Art Everywhere

As I have been traveling through the Southwest it occurs to me that the people here see everyplace as a blank canvas to create art. That's right water drain covers to blank walls.

The Grand Canyon!

Most of my life it has been my goal to go to the Grand Canyon. I read the children's book, Brighty of the Grand Canyon, when I was in third grade and I have wanted to go ever since then. I still have the original book and re-read it once more before I arrived.

Traveling through this journey of life it became a symbol of holding on, a dream and a goal. I wanted to paint the grand canyon. Though a goal it was so unattainable that it became the things dreams are made of. A happy place in my mind where I would paint great vistas for hours.

Above is pictured great vistas from the canyon. The last 3 are of the Bright Angel Canyon where the trail in Brighty is written about.. These vistas are so awesome. Mostly overwhelming to me as an artist. Oh yes I have cried over many places I have viewed. Dreams coming true are emotional. and life changing as were my moments with the canyon.

Reflections on Things Petrified...

They are not sure what brought these mighty logs down million of years ago. The logs are scattered in groups, as if they were floated down stream and the river dried up and left them stranded and millions of years later they are things of beauty. The logs are now filled with amethyst and quartz, stones instead of wood. Beautiful in the bright sun light.


Right now further south of here the gulf coast and my home state Florida are in a disaster, a giant oil spill that will change the nature of things to come. Billions of dollars and thousands of people are working for solutions. We must hold the thought that something beautiful will follow. Something beautiful in the bright sun light.

I want to paint the logs, and I want to paint the coast of Florida again.

Take it Easy, not quite the Eagles Version

There we were cruising across I-40. The furry buddies camped out on the couch. Flying past more teepees and tourist traps. Closing in on the still snow topped San Francisco Mountains.

Then standing on a corner in Winslow, AZ...really on the side of I-40 was Jon and I when a tow truck, Ford, looking back at me. ohhhhh ohhhh don't let the noise of your own wheels drive u crazy ohhh ohhhhh take it easy! No noise from our wheels!

Rescued! Towed to the nearest RV service center in Flagstaff. We and the Buddies loaded into a Super 8 for 2 very different days while the determined we needed a new fuel pump and battery.

Major set back for we gypsies.......

Traveling Through Teepees...an update of sorts.

These are teepees, a geological formation found in the Petrified Forest National Park in Arizona.

Purple and blues everywhere. The purple is amethyst making a stripe or layer on the teepees.

Awesome beautiful.

We are almost to the Grand Canyon.

Same state...just the other side
3 hours away....

This was the last teepee we stayed at...a KOA campground in the shadows of Red Rocks near Gallup, NM.

When I last blogged we had been at he KOA teepee in ABQ, NM and newly relocated to a Moose Lodge nearby.
We were awaiting Jon's follow up visit. The day Jon went to the emergency room my cousin Nance had a stroke. After 2 long weeks we lost her and I found myself in a rental car headed to Milledgeville, GA to be with family from TN and FL. I drove 26 hours 1,400 miles to get there in time...then on to Fl, where I stayed for a week with family and then drove back! Wonderful celebration of her life. She will be missed by many.

Memorial day weekend we spent in Gallup, except for Monday when we headed into Arizona. Jon is pictured with another kind of teepee at an Indian trading post where we bought post cards and petrified wood.
The last teepees are in Holbrook, AZ along Route 66 of course.

So you see there are many types of teepees, sale promotion teepees, teepees that give one shelter, those that amuse and I leave you with a final photo of the beautiful ones God made.