Monday walk…Tonto National Forest

To be honest, I did more driving than walking here because I’d pull over to take pictures, then hop back in, drive to another spot, and repeat. In some areas there was fencing, so I couldn’t walk far. In others I found trail access with parking, but you have to have a pass to park and I don’t have one. I didn’t mind. The views could hardly have been bettered.

“Flowers always make people better, happier, and more helpful; they are sunshine, food and medicine to the mind.”
― Luther Burbank

Spotting a cactus in full bloom I clambered up the steep slope in loose soil, hoping I wouldn’t slip and fall into anything spiny. If the following quote is true, the desert is full of both love and truth. 🙂

“Love speaks in flowers. Truth requires thorns.”
― Leigh Bardugo, The Language of Thorns: Midnight Tales and Dangerous Magic

Then came lupine, beautiful flowers we see in Wyoming if we arrive early enough in the summer or even later if there’s been enough rain and it hasn’t gotten too hot. No matter the color of the flowers, the views of the mountains and the endless sky kept me happy. You’d think a cloudless blue sky would be the best, but for photos you can’t beat some artistically arranged clouds!

In some places there were poppies as well. Jo, I didn’t have any cake or dessert after the three hours or more I spent here, but I was filled with so much joy and contentment that I didn’t need anything else. 🙂

“The earth laughs in flowers” ― Ralph Waldo Emerson

I clearly heard earth laughing this day!

Jo’s Monday Walk 4.17.23

Deep purple

I’ve been looking through old photos courtesy of Google Photos who likes to share photos from 8 years ago (or 7 or 6 or however many years) on this day or this week that many years ago. This one struck me as just right for Tuesday. 🙂 There won’t be many wildflowers when I go to Wyoming later this summer but this view can always make me feel I’m in the mountains in spring. And for you old rock aficionados (Brian, I’m talking to you), there was no smoke on the water or fire in the sky…thankfully. 🙂

For much of this week I’m just sharing photos that I like…no particular theme (except always for Thursday Doors) and I hope you enjoy the random photos. Today I’m on the way to Prescott, Arizona to spend the day and a bit of tomorrow with Marsha of Always Writes. I imagine there will be a photo or two. Just guessing. 🙂 It’s been a long day dealing with financials to do with my parents’ estate. The bank has been particularly annoying despite my parents having a trust, but even with lots of prior planning, the steps you have to go through are long and often tedious. I’m looking forward to the little break.

Friday flowers…lupine

Monday walk…around the lake 2

We’ve made it halfway around the lake.  Let’s finish that walk.  Bring your cameras and relax.  We ended the first part of our walk with a lupine photo, but I love them, so here’s another.

A wet spring also puts fungus amung us.  🙂   This one is beautiful but deadly and there were quite a few of these around.  Although poisonous, the amanita muscaria has been used as a hallucinogen as well as for other purposes.  Click the link to read more, but I prefer to simply admire, not eat.

Monday walk…the first lake

At the cabin, no one has taken the time to name the lakes. They’re simply the First Lake, Second Lake, and Third Lake.  There are some rowboats available on the First Lake, but let’s take a walk instead.  As I’ve mentioned before, it’s wonderfully green, as you’ll soon see.  But let’s start with some yellow.

At the end of the lake, we can look down to where the creek drops down.  This time of year, you can hear the rushing sound and even see it for a bit before it disappears into the willows and other growth.  Willows are a favorite of moose, but unfortunately I don’t spot any today.