Cliff Dwellings - a Window into an ancient United States civilization

      I had always had a deep desire to visit Mesa Verde Park, the location of the oldest and the largest collection of cliff dwellings in the United States.  These provide a look into the lives of the Ancestral Pueblo or Anasazi  people who lived here from 600 AD to 1300 AD.  Having always been intrigued by ancient architectural structures in different parts of the world, it was important for me to study this piece of history of the country that was now my home.
       At Cliff Palace, the largest cliff dwelling at the park, one can visualize a small township of people living in about 150 rooms.  Because of the proximity of the rooms, it is clear there existed a culture of co-operation and group participation.  This culture also displayed a level of sophistication - the dwellings were typically built on levels in a cliff, perhaps as a protection from the elements and invaders.  Kivas or ceremonial rooms were underground chambers used by Ancestral Puebloans to conduct healing rites or to pray for rain, luck in hunting, or good crops. They also served as a place for a group to stay warm as a fire was lit for rituals.  Overall the dwellings radiated an atmosphere of simplicity and peace. 
        It is surmised that these dwellings were abandoned due to a famine or drought.  Some inhabitants migrated to New Mexico and Arizona.  The modern pueblo people who live in these states today are probably descendants of the Anasazi people.
       There is so much one can learn from history today.  There is a  sense of wonder that people who did not have the kinds of tools and technologies we have today, were able to use ingenuity to build homes and survive.  It seemed possible for up to two hundred people to live in small spaces with simplicity and harmony, something which at times seems unimaginable in todays world.  It is refreshing to take a cue from a civilization like this.
       You can view the variety of images of this area here.

The Fall Season in Red Rocks Country, Colorado

         The Aspen trees are so prevalent in Colorado that there is even a town named after them.  Fall in south Colorado is made even more dramatic with red rock landscapes in the background.  The landscape in Colorado is very different from California even though some of the trees may be similar.  Photographing in fall also becomes more of a challenge because of frequent high winds.  At a time like this I am grateful for digital technology which enables me to take some images without a tripod in strong winds.
         It is fascinating to see how the trees rejuvenate after a fire.  The Aspen trees in fact show a tendency to reproduce well after a fire, getting nourishment from the  charred vegetation. Another interesting observation about the Aspen is that it reproduces by cloning sending out suckers from existing root systems.    It is yet another example of nature finding a way to survive and propagate.  The golden shimmer of Aspen leaves fluttering gives them the familiar name 'the Quaking Aspen' and is a truly dramatic part of the fall landscape.
       When I am busy photographing, I am often caught up in the majesty of the moment, admiring and capturing the scenes I see.  It is only after I return from a trip that I have a chance to reflect and analyse some of the impressions I took.  On further analysis I find that I have not only captured beautiful scenes but learnt a little more about natural selection, geology and geography also in the process, a great bonus.
      You can view the gamut of fall scenes in Red Rock Country here.

Fall in the Western United States

     The fall season in the western part of the United States has a drama of its own.  Unlike the east coast which has a varied tapestry of colors, in the west the sweeping golden color of the Aspen trees form tunnels and passages of gold.  Lake Tahoe, more popular for summer and winter visits, has a quiet calm and beauty about it at this time of the year.  I was pleasantly surprised to find so much to photograph on one October visit with friends.  I also found a dramatic color display along the Stanislaus river in Gold Country, California.
   A uniqueness about the fall season in the west is scenes of snow-capped mountains with splashes of color in the foreground.  The snow starts falling as the trees start turning color, giving us the indication of the passage of time and the changing of seasons.
   Photographing the fall scenes showed me that there is beauty everywhere and at all times - you just have to look for it.