Sedona Arizona with Jan & Connie - Last Day

Jan and Connie had "body" appointments...massage, nails, something...can't remember, but what I wanted to do was go hiking again. So, I took off and drove up to Oak Creek Canyon to find a place to hike.

I loved this old building...so neat looking! It was probably around the first time I came to Sedona in the 1950's!


I found a West Fork and decided to hike around. As I followed the trail it led to what was once a ranch. When I saw the old tumble down ranch house I thought, "Wow, these folks had a stupendous view!"


I didn't have very much time, so I made it down the West Fork for just a little ways before it was time to turn back and go pick up Connie and Jan. It was a beautiful walk! Next time I'll venture further!

OH! I forgot one very important picture. This trip took place last spring...Hilary and Obama were going at it with everyone thinking Hilary would be the winner. As we drove through Jerome on our way to Sedona we pass this house (below). Now, you must realize, I am the lone Democrat in the car with two Republicans, so when I asked Connie to turn around so I could take a picture of the sign for Hilary all I got was a big "BOOO!" and she kept on driving...well, actually there was no place to turn around. I insisted. Connie finally found a place and was kind enough to go back several miles so I could take this historic photo...even Connie and Jan thought it was worth it when they saw it!

Just in case you can't see it...those are bras hanging on the fence!

It was a great vacation...and as always, the three of us look back on it with fond memories.

Sedona Arizona with Jan & Connie - walk with James Endredy

After spending so many wonderful days in this beautiful place, I began to think that it would be a great place for Clyde to do a photo workshop. The problem was that I needed someone to give me an overview of areas that weren't so well known. I needed a guide to show me areas where a group of photographers could set up and not be run down by tourists. We found that person in James Endready.

James Endready is a teacher, mentor, and guide to thousands of people through his books and workshops. For over 25 years he has learned shamanic practices from all over the globe, while also studying with kawiteros, lamas, siddhas, roadmen, and leaders in the modern fields of ecopsychology, bioregionalism, and sustainbale living. He is also a nationally certified Wilderness First Responder.

We met James at a morning talk given by the Time Share where we stayed. He seemed like the kind of person I'd like to know, so we approached him with the idea of taking us on some short morning walks. He was an excellent choice. We all felt very comfortable with this gentle, spiritual, kind man. I'm glad he came into our life. If you'd like to reach him for a walk here is his information:

Sedona Nature Excursions
(928) 282-3748
www.redrockhikingtours.com
www.JamesEndredy.com

Although James can hike with the best of them, he was kind enough to walk at our pace. He never made us feel uncomfortable about NOT being athletic...very kind of him!


The flowers in bloom were wonderful.

We finally reached our destination. It was a very large flat rock that overlooked the valley and those wonderful rock formations that you see in the background of this picture. James said the area was an Indian religious area and very few people know about it. He asked us not to tell anyone where it was, otherwise it would be over run with tourists. But he felt a small group of people who love nature would not offend the spirits. He then offered to do a shamanic blessing over us. Since being blessed is good for everyone, we took him up on the offer!

Our next adventure with James was across town to another location he thought we would enjoy. We parked in the presence of another Vortex...and this one I actually felt! It was a shock to feel an emotion so deeply. One minute we were talking about nothing much in the car, parked the car, and then when I got out I was hit in the chest with a powerful emotion and tears came to my eyes. I was so suprised by the feeling that this is the first time I've talked about it! Soooo...just maybe, there REALLY is something called a vortex!

We weren't headed for the Vortex though. We headed in a different direction.

We hiked in the opposite direction of these towering rocks and came to a circle of life. This Indian circle has been located here since before the written word. Sometimes, throughout history, it has been disturbed...like when the white man insisted that the Indians give up their religion...but the Indians always rebuild it. It is a sacred place and we walked quietly as though we were in church.

After pausing at the circle we walked onward eventually coming to what Jan thought was laundry hanging out to dry...but as we got closer we saw that it was Prayer Flags.

This land was purchased by the local Budist community in order to save it from development. They erected this monument here to symbolize peace for the world. The inside of it is filled with thousands of prayers written on tiny pieces of paper. Along the edge of this circle is a place in the shade to sit and pray. What a wonderful idea to have an "official" prayer area in the great outdoors! Why do we have indoor churches...doesn't the roof keep us from lifting our hearts to God?

Prayer alter

Our day with James ended in a wonderful uplifting way. He added a depth to our trip to Sedona that had been missing...the connection with God and nature.

Sedona Arizona with Jan & Connie - Train Trip & Airport Vortex

For something different, we decided to catch a scenic train ride on the Verde Canyon Railroad.

The inside of the train was air conditioned and very comfortable.

The outside areas were great too. They had nice covers overhead to protect us from the sun, as well as benches to sit on as we watched the scenery go by. I spent most of my time outside feeling the wind in my hair and watching the beauty pass by.

Connie enjoying the scenery


They served us ice cream on the train, but had to get it from another train passing by!

Connie, Jan and I outside enjoying the scenery

It was a great afternoon. Very relaxing and enjoyable.

We returned to Sedona in the late afternoon, so we decided to try and find another Vortex. This time we went looking for the Airport Vortex...it is, naturally, near the airport. We located it and climbed up to enjoy the view. Unfortunately, Jan had worn sandles on the train and didn't have hiking-type shoes on, so she went a small way up the mountain. As Connie and I reached the top and saw the view, it was enough to humble and inspire us...we didn't need a Vortex, but I guess we were in one.

Connie at the top of the Airport Vortex

We sat and enjoyed the quiet and peace, then walked back down to the car.

As Connie and I walked down to the car we came across this peace symbol written with small stones. Our shadows fell across the symbol and I asked Connie to join hands with me and take our picture together in peace.
Connie and I have a mysterious deep connection with each other. Each of our lives has been very different, we disagree on many things...like, she is a Republican and I am a Democrat...yet our lives always seem to be "bumping" into each other. There is something deep between us and niether one of us understands it, but we accept it and are glad for it. She accepts me as I am (altho at times would prefer I change!) and I accept her as she is (altho at times I prefer she change!). This photo of the two of us strikes my heart, because it is not of our actual image, but it is an image of the shadow of what we are...and that is a mystery.

Sedona Arizona with Jan & Connie - Merry Go Round

There is a reason it is suggested that you rent a four-wheel drive when you go to Sedona! Every road that leads to a beautiful place is dirt. A regular car would have a hard...and sometimes impossible...time getting to all the wonderful locations.

And so...we headed up the dirt road...


It was a beautiful drive...
and along the way we saw Cowpie. There were several trails enticing us to hike up into Cowpie, but we were determined to reach Merry Go Round.


We finally made it to Merry Go Round...and such a beautiful view! Here Connie and Jan sit on the edge of Merry Go Round. If you are brave you can climb all the way around it!

A view of Cowpie from Merry Go Round...Sedona is so very beautiful!

We stayed up there for quite a while watching the tourist come and go...and in between the beauty of the silence of nature.


Here is a view looking back toward Merry Go Round as we drove back down the road.



As we traveled home I saw the moon in the crystal blue of the late afternoon sky. Peace came over me. The earth is such a beautiful place and we are so fortunate to be here having the experience of enjoying this great place called Sedona.

Sedona Arizona with Jan & Connie - Cathedral Mountain

Naturally, where there are women there is shopping! Connie traded her time share for an absolutely wonderful condo/spa experience. The units were next door to a very creative and unique shopping area that was filled with tiny clever gift stores, galleries and restuarants. FUN!

The shopping area had all kinds of sculpture throughout its gardens...when I saw this frog I just HAD to get a picture of Connie throwing it a kiss...you see, she once collected frogs and now she can't get folks (including me) to stop giving them to her!

Our first adventure outside of town took us to this unique shopping area where we enjoyed a nice rest for our feet in their rocking chairs...

After our rest we decided to go in search of a Vortex. Now, any of you that don't know about Sedona and Vortex's have been living in a cave. There are Vortex's all over Sedona. These special places are suppose to be areas of spiritual connection...and so we set out to find one...

We were told that there was one in the general location of the Cathedral mountains...and so we hiked, and hiked, and hiked...

We finally gave up and decided that between the three of us we had enough spirituality to create our own Vortex, so we sat down and meditated. We were so in tune with "the powers that be" that some birds even came up to us...we saw that as a good sign since our last name, Vogel, means bird in German...so we must have been on some sort of good wave length! HA!

We said adios to the birds and hiked back to the parking lot to have lunch.

Of course along the way we saw many beautiful flowers blooming...and I just couldn't resist taking pictures...
More to come....

Cuz'n Trip to Sedona Az - Botanical Garden

Connie, Jan, Cheri and I were the four girl cousins that grew up together in the San Francisco bay area. Connie and I are one year apart, so we had one adventure after another and became very close. Cheri and Jan kind of got left out...Jan being too old and Cheri being too young. However, as we reached that wonderous mature age of our lives where age no longer matters, we decided it would be fun to have a Cuz'n Trip to reconnect. Our first trip was in 2006 to the south west in Connie's motorhome. The picture below is of the four of us with our Happy Camper T-shirts while visiting Zion National Park.


Our next trip, in 2007, happened because Connie had been after us for several years to join her on a trip to Mexico to see Copper Canyon. The previous year Cheri had a bad experience in Mexico and didn't want to return to that country again. (She got extremely ill..Montezuma had a big revenge!) So, she decided not to join us.

We took Connie's motorhome down into Mexico and then Connie drove it onto the bed of a train. The train slowly meandered through the mountains until it reached Copper Canyon, stopping at little villages along the way. It was truly a wonderful trip and one of the highlights of my life. I love Mexico! I could do an entire blog on this trip..it was great! Below is a picture of the three of us in a resturant in Mexico.


This year, in April of 2008, Jan and I took up Connie's suggestion of a luxurious week in Sedona using her time-share at a spa. We spent the week being pampered, looking at art and hiking in the wonderful countryside of Sedona. After the April Cuz'n trip I went out to California to see Cheri. She was in bad shape, but I didn't realize how bad, because it was the last time I would see her before she died.

Due to our various schedules, Connie and I happened to fly into Arizona a day earlier than Jan so we spent the day visiting the Botanical Garden in Scottsdale. Truly a wonderful experience to see all those strange desert plants...and so many of them in bloom!




Connie and I had all kinds of fun photographing the flowers that were in bloom everywhere!

I never knew cactus could be purple!

Or fuzzy!

The colors, textures and shapes were inspirational...I felt like I had landed on some other planet and eveything was new to me.


When I was young and had just moved to southern Calif, outside Palm Springs with my new husband, I had a very hard time adjusting to the desert. Connie, who loves the desert, taught me how to see the beauty in it. Through her I came to see the desert as God's abstract expressionism and learned to love the shapes and forms. This botanical garden just reinforced that feeling.

Their butterfly garden was filled with more than butterflies...LOTS of children were in there too! It was fun watching the kids get so excited about an insect...but then, so did we!



And, of course, there were art installations in the garden. Connie and I had to join the kids in crawling around in what looked like a giant tumble weed...


It was a great day filled with the wonders of nature. If you are ever in Scottsdale be sure to stop by the botanical garden and enjoy it too!

The rest of the Sedona trip will follow in a later blog...time for me to go back to work!....