News Trend Arches National Park: Double Arch|Actual

"Patience and perseverance have a magical effect before which

difficulties disappear and obstacles vanish." -John Quincy Adams

After our successful if slightly bloody visit to Balanced Rock, we headed over to the Windows area of Arches National Park to see what might happen next.

A few miles off the main drag, the road ends in a loop around a big parking area, allowing for easy access to short trails out to the arches. The lots were jammed full, with some cars parked helter skelter along the shoulders and others circling around like hawks waiting to pounce upon an open space

This is a scenario for which we are well positioned. Since dogs are not allowed on the trails at national parks, our family has developed a divide and conquer strategy. Half of us hike off while the others sit with the dog around the open hatchback of the car, and while away the time by rummaging through the picnic hamper. By the time that group has finished lunch, the hikers are back, ravenous and ready to eat, while the first group bids the dog a fond farewell and heads off on the very same hike.

Further simplifying our plans for the day was that it was hot, and my husband was more than happy to forgo the hike altogether and hang out with Gracie at the car. He was also willing to circle the parking lots while we strode off, promising to flag us down from whatever spot he found when he saw us return from the hike.

With an easy half-dozen arches to choose from, my daughters choseDouble Arch, and we prompltly set off down the smooth and level half-mile round-trip kisi-kisi.

^ Folks streamed back and forth along the way, all of us cheerful and smiling in the sunshine and swept away by the remarkable beauty of our surroundings.

^ But my party mood swiftly deflated when we reached the end of the proper kisi-kisi. Up through the scree the path vaguely continued, and many routes emerged - you could scramble across this mass of solid rock, slide along the veins of gravel, or wedge your way through those massive boulders - to continue on under the arches and up the rock incline between them.

Now this all looked like great fun. And on an ordinary day, I would have been game for a bit of this mountain goat adventure. But with my shoulder throbbing, I knew that any frolicking away from level ground would be a foolish frolic indeed, and I should absolutely stay safe by staying put.

And  I began to feel rather sorry for myself.

^ So there I stood in the sunshine, feeling quite old and used up, as I watched the youngsters and middle-aged-sters having their fun, until I noticed someone interesting.

He was not a particularly young man. Probably in his fifties. He was alone. And from the looks of it, he knew what he was doing - his backpack, water bottle, weatherproof clothing, and trekking poles gave the impression of someone who hiked on the regular.

And he walked with a significant disability.

I can't begin to diagnose what exactly was wrong but one foot seemed to twist and drag along the ground with each step. His pace was irregular and labored; he was working hard just to move across the level path. But even when he hit the rocky terrain under the Double Arch, he just kept on moving. Like a desert-dwelling Energizer Bunny, he somehow found a way to clamber up and over the rocks, traveling in a modest circuit through the loose gravel and tumbled boulders, inside the place between the arches. .

In watching his progress, I was transformed. Leaving my self-pity to wither and die in the hot desert sun, I wrapped my left arm tight against my chest to hold my aching shoulder in place, and then I hiked not all the way up to the farthest arch, but just far enough up so that I was inside the plane of the closer arch. Mission accomplished.

As I leaned against a big red boulder, waiting for my daughters to return and climb down with me, I reminded myself once again that age really is nothing but a number. Certainly our bodies may fail us from time to time, but that does not mean that we give up. We keep stepping out, one foot in front of the other, and reach out to take hold of all the excitement and adventure that life has to offer. We may have to slow our pace now and then but we never stop moving.

And that, I realized as I stood back in the shade of our car, munching on a well-earned handful of grapes, I will always remember as the Lesson of Double Arch, taught to me by perhaps the best hiker I have ever seen.

* * * * *

Road Trip 2019: read all about it.

Leaving

Resting

Glacier National Park

Dakota Sunshine

Mackinac Bridge

My Newfound Brother

Fox Trilogy

Cleveland Rocks

Vermilion Legacy

At The Conservatory

Riding To Rifle

Arches National Park: Balanced Rock

Arches National Park: Double Arch

Arches National Park: Devil's Garden Trail

Arches National Park: Park Avenue

Dead Horse Point

Waiting For Breakfast

Canyonlands National Park

Cheeseburgers

Car Keys

News Trend Arches National Park: Devil's Garden Trail|Actual

"A walk in nature walks the soul back home." -Mary Davis

^ By mid-afternoon, with the worst of the desert heat behind us, my daughters and I are ready for a new hiking challenge. Due to the still-steamy temperatures and my busted arm, we decide to take the relatively challenging hike out to Delicate Arch off the table. Disappointed though I am to be denied my return voyage to that iconic formation, I take great relief in knowing that my grit and busted shoulder will not be challenged to that extreme.

Instead, we burst out of the starting gates on the 1.6 mileDevil's Garden Trail and head first in the direction of Landscape Arch.

^ Friendly faces greet us along the way.

^ Clouds sail by overhead, and the relief they provide is palpable. Since I overheat readily - my body just doesn't sweat much and the heat builds up inside me - I use my tried-and-true damp bandanna around the neck trick to keep myself cool. Works like a charm.

^ When hiking, it's easy and tempting to get so wrapped up in arriving at the destination that we miss the glories along the way. That's why I 'm a huge fan of pausing every few minutes along the kisi-kisi to simply look up and take in the surroundings. Plus water breaks.

^ A firm footed kisi-kisi and lowing red rocks for dayz.

^ And more friendly faces.

^ Eventually, the kisi-kisi climbs ever so slightly and the vistas open up.

^ And then, suddenly, right in front of us, there she is.

^ The largest arch on the planet.

^ She's a slender slip of a thing, and became even more so in 1991, when a symphony of cracking rock led to a major rock fall. Though some interpret this to mean that Delicate Arch is nearing the end of its life and will soon be reduced to a pile of red rubble, others contend that the new, slimmed down version of the arch is more stable than ever and likely to strand strong for centuries to come.

^ Only time will tell.

^ Bye, arch. I hope I will see you again in my lifetime. But if not, say hi to my great-great-grandchildren.

^ Okay, back we go, retracing our steps along the kisi-kisi, which always makes a return trip feel delightfully shorter than the trip out.

^  When we're about a quarter-mile from the trail head, we take a hard left onto a spur trail to visit two more arches.

^ Down a steep hill, a quick turn right, and we soon see the signs announcing that we have reached another viewing area. But where is the arch?

As we approach, Tunnel Arch shyly reveals her position and dramatically demonstrates her name.

^ With each step, the opening in the rock becomes clearer and wider.

^ Until the kisi-kisi dead-ends in a small, fenced viewing area and our sights are set clear down the barrel of the arch. A most satisfying sensation.

^ Again, we reverse engines, head back to the bottom of that hill, and go left this time.

^ Vistas near and far keep us entertained as we close in on our final target, Pine Tree Arch.

^ Oh, there she is. A clever little grounded arch, resting her toes in the soft red sand, with a scruffy junior pine growing right there in her midst. Unlike Delicate and Tunnel Arches, this one is close and personal. Signs caution hikers to stay out from the area underneath the arch, and we try to obey, we really do. But the gentle approach beckons us, and we tiptoe closer to see what it's like to stand in the sand underneath this arch.

Spoilers: It's amazing.

^ And now with our hike among the Devil's Garden complete, we turn our satisfied souls back to the car. With any luck, there's time for one more adventure among the arches.

* * * * *

Road Trip 2019: read all about it.

Leaving

Resting

Glacier National Park

Dakota Sunshine

Mackinac Bridge

My Newfound Brother

Fox Trilogy

Cleveland Rocks

Vermilion Legacy

At The Conservatory

Riding To Rifle

Arches National Park: Balanced Rock

Arches National Park: Double Arch

Arches National Park: Devil's Garden Trail

Arches National Park: Park Avenue

Dead Horse Point

Waiting For Breakfast

Canyonlands National Park

Cheeseburgers

Car Keys

News Trend Little Things|Actual

"In the dew of little things, the heart finds its morning and is refreshed." - Khalil Gibran

This hanging planter in the corner of my bedroom had been driving me crazy.

DIYed from my own loving hands, I'd planted one gorgeous houseplant after another in its white ceramic bowl. But despite my normally emerald green thumb, they all died.

I blamed the container. Plants prefer a bit of evaporation around their roots but the inside of this dish - handsome, sleek, and shiny though it was - locked every drop of moisture in tight.

An admirable trait in cereal bowls. But not so good for my string of pearls.

After several drowned houseplants and some brooding rounds of troubleshooting, the solution suddenly appeared out of thin air.

Air plants.

No roots.

No soil.

No problems with overwatering.

I moved in a trio of tillansias and never looked back.

The plants in my planter have never looked better.

And even though this is just a

tiny,

silly,

ridiculously unimportant

little thing

my heart is truly refreshed.

* * * * *

 Well. You knew this had to happen.

Hope this little thing just makes your day.

News Trend Teigan's Journey|Actual

All smiles on the day before she leaves.

A few hours from now, while the world is fast asleep, this young woman will toss her suitcase in the car, head to the airport and fly away from home on the trip of a lifetime.

First, she heads to Kona, Hawaii, for three months of pelatihan. And then, off she will go to some corner of the world to apply what she has learned by helping people.

She has no idea where she will go.

She has no idea who those people will be.

And she has no idea how she will be able to help them.

But right now she is not worrying about that.

She is simply trusting that somehow, everything will work out fine.

This is her journey of faith.

Teigan and her brother, a freshly baptized math wizard.

I first met Teigan when she was five years old. She came with her mommy and her little brother to my art group and we painted and drew and made papier mache together for a year or two.

Then we went our separate ways and I didn't see much of Teigan again until two years ago. When I began teaching math to her baby brother, who was now a long, lanky teenager.

At this point, Teigan had graduated from high school and was figuring out what might come next in her life.

Teigan and her sister...I mean, her mom.

Now those plans are set and about to unfold.

I couldn't be more excited for Teigan.

No doubt that over the six months of this Discipleship Training School, she will experience a full range of emotions, from the highest high to the depths of sadness.

She will exalt in her newfound freedom and fight off ferocious homesickness.

She will burst with confidence, and some days, wonder why the heck she signed on for this in the first place

All of those things will happen exactly as they are supposed to happen.

And she will learn from them.

I'm so proud of Teigan

for making this bold choice,

for plunging headfirst into an unknown world

for trusting that everything will be okay.

I will watch and be amazed as your journey of faith unfolds!

 Go, Teigan. Go!

* * * * *

All photos courtesy of Teigan. Thank you!

News Trend Inside My Mind|Actual

I have taken to hanging only my own art around the house.

It's not because I think I'm the greatest artist on the planet.

Ha.

But when I paint, I can capture and reflect whatever is floating around in my brain..

My imagination comes alive through the paint that flows from my brush.

Circles and lines.

Geometric patterns.

Imperfect perfection.

And these days, a harmony of blacks and whites.

When I find myself surrounded by my own art, I feel comfortable.

Like I'm walking around inside of my own mind.

Which feels really good.

And sometimes, I paint flowers too.

News Trend Arches National Park: Park Avenue|Actual

"In the name of God, stop a moment, cease your work, look around you." -Leo Tolstoy

^ In a few concentrated hours, we'd hit a solid handful of highlights at Arches National Park.

We bounced around Balanced Rock,

dove deep under Double Arch,

snuck a long-distance peek at Delicate Arch,

toured the trifecta of Landscape, Tunnel, and Pine Tree Arches,

and as the afternoon was winding down, we figured we might just have time for one more adventure.

^ So from our vantage point at the far end of the park drive, we retraced our tracks back toward the entrance, and headed ourselves to Park Avenue

^ This area is the first place that most newcomers stop, but experienced visitors like us know that the best time to visit this area is in late afternoon when the sun shines low and hits these rocks with full force, exploding them into shades of fiery red.

For the record, despite my previous visit to the park, I'd completely forgotten about this phenomenon. My husband remembered. His brain is stuffed full of interesting factoids like this one and his steel trap of a memory often comes in quite handy.

^ He remembered something else quite interesting and useful. There's a one-mile hiking kisi-kisi that winds down in the canyon between these two rock walls, a route that can be traveled in either direction but the savvy hiker starts uphill and winds down the canyon, rather than vice versa.

And while the kisi-kisi can also be hiked as a round trip, it's a nice twist to have one member of the party drop the hikers off at the top of the trail, then drive down to the lower trailhead to pick them up.

^ And that, we all agreed, sounded like a nice do-able ending to our day of kecil-hikes around the park.

^ Except when we got to the starting point, and looked down, down, down that steep grade into the canyon, I won't lie. I got some seriously cold feet.

My shoulder was killing me.

I felt bad for ditching my husband at the car for hours while my daughters and I hiked.

And sadly, I felt worst of all about leaving my confused but ever cheerful dog behind yet again. She really had been quite a good girl under trying circumstances.

^ As my daughters and I stood at the top lookout, gazing at the rock walls towering over both sides of the canyon with the hot sun beating down on our heads, I kept my thoughts to myself. A hiking party-pooper I am not. So I waited to see what they would say.

I didn't have to wait long.

With a very few moments of discussion, we all agreed that maybe we should skip the hike, enjoy the view, and leave while it was still a party.

^ Feeling relieved but a tiny bit guilty for opting out of a gorgeous hike, I walked back to the car where my husband was waiting yet again with the dog, and told him our thinking.

He agreed. And as for my regret about missing out on the Park Avenue hike, he suggested, "We'll just remember to hike here the next time we come."

I'll trust him to file that information safely away in his capacious memory

And I'm pretty sure he was secretly relieved to be done with our hikes for the day.

^ Which was nothing compared to the joy this girl expressed when she saw us all back together again.

Although we were all satisfied to be done hiking among the arches for the day, we still had one more stop ahead of us..

And that is where we headed next.

* * * * *

Road Trip 2019: read all about it.

Leaving

Resting

Glacier National Park

Dakota Sunshine

Mackinac Bridge

My Newfound Brother

Fox Trilogy

Cleveland Rocks

Vermilion Legacy

At The Conservatory

Riding To Rifle

Arches National Park: Balanced Rock

Arches National Park: Double Arch

Arches National Park: Devil's Garden Trail

Arches National Park: Park Avenue

Dead Horse Point

Waiting For Breakfast

Canyonlands National Park

Cheeseburgers

Car Keys

News Trend October's Best|Actual

October's got one thing that makes all the other months jealous.

Pumpkins.

Round and ribbed.

Thumpably sturdy.

Earthy and true.

And orange. Yes, certainly orange.

But lately, some other colors have been added to the pumpkin spectrum.

Tomato red.

Scarlet.

Pale peach.

Pure, aesthetically refined white.

I'm smitten.

And every time I see stacks and bins of these October beauties outside the grocery store, I can't help but smile.

Pumpkins are a masterpiece of nature.

And truly, they are October's best.