Red Rocks of Sedona, Arizona – July, 2017 – Do you see the face?
Let’s Face It…
We must
all face the choice
between
what is
Right
and
what is
Easy.
– Professor Albus Dumbledore, Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows
Do you see the face in the rock?
Cheers & Hugs,
Jodi
PS Seems Professor Dumbledore has some pretty profound things to say…. After all these years of my boys telling me I really should read the Harry Potter series, maybe I should……..
Grass Flip Flops – Don’t let the grass grow under your feet
Don’t Let the Grass Grow Under Your Feet.
After getting a total kick out of these grass flip flops I spotted in a gift shop in Sedona and seeing where someone who lives in the desert southwest might enjoy these, they reminded me of this saying Grandma used to say.
“Don’t let the grass grow under your feet!”
Some of her other favorites included, “Make hay while the sun shines,” and “Work before pleasure.”
I can still hear her saying these in my head, and it makes me smile.
Grandma only went to school until fourth grade before she had to stay home and take care of her brothers after the passing of her mother. At the age of nine, she also did the cooking and cleaning and laundry (long before automatic washers and dryers, microwaves, and vacuum cleaners) while her dad worked in the coal mine.
Can we even image any of our children at the age of 9 doing this today? Not that I would recommend it!
Though she lacked formal education, she had more common sense and a stronger work ethic than anyone I’ve known. There is nothing she wouldn’t try doing – including electrical work!
She taught me many things. Things you don’t learn in school.
She taught me the important “stuff!”
But most of all she loved me with a love I still feel today.
My grandma has been gone for over 20 years, but she is still my guiding light in so many ways every day. Now that I am a grandma, I can only hope that I will have the same impact on my grandchild(ren).
Cheers & Hugs,
Jodi
Mariposa Latin Inspired Grille, Sedona, Arizona – July 2017
Mariposa (the Spanish word for butterfly).
Being
Becoming
Blooming
Creating
Discovering
Embracing
Evolving
Flowing
Fluttering
Forgetting
Forgiving
Growing
Inspiring
Learning
Living
Loving
Overcoming
Reflecting
Remembering
Soul Searching
Surviving.
Cheers & Hugs,
Jodi
Red Rocks of Sedona Arizona from Chapel of the Holy Cross 8×10 Watercolor 140lb Arches Cold Press
Red Rocks of Sedona in Watercolor.
In trying to keep up with practicing and posting a watercolor painting every other day for #WorldWatercolorMonth in July, I had a little bit of time last evening to give my first go at painting a very loose and quick landscape of a photo I took on our recent trip to Sedona, Arizona.
The photo was taken from a high spot right outside the Chapel of the Holy Cross, a beautiful Roman Catholic Chapel built into the buttes of Sedona.
Many have tried to capture the beauty of the red rocks of Sedona. Many have succeeded FAR better than me! But I truly don’t know that any photo or painting can do the extraordinary scenery of this majestic landscape justice. It was fun trying. It was fun remembering the day and our time with Jayme and Ryan. It was fun simply splashing paint.
That’s what life in between is about…. having fun with that time doing what you love.
Cheers & Hugs,
Jodi
Colors Used: Daniel Smith Raw Sienna, Indian Red, Permanent Red Deep, Olive Green, Sap Green, Perylene Green, Cerulean Blue
Last week, Hubby and I had the great privilege of traveling approximately 2,000 miles across the U.S. to visit a beautiful area of our country far different from the area we live in – the desert Southwest of Scottsdale and Sedona, Arizona.
A highlight of our trip was sightseeing the beautiful Red Rock Mountains of Sedona. I took quite a few pics, but haven’t had much time to look at yet since we’ve just returned. Here is one I really like, but even it doesn’t compare to the enormity, the vastness, and the beauty of experiencing this beautiful corner of the world in person.
The rocks in Sedona are a deep, rich, orange-red like no others around. Apparently, they are comprised of sediment layers deposited over many millions of years*. The shale foundation is the remainder of ancient swamp lands. Other layers are the remainder of an ancient beachfront, known as the “Schnebly Hill Formation,” that deposited iron about 275 million years ago. The Coconino sandstone layer was formed at a time when Sahara-like dunes covered the majority of the Western US. The Kaibab limestone layer was deposited when a warm shallow sea covered the area about 250 million years ago.
The Red Rocks we see today were formed several million years ago when the uplifting of the Colorado Plateau that created the Grand Canyon also caused water to carve out Sedona’s red rock, cake-like layers. Currently, Sedona is considered to be a part of the Colorado Plateau and is in the process of making mountains, raising an average of one inch every 60-80 years!
The temperatures during our one-week visit ranged between a low of 102 to a high of 117 degrees Fahrenheit! Whoooowheee it was hot! It was a different kind of hot than we are used to in the Eastern part of the U.S., however, as the humidity levels were only around 10% as compared to our typical 50-100%, so it was much more pleasant. (Especially when in the pool with a frozen margarita!)
This is a place in the U.S. that anyone who can, should experience!
Thanks for the memories Sedona!
I look forward to creating some paintings from your beautiful inspiration!
Cheers & Hugs,
Jodi
P.S. Thanks Jayme and Ryan for being our gracious tour guides! ❤
the creative life in between 