Monochrome Monday…dry

I’ll be driving back to Arizona this morning, planning a detour through Joshua Tree National Park to see what it looks like this time of year and after all the rain. Report and photos to follow of course. 😊

Morning walk after a good rain

Six-Word Saturday 3.18.23

I’m in California this weekend for our grandson’s first birthday, so I won’t be around much. I’ll try to catch up when I get a chance.

Wordless Wednesday…view from an Arizona rest stop

Bringing sunshine to your day

This Arizona poppy is brought to you courtesy of the beautiful state of Arizona. The photo’s not from this year, but I’m hopeful I’ll be seeing lots more of them soon, maybe even a superbloom, something I’ve never been fortunate enough to see. In the meanwhile, enjoy the sunshine.

Lens Artists Challenge #236: East Meets West or North Meets South

East Meets West or North Meets South are the two choices Amy offers us this week for the Lens-Artists Challenge. I say “Game on!”

The sun rises in the east and sets in the west. In this first set of photos they meet, even though the sunrise is in Arizona, the sunset in France. Sunrise is my time of day, the filling of my heart to meet whatever might come. Sunset allows for thinking back on the day, planning for the next, slowing down for the upcoming night. Sunrise is an inhale; sunset an exhale…sunrise a drawing in; sunset a letting go.

Okonomiyaki is one of the most delicious ways East can meet West, the capital letter East and West! When our younger daughter studied Japanese, we were introduced to this easy to eat but-hard-to-spell-or-pronounce dish which I was thrilled to find in Chicago at Little Goat Diner. I went with a co-worker from the place I was working as well as the owner. We tried each other’s choices and it was 3 of 3 voting for my okonomiyake, which was absolutely fantastic. From the menu:

Okonomiyaki (Pronounced Yum)* Osaka street food with pork belly, scallions, poached egg, kewpie mayo, crunchy tempura & bonito flakes, sweet soy

Okonomiyaki is a Japanese savory pancake containing a variety of ingredients. The name is derived from the word okonomi, meaning “how you like” or “what you like” or “favorite,” and yaki meaning “grill.”  ~ The Spruce Eats

North and south in my life are full of contrasts. My heart’s home lives in the mountains of Wyoming. I’ve described it as if my life were a puzzle missing just one piece. It looks just fine and presents a beautiful picture but when that one little piece is found and popped into place, it’s whole. I can live and live well without going to our Wyoming cabin, but it’s the little missing piece that fulfills me.

“We are now in the mountains and they are in us, kindling enthusiasm, making every nerve quiver, filling every pore and cell of us.”
― John Muir, My First Summer in the Sierra

Yet our Arizona home, so different, is also filled with beauty, ready to embrace us, albeit with rather prickly arms. To feel at home in such opposite places is truly a blessing

“The extreme clarity of the desert light is equaled by the extreme individuation of desert life forms. Love flowers best in openness and freedom.” ~Edward Abbey

And of course there’s the contrast everyone thinks of when thinking of north and south: cold and heat. “Aren’t you glad to be away from winter?” people say to which I reply, “I actually miss winter.” Snowbirds (of the human sort) fly north in the summer to escape the heat, then return to the south when winter arrives. The seasons in each place are opposite: summer in the south is like winter in the north, the season that people try to avoid. Although I can’t say I’m a fan of 115 degree Fahrenheit temperatures and I do miss the winter, the contrast makes me appreciate each more. What’s not to like about that?

Although all sorts of metaphors could be drawn from these meetings and contrasts, the thought I would like you to take away is that differences are often what make life (and people) interesting. Don’t just stay in your same place, your comfort zone. Find beauty and joy in other, contrasting places and your life will be much richer.

The White Dove…details

I thought you might enjoy a few details of the insides of The White Dove, Mission San Xavier del Baca, that I highlighted in yesterday’s post. So without further ado, let’s start looking a bit closer.

I like the brightly colored border that you can see beneath the well-worn carving. It adds a feeling of brightness and joy. Church should be a place filled with joy and light. In the Southwest, where we have lots of sunshine and many interiors have lots of white, the color is a perfect contrast and keeps the whiteness from being overwhelming. Outside it doesn’t matter. The blue sky makes the white building stand out.

More border and an attractively shaped border surrounding this statue, which has it’s own niche. The depth creates interest.

I really enjoyed the designs on the ceiling. At first glance, they appear almost childish but after looking more closely, some at least reminded me of some Grecian designs.

Again, there’s a colorful border with interesting shapes and lovely details but not an over-abundance. I like the simplicity. it’s not too busy.

Finally, I imagine you don’t normally imagine angels wearing this sort of outfit but after all, you’re in the Southwest United States. I think the decorations and designs should reflect the area where you find them.

Thanks for spending a bit more time enjoying the treasure that is The White Dove and I hope you’re also having a wonderful day!

Skyline

One Word Sunday…skyline

Cellpic Sunday 1.15.23

Monday walk in the neighborhood

It’s often clear in our part of Arizona but when there are some clouds, be ready for some spectacular morning color as on this morning last week. Sunrise doesn’t come until about 7:30 am these days so I don’t have to rush out to catch dawn and sunrise. Most mornings I have my devotions, Bible readings, and Norwegian lesson done before going out and I’m still out before the sun, just the way I like it.

Unusually we had an entire day of rain not long ago and, as our soil doesn’t absorb water very quickly, we were left with lots of sitting water. Made for some good reflections.

Presenting still life on the sidewalk. 🙂 The leaf had such a deep, rich color I couldn’t resist.

Naturally drop shots aren’t the norm either so I enjoyed seeing so many drops on this cactus pad.

We’re getting autumn colors now.

Orange color here might just come from…oranges. These are in someone’s yard but the neighborhood streets are lined with citrus trees and fruit for the taking. I just wish more of the trees were lemon trees.

Jo’s Monday Walk 1.9.23

The colors of autumn…

…in Arizona aren’t the same as in other parts of the US. Yes, there are yellows and reds but not in the leaves generally, at least in the desert part of the state. But the beauty is real as you can see from these photos taken on my recent walk. I’m heading back to Illinois tomorrow (driving) so I’ll have a chance to see the “normal” colors of autumn (or fall as many of us call it.) I’ll get to see what October looks like in New Mexico, Texas, Oklahoma, Missouri, and Illinois and then on the way back, November in the same states. Posting may be sporadic but the camera will be at work so eventually you’ll see what I see. In the meantime, be safe and have fun.

Jo’s Monday Walk 10.24.22

Jasper Forest

Jasper Forest, originally called First Forest as it was the first part of the park accessed from Adamana, a town the railroad tracks passed through, has a high concentration of wood. To prevent full-scale looting, the road that once ran here was closed, but you can now take a nice long walk among hundreds of piece of petrified wood, some full-length although in sections. Remember that I told you they fall apart in piece due to their weight? And as I’m sure you now know, the Jasper Forest isn’t made of jasper but of…what else? Petrified wood, which is actually a fossil.

The variety of minerals make beautiful colors. There are so many beauties here that I found I finally had to stop taking photos. Each one looked as good or better than the last, finally causing a feeling of burnout. I did continue to marvel at them, though.

Everywhere you look you see more petrified wood and who knows how much lie still covered?

Friday will be our last day in Petrified Forest. Not much walking but some lovely pieces of petrified wood. Still having fun?