight of Water and Flash Flood! Thanks to WordPress for featuring the Blonde Coyote on Earth Day!
Travels with the Blonde Coyote 
Blue-eyed Bruce is so well camouflaged against the salty soil!
As usual, wonderful work and photo graphs to match.
I’m gong to miss those beautiful Junipers this summer!
Great photos, and its so neat that you found some fossils.
I always enjoy your photos, Mary. Happy Earth Day to you and the pack out roaming the desert.
Wow, wonderful and interesting post! Gorgeous pictures.
Such gorgeous and INTERESTING photos!! Thank you for sharing!
xox
Wow! If only I had somewhere like there to take my puppa
When you’re lost in the rain in Juarez and it’s Eastertime too… Happy Earth Day! 😊
Really nice! The spidy kinda scared me :).
Wow, the photo “Blue Eyes Bruce/ Salty Dog” is so amazing! The dog is almost the same (by colour) as the background and it looks great 🙂
Brilliant pictures!
I love this post, and your links to other desert-and-water matters. Bryce in the snow: beautiful. Nice photos, all through.
Aren’t dog’s wonderful companions to hike with…well, to do anything with, really. Beautiful pictures.
Where in Pennsylvania Dutch country did you grow up? I live in Suburban Philadelphia but grew up in SE Idaho. I envy your adventures!