Fall Continues Southwest Style

One of the best things about living in 2 different countries and climates is the extra long spring and fall seasons that we enjoy,  We begin Fall in September and October in the Canadian Maritimes and continue to enjoy Fall until at least mid-December in Sedona.  In some respects you could argue, we actually enjoy Fall until Spring begins in February here in the Southwest.

However, the deciduous trees like the mulberry, cottonwood, sycamores, maples and others do lose their leaves for 3-4 months so I guess that is winter even if the daytime temps are a comfy 55 degrees.  Of course, the nighttime temps are in the 20's now...  In fact, the leaves have been changing here for a couple of weeks and the grasses have resumed their winter colors, but there were particularly nice on Thanksgiving Day when Michael Chesley Johnson and I had a chance to take a walk on the Turkey Creek Trail.

bright sycamore leaves 8 x 8 framed $50

grasses in red rock country  8 x 8 framed $50

sycamores, red rocks, yucca oh my.. 8 x 8 framed $50

the happy hikers  8 x 8 framed $50

Amazing Arizona Spring with Beaver Sculptures, Starpoints, Lilac, Swallowtails, and Columbine

The weather has been perfect here in Arizona for months.  The heat went off weeks ago and the coolers were started up today, but for now it requires no heating and cooling to be comfortable.  Dining outside is a delight on our screened in porch.  The first days of spring have brought temperatures that seem more like early summer!  There are many wildflowers in bloom and I continue to learn their common names--blackfoot daisy, indian paintbrush, manzanita shrubs and many other plants.

We have noxious weeds in AZ like the puncture vine or goathead:  http://plants.usda.gov/java/noxious?rptType=State&statefips=04, but most "weeds" have a pretty flower like filaree or cranesbill.  However, my HOA wants us to eliminate all "weeds" and plant growth which I do not agree with, especially since for many that means spraying large amounts of glyphosate.  I am experimenting with orange oil, vinegar, and a miniscule amount of detergent in my sprayer.  So far it is taking gallons, and the insects in hte soil don't care much for it, but my beautiful green yard is beginning to turn an ugly brown!  I am doing this under protest as I love my filaree, london rocket, locoweed, bunchgrasses, starpoint/silverpuffs and daisy fleabane.  Every day it is different in my yard this time of year, but now it will have to be eliminated.  However, I love the common land trails by Oak Creek and Spring Creek so I comply.

Columbine in my garden

Starpoint or Lindley's Silverpuff in my yard

Swallowtail on My Lilac Bush!

Sculpture Done by a Beaver by Oak Creek

They are unfortunately taking down a lot of trees...

Archaeology, Geology, and Red Rock Hiking

Besides fabric and photography, I enjoy archaeology, geology and hiking.  I was able to take a hike with my woman's hiking group to a remote cave this week which I used for some of the images.  These are subtly colored kaleidoscopes, you really need to look at them in full screen.

What did the handprints mean?

Native American food storage chamber?

The red rocks of Sedona

The leaves are changing color as seen in the center of the kaleidoscope

For a change of scene, tonight we attend the opening of the SAGA show.  If you find yourself nearby, come and buy yourself a holiday gift of locally createed art:  http://www.sedonaareaguildofartists.com/event/saga-opening-reception-visions-of-fine-art-show/.

   

The "Sound" of Melting Snow

 

I promised some flood sculpture kaleidoscopes this week, but first some kaleidoscopes from photos taken in Sedona from the snowfall on the 9th and 10th of March.  Michael had a meetup with the http://www.meetup.com/Plein-Air-Painters-of-Sedona-and-the-Verde-Valley this morning so I went along to take photos and a hike.  It was beautiful with snow in the high country and just a dusting on the trails and hardly any mud!  The most remarkable thing was the constant ping of the snow in the trees dropping like a bomb.  In the west the sun is so strong that by 9AM on a sunny day after a snowfall the snow begins melting very quickly.

Snow on the Red Rock Pathways

Plein Air Painter of the Red Rocks!