A DAY WITH BUDDHA!!!

Today is our last day in Sedona.  To say we are exhausted, really doesn't speak to just how tired we really are.  We've decided because the energy of this place is so high, most of our tiredness is due to  not being used to it.  We started out very slowly this morning.  Up by 7:30 a.m., but a leisurely cuppa, followed by cereal and taking my time getting my face on. 

Alpha, Brian and I got into the truck about 11:30 a.m. and headed to a shopping area where Alpha knew the local photographer.   Sadly, he was not there, but his wife was.  He displayed some dazzlingly beautiful prints of the area's vistas, along with some spectacular shots of such places as Bell Rock and Cathedral Rock.  Along with his work, they also had a separate room with some shots taken by their son, Adam.  He is going to have a wonderful future as a professional photographer.

 As we left the studio, we headed to a restaurant called Thai Paradise.  We had all agreed that we wanted something other than American and Mexican.  The picture of the Buddha, just above was taken on the patio where we had lunch.  Coley, in your honor, I ordered what was called "Angel wings".  Marinated in a sweet, chili sauce, they were really good.  Brought back memories of Z's lounge!!!

Our leisurely afternoon found us trying to locate the local stupa.  Brian had heard the Buddhists had built one and that it was close to our condos.  As you can see we found it.  The picture to the left is the Buddha just past the Amitabha Stupa and nestled into the area they call Peace Park.  Although you can't see the red rock mountain to the right of this, but it's called Thunderbird Mountain.

 This is the Buddha above the stupa.  The structure stands about two stories high.  As you come before the Buddha, it is beneficial to seek wisdom, or to ask for blessings as you walk clockwise around the stupa three times.  We enjoyed sitting on the deck just in front of the stupa for a while.  There was a young man who had rented a place to stay for the entire month and is leaving tomorrow for San Diego.  That's one of the neat things about being here, is talking to complete strangers and everyone has been so open to talking. Just as we headed back to the truck, we noticed the smaller stupa.  We also saw a red-headed bird, which I later found out was desert quail.  Below is the significance of the totem quail:

Quail - Group-work, team play, creator of harmony and group tolerance, protectiveness (especially toward children).

 

 Further down the trail was this statue of Quan Yin.  She's the Goddess of compassion and mercy.  There's no way for you to tell, but she is quite small sitting in front of a huge tree.  So, as you can tell has been about being in peaceful, harmonic, loving energy.  Good thing, too!  I'm way too tired to deal with anything that requires alot of energy.  We leave about 8:00 a.m. for Phoenix.  About 2.5 hours, and then I drop my friends off and head back to Albuquerque.  I'm looking forward to a relaxing weekend spent at Georgia and Pete's place. 

As I end this portion of my journey, I wanted to show you the number of our condo.  2012.  How interesting and easy to remember.  It's been a very full week, and it passed all too quickly.  But then our lives seem to be passing all too quickly as well.  In the blink of an eye, the moment is here and then it's gone.  So happy I have all my pictures to remind me.  Hope you enjoyed the trip as much as I did!!!

OH WHAT A BEAUTIFUL MORNING!!!

 I awoke this morning to the smell of coffee brewing.  I heard Alpha in the kitchen and asked "are you serving?"  "Yes, I am" and she quickly poured my coffee and added the cream and sugar for me.  So, this morning I had coffee in bed.  Life doesn't get any better than that.  We all got ready early, because out here you have to start early in order to be out of the worst heat of the day.  Our goal destination was what is bein called "uptown" but what is actually the original heart of Sedona.  We arrived in town and got a perfect spot and off we went to shop.  After about an hour and a half, we stopped into a restaurant called Oaxaca (pronounced O-wah-ka).  Again some excellent Mexican food.  From there we headed to the Chapel of the Holy Cross which sits very near Bell Rock. 

Here's Alpha at the walkway up to the Church.  As you can see the rocks are gynormous and when we stepped out of the truck it felt somewhat overpowering.  Just below the church is the huge mansion just to the left.  The word we heard was this was Madonna's house, but when we left the church and headed to the local gallery, we heard it belongs to the German man who has the patent for the Lasix eye surgery.  It's quite amazing, built, as you can see, on top of a red rock. 

Now,for some fun pictures.  Lest you think I don't have any "crazy" pictures of me, I asked Alpha to take this one.  Love my pointy chin.  The multi-colored one is of some Javelina pigs made out of ceramic which sit in front of the restaurant we ate in.  I loved the colors.  The picture that looks like an arrow was taken of a second story walkway and the bars are the part of the railing along the walkway.  Looks very Native American to me. 

The best part of my day came when we headed back to the condos.  Today, in the activity room, they were serving ice cream sundaes and root beer floats.  My preference was the root beer float.  Scrumptious!!! I can't remember the last time I had the pleasure of eating one.  So, let your inner child have a great day by getting your own!!!  Love to each of you!!!

CATHEDRAL ROCK!!!

This morning we woke early, about 7am, in order to get out to Cathedral Rock before the heat of the day set in.  Initially we drove to Red Rock State Park but soon learned this was not where we wanted to be.  Nice drive though.

We headed back the way we came and turned into Crescent Moon State Park where we disembarked from the truck and saw ahead of us Cathedral Rock.  At that time of the day there is still a haze over the mountains so you can't see how deeply red the rocks are, but the majesty of the form is always available.

As we walked one of the paths to take us to the river that passes through the canyon, we met up with this little guy.  Grasshopper is the Chinese symbol for good luck and abundance.  As a totem it gives the person the ability to take chances, or to leap forward.

 Me and Alpha.  This was the only place she wanted to come and to be able to sit on a rock in the river and view Cathedral Rock from that vantage point.  We walked along the river for some distance looking for a place to enter the water.  At one point, Alpha and I held onto a log that had fallen across a smaller tributary of the river and she and I waded across to see if there was any way to enter the river from this point.  There wasn't, so we crossed back.  The water was deliciously cool and felt wonderful as waded back and forth.

Another view of the "rock".  As you can see, the haze is beginning to lift and you can see a little more of the red rocks.







We finally found a place where we could wade out a little ways and sit with our feet in the water.  I took this picture as I was sitting facing Cathedral Rock.  Just ahead of us was a couple with their two dogs.  The dogs were having a marvelous time jumping into the water chasing sticks.  Alpha and I were the only ones with our feet dangling in the water.  Brian and BB decided not to get in.  Too bad, they really don't know how refreshing it was.  I loved it and didn't really want to get out.  We left this area and took a scenic drive up Hwy 89, towards Flagstaff.  It runs along Oak Creek Canyon and when we finally got to the top of the mountain we were at an elevation of about 6800 feet.  I so wish all of you were here with me!!! Sharing the sights and the beauty of this wonderful area!!!

MORE PICS FROM ARIZONA!!!

In my last post I mentioned we, Alpha, Brian, BB and I were sitting up high above Sedona waiting for the sun to set.  Here's one of the pictures I took of the event.  Amazingly, after the sun went down, we turned around to find a spectacular rainbow just forming.  As you can see by the picture the sky is beginning to turn into the hues following a sunset.  Beautiful blues, purples, and pinks.  Why does all of this appear to be so beautiful when you're hundreds of miles from home?

 Today, we decided to take a trip to Jerome which is located about 25 miles south of Sedona.  Formerly a copper mining town, it now is home to an eclectic group of artisans, restaurants and shops.  A new addition to the town is a shop called Zen Mountain Gallery.  Christopher Mull is the owner and he has one of the most beautiful shops with a wide assortment of art ranging from "direct fire" pottery, to paintings, to jewelry and the most awesome gourds I've ever seen.  In fact, I thought they were pottery.  One looked so much like metal, I couldn't believe it was actually a gourd.  Intricate designs and detailing.  Wish I had taken a picture, just so you could see how amazing they were.

We walked up and down the streets of Jerome.  At one point we saw this guy sitting in front of one of the restaurants.  His name is Tim Treister and he created this motorcycle.  Alpha says this is her new ride and her new fella.   I sat for quite a while talking to him.  He hails from Palm Beach, California and has been in Clarkdale, Arizona for 18 years.  He had been hired to oversee a construction job for Yavapai Indians and fell in love with the area, so he stayed.

 Just as we parked my truck, we stepped across the street to take a picture of the view looking down the valley to Cottonwood.  I'm not sure what the elevation of Jerome is, but as we were climbing the road to arrive in the center of town, my ears began to equalize, so I knew we were getting pretty high.

The owner of the Zen Mountain Gallery suggested a restaurant to us.  It's called Quince (pronounced "keen-say") which means 15 in Spanish.  The owner is also a master chef who comes from New York and based the name also on the I-Ching (a form of Chinese divination) hexagram number 15 which implies modesty.  We were told it was by far the best mexican food any where around, including any of the restaurants in Sedona.

Here's one of the pictures I took, again with my symmetricam feature.  Alpha ordered a half salad with quesadillas and they brought out this huge salad.  You can see a little bit of my black beans that came with my green rice and blue corn enchiladas.  Brian ordered soft flour tacos with ground elk and BB also had the same salad as Alpha.  I have to say it was well worth the visit and I would be happy to return for another meal.

That's all the pictures for now.   Hope you're enjoying them as much as I'm enjoying taking them.  Hasta la vista!!!

Just a few pictures for you to enjoy.  My friends Alpha and Brian and myself.  Not pictured, because he did not want his picture posted, is our friend, who I will simply call "BB".  These pictures were taken as we arrived at Bell Rock, the easiest of the four vortexes to get to, just 15 minutes from the center of town.  The lizard greeted Alpha and I the very first morning after we arrived.  The energy of lizard is about paying close attention to your dreams and calling on the lizard energy when you are in a situation that requires you to endure emotional or physical hardship.  Guess that ol' lizard knew I would be hiking up the side of Bell Rock and would need all the help I could get.  Hope you enjoy the view!!!

THE HIGH DESERT!!!

Loved my time in New Mexico, but all good things must come to an end.  I wonder who said that? Headed out this morning for Arizona.  One of the best parts of traveling I-40 across New Mexico into Arizona, is the mile after mile of wide open spaces.  It's been quite a long time since I've been to Arizona and as soon as I left the Albuquerque city limits, I was struck by the beauty and splendor of this part of the country. 

I loved this picture of the rock formation.  When I came upon it, my first thought was it looks like a cathedral.  Then when I began to drive past, it looked more like a castle.  Whatever it looks like to you, it reminds me of growing up on the mesa and all the great rocks I used to find.  I, like most kids, loved looking for rocks and bringing them back home.  I still look for rocks, only now I look for heart rocks.


 This was such a great picture.  I had just arrived at the Painted Rock Rest Center and this sign was just beyond where the rest stop is.  Welcome to Arizona!!!

My drive took me about 6 hours to complete.  I had alot of time to ruminate, which is what I do best when I'm driving.  Today was my prayer call with my friend, Cathy, and what she and I both came to realize, as we drew the call to a close, is that we both are seeking other ways to serve the greater good now that we are both retired and in a new phase of our lives.  The word for today is "surrender".  I'm asking for greater clarity, a "light bulb" experience, if you will, as to what to do and how to make it happen.  The challenge is to surrender the idea that I have any control, or that I have to push to make something happen.  Being in the flow really is about letting go and letting God.

So, as I let go of following my GPS system and made my own way to Tempe, I traveled down Highway 87 from Winslow, Arizona south.  What I didn't know was that it would take me through the Coconino National Forest at an elevation of about 7800 feet and down into the Tonto National Forest.  The drive was incredible.  Lush forests filled with tall, stately pines was unlike any other landscape I'd ever experienced in Arizona. Traveling down the mountain, I found myself nearly alone.  For nearly 50 miles not one single car passed me or came up behind me.  I felt like I'd landed on another planet.  But the view was so spectacular and not having to deal with traffic allowed me to pull over many times to take pictures.  I had a marvelous time on this part of the drive.  

This picture was taken just outside of Tempe, Arizona.  As soon as I saw it, I thought of a native American.  Although when you drive past the rock formation, it has no resemblance to anything other than a big rock.  I also love the saguaro cacti in the foreground.  This is the landscape I am most familiar with.  I've traveled through this area, in and around Phoenix several times.  It's like stepping back through time, back to the old West.  Arizona is celebrating its' centennial year, 1912 to 2012. 

Hope you enjoy traveling with me through this part of the country.  As I told a couple of my friends on this journey, the only way this trip could have been better would be to share it with someone.  So, thanks for letting me share!!!!

BLUE SKIES???

 Left my comfortable bed this morning at 6am.  Had several things I needed to take care of before I hit the road, but was able to get on the road at 7am. 

I told my book club I was going on vacation this next week and my friend, Elva, said, "what, define vacation!"  I had to laugh because my life is one long vacation right now.  However, this trip is different from my being on the road in my camper.

First, I'm not pulling my camper this time.  I simply got in my truck and hit the road.  As much as I love my camper, being able to pull into any gas station, any restaurant, any rest stop without worrying whether or not I can get in and out easily, is quite relaxing.

Second, I'm actually meeting friends in Sedona, Arizona for a week of playing and relaxing.  Yes, every day is Saturday for me, but this really feels like a vacation.

As I traveled down I-40, there were a number of storms I passed through, in Arkansas, Oklahoma, and these two pictures were taken just outside Amarillo, Texas.

The clouds looked so unreal, with really dark areas and shining through were the rays of the sun.  At first I though it was rain, but as I got closer I could see it was only the sun shining through. 

After driving nearly 800 miles, I made it to the hotel in Amarillo about 6:15 pm.  Got checked in.  Then headed to the nearest steak house for a much needed sit-down dinner.  Had a wonderful sirloin steak with mashed potatoes and corn.  Looking forward to kicking back and being able to sleep in a little tomorrow morning.  My final leg of the journey to Albuquerque, to spend 3 days with my twin,
involves a drive of about 300 miles.  I hope to be there no later than 2pm and Coley and I are planning on going to see the movie "The Odd Life of Timothy Green".  My sister, Jenny, says it's a real tear-jerker. 

BACK IN MISSISSIPPI!!!

 In my world, everyday is Saturday!!! This morning I woke up, saw the temperature was 73 degrees and decided to have my coffee outside.

I am back at Sardis Lake in Mississippi.  One of my favorite State parks to camp in.  These two pictures are what I see when I'm standing in the doorway of my camper.  I'm right at the lake and it is really a beautiful place to be.

The only drawback is trying to watch the Olympics.  My television has the channel, but the reception is very poor.  In fact, right at this moment, the telly is on but there is no signal being received.  I have so enjoyed watching alot of the games, especially since I don't have to work during the day.  I'm seriously thinking about going in to stay at my friend, Carolyn's, home where I spend the winters. 

Looks like our plans for a family reunion are coming together.  My sister, Sherri, just sent a deposit for two cabins at the Dells in Wisconsin for the last week in June next year.  My idea was to have all of us get together to celebrate our brother, Jeff's, wedding which will take place on August 4th.  Most of the family will be unable to attend, except for brother, Mike, who is the best man.  So, in order to welcome our new sister-in-law, Jacque, into the family, I suggested this trip.  Now that Coley has a job and will be making some money, she'll be able to join us.  YAHOO!!!!

This year I'm planning on staying in my camper up until the middle of November.  Then I'm planning on driving to Ohio to spend Thanksgiving with Jenny and Larry and probably stay for a couple of months with them, or until sometime in January.  Who knows, I might even end up at Sandy and Tom's house for a month.  Oh, Tommmmmm!!!! guess who might be coming to stay with you.  Better get the locks changed and the gates bolted shut!!!!

My brother-in-law realllllllllly loves me even if he says otherwise!!!  I'm still looking for traveling buddies, but, beware...once you're in my camper you're a captive game player.  And I love to play games!!! 

Hugs to all of you!!! Looking forward to seeing my book club this next week.  I have so missed them and I can't believe, even though it's written on my calendar, I missed my dear friend, Elva's, birthday yesterday.  A BIG HAPPY BIRTHDAY TO YOU AND MANY, MANY MORE!!!!