The Road Between Homes

Colorado Sunrise, originally uploaded by ivoryblushroses.

If home is where the heart is and also where one lives and works, then I have two homes. One is in Colorado where my children and parents live (and where I have lived most of my life) and the other is in Flagstaff, AZ where I currently live and work. The road between the two is travelled often and each time, I find different things to enjoy along the way. I started the journey from Colorado to Arizona just as the sun rose. Such beautiful light to begin a journey with!


As the road climbed through the mountains, I made a brief stop in the historic town of Georgetown. Georgetown came into being during the gold and silver rushes of the mid 1800's. Today, the main street stores have arts and craft boutiques and the older homes have become iconic emblems of Victorian architecture in the west. While I enjoy the fancy gingerbread on many of the more well known buildings, it is the simpler old homes such as the one above that I really love! Georgetown has been featured in the movies a few times, most notably in Clint Eastwood's "Every Which Way but Loose" and also in a John Denver movie, "The Christmas Gift". It took me over an hour to reach Georgetown from my parents home, but the sun had not yet penetrated this steep mountain valley!


As I was leaving Georgetown to get back on the interstate, a herd of Bighorn Sheep crossed my path! They are Colorado's state animal and not seen very often. What a delight to see an entire herd!


I've posted pictures of Glenwood Canyon before, but I couldn't resist adding another one. The light of the morning sun gives the canyon walls a gentle glow, but within minutes of this, those looming gray clouds let loose with rain!


Another view that I love on this journey is the first glimpse of Monument Valley in the distance. It always gives me a thrill to see the monuments on the horizon. While this view is from about 30 miles away, the first glimpse is often seen near the town of Blanding, about 70 miles away!


The red desert is blooming! At Valley of the Gods, the deep purply blue of the wild lupine is an amazing contrast with the deep red soils of the region! See those shadowy shapes in the far distance? Those are yet another view of the spires of Monument Valley!


These brilliant yellow blooms light up the landscape all throughout the Monument Valley/Valley of the Gods area.


Normally, I don't like taking photos in the mid-day sun as it tends to wash the colors out. What a delight to download the photos and find that this time, the colors were just as saturated as the landscape!


As I was leaving the Valley of the Gods, I crossed this little wash with just a thin film of water left. It made a perfect mirror and as any child learns early, red (of the soil) and blue (reflections of the sky) combine to make purple! While I love the grand views of nature as much as anyone, it's often the little sights such as this one that make my heart sing!