A few from a ramble with Cleo last month out in Canyons of the Ancients.

[bluedigger]

[Blue_In_AK]

1. Beautiful!

Where is this? It's so different from what I'm used to.

[bluedigger]

2. Canyons of the Ancients National Monument in the Four Corners.

It crosses the CO/UT state line and is administered by the BLM. My "backyard".

[Blue_In_AK]

3. Thanks.

Is that a relatively new national monument? I lived in Colorado when I was a kid back in the Dark Ages, but I don't remember this one. Is it near Mesa Verde?

[bluedigger]

4. It is a recent designation - 2000.

It's near Mesa Verde - about 20 miles to the west, on the other side of Cortez. Also, one of the densest collections of archaeology sites in the Americas, with over 6,000 identified.

[CrispyQ]

5. Lovely shots!

Love the black dog on red clay.

[bluedigger]

9. Thank you!

Cleo is actually a blue leopard Catahoula, and has a merle coat (mottled), but you need good light to capture it because there's so little contrast to it.

[CrispyQ]

11. So funny! I have a blue merle Catahoula, too!

In my area they are not common dogs & most people have not heard of them.

[bluedigger]

12. That is one crazy coincidence.

I'd never heard of them either until I got Cleo in '08. Your's looks a lot like Cleo.

Cleo is not a big fan of Rachel, especially when she wants to go for a walk.

[Solly Mack]

6. Cleo is such a wonderful guide!

Nice shots!

[bluedigger]

8. She's pretty good at staying on the trail.

I've only had to pull one cactus spine out of her paw and that was a couple years ago.

And thanks!

[Curmudgeoness]

7. How lovely!

I especially like the black and white of the twisted tree.

[bluedigger]

10. Thanks!

I've found the arid environment out here is quite conducive to b&w treatments. I like how clear blue skies show depth especially, too.