Arizona Dreaming – McConnell Publishing Inc.

You know the way they are saying “All’s effectively that ends effectively?” However, what if it’s the other? Everyone knows that what occurs final has a disproportionate quantity of affect, and I remorse to say that our trip in Arizona, had, uh, some low factors. However after I whine, I’ll get to remind myself of the very best elements of our journey to Arizona by pictures. I’ll get the unfavourable stuff out of the way in which first, so we are able to think about how fortunate Jim and I had been to go on a trip to such lovely locations.

Okay, right here we go: Jim will get sick first day we arrive, unhealthy head chilly that slams him into being mattress ridden for a day in stunningly lovely Sedona. He rallies the following day, and despite his cough and his nostril working like a river throughout the spring thaw, now we have two fairly good days on the Grand Canyon. After which, one thing occurs that makes it appear to be my pc has been hacked and each one in all my passwords has been stolen. I’m sick with fear, abdomen in knots, don’t sleep a lot. (I join with techie 24 hours later and all is effectively. Whew.) The subsequent day, we come inside a microsecond and an inch of being in a deadly accident, which shakes each of us to the core. The subsequent day, whereas we’re at dinner with pals in Tucson, the sitter calls and says “Skip is lacking and I’ve referred to as and referred to as and may’t discover him wherever.”

I misplaced it. I imply, pals, I completely misplaced my S%*t. I’d hereby wish to apologize to our (fabulous) sitter, and to the diners on the Terrace on the Arizona Inn, for having to hearken to a girl sobbing hysterically within the cellphone till her husband led her away, blubbering “that is my worst nightmare.” After what appeared like an eternity, (and wasn’t, possibly 45 minutes?), Skip was discovered. He’d been behind the barn the complete time, staring on the sheep. (Particulars to come back in one other put up.)

The subsequent day, shock, shock, despite our greatest efforts, I caught Jim’s chilly. A foul chest chilly in COPD/Asthmatic lungs change into difficult combo, so I spent the final days mattress ridden and had a type of journey days all of us dread, of feeling like crap whereas getting up at 3:45 AM and flying residence throughout the nation.

Okay. Sufficient of that. I’ll survive (cue the music).

Listed here are some issues that had been GREAT, there was LOTS!

Dawn in Sedona behind Cathedral Rock on our first morning of trip:

I had a wonderful stroll in Sedona the following morning whereas poor Jim was ailing in mattress. This was only a 20 minute stroll from the Inn the place we stayed:

There was lot of fowl life on the foot of the path, right here’s a Scrub Jay who got here all the way down to test me out:

We visited Oak Creek Canyon and Slide Rock as soon as Jim was in a position to get on his toes. Slide rock is legendary as a spot the place you soar in and let the water “slide” you throughout the sleek rocks. Right here’s a courageous younger lady doing it in very chilly climate. (I’ve many reminiscences of Slide Rock–I went to highschool in Phoenix and Slide Rock was the go to position for “Senior Skip Day.”)

One of many enjoyable elements of trip for me is taking pictures of different folks for them (selfies simply can’t all the time hack it). A pleasant lady reciprocated for me and Jim.

The subsequent day we had been greeted firstly of the West Fork Path by a flock of a few of my favourite birds, Acorn Woodpeckers:

The path follows the bottom of those ridiculous cliffs . . .

Our two days on the Grand Canyon had been our greatest. Right here’s dawn on the Grand Canyon at Hopi Level:

A couple of minutes later, because the solar’s rays started to hit the peaks:

Talking of Hopi, after rising up in Arizona, and dwelling on the Navajo reservation after I was 19, (a narrative for one more day), I used to be heartened to see how a lot respect and a spotlight was being paid to the indigenous peoples of the canyon. Right here is the Hopi Home, designed by architect Mary Colter, a uncommon lady in a male-dominated subject in 1904. Forward of her time, Ms. Colter did all she may to make the constructing as genuine to the Hopi structure as she may. The home now holds a treasure chest of Native American artwork. Don’t miss it if you happen to go.

Sunsets on the Canyon:

I don’t suppose it’s potential for me to go to Arizona with out visiting the Arizona-Sonora Desert Museum and going to their Raptor Free Flight occasion. It solely occurs from December to March, and gives an impressive expertise being up shut and private with native raptors, who fly backwards and forwards between handlers, usually actually inches over your head.

Right here’s one in all my favorites, the Harris’s Hawk, one of many solely birds that hunt as a gaggle, Principally, the wolves of the fowl world.

The Crested Caracara is never seen within the U.S., and solely near the border. Not like most raptors, apart from looking dwell prey, in addition they eat carrion any likelihood they will get.

That’s me in rapture of attending to see my expensive buddy and colleague, Karen London, one of many smartest, funniest, and kindness folks I do know. One in every of her books, Deal with Everybody Like a Canine, is among the finest conduct books that’s come out since Karen Pyror’s Don’t Shoot the Canine.

It’s time for me to get again in mattress (or, reasonably, on the sofa watching The Voice! or, no matter I can discover). However I’ll finish this with an ideal abstract of Arizona: The dry, the prickly, and the surprisingly and stunningly lovely!