Trip to the Southwest- Desert Magic!

Desert Magic is sleeping with the sounds of coyotes speaking, yelping, howling, crying, laughing, and sharing secrets in the dark. Desert Magic is dry, cold, quiet dusks and dawns. Desert Magic is all of the pieces falling into place at desert speed. Desert Magic is hot air balloon rides at sunrise. Desert Magic is professing one's love and having his partner return the confession. Engaged in a basket while floating in the sky- Desert Magic.

Trip to the Southwest- Grand Canyon

The third part of our week-long trip to the Southwest was to the Grand Canyon. In the hot air balloon in Sedona, one of the other passengers told us that the park had opened THAT morning because the state was going to fund it... so we got some camping gas in town and then headed north, up Oak Creek, from Sedona to Tusuyan and into the grand Canyon. Having just opened there were VERY few people there which was eerie considering how busy it was the following week. I figured they were keeping it private for my new fiance and me :)

 Budding juniper

 Yes, I still have the same fleece... it is now nine years old.

 Canis latrans?

 Tarantula!

 Colorado River from the east

 Western part of G.C. National Park... maybe Mojave Point

 California Condors (Gymnogyps californianus) flying at sunset

 Light changes the canyon. Dusk with condors soaring

BULL ELK

First coal and first FIRE by friction!

Using Tasha's (Juniper) bow and the rest of my bow drill kit (Red Alder spindle on Red Alder fire board) I got my first coal today and then slowly blew it into fire! Practice makes perfect. More practice to go! So excited for this next step in my wilderness skills and connection with the earth.

Trip to the Southwest- Arcosanti

In a fun mix between Michelle (Architecture) and Dave (Ecology) it made sense for us to stop at Arcosanti on the way to Sedona. There, Paolo Soleri coined the idea of "Arcology" which combines architecture into ecology. Using living systems and the natural world as a framework, he started a living community in the desert to create a village of self-sustainability in the 70s. It has been going ever since- set up as a work-trade system and it is only 5% done! What a cool place...

Trip to the Southwest- Sedona

Despite the government shutting itself down, Michelle and I had plans to go to the Southwest. So we went while I hoped that our idiot American politicians (every single one of them) would get it together so we could fully enjoy enchanted desert magic.

 First stop was Sedona. A breath of fresh air and red rocks.

 From the closed visitor's center. Looking north.

 Discussions with Smokey the Bear that he has an important voice in Congress and that he should speak up.

Ole Bell Rock.