Chuck Arning

I have seen a few of these skeletons appearing as Halloween decorations. I spotted this one on my walk home, rising out of a front yard. After converting the image to black and white to deepen the shadows and give the scene a darker, spookier feeling, I made it the image for my 10/26/26 postcard.

My 10/25/26 postcard is a rose I found near the Albuquerque Country Club; its curled petals still holding raindrops from the night before.

It was overcast and rainy while we walked, making it a little more of an adventure. My 10/24/26 postcard shows a white morning glory with purple lines, blooming on a vine climbing a stop sign on Southern Avenue.

My 10/23/26 postcard shows a roadrunner pausing at the curb on Alvarado Place after leaving a nearby yard to escape a cat that had been stalking it.

My 10/22/26 postcard is a crow pausing beside a shallow pothole filled with water from last night’s rain at Bullhead Park, its black feathers standing out against the curb and dry autumn grasses.

I found this dragon standing in a yard on Quincy Street. With a change of scenery and a little added fire, it left the neighborhood behind and found its way into a volcanic kingdom, becoming the picture for my 10/21/26 postcard.

My 10/20/26 postcard shows a small yellow flower near Bullhead Park in the morning after the night's rain. Tiny drops of water still rested on its petals, catching the morning light and giving the little bloom a fresh start to the October day.

My 10/19/26 postcard is the end of a pine branch near the university; I found this soon-to-be pine cone surrounded by a circle of long green needles. Its pointed scales and radiating shape made it look like a small star beginning to form.

My 10/18/26 is a scene unique to Albuquerque: a mariachi band playing in the middle of Central Avenue for the runners in the Duke City Marathon. With guitars and an accordion, they brought a little New Mexico music to the course and gave the runners some extra encouragement as they passed.

My 10/17/26 postcard shows a roadrunner I found standing on a driveway, one foot lifted, its body leaning forward and its crest raised. For a moment, it looked less like a bird and more like a bird dog holding a point, completely focused on something just beyond the frame. #Albuquerque

My 10/16/26 postcard is a cosmos I found blooming in a yard on Ridgecrest Avenue this afternoon. A bee had settled into its golden center, working among the florets while the petals opened around it.

I found this roadrunner along Mountain Road this afternoon as I was leaving UNM. It paused just long enough for me to capture its strong profile. For my 10/15/26 postcard, I processed the image as a painting to create a character study rather than a conventional wildlife photograph.

My 10/14/26 postcard is a zinnia growing along Montclaire Drive. Its overlapping petals formed layer after layer around a small golden center, creating an orderly pattern from something entirely natural. The blooms in this yard seemed to be holding on to summer as autumn moves in.

My 10/13/26 postcard is a sunflower I found growing along Constitution this afternoon. Seen from behind, it revealed a side we often overlook, with layers of pointed green radiating from the center like a carefully constructed shield.

My 10/12/26 postcard features a pollen-dusted bee working its way through the wildflowers in a yard on Amherst Drive. Up close, it becomes a determined little laborer, clinging to the yellow petals as it gathers what it needs and carries pollen to the next flower.

My 10/11/26 postcard is a demanding neighborhood cat that walked directly in front of me, stretched out across the sidewalk, and blocked my path until I stopped to give it some attention. Its confident stare made it clear that passing without offering a little affection was not an option.

My 10/10/26 postcard features a bee I found deep among the purple blossoms of a sage plant while walking through Albuquerque’s Nob Hill neighborhood. We’re nearing the middle of October, yet there are still opportunities to find bees hard at work. #Albuquerque

I found this fierce-looking pumpkin in a neighbor’s yard at the end of the block. I replaced the original background and gave the photograph a painterly look, turning something I found on my walk into my 10/09/26 postcard and a Halloween picture for my wife.

My 10/08/26 postcard is a Red Hesperaloe seed pod splitting open at the end of its season; these plants are common in yards and landscaping around Albuquerque. I find these pods, with their weathered shells, a study in texture and beauty that remain long after the small flowers are gone.

My 10/07/26 postcard shows a roadrunner pausing on a picnic table at the Albuquerque VA, spreading and fluffing its feathers to soak up the morning sun.

My 10/06/26 postcard shows students practicing yoga together during lunchtime at the University of New Mexico; they were holding a strong, synchronized pose beneath the trees. Their shared movement brought a moment of balance, energy, and calm to the middle of a busy campus day.

My 10/05/26 postcard is a sight you see in the sky over Albuquerque during the International Balloon Fiesta, when hundreds of balloons take flight every morning.

Near Tingley Beach, I found this bee gathering pollen from a cluster of white flowers. The close-up view revealed its delicate wings, fine golden hairs, and bright pollen load, making it perfect for my 10/04/26 postcard.

My 10/03/26 postcard is a close-up view of a bee found along Carlise Boulevard, revealing its rounded, parallel-banded abdomen, translucent wings, body hairs, and dark eye as it rests among the folds of a yellow flower. #Albuquerque

My 10/02/26 postcard is a small, fading flower I found in the VA landscaping. Its tiny yellow blossoms, dark center, and curling brown petals offered a close look at beauty changing with the season.

My wife wanted some Halloween pictures, and along Palomas Drive I found this skeleton leaning over a hazardous-waste barrel in someone’s yard. After changing the background and giving the scene a painterly black-and-white treatment, it became my 10/01/26 postcard image.

My 09/30/26 postcard shows a passenger jet climbing into the low clouds after departing Albuquerque International Airport, its lights still visible as it begins to disappear into the overcast sky.

My 09/29/26 postcard features a murder of crows gathering atop a light pole overlooking the baseball field at Bullhead Park in Albuquerque, claiming the best view of the rain-soaked field.

My 09/28/26 postcard shows an abandoned chair I found at the end of my block, sitting beside the alley, and surrounded by cactus. It looked less like something discarded and more like a quiet place waiting for someone to sit and watch the world.

My 09/27/26 postcard is a male mallard I found resting among the exposed roots of a large tree at Tingley Beach. This part of town has become where we do our Sunday walks, with a loop that takes us past the Country Club, along the river, and through Old Town.

My 09/26/26 postcard shows one of the tractor drivers who pulls hayride trailers at the Corrales Harvest Festival. Seated behind the wheel of a vintage red Farmall, he hauls people around the village, giving the annual celebration its character.

My 09/25/26 postcard is a yellow coneflower I found growing in the landscaping at the VA. Its long, uneven petals and intricate center gave it plenty of character as it reached toward the clouds.

My 09/24/26 postcard is a weathered cosmos flower that still holds its beauty despite the small holes, torn edges, and blemishes on its petals. The damage was likely caused by the natural effects of age, giving the bloom a sense of character and quiet endurance.

My September 23, 2026, postcard is more playful than frightening. I found this Frankenstein-inspired skeleton waving from a Halloween display at Albertsons. My wife has been looking for Halloween-themed images, so I converted the photograph to black and white to give it a spookier feel.

I found this cluster of dusty-blue berries growing in the landscaping at UNM along Central Avenue. Their rich color stood out against the surrounding soft greens and browns, and I used them for my 09/22/26 postcard. #Albuquerque

My 09/21/26 postcard is a Curve-billed Thrasher I found among the cholla growing along a wall on Marble Avenue near UNM. Its brilliant orange eye and long, curved bill stood out against the muted greens and browns of the cactus. #Albuquerque

My 09/20/26 postcard is a Red Hesperaloe seedpod found in the landscaping at the Albuquerque BioPark, opening to reveal its dark seeds, creating a study of color, texture, and natural form.

My 09/19/26 postcard features a solitary man walking among the trees at the Gutierrez-Hubbell House Museum in Albuquerque, passing through afternoon light and deep bands of shadow. I processed the photograph in a painterly style to deepen the mood and strengthen its narrative.

My 09/18/26 postcard features a curve-billed thrasher that paused on a sun-warmed wall along Southern Avenue in Albuquerque. I processed the photograph as a watercolor.

My 09/17/26 postcard is a roadrunner pausing atop a weathered flowerpot in a yard on Palomas Drive in Albuquerque, its raised crest and watchful eye capturing the alert personality of this familiar urban visitor.

My 09/16/26 postcard shows kids and adults dancing in a swirling sea of foam at the New Mexico State Fair; for fun, they created a playful snowstorm amid the food stands.

My 09/15/26 postcard features a black cat on Southern Avenue that stared me down as I approached. When I noticed the “Beware the Dog” sign above it, I couldn’t resist taking a few pictures.

My 09/14/26 postcard features a large, weathered sunflower that curled inward as the season changed, revealing an unexpected beauty. I found it in the center median of Carlisle near Burton Park. #Albuquerque

My 09/13/26 postcard is a bumblebee gathering pollen from the dark center of a sunflower I found along Southern Avenue. With days still in the 90s, blooming sunflowers are still a common sight on my walks.

My photograph for 09/12/26 features a jester entertaining the crowd at the Santa Fe Renaissance Fair. His expressive glance and theatrical costume suggest that amusement is about to follow. We have attended the fair for years. Although we don’t dress in costume ourselves, we enjoy the people who do.

My 09/11/26 postcard showcases a pollen-laden bee approaching a sunflower, suspended for a moment above the disk. I found it working in a flower-filled yard along Summer Avenue.

My 09/10/26 postcard is a honeybee clinging to a cluster of fading blooms, gathering what remains as the season quietly changes. #Albuquerque

My 09/09/26 postcard features a small ant exploring a sunflower along Southern Avenue in Albuquerque.

My 09/08/26 postcard is a close-up of a weathered storm drain at Campus and Girard in Albuquerque, where intersecting metal bars, repeating diagonals, and layered shadows transform an ordinary urban structure into an abstract geometric pattern.

My 09/07/26 postcard is a bumblebee nestled deep inside a pumpkin blossom, surrounded by petals as it gathers pollen. After roaming for miles through the city, I discovered it at the end of my own block, a reminder that interesting things can still be found in the most familiar places. #albuquerque