Walnut Canyon National Monument~

Southeast of Flagstaff Arizona (click to enlarge and spot the cliff dwellings hidden in the rock face),

on a plateau,

is a six hundred foot deep canyon,

carved by Walnut Creek, a stream that flows east into The Grand Canyon.

Walnut canyon has been occupied by people for thousands of years.

The first permanent residents,

who occupied the region from CE 600- 1400,

left approximately 800 remaining structures.

We visited here as part of an exploration of lesser visited, and even unpublicized cultural sites in the American Southwest. In the next few posts I will show you some of what we have found. But our explorations are still ongoing. It becomes quite addictive finding sites that aren’t widely known. We even found some at The Holler.

For more about Walnut Canyon see:

https://www.nps.gov/waca/learn/historyculture/people.htm

Colorado Rocky Mountain Surfers~

A different kind,

of ‘Rocky Mountain High!’

The river surfers,

on The Animas River,

in Colorado.

navigate submerged rocks,

frigid water,

and stand to prove it!

But that didn’t prevent some ‘gnarly’

wipe-outs!

The river was running fast and deep.

Cheers to you from The skillful Colorado Rocky Mountain Surfers~

New Wave~

Check out Jim at The New Wave!

The New Wave is a more subtle,

mostly unknown,

and far less traveled,

version of the hugely popular and overcrowded Wave.

It is located near Page Arizona,

in The Glen Canyon Recreation Area. (Where’s Jim? He is in this photo too!)

The formations of previously molten rock,

are made of Navajo Sandstone.

We hiked here entirely alone all day!

Cheers to you from The New Wave~

(Note: We are heading out of wifi range, so I will touch base when I can).

Blooming Joshuas~

This is the first time I have ever seen Joshua Trees in bloom!

These trees were recently designated an endangered species by The California Fish & Game Commission.

They are vulnerable because they exist in a limited area in The Southwestern US and Baja California. Their range is mostly contained by the boundaries of the Mojave Desert. This habitat is under pressure from development and climate change.

Joshua Trees are pollinated by Yucca Moths. Desert habitat is sensitive and species are interdependent.

Interestingly, in the distant past, Joshua’s were pollinated by Giant Sloths!

Humans have lived in The Mojave Desert for about 12,000 years.

Pictographs, cryptic messages from the past, can be found throughout this region.

Cheers to you from the fascinating Mojave~

Superstitions~

Monet,

could have traveled,

from Giverny,

to paint Arizona’s Superstition Mountains.

The place is an impressionistic,

dream.

Cheers to you from The Superstitions~

Southwest Desert~

Flamingos?

Apparently.

Because here they are!

Hanging out with their very outgoing chicks.

There were Australian swans,

snoozing with Canadian Geese.

in ponds,

in Nevada and California.

Cheers to you from the happy birdies~

Fish Tales~

Arizona Koi,

are friendly fish.

They aren’t afraid of getting hooked,

but do expect some tasty treats!

I had no fishy food,

but still they followed me,

around the ponds,

like swimming puppy dogs!

Cheers to you from Arizona’s friendly koi~

Red Rock & Sand~

Imbued by light,

and shadow.

Water reflects pastel hues.

Faces form in the rocks,

and vanish in the shadows.

Light is fleeting here,

defined by shadow.

Cheers to you from Sedona Arizona~

The Cardinal Rule~

Is that I have seen only one cardinal,

ever.

The first was in Buenos Aires.

Meet Cardinal number two!

I met him at The Superstition Mountains in Arizona.

He was a rare finding and was quite sociable.

Of course I didn’t have my good bird zoom lens, but he’s so handsome, it almost doesn’t matter.

Cheers to you from my second Cardinal in Arizona~