Category: Arizona

Life traveling around the state of Arizona.

Arizona, Photo challenge, Photography

Untamed Beauty

by Ingrid77 Comments on Untamed Beauty

Flowers have a unique way of touching our lives, and it’s no surprise I adore them. They are more than a visual treat and can actually have a profound impact on uplifting our spirits.

Wildflowers are nature’s own artwork. Splashes of color that brighten up landscapes often bring joy to those who stumble upon them. Flowers can free us from anxiety, depression, and even the everyday stresses of life.

Wildflowers like the California poppy and purple lupine are excellent examples of native blooms that thrive in their home environment.

With petals soft and fragrance sweet,
Each bloom feels like a joyful greet.
In their presence, hearts feel light,
Dispelling gloom, making spirits bright.

So, whether you’re admiring them in nature or in a garden, receiving them as a gift, or simply looking at a picture of them, flowers have a multitude of ways to bring joy into our lives, and each group of flowers has its own unique charm and purpose.

Today’s Sunday Stills photo challenge prompt is “groups”. The photos I’ve chosen for this post are groups of flowers. I hope this little collection of wildflower images brings a little joy into your life. 🙂 I know they made me smile.

Arizona, Photo challenge, Photography

On a Mission!

by Ingrid81 Comments on On a Mission!

In an attempt to circumvent rush hour traffic, I jumped in the truck around 5:30 a.m. on a Monday morning. My camera gear and picnic lunch sat securely in the passenger seat next to me. Today’s destination would have me driving nearly 100 miles to the far other side of the Phoenix Valley near the little mining town of Superior, Arizona.

A friend was suppose to join me but at the last minute had to cancel. I thought about canceling my plans as well which surprised me. A few years ago, that thought would never have crossed my mind, but somewhere along the way, I had lost some of my confidence. I’ve been venturing solo for years and had never been as hesitant as I was this morning.

“A ship in a harbor is safe but that’s not what ships are built for.” This quote suggests that although it may be tempting to stay in one’s comfort zone, true success lies in taking risks and venturing outside of that zone.

I’m so glad I didn’t allow fear to hold me back. (Fear of what? I don’t know.🤷🏻‍♀️) The Boyce Thompson Arboretum had been on my to see list for at least ten years, and as many times as Al and I had driven by the arboretum during our RV travels, we never made it a priority to stop and visit. Well by golly, this was the day!

“We’re 106 miles to Chicago. We’ve got a full tank of gas, half a pack of cigarettes, it’s dark and we’re wearing sunglasses … Hit it.” — Blues Brothers 🤣😉🤭

The drive

It was still dark when I navigated onto the highway … leaving my sunglasses perched on the top of my head . Traffic was already heavy but moving at a good speed … as in everyone, including me, was speeding😮. That’s how we roll here in Phoenix. Fortunately, my plan to beat the worst of rush hour traffic worked out.

As I started heading east bound, the sun was beginning to rise and was trying to peak out between the clouds. I was grateful for the overcast sky considering I was driving east into the sun. The morning light was amazing and I witnessed sky rays … the kind of rays that Arizona is known for and actually featured on the state flag. What a great start to the day!

I arrived to a closed gate at the arboretum. I was early. I had nearly an hour to kill. No problem. I headed back down the road a mile and turned down the dirt road for the Picketpost Trailhead. My little red truck and I were back in our element exploring roads less traveled.

Scouting

The overcast sky was breaking up allowing the sun to create long shadows. I struggled to find a photo composition, but I didn’t care. I was enjoying the morning away from the city. The air was crisp and clean with a temperature hovering in the 55 degree F range. However, I knew it wouldn’t take long for the day to heat up. That’s life in the desert!

Eventually, I made my way back to an open arboretum. I parked the truck and paid the entrance fee. As I was perusing the map, I realized how big this place is. I needed to come up with a plan because I intended to explore the garden in its entirety … or at least try.

I was on a mission today. I wanted to find a photo composition that I might find worthy of printing and hanging above my couch.

Let the exploring commence.

The Boyce Thompson Arboretum is the oldest and largest botanical garden in the state of Arizona encompassing 372 acres with miles worth of trails.

After walking for nearly four straight hours with the exception of quick photo-op stops here and there, I returned to my truck for that picnic lunch. The moment I sat down, I could feel the mornings activity in my legs. I thought about carrying my lunch over to a picnic table, but my body told me to stay put. The truck was fine.

As I sat quietly in my truck munching on my sandwich, I contemplated my next move. Had I captured the landscape image I was searching for? Had I accomplished my goal? Was there anything I missed? I scoured the map again.

The garden had become very busy which was understandable on this beautiful spring day. The early morning solitude that I’d experienced earlier had spoiled me. The wind had also picked up. Considering the wind was blowing the poppies sideways, any thought of focusing on flower photography was short lived.

I took the short stroll over to a garbage can and that’s when I knew exactly what I needed to do. This old body of mine was running out of fuel. Thus, it was time to head home and think about my next adventure because today’s adventure was over.

I may not have captured the image I pictured in my head, but my day was nonetheless successful. I finally visited this beautiful arboretum. I enjoyed a gorgeous day in nature, and above all else, my confidence had been renewed. Mission accomplished!

Today’s Sunday Still’s photo challenge is Earth Day. I can’t think of a better way to celebrate Earth Day than by visiting an arboretum.

Arizona, Photography

Not Lost, Just Turned Around

by Ingrid91 Comments on Not Lost, Just Turned Around
Not Lost, Just Turned Around

After selling the RV and moving into a house two and a half years ago, I found myself more housebound than adventure bound.

I’ve always been a restless type of person with a need to explore, a need to travel, a need to see what’s around the corner, a need to venture beyond my comfort zone and challenge myself.

Perhaps that’s why I was feeling lost and out of sorts. I make a terrible homebody.

Life is lived forward but only understood backward.

After spending the better part of a month this past winter living on my couch suffering from cold and flu symptoms, I had plenty of time to reflect on my lackluster mood. Obviously, being sick didn’t help, but it was more than just that. It was time for me to dig deep and analyze my mood!

What was it about the RV lifestyle that made me feel so alive? Could I replicate some of that in my new stationary life? Was I subconsciously mourning my past?

“Do not dwell in the past, do not dream of the future, concentrate the mind on the present moment.” — Buddha

Snap out of it!

First on my addenda was dusting off my camera and reconnecting with my local camera club.

March was the perfect time to do just that. Venturing around the Phoenix valley with a talented photo buddy was energizing and helped put me back on track. I realized I needed to embrace the things that make me happy.

I needed to explore and capture the beauty around me. I needed to jump back into photography. I needed to hop in my little red truck and explore. I needed to start living and not merely existing.

I may not be traveling around immersing myself in a variety of landscapes like I once did, and I’m more than okay with that. That was then, this is now. I’m content living in the lovely state of Arizona amongst family and friends and diving into the surrounding landscape that I call home.

Turns out, I was never lost, just turned around.

“A flower does not use words to announce its arrival to the world; it simply blooms.” For this week’s Sunday Stills Photo Challenge, Terri asks us to share images of flowers. The desert is at its finest in Spring when the landscape is dotted with an array of color from wildflowers. There’s nothing like a beautiful field of wildflowers that’ll brighten any melancholy mood.

Arizona, Photo challenge, Photography

Lens-Artists Challenge – Water in Motion

by Ingrid63 Comments on Lens-Artists Challenge – Water in Motion
Verde River

Water is a precious commodity in the desert southwest. There’s an old saying around here that is rumored to have been said by Mark Twain.

“Whiskey’s for drinking and water is for fighting over.”

Horseshoe Lake Dam

During one of my recent adventures, I took the hour plus drive out to Horseshoe Lake.

Spring, particularly March and April, is when snow melt feeds our rivers and reservoirs. It’s a unique system of water management.

I timed my visit to Horseshoe Dam perfectly as millions of gallons of water were being released to flow downstream in an effort to fill up Bartlett Reservoir.

There are seven managed reservoirs that provide water to greater Phoenix, Arizona.

Horseshoe Lake

Much of the water supply is surface water that originates as snow in the mountains north and east of Phoenix. As the snow melts, it flows into reservoirs via the Verde, Salt, and Colorado Rivers.

The first dam was built in 1906 creating Roosevelt Lake (reservoir). Over time, a system of lakes, rivers, dams, and canals were built to deliver water to the millions of residents throughout the Phoenix Valley.

Not only do these reservoirs serve an important role in providing a water supply, they also offer a source of recreation.

This was definitely an interesting excursion that was worth the ten mile plus dirt/gravel road to get out to the dam.

I’m not only grateful for the water, but also grateful for the recreation and scenery not far from home.

Hmm, where to next?

For this week’s Lens-Artists photo challenge #293, Sofia asks us to share images of Water in Motion. Living in the desert, I thought this prompt might find me digging through my photo archives, but fortunately, on my quest to photograph wildflowers, I ventured out to Horseshoe and Bartlett Lakes. What great timing!

Verde River
Arizona, Photography

Happy Sunday!

by Ingrid42 Comments on Happy Sunday!
Happy Sunday!

Easter may be synonymous with candy-filled Easter baskets, pastel colored decorations, epic egg hunts, and chocolate bunnies, but for Christians, it is so much more.

It is a sacred time to celebrate and honor the resurrection of Jesus Christ. New life!

Spring’s new life … After a drab winter, the lushness of the new season is a welcome burst of color and life. It’s a stark contrast to the barren tree branches that reach up to a cold winter sky.

“Easter spells out beauty, the rare beauty of new life.” — S.D. Gordon

“The story of Easter is the story of God’s wonderful window of divine surprise.” — Karl Knudsen

May your Easter basket be filled with joy, happiness, and peace this season and always.

🐰I hope you have an egg-cellent Sunday!🐇🐥

Arizona, Photography

Glorious Wildflowers

by Ingrid78 Comments on Glorious Wildflowers
Glorious Wildflowers

Spring has definitely sprung here in the desert southwest. This past week, I enjoyed a couple of photography outings in hopes of capturing some of Arizona’s wildflowers.

And my ventures were indeed successful!

Flowers are meant to be photographed.

Flowers make me happy. They make me smile and inspire me. When I’m amongst a group of wildflowers, I’m in my happy place.

“A flower’s appeal is in its contradictions – so delicate in form yet strong in fragrance, so small in size yet big in beauty, so short in life yet long on effect.” — Terri Guillemets

“A flower blooming in the desert proves to the world that adversity, no matter how great, can be overcome.” — Matshona Dhliwayo

Flowers are like friends; they bring color to our world.

Spring is a lovely reminder of how beautiful change can truly be.

Arizona, Photography

The Desert Turns Green

by Ingrid92 Comments on The Desert Turns Green
The Desert Turns Green

Since moving to the desert southwest, the month of March has become a favorite time of year for me. I grew up in the Midwest and used to dread March. When March rolled around, I was ready for winter to be over, but Mother Nature still had lots more inclement weather to share. There would always be another snowstorm, gray skies, and a whipsaw of temperatures.

Not so in Phoenix, Arizona. March is awesome!

The Color Green

March is when our desert starts to come alive. As her plants come out of hibernation, the color green can be seen in all directions. There’s a feeling of rebirth and renewal. It’s a special time of year to experience the desert.

“Look deep into nature, and then you will understand everything better.” Albert Einstein

As a combination of yellow’s optimism and blue’s calmness, green is considered to be a positive color. It can even evoke feelings of balance, serenity, and joy.

“Green is the prime color of the world, and that from which its loveliness arises.” Pedro Calderon de la Barca

It’s considered the most balanced color, most likely due to its association with nature. Green can improve mood and surrounding oneself with green elements aids in relaxation and depression. It can even bring about a feeling of peacefulness.

Green Heron spotted at a local pond
plant seen near the pond with the green heron

Feelings of Vitality and Peace

Spring has sprung here in Arizona and I couldn’t be happier. Is it the green landscape that has me feeling more energized? Could it be the wildflowers that are beginning to dot our landscape? It doesn’t really matter. What does matter is I’m in a good mood, and I intend to soak up every minute of our glorious spring weather and beautiful landscape because I know the extreme desert heat is just around the corner.

Now please excuse me while I grab my camera and head out in search of desert wildflowers ….

What does March look like in your neck of the woods?

For this week’s Sunday Stills photo challenge, Terri asks us to showcase the color Green. March is the perfect month for this prompt. Green signifies new life, new growth, and new beginnings. Spring is upon us!

Arizona, Photography, Wisconsin

I Changed my Mind

by Ingrid116 Comments on I Changed my Mind
I Changed my Mind

I grew up in America’s Midwest surrounded by lush vegetation and always enjoyed autumn, but that also meant winter was on its way and that I did not relish. Nope, this gal is not a fan of snow and cold.

In the northern midwest, sometime in September, the crisp cool air would roll in and the leaves on the trees would start changing. Let’s face it, it’s just a matter of time before the seasons change, and as much as we’d like Mother Nature to work on our schedule, she’s in charge of the time.

Ah, but who can resist a forest filled with vibrant colored leaves or the smells of pumpkin spice and the taste of all things apple? Not I !

However, the fall season never lasts long enough. The trees shed their colorful beauty way too quickly and the skies remain a gloomy gray for weeks on end. And as much as I loved autumn in the Midwest, spring was a time of year to look forward to.

I’ve always felt spring symbolizes growth, new life, and a sense of energy. Plus, it meant summer was on its way, So, spring was always my favorite time of year …. until recently.

Travel is the best! We get to time the seasons.

Traveling full-time in our RV meant we got to enjoy all four seasons on our terms. We could migrate like birds. We could stay in the north until the first frost then head south for the winter, and in the spring, we could do the same only in reverse, head north to escape the southern summer heat.

That all changed when we sold our RV and bought a house in the desert southwest.

There’s no more migrating for these two old birds. Since selling the RV, we don’t travel frequently like we used to. We live a much more stationary life these days.

This summer has produced record-high temperatures in Arizona without much of a reprieve from the extreme heat making me not look forward to future summers.

At least my husband and I were able to get away a couple of times for a visit to Colorado to enjoy a change of scenery and weather. These days, I’ll take whatever travel I can get.

Let’s hope our temperatures drop soon and fall is just around the corner 🤞 Fingers crossed! Fall, winter, and even spring are absolutely a joy to hang around the deserts of Arizona, So not only do I look forward to fall, I look forward to winter. Thus, I’ve changed my mind regarding the seasons.

Fall has replaced spring as my new favorite time of year.

What’s your favorite season?

For this week’s Sunday Stills photo challenge, Terri asks us to showcase colors of orange and gold. Click the link to check out her post and what others are sharing.

And for Lens-Artists Challenge #266, Donna’s photo challenge prompt is “Time”. Be sure and visit her site for a fun take on “Time”.

Arizona, Photo challenge

Traveling with Blue Skies

by Ingrid99 Comments on Traveling with Blue Skies
Traveling with Blue Skies

Al and I were finally able to get away last month. I can’t tell you how good it felt to be back out traveling and on the road again. After sitting stationary for almost two years, I needed this trip more than I realized.

It was a spur-of-the-moment decision to hop in the truck and take the ten-hour drive to visit my brother and sister-in-law in western Colorado. Fortunately, the short notice was ample time for my brother and his wife to prepare for a couple of house guests.

This would be the first time in a long time that we’d be traveling without an RV in tow. The planning felt initially strange and I was slightly confused as to how and what to pack, but it didn’t take long for travel mode to set in. I quickly got my act together and a list was formed.

I started reviewing our route which didn’t take long since we had made this drive numerous times with the RV. What was new was the necessity to plan break stops and pack a cooler considering my kitchen and bathroom wouldn’t be in tow. Those are two things sorely missed after years of travel in an RV. The conveniences of RVing spoiled us, but I was determined to adjust and figure things out along the way.

Travel excitement soon set in and we even discussed leaving a day early and overnighting somewhere along the way. In the end, we stuck with plan A and hit the road bright and early on a Sunday morning.

The scenery between Phoenix, Arizona, and Grand Junction, Colorado, is stunning. Our route took us through Monument Valley and Moab, Utah. This was the first time in months that Al and I actually missed having an RV. There are so many beautiful places to stop and linger. So many unique sights to see and explore, and even though this landscape wasn’t new to us, the desire to get lost in its beauty was strong.

You can’t go wrong with scenes of blue skies, puffy clouds, and nature’s red rock sculptures. We pushed through the desire to explore the side roads and kept moving. We made great time and nine and a half hours later were pulling into my brother’s driveway.

After three fun-filled days, it was time for us to hit the road, but this time, in the opposite direction. I’ll admit, I wasn’t ready to head home. Alas, if we still had the RV, the four of us would’ve planned a getaway to Ridgway State Park. I can’t believe the last time the four of us camped together was ten years ago.

Our next RV? LOL … needs a little work!

Anytime we visit my brother and sister-in-law, we always find something to entertain ourselves. Whether it’s a fun hike, cooking up yummy food, or mixing up tasty cocktails, there’s plenty of laughter and relaxation. Thanks for the hospitality guys. We’ll be back!

On the way home, we did make some extra stops and lingered along the way. Probably not the smartest choice considering we ended up running into a major traffic backup and then later some serious construction causing delays and thus turning our drive into a long twelve-hour day. We didn’t mind. We were back on the road and taking in the sights along the way. Hmm, where shall we go next?

Today’s Sunday Stills photo challenge is the color BLUE. We were fortunate to enjoy lovely blue skies with occasional white clouds during our entire five-day trip. Beautiful skies and beautiful scenery were immensely enjoyed by all.

Arizona, Photo challenge

A New Routine

by Ingrid81 Comments on A New Routine
A New Routine

Living in the desert southwest has its pluses and minuses. The biggest minus is the summer heat. Yeah, yeah, yeah I hear ya, it’s a dry heat, but even an oven is a dry heat 😁lol. That said, during the summer it’s really difficult to do any kind of outdoor activity much after nine o’clock in the morning.

Fortunately, we live a short walking distance away from a recreation center in our 55-plus community which offers a wonderful fitness center. Thus, we’re able to get in our daily walks on a treadmill in an air-conditioned environment.

But hiking on a treadmill is just not the same as strolling the great outdoors while filling our lungs with fresh air and taking in the beauty of nature and plants surrounding us. So, Al and I have come up with a new morning routine … a routine I never thought I’d embrace. Each morning, we start off our day at 5:30 a.m. with a quick twenty-minute walk around the neighborhood while watching the sunrise.

Even though I’ve always been a morning person, I much prefer waking slowly over a cup or two of coffee before starting the day, but much to my surprise, I’m really enjoying this new morning routine. We still go to the fitness center in the afternoon to get in a more strenuous walk, but starting the day off with a short brisk walk seems to energize me.

“If you truely love nature, you will find beauty everywhere.” – Laura Ingalls Wilder

I’m not sure if it’s the dawning of a new day, the fresh morning air, the diverse plants, the chirping of birds, the hopping bunnies, or a combination that appears to agree with me. It doesn’t really matter. All I know is I need nature,

So, until our days get longer and our extreme heat subsides, every morning before sunrise you’ll find me strolling around my neighborhood. But trust me, it’s a brisk walk as visions of coffee swirl through my head.

These photos are in response to the Sunday Stills photo challenge – The Glowing Life of Plants.