1 Year Blogaversary

One year old
I made it a year. Never thought I’d share so much of my life with the cyberworld.

My office view from Point Imperial
It started at Grand Canyon National Park with my first tentative post and changed the way I take photos forever.

Karen at end of Cape Final trail
Thanks to FabGrandma who introduced me to the world of blog, I now spend way too much time online, especially when on dialup, filling my need for an audience. I’m now following a dream of writing; maybe someday I’ll get paid for it but not by advertisements. Thanks Karen! ;-)

I’ve showed you where I live in my old RV both at the canyon...

...and Yarnell.

Didn’t know I had so much to say (that’s a lie). But then I did share quite a bit of my history. Dragging you around the country where I’ve lived and traveled over the past 15 years on the ever awesome My World Tuesday meme.

You met my long time travel companion Carson and consoled me at the end of his life’s journey.

I’ve introduced you to some of my dearest friends and family.

The best part about blogging is all the fantastic people I’ve met from around the world. You can see the constantly growing list of blogs I follow on the side bar. I learn so much from each of you. Thank you my friends.

Joshua Tree and Salton Sea
I plan to keep on blogging, at least for the next six winter months which are all I can plan at once. I hope to share with you as I explore more of the area around Yarnell, see my step-son in San Diego with side trips to Joshua Tree NP, the Salton Sea and Anza-Borrego Desert, a quick trip to south Texas where my parents live, and best of all, South Africa where I’ll actually get to meet my first fellow blogger Joan, the Bug Lady, of SAPhotographs. I'd really like to meet you all.

I AM addicted to Blog!

PS: Yesterday I was given an award by Alan at Yogi's Den. So I'll be passing it along.

Remember Whensday - College Days

1991-92 Western Washington University, Huxley College of Environmental Studies, Bellingham Washington

Yea that’s me. Never was sure how this happened. Maybe just old fashioned photography
I returned to college as an older student after my kids were grown. Finding a place to live was a nightmare. After declining several shared big houses with too many young men I found another grown woman to live with in a tiny one bedroom apartment only three blocks walk from campus. She gave me the walk-in closet sized bedroom and slept in the living room.

When I needed space I would go to Larabee Park to enjoy birds on the water.

Or head to Mount Baker hot springs.

Sally from The (Mis) Adventures of Karl and Sally has started a new meme where the past is remembered through sharing old family photographs and this is #18. I love the idea and hope you will too. So join the fun by clicking here.

MWT - Berta's Best Beautiful Blooms

Don’t screw with this beautiful lady
Although it’s beginning to feel like winter here last week when I went to Yarnell it was barely fall. The little apartment in the back is where I stayed. I’ll have to post pics of this cozy space.

Petunia, dianthus, impatience and begonia
Berta has an amazing green thumb and many well cared for flowers were still in bloom by her house.

Petunia and dianthus
Of course I had to call her this morning to find out what most of them are.

Purple heart, maybe
This wonderful purple seems to grow everywhere. My Mom has it in Texas and Berta used to grow it in Oregon. Yet I had to google it and this is my closest guess. Feel free to correct me.

Coleus, I think
Berta couldn’t remember the name of this one bought in a four inch pot. We both think it’s from the same family as Coleus. Again, feel free to pitch in.

Echiveria
Some of her plants are overflowing the containers. I love how creative Berta is with her flower pots, using baskets and bowls, or whatever comes to hand (usually through a thrift store).

Oak gall
A lot of oak grows in this area and I’m not sure if it’s the Emory Oak or Arizona White Oak. I’ll have to look closer when I get home. The twigs are heavy with galls mostly no bigger than half an inch that remind me of Christmas ornaments. A gallwasp injects its eggs in the plant tissue which causes the tree to form a gall. Then larva develops into pupa and eventually the adult chews its way out of the gall. Supposedly this doesn’t kill the tree, maybe some of the twigs and leaves.

It was so nice to be home with dear friends.

Only a couple more weeks and I’ll be back for the winter. I’m so ready.

For more glimpses of life around the world, or to share your own, go to My World Tuesday by clicking here.

Scenic Sunday - Painted Desert

Layers of primarily mudstone along with some sandstone and claystone deposited about 200 million years ago eroded into badlands called by some Native Americans as a “land of sleeping rainbows.” Mudstones occur in shades of red, gray, brown, purple, tan, orange and pink. Sandstone is typically beige or cream colored yet can be stained by oxidized minerals like iron (red) and manganese (blue/grey) as can the claystone. Wind and water sculpt the landscape.

To see more beautiful scenes from around the world, or to share your own, go to Scenic Sunday by clicking here.

Back to the canyon

It was a great trip to Yarnell. Made it back to the canyon Friday about 6pm to find fall in absolute full swing. And in some cases the Aspen are already turning brown. How sad. This morning it feels more like winter at a cold 36F. Brrrrr. Back to work.

Sky Watch Friday - On the road again...

Sunset taken over the Painted Desert of Arizona
Had a great time visiting friends in Yarnell and now time to head back up to the North Rim. Only two weeks left to my season. How the time will fly. My next days off I’m going to Toroweap with C, another Ranger. And my last days off I’ll be hiking rim to rim with friends from Washington. Then hook up to my 5th-wheel house and haul it home to Yarnell for the winter. Maybe Mexico the end of October... Ahhh, life is Grand! The end of everyday followed by the beginning of a new.

To see more skies from around the world, or to share your own, go to the Sky Watch Friday meme by clicking here.