Winter's's grip

The Winter doesn't want to loose her grip. So far we had 52 inches of snow, and more is coming on Friday.

Winter in Wisconsin

Now that the Wisconsin winter showed herself much earlier and with the full force of record snow and cold, I clicked on the computer trying to find the programs on Elderhostel that will take me to the warmer climate, at least for a week or two.
Luck was on my side. I found the only one at this time of the winter, and it is in Costa Rica and it is photography! I'll be leaving on March 11 and returning March 21.

The Fall

The Fall could not be more spectacular than in the
Great Smoky Mountains National Park.
I took the opportunity to take a photo workshop in Arrowmont School of Arts in Gatlinburg, TN which is the gateway to the Park.
Taking my own car proved to be more comfortable and convenient.

Bandelier N.P..White Sands, Guadalupe N.P

On the way back to Austin, I stopped in Albuquerque, visiting my old friends, then on my "Memory Lane" I stopped in Bandelier N.P., White Sands, and Elephant Butte. Continuing my drive I stopped just to take some photos in the Guadalupe N.P. with it's majestic El Capitan.

Taos, Abiquiu and Santa Fe

My destination for the first leg of this trip was Abiquiu and Santa Fe, where I attended a photo program sponsored by Elderhostel to study Georgia O'Keefe's and other artists' and sculptresses' works. It was awesome and be inspired by the majesty of the red mountains, especially the reflection of Padernales, which O'Keefe called "her mountain".
On the way I stopped in Taos, N.M. at the historic La Hacienda de los Martinez enjoying in the yearly fiesta with a lot of arts and crafts of that region, Mexican music and food.