Bryce Canyon

  by Mauverneen

Looking at these canyons, and the mountains, I often wonder what the explorers and the settlers thought when they first saw this. I'm sure many people have that same thought. You're driving down the road and suddenly the earth opens up before you, revealing miles and miles of canyons and multi-colored rock formations. It is mind boggling. Especially for someone coming from the flat land called Illinois. 

I've been to the Southwest before, but I never cease to be impressed, or amazed. Each time, the experience is different. And I always look forward to going back. It's never soon enough. A part of my heart is there.

A little about Bryce and this trail ...(from the National Park Service website)

By definition Bryce Canyon is not a real "canyon". Canyons are carved by flowing water. Most of the "canyons" of Bryce are carved by ice forming in cracks - a process known as frost wedging.

This canyon known originally as Water Canyon, might look like any ordinary Bryce Canyon kind of canyon. It's not. From 1890-1892 mormon pioneers labored with picks and shovels to carve an irrigation ditch from the East Fork of the Sevier River, through the Paunsaugunt Plateau, into this canyon. Every year since its completion in 1892 (except during the drought of 2002), this canal known as the Tropic Ditch has supplied the communities of Tropic and Cannonville with irrigation water. Even though the Tropic Ditch has been flowing for a century it has changed the geology.  The higher elevations of this "canyon" have the lumpy, broken, and random texture typical of Bryce Canyon and its hoodoos. The lower section is without hoodoos, and has smooth angled sides looking like a 'V' in cross-section. Because of this little water course, it is unlikely that hoodoos will form here. The existing ones will eventually crumble and Water Canyon will have completed its metamorphosis into a "real canyon." The presence of water makes this canyon unique. A wide diversity of animals come here regularly to quench their thirst, particularly at night as animals tend to avoid busy trails - especially in daylight hours. 

Water in the desert...

On the Mossy Cave Trail - a short, easy walk with great views!

As always, words and photos are my own, and require permission to reprint.

However, feel free to share the blog in it's entirety. In fact, I encourage it!

Interested in photo prints? Contact me! maureenblevins@yahoo.com

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Views from 30,000 feet

  by Mauverneen

First off, let me say, I don't like to fly. Makes me a little nervous, especially when there is any turbulence. Any turbulence at all. (shudder)

That said, let me tell you about my most recent flying experience. I enjoyed it. Not only was it very smooth, but the views out the window were incredible. As anyone who knows me will tell you, I always have my camera. So it's no surprise that I like to take pictures out the window of the plane. But for the most part, they haven't been very good. You're traveling at a high rate of speed, even though it doesn't feel like it, so unless you can finagle those camera settings like a pro, you might not get the clearest shots. Plus, the zoom... 

So, what was the difference this time? Well, I actually had the window seat, which helped, and I used my cell phone! Incredible. The pics I got with my phone are surprisingly good - much better than with my camera. Now, I don't know about enlarging them, that remains to be seen. But I think I have some great images - if I do say so myself. 

Coming over the mountains, still snow covered in May, was a beautiful sight. And bunches of fluffy white clouds, like little sheep, were spread out over them. At times, it was hard to tell the clouds from the mountain peaks! 

The clouds this trip were different too. They were moving so fast! Usually, we just sail through them, but this time, they were apparently not going in the same direction. I could see them coming towards us. It was amazing. 

And then, touching down in Salt Lake City, it was near sunset. Oh how beautiful that was! Coming back to Chicago, I was a little nervous as the plane flew out over the lake quite a distance before turning to aim for the airport. I thought he was lost. The city is stunning from the air! 

Ok, I'll stop talking. I'll just show you... 

 

As always, words and photos are my own, and require permission to reprint.

However, feel free to share the blog in it's entirety. In fact, I encourage it!

Interested in photo prints? Contact me! maureenblevins@yahoo.com

See more photos at http://fineartamerica.com/profiles/1-mauverneen-blevins.html

Happy St. Patrick's Day

A frosty shamrock for a bit o' luck and some authentic Irish music! (straight from Killarney)

Holocaust Rememberance Day - Dachau

by Mauverneen

      Yesterday was Holocaust Rememberance Day. It made me think of my trip to Germany, and my visit to Dachau.              

      Dachau  stirred up some very mixed emotions.  Torn between wanting to see it and not wanting to see it, I wasn’t sure what to expect.  What we found was a well-documented memorial of an infamous period in history.  We learned much. 

      Dachau was the first of the Nazi concentration camps and was the model for those that followed.  Audio tours of Dachau take you along the same path a prisoner would walk upon being admitted to the camp.  Through the iron gate with it's proclamation 'Work Makes Freedom' into the open yard, through the main hall and the rooms beyond, where they were registered, gave up their papers, gave up their belongings, gave up their clothes – now filled with signs and photos and documentation of that awful time. 

      Surprisingly the grounds are peaceful – no feelings of foreboding or lurking evil as I expected - the guard towers silent witnesses to all that happened there.  Memorials and monuments dotting the grounds commemorate the persecuted and the fallen.  A wood and barbed wire gate separates the camp from the area that holds the crematorium and it is chilling to read the markers on that other side - the mass grave, the pistol range for executions.  It was humbling to be in this history laden spot.  As we walked out the gate to go back to our car we had one thought.  We were free to leave.

 

Ireland Here I Come

(part one)  
by Mauverneen

Some months back I decided to go to Ireland. The main incentive was a travel bloggers conference and I thought why not? I needed a vacation, the conference would be a good learning experience, and I would spend several days before AND after the conference doing my own thing. It sounded perfect.

I love going new places, seeing new things, trying new food, getting no sleep, rushing from one place to another trying to fit it all in. All the fun things a vacation should be.

I anticipated this trip for months. I looked at guidebooks, researched my destinations online, and asked anyone who had been to Ireland what I should not miss. As always, I overpacked - but I am getting better at taking less of what I don't need and won't wear and although it didn't feel it, my luggage was under the weight limit. In trying to reach that goal I think my carryon weighed as much as my checked bag though.

My plan was ambitious - a bit too ambitious as it would turn out. But I still managed to cram a lot in, see most of what I intended to, and then some. So, without further introduction... Ireland, here we come!

The annoyances began immediately. My video on the plane did not work. It froze up every time I tried to view anything. (All I wanted was to watch Beauty and the Beast.) I ended up napping instead. I lost a favorite scarf upon arrival trying to locate the car rental desk which ended up not being in the terminal as advertised (well, a desk was, but agents and cars however, are not). I got a little lost right out of the airport, trying to follow a map, but it quickly dawned on me that I had a GPS! So, a little lost, but look, Malahide! I didn't think I was going to squeeze this one in but I was so close I might as well! My first Irish castle.

Malahide castle is one of the oldest in Ireland, and home to the Talbot family for 800 years. A guided tour will give you some of the history, and entrance into the walled garden. There are a couple of shops as well, including Avoca - a fine retail Irish experience! One can spend way too much time browsing in there. And spending.

Ruins and Headstones and side entrances and unusual trees 

After a brief time at Malahide, I hit the road. The toll road as it turned out. Driving on the left is not as bad as everyone makes it out to be. After all, everyone else is driving on that side so it's easy to remember. Roundabouts take a bit more getting used to.

My route was from Dublin (or rather, Malahide) to Oranmore, a couple hours drive. Just outside of Galway, it is midway between Connemara to the North and the Cliffs of Moher, to the South, both of which I planned on seeing.

My hotel, Armorica, was a delight! It would be my home for three nights.  A generous parking area in the rear is something I would come to sincerely appreciate and desperately long for later on in this trip.

Breakfast

Dinner

Sunny Breakfast Room

One of three dining areas

 Nicholas and Natasha, a young couple, just opened Armorica in March of this year. Nicholas is the chef too, and what a chef! Fresh croissants for breakfast, a surprising gourmet menu for dinner, and a nice selection of good wines. It's nice to feel spoiled right off the bat.

The name Armorica is the name given in ancient times to the land between France's Seine and Loire rivers, based on the Gaulish phrase are-mori "on/at [the] sea", made into the Gaulish place name Aremorica (*are-mor-ika ) "Place by the Sea". Perfect for this place, as it is not only by the sea but Natasha is from Dublin and Nicholas hails from Normandy, in France.

Next installment: Connemara and Kylemore Abbey

#Armorica  #malahidecastle  #castles of Ireland #gourmetdining

As always, words and photos are my own, and require permission to reprint.

                                       However, feel free to share the blog in it's entirety. In fact, I encourage it!

  Interested in photo prints? Contact me! maureenblevins@yahoo.com

 See more photos at http://fineartamerica.com/profiles/1-mauverneen-blevins.html

                      and visit my website: http://mauverneen.com