I am a traveler. So, I take a lot of photos while driving.
The sky captures my attention as much as the terrain.
Moving along from 35-65mph brings the changes on rapidly.
I was on my way off the Kaibab Plateau down through the pinyon/juniper woodlands.
Descending into the desert to Kanab then west to Saint George.
To see more skies from around the world, or to share your own, go to Sky Watch Friday by clicking here.
My world has been very busy at the North Rim. Amongst my daily schedule of working in the visitor center a couple hours, presenting one to three programs, and roving in between to answer visitor questions I am the lead for our Artist-in-Residence program. Click here to learn about this program offering artists a chance to live and work at National Parks.
Six artists, in almost any genre, are chosen each year to stay at the North Rim Grand Canyon National Park for three weeks to immerse themselves, allow their creativity to flow, interact with visitors and present outreach programs in the park and upon returning home.
A couple weeks ago I joined the visiting Artist-in-Residence (AIR), poet Thea Gavin, on a nature walk with other visitors. We stopped at a quiet overlook and sat 5 minutes with eyes closed followed by another 5 minutes eyes open. Then we wrote what came to mind following Thea’s suggestions of starting with “It is _____ again…” and ending with “The _______ tells me….” Here’s what I ended up writing.
It is June again at the canyon.
The wind sometimes caresses
or makes me feel unsteady.
During a lull, soft bird song drifts past,
increasing to tree rustle, grasses wave, shadow dance.
Yet even when strong wind blows the song of the canyon my way
I prefer it to the noisy family that needs to
“Move on because of the beauty.”
The wind tells me to look inside at
my own turbulence and
find the calm.
--Gaelyn Olmsted 6/24/11
(The place we sat had a noisy family come by briefly.)
I need to do this more often. We all do.
Last Wednesday I had to take my laptop to Techies in Kanab (the nearest town at 85 miles) for a thorough cleaning. Seems to be an annual process removing copious amounts of dust bunnies even though I use canned air trying to keep it clean. And HP Pavilion is notorious for over heating when dirty. I couldn’t pick it up until the next day. So I drove towards Saint George to look at trucks.
It was late afternoon by the time I got to Hurricane and I didn’t see any trucks on the few lots passed so decided to stay in Hurricane for the night.
In the morning I continued to Saint George where there’s many car lots and at the third dealer I found the kind of truck I was looking for. So I took it for a ride. Not in town, but north towards the sandstone cliffs surrounding Snow Canyon State Park (which seldom receives snow).
Sweet! A 2005 F350 Super Duty diesel King Ranch with only 80,000 miles. Now that will pull the new 5th-wheel with no problem at all. I didn’t explore the park. It was just a turn around site. After all I was on a “test drive” and gone for about an hour.
And it’s loaded with leather bucket seats, moon roof, heated seats and side mirrors, AC, cruise control……. (Did I just drool on the screen? ;)
The old and new, side by side. Which shall it be?
She called my name and I called her Canyon. I usually name my dogs after places (Denver, Denali and Carson) and my trucks after rocks (Aqua/Turquoise, Malachite and Sterling Silver), this one gets both.
So I drove her….
….home.
My old girl Sterling F250 served well over almost seven years of towing and still has more to give. We both shed a tear and move on.
We shoot water instead of fireworks at Grand Canyon’s North Rim
I rejoice in the celebration of our independence and always loved watching, but not listening to, the fireworks. Yet I also truly enjoy celebrating in our National Parks or Forests, where NO Fireworks are allowed. Would be nice to keep Some of Arizona green. Please use caution with fireworks and if camping where there’s no fire restrictions put your fire completely out before you leave. Have a Happy 4th of July my friends!
To see what others are up to go to My World Tuesday by clicking here.
Could be a storm’s coming in.
Chance of rain tomorrow.
Monsoon season.
