Pictures of Windmills
We take windmill pictures wherever we can find them. We live in New Mexico and windmills are common out on the range. Many have been replaced by deep well electric pumps and are slowly falling into ruin. However, some are still active and pumping water from shallow aquifers into stock tanks. Both offer interesting picture opportunities.
The wind blows a lot here, so they are effective if the water is close to the surface. However, the winds can also be very strong and hard on them. If a blade works loose or gets out of balance the uneven weight of the spinning blades can quickly tear the windmill apart. Ranchers have to check them regularly to make sure they are working properly.