Our creator made these rocks and water so beautiful the scenery nearly takes your breath away....I wonder how many thousands of men, women, and children have played in the water and climbed on the rocks.....
Well, me for one. Here I am on my rock. Out of the 195 pictures we took, I am certain there is a better one of me, but this is the only one uploaded.....I basically look the same anyway--Still look rather round. Hard to believe I am 20 pounds lighter than my last trip to Sedona. My body still needs a lot of work. Everyone needs a project!Some days really surprise me. On other days, as my head finally hits my pillow, I am just thankful the day has ended.Once in a great while, I just have a perfect day. They are rare enough to make them special and happen often enough to give me joy. Wednesday was one such day. First of all, Mr Wonderful was in Mississippi for work. I had to get up at 4:10 and do our flood irrigation. I didn't have any flooding issues and all went remarkably well. Since it is summer, I went back to bed. Kristi called me around 10 am and asked me if I still wanted to take a day trip. Oh, yes.....I had agreed to go with her on a day trip....on Tuesday. That was when I was quite certain I would have the rag quilt I am working on for Faith finished....and it is three-quarters finished...sitting on my kitchen table....and on my sewing table.....and on my sewing machine. It isn't finished. I considered a day trip....I was tired, and wanted to finish the quilt, but my mouth said, "Sure. I would love to go. I need a shower and need to get dressed." I tried to wake Weffers and Breezy, but they were dead tired. Soon, Kristi and Chewie arrived. He really wanted one of the girls to go. Breezy didn't feel good, but he talked Stephanie into going. Kristi wanted to go to Slide Rock, which is a state park along the Oak Creek Canyon above Sedona.
Let's just say I had low expectations for this trip. I didn't really enjoy the trip we took to Sedona two months ago. It was hot, too hot, too crowded, and we had a rather cross child with us. I did enjoy the time we spent at Grasshopper Point.
I've only been to Slide Rock one other time in my life. Weffers was three and Breezy was a babe in arms. I went with a friend, Marina....It was really hot, and so crowded I was stepping over people who were sunbathing on the rocks and had to keep excusing myself. Did you happen to see John Candy in the movie, Summer Rental, where he steps over and on the people on the beach and also douses them with ice cold water from his broken ice chest? Well, that was about how I felt that day long ago at Slide Rock.
The drive up north was nice. We stopped and got gas at a Chevron. There was a motorcyclist gassing up his bike the other side of the pump I was on. He filled his bike and turned it on and I lost count after the 50th back fire! Seriously, I am quite certain I sustained hearing damage while gassing my car up. Kristi, Chewie and Stephanie were laughing. The sound reminded me of the time my dad lit off a string of probably 250 small fire crackers. The bike was still back firing as he pulled out of the gas station and continued to the freeway. We ate at a MacDonald's there across from that Chevron. I asked the young girl taking our order if she had heard the motorcycle and she laughed and said she certainly did. My ears were still ringing at that point.
We took a different route through Sedona. This route only had us driving around two of the many roundabouts. We found a Walgreens with an incredibly large parking lot and were able to stop there for some items we needed--didn't have to drive around the public parking areas like we did on the previous trip.
Soon we found ourselves at Slide Rock. There is a $10 per car for four adult charge. We paid that and parked in the massive parking lot. I took my book, fat towel, water bottle and found several Ramadas that I could hide out in, as figured the area down by the water would be packed with people. It was around 3 pm and a week day, so maybe that was in our favor. Most of the people were actually IN the water, so I had choices of where I could spread out my towel and read my book. There was plenty of shade and a nice breeze. The scenery there is so beautiful. Chewie had Stephanie to swim with, slide on the rocks and jump off of the cliffs. Yes, I said jump off of the cliffs. I say they were at least 12 feet up on the red rocks and jumped feet first into the water below....nothing I would ever care to do in my wildest dreams. It was fun to watch all of the people, the little children, etc. Everyone was kind. A lady needed some sun screen and we were happy to give her some.
Stephanie twirling in her favorite shirt. So simple, so beautiful, so much fun, so happy!
So happy!
SOOOOOO dangerous!
It was one great day. I don't know about those of you reading this, but I occasionally, and this was one of those days, where I find myself reflecting on the good time and wishing everyone I loved was there to share in it. I remember the perfect days we had as a family when I was young. We took innumerable day trips around the southeast Idaho area with my mom and dad and siblings, and the total happiness I felt exploring a new (to us) ghost town site, or an old picnic site at Kelly Canyon, or sitting on a branch for hours to hold it down so my mom could pick the choke cherries off of it. Back in the car at the end of the day, we'd be traveling home--dirty and a bit gritty, warm wind blowing on us from the open car windows as no cars had AC in those days. My dad was way younger than I am now, and my mom looked so pretty, her eyes even looked happy. "That was a perfect day," she'd say and my dad would agree. They first taught me about perfect days.
Today, I thought of other perfect days in my life so far. Edinburgh, Scotland was one. Kristi checked herself out of the hospital in Utah, flew to Atlanta, then Edinburgh by herself to join us. I stayed at the hotel to meet her. We spent that time walking around the area where our hotel was. She said if Chewie was there, it would have been the perfect trip. I felt the same way--if Mr Wonderful and my other children and grandkids had been there, it would have been perfect. I have also been reflecting on my use of the word, perfect. Some might think I should use the word, wonderful. To me, a day is perfect when you just don't need anything else to happen--just a perfect day the way it turned out, but SO wonderful, the only way it could possibly be better is if you could share it with every one you love.....
So.....When it's my turn to join my dad, my Aunt Jimmer, Aunt Joy, Grandma Ritchie, and many other family members and friends on the other side of the veil, I imagine it will be another perfect day. Can you even imagine when the Savior comes again? The scriptures tell us we all, living AND dead will be there together. That sounds like a perfect day to me--The ultimate perfect day.
Let's just say I had low expectations for this trip. I didn't really enjoy the trip we took to Sedona two months ago. It was hot, too hot, too crowded, and we had a rather cross child with us. I did enjoy the time we spent at Grasshopper Point.
I've only been to Slide Rock one other time in my life. Weffers was three and Breezy was a babe in arms. I went with a friend, Marina....It was really hot, and so crowded I was stepping over people who were sunbathing on the rocks and had to keep excusing myself. Did you happen to see John Candy in the movie, Summer Rental, where he steps over and on the people on the beach and also douses them with ice cold water from his broken ice chest? Well, that was about how I felt that day long ago at Slide Rock.
The drive up north was nice. We stopped and got gas at a Chevron. There was a motorcyclist gassing up his bike the other side of the pump I was on. He filled his bike and turned it on and I lost count after the 50th back fire! Seriously, I am quite certain I sustained hearing damage while gassing my car up. Kristi, Chewie and Stephanie were laughing. The sound reminded me of the time my dad lit off a string of probably 250 small fire crackers. The bike was still back firing as he pulled out of the gas station and continued to the freeway. We ate at a MacDonald's there across from that Chevron. I asked the young girl taking our order if she had heard the motorcycle and she laughed and said she certainly did. My ears were still ringing at that point.
We took a different route through Sedona. This route only had us driving around two of the many roundabouts. We found a Walgreens with an incredibly large parking lot and were able to stop there for some items we needed--didn't have to drive around the public parking areas like we did on the previous trip.
Soon we found ourselves at Slide Rock. There is a $10 per car for four adult charge. We paid that and parked in the massive parking lot. I took my book, fat towel, water bottle and found several Ramadas that I could hide out in, as figured the area down by the water would be packed with people. It was around 3 pm and a week day, so maybe that was in our favor. Most of the people were actually IN the water, so I had choices of where I could spread out my towel and read my book. There was plenty of shade and a nice breeze. The scenery there is so beautiful. Chewie had Stephanie to swim with, slide on the rocks and jump off of the cliffs. Yes, I said jump off of the cliffs. I say they were at least 12 feet up on the red rocks and jumped feet first into the water below....nothing I would ever care to do in my wildest dreams. It was fun to watch all of the people, the little children, etc. Everyone was kind. A lady needed some sun screen and we were happy to give her some.
Stephanie twirling in her favorite shirt. So simple, so beautiful, so much fun, so happy!
So happy!
SOOOOOO dangerous!It was one great day. I don't know about those of you reading this, but I occasionally, and this was one of those days, where I find myself reflecting on the good time and wishing everyone I loved was there to share in it. I remember the perfect days we had as a family when I was young. We took innumerable day trips around the southeast Idaho area with my mom and dad and siblings, and the total happiness I felt exploring a new (to us) ghost town site, or an old picnic site at Kelly Canyon, or sitting on a branch for hours to hold it down so my mom could pick the choke cherries off of it. Back in the car at the end of the day, we'd be traveling home--dirty and a bit gritty, warm wind blowing on us from the open car windows as no cars had AC in those days. My dad was way younger than I am now, and my mom looked so pretty, her eyes even looked happy. "That was a perfect day," she'd say and my dad would agree. They first taught me about perfect days.
Today, I thought of other perfect days in my life so far. Edinburgh, Scotland was one. Kristi checked herself out of the hospital in Utah, flew to Atlanta, then Edinburgh by herself to join us. I stayed at the hotel to meet her. We spent that time walking around the area where our hotel was. She said if Chewie was there, it would have been the perfect trip. I felt the same way--if Mr Wonderful and my other children and grandkids had been there, it would have been perfect. I have also been reflecting on my use of the word, perfect. Some might think I should use the word, wonderful. To me, a day is perfect when you just don't need anything else to happen--just a perfect day the way it turned out, but SO wonderful, the only way it could possibly be better is if you could share it with every one you love.....
So.....When it's my turn to join my dad, my Aunt Jimmer, Aunt Joy, Grandma Ritchie, and many other family members and friends on the other side of the veil, I imagine it will be another perfect day. Can you even imagine when the Savior comes again? The scriptures tell us we all, living AND dead will be there together. That sounds like a perfect day to me--The ultimate perfect day.
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