sunny arizona

 I am going to play a little catch-up today, sharing some pictures from the trip we took earlier in January.  We traveled with our "kids" to Arizona for a week's stay at Sedona Summit resort (in Sedona!).  Quite a few years ago, probably 20, we purchased a timeshare unit at a resort in Cozumel, Mexico.  The kids were at an age when travel was becoming more fun and educational, so we thought it would help us accomplish our wish to take them to more places.  At the time, we weren't quite sure if what we were getting was going to prove to be a wise decision, or one we would regret.  We didn't know anyone else who had made such a purchase, so we were kind of flying by the seat of our pants.  (Where does that expression come from?)

Dan, Brita and Ben enjoyed a hike with me!

Well, it has turned out to be one of our better choices for our family, and I am happy to say we are still reaping the benefits.  We were able to get 2 large 2-bedroom units in the same building for all of us to stay in.  Because little Ian sometimes has trouble sleeping in new places, I wanted him and his parents to get the most out of the trip and they occupied one of the units.  Dan and ourselves shared the other unit.  The kitchens were fully equipped, and due to the fact that Ian came down with Influenza B, we prepared most of our own meals instead of eating out as much.  The resort was located not far from an easy hiking trail, and when Ian finally started feeling better it was a nice outing for him.  We had a great view of the red rock mountains in the distance, and several mornings watched pretty hot air balloons floating there.

Making use of the panorama feature on my camera!  Taken from the airport above Sedona, with some of the nearby mountains in the background.

 We also enjoyed 2 days in Phoenix, visiting with Bob's brother and his wife, Art and Sharon.  They moved there 9 years ago, and I have to say that even though I know it gets pretty darn hot in the summer, I can understand why they, and many others, choose to live there for retirement.

We got to visit the Botanical Gardens and see the Chihuly glass exhibit--

 I am so glad we did!  I have seen pictures of the works of art made by Chihuly, but never saw them up close and personal.  I always found them fascinating, and after viewing the film about him and his work, they are even more so.  Those big squiggly things, like the red and yellow above, are assembled by a team under the direction of Chihuly.  All of those curlycues are individual tubes stuck onto pegs protruding from the center post.  I wonder how they do in a storm??

The picture below reminds me so much of things we did "back in the day", taking the kids to National Parks, monuments, and historic locations.  This was at Tuzigoot National Monument.

From there we drove to Jerome, a quirky little town perched on the side of a mountain.  It's worth the drive if you are ever near there, and a good place for a meal is the Haunted Hamburger.  This was an old mining town, and most of the buildings look like they were built somewhat haphazardly many years ago, and could slide down the hill at any time!  I guess if they are still standing, they can be considered stable.  Just driving the winding, steep road to Jerome and back is an experience in itself, and not good for the faint of heart!

That's all of the travelogue for now!  More quilts soon to come!