But the secrets of the river, he saw only one today;

it seized his soul. He saw the water running and running

constantly running, and yet it was always there, was always

and forever the same, and yet new every instant. Who could

grasp this?! Who could fathom this?! He did not grasp or

fathom it, he felt only an inkling stirring, a distant memory,

godly voices.

from: Siddhartha

by: Herman Hess

What better way to break a solitary drive up North...to a predicted blizzard..than to stop at a local hot springs, in the middle of nowhere, in the company of a beloved niece and a couple of her boys!!??
It was so fun to soak for a bit and to meet some unique folks from all over and whom where going to all sorts of uniques places from there!! Belgium was the furthest adventurous traveler!! And what a kick it was to watch Brock and Max hop and trot from one pool to another, over ice rimmed puddles in the brisk, wicked wind and cold.  I for one could not bring myself to even bring one shoulder out of the warm water. In fact, I was horrifed in knowing that  I would eventually have to pull myself out and withstand the cold and make my way to  a near by rock where my towel and borrowed cozy robe awaited me. The spring just wasnt quite hot enough to make it pleasant to step out of and into the north winds.  But we did it!! And it was so worth it!! And now I can check off this experience on my bucket list!! Yipeee!! Thanks Jeni, for joining me!! Love you so much and your darling family!!

Do you remember my reference to a predicted blizzard at home??
Well this time the weather man was right.
We woke up this morning to snow caked  windows (a first) and drifts all over the yard and its still being added to as I write. Pictures cant capture the sound of the wind or the blinding verticle snow. sigh.

Life, although it may only be an accumulation

of anguish, is dear to me, and I will defend it.

from: Frankenstein

by: Mary Shelly

I hate to admit how many time we've barreled on by this spot in Az...heading to Mesa and being too fixated on the end game to divert our tract and go check this out!! Next time we're stopping!!! This is so cool!!! April 20th ish, we're headed to Mesa again...for a wedding!!! Yahoo!!! I'll have to let you know what I think!!!

The world’s best preserved meteorite impact site,

 located in Northern Arizona, east of Flagstaff.

Rocks

Big rock into pebbles,

pebbles into sand.

I really hold a million million rocks here in my hand.

-florence parry heide

Im always telling guests that we live in a geological paradise! Just one look around and you'd have to agree. And the more I try to learn about the formations here...the more respect I have for folks who live and breath this rock and dirt and sand stuff!! The more I try to learn new things the more confused I become. But..it doesnt deter me, for I am fascinated by all I behold here. Some day I may get the opportunity to hike with a warm-blooded geologist who will be patient with me and my ignorance and questions...but until then...I have books and google to help!

Here are some of the things Im learning:

Mesas are formed by weathering and erosion of horizontally layered rocks that have been uplifted by tectonic activity. Variations in the ability of different types of rock to resist weathering and erosion cause the weaker types of rocks to be eroded away, leaving the more resistant types of rocks topographically higher than their surroundings.

there are at least 3 mesas behind my beautiful daughter there on the 3rd Ravine hike- Extended

A Butte- its an eroded mesa that ends up being taller than it is wide.

monument valley

Plateaus are types of landforms that possess a flat top and are elevated thousands of feet above a surrounding area. These landforms can be found in every continent on the globe. In some areas of the world, the plateaus are at such an elevated height that living conditions are harsh, while plateaus in other locations offer more benign environments suitable for agriculture.

Plateaus are level structures of land that usually rise about 1,500 feet (457 meters) above the surface of the ground. In order to be considered a plateau, it must possess at least one steep side. Some plateaus were formed as a result of upward movements of the Earth's crust.

This is definitely NOT a plateau!!!

But I've finally hit the plateau in my consumption of Pepsi!

(stay tuned for this sunday's notes)

Nothing ever seems interesting
when it belongs to you- only
when it doesn't.
from: Tuck Everlasting
by: Natalie Babbitt 1975

MOKE MARBLES

MOQUI MARBLES

SHAMAN STONES

MOKO BALLS

NAVAJO CHERRIES





There seems to be quite a few names for these very unusual geological formations found here in Southern Utah and Arizona. I find myself hiking across 'pools' of these rock about 2-3 times a week. (more on that in a moment)
American Indians that lived in the area are said to have used these strange geological anomalies for games, and in their slings for hunting and to absorb bad spirits and to even reduce pain. (more on this in another moment)
Break one of these stones open and you will find that they are filled with sandstone. The dark outside shell has iron, phosphorus and lime in its make-up. Nobody seems to know for sure how these fascinating rocks were formed...but there sure a a lot of interesting theories. Astroid hits, volcanic actions and mostly mystery are the hypothesizes I have read about. But all agree, they are old, old, old. 120-199 million years old!!!
Some folks in these parts believe that the stones hold mystical powers. Hold one in your hand and it may absorb negativity and replace it with useful energy. (Im all about useful energy!!) Maybe...just maybe I had better appreciate the fact that I can and do hike over beautiful 'puddles' of this stone, and that I do gain more from the experience than I realize. All I know is that these marbles have been in the Navajo Sandstone for millions of years and that its a safe bet that they were in there before the dunes were turned into stone by oceans of water those millions of years ago!!!
How about that!!??

The reason death sticks so closely to life isn't
biological necessity- its envy. Life is so beautiful
that death has fallen in love with it; a jealous,
possessive love that grabs at what it can. But
life leaps over oblivion lightly, losing only a
thing or two of no importance, and gloom is
the passing shadow of a cloud.
from: Life of Pi
by: Yann Martell

About that coral dust i collect between my toes....
(it gathers there whether i wear my favorite hiking sandles or whether i hike in shoes)
i guess it could be argued that it really isnt dust.
i suppose that a vast majority of it is indeed just plain ol glorious red sand. Sand that has been eroding away from the magnificent red rocks through all generations of time.
But there is dust too!!!
Today, i have learned from the newest edition of the SOJOURN magazine, that our 'dust' can come from the most unlikely places.
Did you know....
"The earth is still gathering more than a hundred tons of space dust every day-to the delight of scientists. Each speck, broken from an asteroid or shed by a comet, might hold a hundred thousand smaller specks. And among those sub-specks are the diamonds and sapphires, the inky-black carbon and rich organic molecules that date to the days of our planet's creation-and even earlier....Even the manner in which the tiniest grains cling together holds clues about how the dust grew as the Sun and planet took shape. Since every atom in our bodies came from inside of stars, explains astrophysicist Don Brownlee, by studying these interstellar dust particles, we can learn about our cosmic roots....."
Happily scientists receive a steady supply of clues. The earth grows fatter every day, snowed under by a continuous microscopic flurry of space specks. Rare as they are, on average, every square yard of the planet should nonetheless receive one speck each day.
Statistically, its a good bet that there's a fresh piece of space dust on the hood of your car daily-and a dozen fresh specks on your roof. Lie on your lawn for a day and you stand a shot at being pelted by a glassy mini-marble or a delicate crumb of comet dust.
"They're everywhere, " Brownlee says. " You eat them all the time. Any carpet would have'em. "
(Exerted from the The Secret Life of Dust by Hannah Holmes)

Space dust, coral dust, sand....its all GOOD!!!
im just so grateful that i can be out 'gathering' whenever i choose!!!

(image from deviantart.com)