POST ROAD TRIP?...JUST SLEEP

Silver City mural

Mexican Trestle

Rio Grande

Animas River

Grand Mesa lake

Home from yet another great road trip and all I want to do right now is sleep, sleep, sleep. So, for now, I will merely share a few pictorial highlights from the road. Clearly, Jenna and I are enamored of rivers and trees...and the very bluest of skies. Our agreed upon highlight was the day in Las Cruces when we first hiked in Cloudcroft to the Mexican Trestle and then visited the phenomenal White Sands National Monument.

All in all, a wonderful trip with daughter #2 (wish I could get #1 out on one of these) filled with sights and sounds to remember, but not enough wildlife sightings, though we saw a handful of deer here and there.

It was a great break and when I am finished with catching up on sleep there is much to do here with a full week ahead. Back to reality, I guess.

LOVING THE ROAD

Sorry no pictures this time. Having to do blog from my phone and in a hurry. Daughter #2 and I are still on our road trip adventure, having gone through Arizona and New Mexico and arriving today in Colorado. There will be plenty to share , but the highlights are time together, rivers, and great hikes. More to come 
Signing off for now. 

ON THE ROAD AGAIN...AND SINGING A SONG

Beauty at home

It is that time again--daughter Jenna and I hit the road each fall to explore. We start out in a direction that could very possibly change as we go. This year it will be easterly as we head to our first stop in Arizona. After that...well, it's anybody's guess. I'm leaning toward heading for a bit cooler, like elevations in New Mexico? We'll see. Wherever we go, it will be a great time spent with daughter and her music and some good hiking thrown in, of course.

My intention is to try and keep up this twice a week thing on the road, but there are few guarantees. Goals are just goals....

PAREIDOLIA?... REALLY?

What do you see?

Pareidolia...what a mouthful of a word! It refers to the fact that our brains are always on the alert for possible patterns in the world around us. Logic need not apply.

When you were a kid (and possibly still) did you see images in the clouds? in the wallpaper? in the intricate designs of a carpet? Well, then I guess you are already familiar with pareidolia. 

Daughter Jenna and I are off on another road trip soon and perhaps there will be many opportunities for experiencing pareidolia. I hope so. Meanwhile, with 82 blog posts complete for the year, I hope to figure a way to continue my two a week commitment while on the road. And I'm behind this week as I have been too busy with other things so expect another post probably today. Crazy, right? But goals is goals is goals...

WHETHER AND WEATHER...

Coastal currents

Dawn broke to the soft hoot of a pair of owls in a nearby tree. For a while I simply stayed snuggled in bed and just listened. Eager to get the day started, I was nevertheless mesmerized and a bit to warm to want to leap out just yet.

Once up, though, I slurped down my large mug of Sumatra coffee, got dressed, and headed out along the coast for my morning walk. My goal for the day is 12,000 plus steps so I knew I wanted to get to it. 

Once at the shore's edge, though...well, more being mesmerized. What can I say?

Once the trance lifted and I was well on my way, my thoughts turned to the annual road trip daughter Jenna and I will be taking soon. Weather has turned our intentions around and around and there was even a point where I was frustrated enough to wonder whether we would even pull it off this fall.

Finally, we have arrived at our dates of travel, but destination is the "whether" and controlled mostly by "weather." I suppose as the day draws nearer we will get it all together. There's not really much to decide except which direction to go as we always fly by the seat of our pants, serendipity and luck.

Happy travels for us abound no matter the direction or the weather. Stay posted.

LAUGHING ALL THE WAY

,

Up early and ready to start the annual road trip with daughter Jenna, I saw this "funny" on Jacki Long's blog. So apt, I had to borrow it. (Thanks, Jacki!)
Jenna and I never know quite where we will go on these trips. We pick the first night, which can sometimes set the direction at least, and then off we go, choosing the next day's adventure each night.
This is year three and weather has pushed us all around, just making the decision for first night a couple of days ago. This year, La Verkin, Utah. (The first year we did this was to Surprise, Arizona, which seemed apt, but it's not always easy to be that on target with the first night choice :))
We are packed and ready for another fun trip.

I'll report back in November.
Let the adventure begin. Surprise us!

ROAD TRIP REDUX

Oregon color at Natural Bridge

Another road trip with daughter Jenna has ended. This year we headed north to Oregon and Washington. We were just ahead of California's disastrous wildfires. As we traveled through wind and smoke, we were saddened for all the terrible loss.
On our hikes to so many beautiful waterfalls, through so many heavily forested areas in Oregon, we met some interesting people and got some good exercise. Then, Jenna's knee acted up and our travels became a bit more sedate. Still great though to be in the beauty of it all.
Heading through Portland to Port Townsend, around the Olympic Peninsula and back up to Gig Harbor we saw many sights and visited with friends. Then, down the Oregon Coast before heading back inland to Ashland and straight down the 5 to home. 
A great trip! It was good to be away from news, social media, and traffic while seeing so many wondrous sights. I look forward to the next road trip, but for now had better hustle to get ready for the upcoming mixed media workshop and finish commissioned pieces put on the back burner til now.

AS THE CROW FLIES!

On the road again

Following our hearts, daughter Jenna and I have hit the road for ten days filled with adventure...no plan and no destination involved.  Thus far--a bit over halfway--we have hit on some great spots, some beautiful scenery, invigorating hikes, and more. This is the stuff of creativity. It keeps the juices flowing and opens eyes, heart and mind to the new and different along the way. Off we go again!