Canyon rim drive

The south rim drive along Canyon de Chelly gives one the big picture of its depth and length. The walls tower over one thousand feet high at its deepest. The wash meandering through it doesn’t seem powerful enough to have carved this spectacular scenery, but it becomes a raging river that floods the canyon floorContinue reading “Canyon rim drive”

Canyon de Chelly

I began this road trip hiking the red rock canyons of St. George, Utah. Turning north from Tucson, towards my home in Colorado, the stunning red rock Canyon de Chelly National Monument beckoned. I stayed two nights at the Thunderbird Lodge on the grounds, managed and run by Diné (the Navajo name for their people)Continue reading “Canyon de Chelly”

Desert landscapes

A walk around the grounds of the Botanical Gardens before leaving the Tucson area. The scenery, despite the arid climate, is home to the unusual shapes of cacti and succulents, tall and tiny, rugged and intricate. Not as planned or sculpted as the Desert Garden of Pioneer Park in St George, Utah, or the BotanicalContinue reading “Desert landscapes”

Butterflies in Tucson

Always looking for an interesting place to walk, I strolled the grounds at Tucson Botanical Gardens. The highlight of the park was the butterfly center. Staff members or volunteers limited the numbers in the enclosed area, and carefully checked for butterflies that may have landed on a visitor before allowing each person to leave. FloraContinue reading “Butterflies in Tucson”

Tucson street art

After a long day’s drive across the desert southwest from California, I spent a few days in Tucson with a friend from younger days. As with my other stops along this road trip, I wasn’t looking for cityscapes. However, since I had arranged to meet another friend (her ex) for lunch in town, she toldContinue reading “Tucson street art”