Tossing Logic Out the Window

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Of course if I had any self-discipline I would post the shots from Arizona in some sort of logical order. But, what the heck, too much self-discipline in areas where it isn't necessary may be bad for the digestion. Who knows?

This is another shot taken on the West Fork Trail in Oak Canyon. I found it difficult to cover much ground on the trail, because every twist and turn in the path revealed another amazing delight. I had to pause for a few minutes and breathe it in before I could even think about raising the camera.

Our Green Friend

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This fellow was unbelievably cooperative when Jim urged him to climb aboard the stick you see and was amazingly patient for his close-up. When Jim first coaxed him aboard, I desperately snapped at the first opportunity thinking I might well get in a single shot before Mr. Grasshopper was on his merry way. To my surprise and delight he decided to enjoy his moment in the spotlight. He did keep a wary eye on both of us to make certain our motives were pure. He lives near the enchanting lagoons in Dead Horse Camp State Park in the Verde Valley. Near the end of our Arizona adventure, we camped there for two and a half wonderful days soaking up the peace,quiet, and beautiful scenery. As always, we had to move on far too soon.

The West Fork Trail

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We spent the better part of a day hiking the West Fork trail in Oak Creek Canyon. While three days there would have been much more to my liking, we had a limited amount of time to spend. So, the next day we explored other areas.

The Wupatki Pueblo

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After a week in central Arizona, I have too many favorite pictures and couldn't decide where to begin this series. Finally, I picked this shot from the Wupatki ruins north of Flagstaff. We enjoyed the fact that we could walk around in and explore the structure. This pueblo was built by the ancestors of the Hopi and Zuni tribes, among others, and was an important trade center approximately 800 years ago.