Carlsbad Carverns 2

Here are a few images from the walk around the main chamber of the caverns. It is amazing how many different forms that calcium carbonate can take.

Carlsbad Caverns

Our first full day in Carlsbad dawned sunny but cool. The 90's of the day before would be replaced by 60's today. More in tune with our late spring temperatures in Wisconsin. Visiting Carlsbad Caverns was on our agenda. The local flat landscape with occasional hills is deceiving in that it is hard to believe we are at 3300 feet. I was hoping I had acclimatized enough to handle the hike in the cave.

Smoke and Dirt

We drove from Ft. Worth to Carlsbad today; about a seven hour drive. There have been several wildfires in Texas and New Mexico and the smoke was lingering in the area. We saw fire trucks on the road and plumes of smoke but no actual fires. I can't remember where this town was but it was typical of what we saw. It is hard to see the smoke hanging over the town but we could smell it and the horizon faded due to smoke and dust blowing in the high winds. FYI-You can click on any of the photos to make them larger.

Museum Day III : Museum of Modern Art Ft Worth

Tree and The Vortex,
Museum of Modern Art, FT. Worth

The favorite of the Museum Day for me, and I think for Alex and Buz, also was the Museum of Modern Art. In front of the museum is the Vortex, a towering metal sculpture that you can walk into. You can create all kinds of fun sounds/noises that reverberate through the structure using your feet, hands or voice and we tried them all!

Museum Day II : The Kimball

The entrance to the Kimball Art Museum

Cranes: Promise of What is to Come

The Kimball, consists of a series of cylindrical vaults with skylights, masterfully designed by Louis Kahn to disperse natural light down the walls of the galleries. The Museum’s holdings range in period from antiquity to the 20th century including European masterpieces and important collections of Egyptian, Near Eastern, Greek, and Roman antiquities, as well as Asian, Mesoamerican, and African arts. You can view some of the collection here. Permanent Collection

Museum Day, Ft. Worth

We met cousin Susan and her daughter Alex at the Amon Carter Museum to begin our day. I can't remember the last time I had seen Susan and I had never met Alex so this was going to be a wonderful treat to get to know them while enjoying the Texas art scene. Alex,who is 12 is very interested in art and it was a joy to see a young, almost teen so interested in the varied mediums of sculpture, painting,etc.

Riscky Business

Jean, Clatus, Sandy and Buz at Riscky's, Ft Worth.

Well, we made it back to Riscky's for the ribs and pickles. We also had an appetizer of Texas fries which are french fries with onions and Jalapeno peppers. I actually liked the fried pickles and the fries were great,too though my stomach cannot handle very spicy food. (jalapenos)

Ft Worth Stockyards

We were treated to a southern breakfast of biscuits and gravy this morning, though I satisfied myself with a biscuit and some jam. Yum. Then it was off to the stockyards with Uncle Clatus at the wheel.

Oklahoma

Flooded Field

We drove from Missouri through Oklahoma and then south to Ft. Worth today. The flooding was obvious as we zipped along the interstate and secondary roads. Just emerging crops were underwater as were some low lying farmsteads. We were happy that it was not raining anymore which made driving a lot easier. Tornadoes over night claimed several lives south of us in Arkansas and several others are still missing.

In Transit

Farm Oasis, Central Illinois

We left around 6:15 this morning for our southwest adventure. We used to live in central Illinois but I had forgotten how flat it was. There was thin fog that made the lone trees and farms look like mirages on the horizon. My photographer self longed to be on the back roads capturing some of the moody shots with my Holga but alas we were focused on going great distances at this stage of the trip so I snapped a shot with my phone instead. The weather deteriorated as we drove south and we were soon into rain. I was happy that Buz was driving as I hate driving in rain on interstates. Trucks and passing cars kicking up rain, defroster going to keep the foggy windows at bay! What can I say? I am a wimp!

Santa Fe or Bust

We are not sorry to be leaving this weird spring weather in Wisconsin!

We will be heading to Santa Fe, NM via relatives in Ft Worth, Texas and Carlsbad, NM. I will TRY to post images from the road. I shoot mostly black and white film but do have a few digital cameras along so that I can post images in a timely fashion.