Red Spires in Utah

Red Rock Spires

Red Rock Spires ©2008 Bo Mackison

Driving from central Colorado to Arches National Park near Moab, Utah, we detoured off the Interstate. Went through a great ghost town – photos of that later – and then followed the Colorado River into the National Park.

When driving through the Rockies, an amazing transformation happens. Cross the Continental Divide heading west, and soon the pine/aspen forested mountains change into pinon/juniper ranges. Sage brush starts crowding the sides of the road, and suddenly red rock formations loom out of the distance.

Sure isn’t Wisconsin, Dorothy!

Stormy Weather Doesn’t Dim Beauty

Yellow Aspen in the Rockies

Yellow Aspen in the Rockies ©2008 Bo Mackison

All day the clouds hung heavy over the Rockies. We hit rain driving through the passes, but we could see snow accumulating on the higher peaks above 9000 feet.

Our campsite straddled the Colorado River and the train tracks hugged the canyon walls across the river. Between the rushing waters (why does the sound of running water cause that biological trigger?) and the howling, screech-braking trains passing through a half dozen times, sleep was frequently interrupted. Amazingly enough, it was never hard to fall back aleep – over and over and over.

Nebraska – From East to West

Nebraska Shed and Skies

Nebraska Shed and Skies ©2008 Bo Mackison

The skies are wide, the grasslands rolling a bit, lots of rural buildings in Eastern Nebraska, and we keep heading west. Always west.

Orange Train Engine

Orange Train Engine ©2008 Bo Mackison

Not only are we heading across Nebraska. The trains are traveling too. Every half hour or so, one comes hurtling down the tracks, mostly heading east with full cars of coal, or occasionally heading west with empty grain cars, soon to be filled with this year’s harvests.

Goats in Nebraskas Sandhills

Goats in Nebraska’s Sandhills ©2008 Bo Mackison

And how many of you are as surprised as I am that part of Nebraska looks like this! Yesterday afternoon  we drifted off the Interstate so we could see more of the back country – and we found this. As we drove near Broken Bow in western Nebraska, the land turned into sandhills covered with grasses and we saw a herd of grazing goats. We also saw plenty of beef cattle on the grasslands, and on the sides of the road there were a few sandhill cranes, pheasants, hawks. Even five white-tailed deer that ran right in front of our car. Seems no matter where we go, the deer consider our car a moving target worthy of aim.

Another hundred miles of Nebraska today (Sunday) and then we head west across Colorado where snow is expected in the upper passes of the Rocky Mountains. Hopefully we will just run into rain.

Marking an Anniversary

Rosinweed in Autumn

Rosinweed in Autumn ©2008 Bo Mackison

I’ve been enjoying these sunflowers all through August and most of September, but now that it’s cooled down the flowers have given way to the fruits – woody things that I think have a special beauty all their own. A solid beauty, a quiet substantive feel. And a sign of transition, too.

This marks the 366th day that I have posted to Seeded Earth. A year ago I set myself the goal of posting a photo a day for a year – and leap day added an extra day. And so today the goal is accomplished.

I thought for much of that time that I would stop blogging after the year was completed. But blogging has crept into my life and into my soul, and I like this part of my day where I sit down and take some time out to choose a photo and write a few words.

I found out that I like sharing my part of the world with people, and I found people that I enjoy sharing this tiny part of my life with, too. And I really like photography. I’ve discovered that in the last year, too.

So for the time being, I’m going to keep taking photos and writing. Maybe not every day, but probably pretty close to it. It’s a part of my routine now, and a part I enjoy. It’s good to have a little routine in this crazy world and something solid in a crazy life.

Double Decked Out – and Celebratin’

Double Decked Plant

Double Decked Plant ©2008 Bo Mackison

Like this plant, I’m double decked out and just ready to set bloom on a new adventure. I have all my gear packed and the camping stuff assembled, and I’ve turned over the care of my house and cat to two of my kids. In a few short hours my husband and I will be on the open road in search of adventure. Sixteen days away from the daily routines (and not so routines) and off to explore.

We’re leaving the Midwest and making a 4000 mile trek from Wisconsin to Colorado, Utah, Arizona, and New Mexico – and visiting some great National Parks along the way – Arches, Canyonlands, Great Sand Dunes, plus quite a few others. (We’ve had this trip planned a long time, and decided to go even with the price of gas. Thank goodness it has dropped by 60 cents a gallon in the last few months).

We have plans to visit a cousin of mine I haven’t seen in ages, meet my writing coach – a woman I have worked with for over a year by phone, but this will be our first face to face encounter – and have lunch with a blogging buddy, too.

I will be light on visiting blogs, though I’ll have my computer with me to download my photographs so I’ll probably check out how pervasive Wifi really is. Especially if we run into any rain. I’m sure there are coffee shops most anywhere with internet – even near the red rock canyons or on the outskirts of the Sonoran desert. But then again, maybe not.

I’ve used the magic of WordPress and my daily photo and rambling words will keep popping up. I mark a special anniversary tomorrow, and I have that post ready to go, as I wanted to think about what I was going to write. Not write it on the run.

So, while I’ll be hanging around, I won’t be hanging around as usual. I’m hoping for good driving, decent weather, (I’ve packed everything from long underwear and winter outerwear to swimming suit and tank tops), my maps are marked. And so we are off.

Yippee! Vacation is finally here. Bye.