Unfortunately, I was not quick enough on the draw to capture Juniper spinning with glee. It was adorable to witness her utter delight at seeing the ocean, which is amusing because our girl does not like water!

Ventura

Olivas Adobe

The world’s oldest still flowering fuscia – planted in 1899. It was enormous!

The Dire Straits fan in me squealed with delight upon seeing the Telegraph Road sign!

Jacaranda before…

and jacaranda after. Both are equally beautiful to my eye.

Rose Valley Falls – Los Padres National Forest

Another hairless squirrel to ogle and taunt…

Tip-top lunch and sweet service at Azu, with beer flavored with Pixie dust and peel from the famous Ojai Valley tangerines (which we saw growing!) and a very fine Alisal rose. Delicious. What you can’t see? Sweet Juniper Beulah sleeping at the hubster’s feet. Good dog!

Bart’s Books – my first encounter with an outdoor book store. It was lovely.

After many years of patiently waiting, I am pleased to report that the Ojai Valley is one of the most beautiful places I have ever visited!

Sleepy head hubster and our favorite watch dog. Cuties!

Telepoem

Welcome to part two of our Arizona journey. Flagstaff, this first bit, reminds me of Boulder or Breckenridge when I was a teenager – laid back and lovely, breezes flowing, nice people and cool hippie shops (I bought rocks and crystals, of course). We enjoyed stellar Thai food and BBQ (Bigfoot!) a hop skip and a jump from the old Route 66 (sing it, Nat!). Sometimes the past and present collide, and hallelujah, nostalgia wins.

Sedona, red, wonderful, magical. And hot! We hiked to the Seven Sacred pools, scoring the last parking space in the tiny lot, enjoying the beautiful and lizard laden landscape. And what are lizards? Juniper says they are squirrels without fur and behaved accordingly.

I had never seen a cactus bloom in such a dazzling fashion. Eeek!

The Chapel of the Holy Cross is a stunning work of architecture, completed in 1956, the same great year as our house!

This last photo is Bell Rock, another gorgeous wonder of geology. It is also purported to be an energy vortex – a whirling center of masculine and feminine energy.  As you well know, I am a pretty open minded person and came to the vortex as such. Believers say the energy is palpable, and I can’t help but wonder if it is true. I got our of the car, moved close enough, and started to feel a pressure around my chest, like someone with massive hands was attempting to turn me round and round while I stood stock still, a bit dumbfounded,  before doing what seemed most logical. I adjusted my bra. The sensation remained. I observed the trees, twisted junipers, mostly, looking like I felt. I watched the cloudless sky. I took in the hot air. I sauntered back to the car and the sensation ceased. Maybe something happened. Maybe I was moved by the hands of the universe. I’d like to think so.

The Chiricahua Mountains – how cool is that name?

We saw dirt devils galore. Kinda cool.

Almost there…

Hello from Bisbee! This is the Lavender Pit Mine – the town’s bread and butter up until 1974. It was mostly mined for copper, with turquoise and other stones serving as lovely byproducts. It’s a looong way down…

This lovely lady, whose name I never caught, sold us honey made by killer bees! The store is a sliver of a place and chock full of sweet goodness.

These three shots are all of the same GIANT agave. The hubster is 6’1″ for reference. Wowie!

After the mine closed, the town was slowly taken over by artists and other eccentrics. Our kind of place!

So many fine murals…

And great gates!

This photo was a very happy accident.

Take the High Road every chance you get!

Fifty-four steps to our lodgings, complete with Dutch door!

Meet one-eyed Jesus, a marker for for the fabulous Shrine hike that follows. Juniper did NOT like him, growling and keeping as far as caninely (not a word?) possible. Perhaps it was the fact that only one of his eyes was painted. Perhaps it was the fact that he was my height and very life-like, yet remained very, very still. I’m not sure. Nevertheless, we were amused. Also at this spot, on our way down – we spied a wild javelina! Neat.

Bisbee has cool buildings right, left, and center.

It also has a fine patina of rust and ruin.

Our littlest friend, made on our evening walk. Woof!