Looks whos in town, all the way from California....

Updated website with holiday theme photos...see for yourself

Canyon Blues.....

If it ain't broke....

don't fix it.  Right?  Well since my left foot started turning different colors and being continuously painful (in the same place I broke it in 2006) I went to the clinic today and got x-rays.

Of course I stood over her shoulder as they came up and looked closely.  I didn't see any breaks, though it looked like there may be a spur where it healed however I'm not trained to look at these things and the rays are now in Flagstaff. 

Should know more Monday afternoon, until then the boot they gave me is helping tremendously even if it is ugly. 

I think I want to find a really COOL cane. 

Backpack, purse, black shoes, hiking boots

What do all these things have in common? Well they are the 'trade-offs'. I quote the words because it has a negative connotation when these are far from being negative.

Today my favorite (and last) everyday backpack (the canyon's version of a purse or handbag) bit the dust. Like my shoes I am brutal on them. It hit me today as I referenced the backpack of being one of multiples; I remember telling my friends how once upon a time I had multiples of black shoes, now I have multiples of hiking boots. (My newest pair I blew out on the hike to/from Phantom Ranch in February.) ...and yes I have one other backpack but it's a camping pack.  Huge.

As I said; brutal.

Ok, so I've added to my collection of hiking shoes with Keen sandles, (love them), and now I think I'll go vintage on my new purse, uh, I mean backpack. 

Annular Solar Eclipse

Over the desert... Forged between the sun and moon... The Ring of Fire

The journey begins the camping weekend...

Down by the river
Have you been kissed by the moon
Bathe in earths essence....

Natural Bridges National Park...and then some

this was the path....

The BEST was found on an unexpeted road side as we went off the proverbial 'beaten path'. I have a NICE series of these so if you'd like to see more....contact me

The ride home...

Forward....

Onto a new weekend, so today starts my early Friday, well, since it's past midnight it is now my early Saturday of which I will have two. Plans? Goin camping with Ellen. Natural Bridges National Monument; http://www.nps.gov/nabr/index.htm. On hand besides necessities, well I've added to the 'necessities' list; camera, 300mm lens, sketchbook, pencils. Don't worry they will not replace the necessary water and electrolite items needed for this high desert environment. Expectations? Fun, and more conversations with Spirit; of this I have no doubts it'll be much more then expected...more info later upon my return

Desert View

I took myself out last weekend to Desert view, on the way I learned a few new things and rediscovered others. Glad I didn't wait to be asked.

O'Neill Butte, been there,up close and personal. It's amazing.

Ok, of the last two which looks the best? Black and White or color? Thinking on selling the two as a set. Thoughts?

The Desert's Gift

A lost shattered soul
Cauterized by the desert
Emerging anew

See what happens...

when I take myself out?

Carnival Town

by Nora Jones ....yeah I know this one REAL well.

Carnival Town"


Round 'n round
Carousel
Has got you under it's spell
Moving so fast...but
Going nowhere

Up 'n down
Ferris wheel
Tell me how does it feel
To be so high...
Looking down here

Is it lonely?
Lonely
Lonely

Did the clown
Make you smile
He was only your fool for a while
Now he's gone back home
And left you wandering there

Is it lonely?
Lonely
Lonely

The Final Leg of the Journey

We begin early, but wake up late, ugh! But we make it. Patrick and I begin our last leg and he hesitates near the silver bridge towards the Bright Angel Trail, offering me a chance to change my mind, and no I don't. Glad I didn't.

Early into the hike up we encounter rain, then it turns to hail, and then it becomes intermitten weather as we call it here in the West. I can't explain how I felt so tremedously thrilled to be walking out; I felt strong and being a part of the landscape was zoetic (yes I found this word and it connected with it's meaning). As we approached the first stop Sarah pointed out two birds flying up in the sky; and then we heard them. Hawks,and boy did their sound bring goosepimples on my arms, they were exquisite.

Patrick and I at lunch, I was chewing that's why I'm not smiling. Patrick is well, Patrick. But I think it was because we were coming up to the Red and Whites - a series,a LONG series of switchbacks that takes us quite upwards through a red and white section of layers in the rocks.

In the meantime, we're glad we didn't go up the Bright Angel Trail as it was pummelled more then we were by the snow. Still it was beautiful as the canyon always is.

Sarah stayed a head of us with my camera to get this shot, shows a bit of how far we came and yet to go. Once we got past O'Neill butte (which is at the top of the red and whites that is when we seperated. She told me later how impressed with how well I stayed motivated as I was still feeling the energy of spirit flowing so freely at Skeleton Point and we were just a little over half way out. If you look very closely I'm the one in the white t-shirt and Patrick is in the dark jacket.

This was when we relaxed a bit at Skeleton Point. I liked this composition so much I tweaked it.

Later on Patrick pointed out two condors flying over the canyon, we both had to stop and just watch. The last section was by far the most difficult as it usually is. I will say there were a lot of times I thought about stopping for a while and when I had those thoughts a heavy gust of wind would push at my back encouraging me to continue forward. At another point we did have to stop to admire a rainbow in the canyon. By that time my camera was buried deep in my pack and Patrick had his in the side pocket of his pants so he took his out and caught the photo.

In the chimney section I felt a bit nervous as the snow was blowing upwards into my right ear. I glanced to the sides of me and got a bit more nervous as the winds were really picking up and there was an 800 foot drop on one side and 1200 on the other. I covered my ears with my hat, dropped my focus to my feet and made it one step at a time. I believe this is the ONLY time I have been grateful for being the 'woman of substance' that I am as most people would've been swept away into the winds.

At the edge of Ooo Ahh Point (good reason for the name) I came upon a raven talking to me as I approached. Of course I didn't comprehend on one level but I completely understood on yet another level, as the raven made the sounds over and over. I stopped to take several drinks and breaths,and finally looked over at the raven and said "I know, I will keep going." The raven stopped making the sounds; looked at me intensely then flew off.

At this point - 3/4 of a mile from the top - both Patrick and I were stopping after 10 steps to breathe, snack and drink. His room mate met us up at the trailhead (Sarah had called her when she got out) and she took us to McDonalds to celebrate!!! We deserved it, the last mile was simply the hardest mile I have EVER done; and I still don't think I want to do it again, but then again who knows?