Friday, March 30, 2018

Painted Desert National Park

Blue Mesa, like a Moonscape, is yours to explore.  I went in November, then in February, both on cold days, and I had this short loop almost to myself.  It's actually in the "Petrified Forest" part of the Petrified Forest/Painted Desert National Park, but if you're coming from the south, it's the best intro into the strange and colorful alien topography of the area.  


And here's more of the red coloring in the northern part of the park, where every viewpoint defies your ability to capture it within the lens of your camera.  If you want a quiet little hike here, take the trail down from the Painted Desert Inn into this painted wilderness.


National Park website:

Tuesday, March 27, 2018

Colorful Petrified Wood, Petrified Forest National Park

These are some amazing trees!
Petrified Forest National Park, Arizona:





If you go, give yourself the whole day.  
Between the Petrified Forest and the Painted Desert, there's a ton to see.
Do NOT skip the short hike through Blue Mesa.






Thursday, March 8, 2018

Author Appearance and Travelogue

I'm doing a free interactive presentation about my experiences living and traveling abroad.  It's next Thursday, March 15, 2018 , at 6:30 pm at Velma Teague Library in Glendale (59th Ave and Glendale--7010 N 58th Ave, Glendale, AZ  85301)



If you're in the area, you can...
-Learn about how to teach ESL in a foreign country
-Hear funny travel stories
-See interesting pictures
-Answer fun cultural quiz questions
-Possibly win one of my books


Saturday, March 3, 2018

Sonoran Desert Birds

The other day at the fantastic Phoenix Desert Botanical Garden, we had some lovely bird encounters. 

Gambel's quail in a tree:



I usually see them on the ground, so it was a treat to see this lookout in the tree. 

I think Gambel's quail are so beautiful.  And sooo cute when you see a whole chain of them following behind their mama. 



And here again is the beautiful hummingbird I posted the other day.  The ones we usually see around our yard are not so flamboyant and have no purple bib, so this one was especially striking:



And...bird in a sahuaro "apartment!"