Arizona Travels

A panoramic view of the trail into the wilderness

After Thanksgiving, my husband and I traveled to Arizona to visit his parents; he had some business to do during the day and I got to explore.  I hadn't been to Arizona in years so I was snapping pictures left and right. It's not the time for cactus blossoms, but it was fascinating to see the variety of cactus spine textures.

Somehow, the cactus wren calls this home.

We came across some petroglyphs during a hike.  Very cool.  It's a bit mind-boggling to consider how long man has had the urge (or is it a need?) to record his actions and his environment.

We spied a natural phenomena as we boated along Saguaro Lake that a native who'd live in the area for 32 years had never seen before.  They looked like nets that had been suspended all along the shore, just above the water line.  My mother-in-law thought they looked like web worm webs, but no one was sure. Any ideas?

I took a tour of Taliesen West, Frank Lloyd Wright's home and architectural "campus".  I loved the angles that let in the light.

A view of the garden room

Frank Lloyd Wright was uncompromising about his design.  When the structures were originally built, all the spaces were open; there were no windows.  When the time came to add windows, you'd think there might be some adjustments to interior design.  Absolutely not.  Do you see the pair of vases in the background in the picture below?  

Frank Lloyd Wright was adamant that the vases belonged RIGHT THERE and that the shelves could not be extended or moved.  So how, then, do you add windows?  You cut a hole in the glass so everything can stay put.    

It was a very nice visit.  Now I'm back on the East Coast, catching up on all that needs to be done.  It will be a busy few weeks to prepare for the kids all coming home.  I can't wait to have a full house again!  I also have lots of docent trading reading to do and research to write.  More news on this very exciting exhibition soon.  

Be well.