Creative Road Trip!!

I decided to surround myself with creative people, interesting people, supportive people.. people that ask questions and are excited by life.  People that say ‘yes’.. instead of.. “what are you doing that for?" or even more condescending..  "I hope you find what you are searching for?”..

Paula and I in Antelope Canyon 2016
I want to be around people that just say “ya.. sounds like a plan!”  One of those sort of people that is up for just about anything that involves art.. is Paula.. my ‘sorta’ daughter-in-law. 

Paula.. the girl that gave me my grandson Adam.

Paula.. the hairdresser that understands that my hair isn’t like other people’s.. just as I am not exactly like anyone else.. just as no one is exactly like any one else.. nor should they be!

Paula.. the woman that dragged me along to Paris.

Paula.. the artist that I have now dragged along on a painting road trip: Arizona or bust!

We are here now.. in the sun, just south of Sedona.. hangin in the desert.  Paula is painting and I am trying to decide if I should paint.. or write.. or just sit and marvel at the sights.  My camera has never witnessed so much beauty in such a short time. 

Sure we had to drive for hours the first day.. we took my vehicle.  I figured that since it was a gift from my family.. what the heck.  Put some quality miles on it.
 
So the first couple of days were all about the driving.. which was fine, but nothing to blog home about.  But day three found us in Page, in Arizona.  It was something on my bucket list.. Antelope Canyon is near Powell Lake, which I believe is just a man made lake as they have dammed the Little Colorado River and made a lovely recreational area. 

The Navaho Indians rule in this area.. they are intelligent, beautiful, own and exploit the land, the power plant, the art and Antelope Canyon.


Antelope Canyon has an Upper and Lower part to it.  We followed the signs to the Lower  Canyon, as that was what had been recommended to us by the information Centre.  I am sure it wouldn’t have mattered…  They are different.. Upper being much shorter for one thing.. with rays of light.. while Lower is longer by almost four times, with amazing structures carved out by the water when the rains are heavy and the light passing evenly through the narrow ceiling. Next time I visit I will go to Upper.. but to recommend one over the other.. I don't think so! 

We paid our $20, slipped in among the other tourists, hiked down to the mouth of the underground channel and OMG!  I have no idea what to say.  It is so beautiful!  So beautiful.  As we went further into it there was more.. and more and it was all beautiful.. every corner we turned, every step we took.. every time we turned out heads the light changed to reveal a new and amazing portrait of this part of the planet.  I am sure I took over 300 pictures, and when I tried to edit them.. well, I erased VERY few, if any! 



We are now camped just outside of Cottonwood Arizona.. and Paula is trying to capture the feeling that makes up this part of the country.. the reds.. the ambers, the burnt umber.  She has decided to create cards “I’m doing all the Charkras right now” she says. 

I have had a beer in my hand, my feet up.. the sun is finally out.. our tents are dry and pitched in the sunshine. 

More tomorrow.


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