Still Grand (Bridgeport, TX)

One of the stops on our travels to Texas was to visit the Grand Canyon.  This is our third visit here and I still find the views very Grand.  

I took a lot of photos.  I wanted to give you the full effect so no collages this time.  The colors and textures are amazing.

We walked the South Rim from the Visitors Center to the Kolb Studio.  Along the trail, there were pennies and years set in the path telling visitors how many years they have walked between each one.

Also, along the path were samples of different rocks with nameplates for visitors to touch.

Across the canyon and to the left, you can see smoke rising from two wildfires.  I can't get over how far I can see.  So clear with such brilliant colors.  Mother Nature at her best.

Looking down... a long, long way down, I wanted to know just how deep is the canyon.  It is 1.154 miles or 1,857 meters deep just in case you wanted to know.😉

Periodically, we would get a peek of the Colorado River.

I found looking straight down with a railing had a slight dizzy effect.  The trail doesn't get close to the cliff if there are no railings. Which is good for someone like me that trips over her own feet.  

We were surprised to see so many people standing close to the edge of the cliffs.   They are more surefooted than I am. 

Not as close to the edge as some people

Below, one guy on the left (red) was waving his arms and jumping up & down. ME - 😨

We finally made it to the Village.  Stopping for lunch, I had a delicious veggie wrap with southwest flavor at the Harvey House Café inside the Bright Angel Lodge.  Decent prices with fast and friendly service.  

Below is the walking trail to the bottom.  It looks like an interesting walk, but I would prefer a ride in a helicopter to the bottom or even take a raft trip down the Colorado River than to hike up and down this trail.

This ground squirrel was happy to show me the proper way to take a dirt bath.  He certainly did not mind posing for my photos.  

Last photo of our 'Grand' tour!  We stopped in Valle on Hwy 64 to check out this Western scene at a gas station.

On The Cutting Board

I'm working on my next Native Flair block and I will have photos for the next post.  For now, I want to share some new fabric to celebrate Día de Muertos.  While in Albuquerque, my friend took me to a couple of quilt shops and she pointed out this Day of the Dead fabric with cats in it.  

Of course, I had to have at least a fat-quarter ...or two.  It was too cute to pass up!  Now, I have the perfect fabric for this festive pattern that I have been wanting to make into a quilt.

Happy Halloween!

Part Two of Las Vegas (Albuquerque, NM)

Below are photos from the Red Rock Canyon National Conservation Park.  Since I have so many photos, I placed the best ones in collages.

It took a couple of hours to drive the loop with stops and short walks on trails.  The day was perfect with blue skies and mild temperatures.

Viewed some petroglyphs on one trail that was off the regular loop.  It took us a few minutes to find the trail, but it was worth the wandering around to see them.

I was pleasantly surprised to see this remembrance quilt in the Visitors Center.  

A lot of thought and work went into the quilt.  What a beautiful tribute to Goodsprings and a wonderful way to remember your neighbors and friends.

It looks like everyone signed their own block and a few added embroidered flowers to their block.

Even the unmarked graves were remembered in this quilt.

I believe I saw Hoover Dam once many years ago as we were passing by from the highway bridge, but I have never visited or walked across the dam.  The bridge has a pedestrian viewing area.  I enjoyed the view from the center of the bridge and shot some good photos of Hoover Dam.  The rail is so tall that I had to stand on tip-toes to get the shots.  I know...I'm short on both ends.

Mike O'Callaghan-Pat Tillman Memorial Bridge

Walking out onto the dam and looking down was amazing to think this was built in 1931.  Looking up to the bridge....odd, the bridge looks a lot higher from the Dam than it did when I was standing above. 

Hoover Dam definitely left me feeling awestruck.  

The art deco throughout the dam was grand, but my favorite was the "Winged Figures of the Republic".

One last photo from an overlook of Lake Mead before we left the area.  Beautiful!

Lake Mead

Hitch was very opinionated about our leaving the FamCamp in Nellis AFB.  He tried to get out as we were setting up to leave.  He cried for at least the first hour of travel before he finally wore himself out.

I think the cat that left these paw prints might have had something to do with Hitch's unusual behavior.

Hmmm, stray cat letting us know that this is his area across our car.

On The Cutting Board

Okay, here is my first attempt to make my own block (Quail).  I did not want to design them too close to the fetish designs of the 'Native Flair', but just similar enough to where they did not stick out.  

My first attempt

Making wide enough designs so I could add swirls, arrows, or circles turned out to be quite a challenge.  The Quail wasn't as hard since they tend to look quite plump, but I could not make the feet the same native-fetish design.  To me, the Quail just did not look right, so I left both feet in the design.

Native Flair design

Okay, one down and four more to go!

Happy Quilting!

Back On The Open Road (Albuquerque, NM)

This has been a busy month for us.  We have been traveling south from Oregon while visiting a few of our favorite stops and a couple of new ones.  We managed to avoid severe weather while traveling.

Valley of the Rogue River

We are in Albuquerque, NM until Saturday when the latest cold front finally fizzles out and then it is on to Texas for the winter.  So, I have several posts to do with photos.

So, back in Oregon, we learned that the paved path inside the Valley of the Rogue River State Park is being extended 30 miles from Central Point to Grants Pass and connecting to the Bear Creek Greenway which will add another 20 miles.  When the Rogue River Greenway is completed, the 50-mile path will connect 8 cities in southern Oregon encouraging people to use the path for health, travel, and recreation.  The best part, users will not have to worry about vehicles except when crossing roads.

We visited Jacksonville during our stay in the state park.  We walked a few of the streets, window shopping and enjoyed the peacefulness of the downtown area.

Jacksonville, OR

I have seen Mt. Shasta so many times in the past ten years and I never tire of the view.  Such a gorgeous sight to see as we drive down I-5.

Mt. Shasta

We decided on a different route this time.  Instead of our usual route through California on I-5, we decided to go through Nevada for a change of scenery and what a change!  After a night in one of Reno's casino parking lots, we headed south on US 6/95.  Talk about the open road and no traffic!  

Dan found online an overnight rest stop for travelers, but not for commercial truckers at Miller's Rest Area near Tonopah, NV.  We were the first to park for the evening.  The cats enjoyed exploring the area while I enjoyed the views.  So much open space!  By sunset, there were several recreational vehicles parked near us.

Sunset and sunrise at Miller's Rest Area

Next stop, Las Vegas!  

I wish we had been here
 to see this cactus bloom.

Actually Nellis AFB, but we did get out a couple of times for lunch buffets, plus we visited Red Rock Canyon and Hoover Dam.  I'll save those photos for the next post.

Nellis AFB FamCamp

I think we wore out the cats from all the traveling.  

Max and Dusty

Don't they look comfortable?

Happy Quilting!