Memories of the Rim Country

Over the twenty-three years that Denis and I have been married, we've traveled thousands of miles within the state of Arizona-- many of them off paved roads. I thought this state was beautiful to begin with, but once Denis and I started taking the Jeep off road, I learned that we'd only scratched the surface of beautiful by staying on asphalt and concrete.

One of our favorite places is up in the high country. If you think Arizona is nothing but rocks, sand, and cactus, think again. We have plenty of mountains and-- shock!-- at least three ski resorts. People have gotten lost in snowstorms and died here. Anyway, we've spent many enjoyable days up in the Rim Country, and I cherish these memories, particularly since large swaths of the landscape have been consumed by wildfires. How large? Well over ONE MILLION acres, that's how large. 

I've seen so many of our favorite places up in the cool, pine-scented mountains leveled by fire, and it breaks my heart to know that I'll never see them as beautiful again in my lifetime. Recently, another fire broke out in Greer, Arizona-- a spot especially dear to my heart. (It's the highest town in the state at an elevation of almost 9,000 feet.) About 20,000 acres were consumed before the fire could be contained. This led me to bringing up photos on my computer to relive some memories, and I thought I would share a few with you.

On our way to Greer at the end of May one year, we stopped at Black Canyon Lake to enjoy a snowstorm.

There are all sorts of wildlife up in the Rim Country. Denis and I had to stop to let a family of javalina cross the road on one trip.

The Rim Country has been inhabited for thousands of years, and it's not unusual to find petroglyphs tucked away in the Ponderosa pines.

A curious Abert's squirrel

There are many wildlife areas in the Greer-Springerville area, like the Becker Lake Wildlife Area where Denis and I sat and watched dozens of swallows swoop back and forth over the water.

Also in the Springerville area, you can sit in the parking lot at McDonald's and watch a lively prairie dog town in the field next door.

And so many flowers! This wild iris reminds me of my grandmother.

The Mogollon Rim cuts 200 miles across northeastern Arizona from Flagstaff all the way to the New Mexico border. When you stand on the edge (this is close to Black Canyon Lake), you feel as though you're on top of the world. Nothing but blue sky, mountains, and endless forests in sight.

This golden-mantled ground squirrel lived at Black Canyon Lake. He loved Doritos, and I named him Oliver because he was always coming back for more. Whenever we were in the area, Denis and I would stop (with healthier snacks) to feed Oliver and his buddies. They would take food right from my hand.

So many birds up in the Rim Country, too, but my favorite is the Steller's Jay. Quite the personality!

Denis and I loved renting cabins in Greer. That's our Jeep parked at one of them. On another trip, we rented one with a hot tub on the deck. It was winter, and the two of us sat in the hot tub late at night to watch the Geminids meteor shower. 

The cabin with the hot tub was also right on the banks of the Little Colorado River, and I would sit on the deck and watch a great blue heron fish every morning.

In the Greer area, you can also be up in the pines and look out over the Springerville volcanic field. (That's Denis.)

It's quite an abrupt change from trees to the volcanic field. Almost as though a line had been drawn.

Another shot of the view from the edge of the Mogollon Rim.

Unfortunately, not all are clouds. Fire has been so devastating here in Arizona.

Thanks for coming along with me on my trip down Memory Lane. I hope you enjoyed it.

First Frost by Craig Johnson

 

First Line: "You're too big to surf."

 

It's the summer of 1964 and recent college graduates Walt Longmire and Henry Standing Bear have enlisted to serve in the Vietnam War. Catching a few final waves in California before reporting for duty, a sudden storm capsizes a nearby boat, and Walt and Henry rescue some of the crew. Unfortunately, the boat was carrying valuable contraband, and the police are reluctant to turn Walt and Henry loose. But they finally do, and the two young men head east on Route 66. They have a date with the military.

Back in the present day, Walt is forced to speak before a judge concerning the fatal events of The Longmire Defense. It doesn't take the sheriff long to realize that he's got some powerful enemies lurking behind the scenes. 

These are two pivotal moments in Walt Longmire's life. Moments in which he stands in the crossfire of good and evil, of law and anarchy, and of compassion and cruelty.

~

When Vic Moretti starts cleaning out Walt's basement and finds a battered surfboard, it's the perfect beginning to the dual timeline tale of First Frost. Although the present-day timeline concerning Walt being questioned about the events in The Longmire Defense is important to his future, it's the treat of seeing Walt and Henry Standing Bear as young men that steals the show. 

Who wouldn't want to see these two on a road trip traveling Route 66, and where else should they be stranded than in the Middle-of-Nowhere, Arizona? Stranding Walt and Henry at the location of an old World War II Japanese internment camp lets Craig Johnson bring out a stellar cast of the weird, the downtrodden, and the deadly, and I relished meeting every one of them. 

Although Walt is still at a crossroads in his life, First Frost is also a return to some of the things longtime fans love the series for. There's Undersheriff Vic Moretti at her mouthy best and Henry Standing Bear, side by side with Walt, for example. I'm hoping that we'll get to see more of these two as young men, but who knows what Johnson has in store for us?

 

Characters, setting, story... Johnson is a master at all three. Moreover, he's also a master of the descriptive phrase that can really grab me. "...cruising away in the school of traffic like a killer whale." "...the hand that had reached up to me in the darkness like a flower breaking from the dark earth." "His eyes came up above the sunglasses again, dark, like swirling drains." 

I'm still smiling after finishing this latest installment in the life of my favorite sheriff, and once again, I'm waiting impatiently for the next. Boy howdy.

First Frost by Craig Johnson

ISBN: 9780593830673

Viking © 2024

Hardcover, 336 pages

 

Police Procedural, #20 Walt Longmire

Rating: A

Source: Purchased from The Poisoned Pen Bookstore.

Over the Edge by Kathleen Bryant

 

First Line: Early morning sun warmed the sandstone cliffs around me, and from behind closed eyelids I sensed the orange glow.

 

After a disastrous mistake cost her her job and almost her life, ex-crime reporter Delilah (Del) Cooper has returned to Sedona, Arizona to rebuild her life. Now working for a company that takes tourists through Red Rock Country, everything is peaceful and calm until she finds a body while hiking in a remote canyon.

 

At first, Del believes that the murdered man is connected to a proposed land trade that will pave the way for a luxury development on the edge of town, but money may not be the only motive. The more she digs, the more secrets she uncovers, and they all lead to Lee Ranch, a former filming location for Western movies. And the more secrets she uncovers, the more she knows that someone is watching her.

 

~

 

I picked up Kathleen Bryant's Over the Edge primarily for its Sedona setting-- one that I am very familiar with-- and the setting certainly did not disappoint. Bryant had me deep in Red Rock Country, visiting ancient Indian ruins, hiking remote canyons, slapping off orange-red dust, and thirstily emptying my water bottle while watching tourist-laden Jeeps jounce past. And speaking of them,

anyone who's been to Sedona has seen the ubiquitous Pink Jeeps, and I enjoyed learning more about that part of Sedona's tourism industry. 

The mystery is a strong one that kept me guessing, and the action unfolds at a steady pace. Unfortunately, I never warmed up to Del Cooper, and that definitely is a problem. If Del makes another appearance, will I read the book? Probably, if it's also set in Sedona. But if I still don't warm up to her, I'll have to find another fictional way back to Red Rock Country.

 

Over the Edge by Kathleen Bryant

eISBN: 9781639107599

Crooked Lane Books © 2024

eBook, 298 pages

 

Amateur Sleuth, #1 Del Cooper

Rating: B

Source: Net Galley 

April at the Desert Botanical Garden

Although Denis and I had gone to the Desert Botanical Garden at the beginning of April while Daisy and Suzanne were here, we had to go again because spring is Prime Time there.

Come along as we wander through the place that was recently voted one of the most beautiful gardens in the U.S.

I love coming to the garden when the palo verdes are in bloom.

Although... if you hate the color yellow, you might want to give the place a miss in the spring!

The fishhook barrel cacti were all showing off.

This probably isn't a good time of year to visit for allergy sufferers either.

Most people passed by this female desert spiny lizard without seeing her.

Pam's Pink Honeysuckle

Pretties in the Heritage Garden

The Heritage Garden has become one of my favorite places to explore.

Iceberg Rose

Dagger Cholla

These mama squirrels liked my raw sunflower kernels at the Patio Cafe.

One of the paths you can wander.

Some cacti blooms aren't as photogenic as others.

This Red Foxtail Cactus belongs to the Woolly Cactus family.

See what I mean about it not being quite as photogenic?

Now we're back to the photogenic ones!

The pincushion cactus

A spring moon says she, tongue in cheek.

Where the sunshine truly is golden.

The Texas Olive

On the Desert Wildflower Trail

Iconic Arizona. Palo verdes, cholla, saguaros, and a brilliant blue sky.

Thanks for coming along with us on this trip to the Desert Botanical Garden. We're contemplating another visit because it's baby Gambel's quail season now. There's always a reason to go back!

At the Desert Botanical Garden with Daisy and Suzanne

One of the places we visited while our nieces were here from England was-- of course-- the Desert Botanical Garden. I can't remember if Suzanne had visited before, but I knew Daisy had. We visited the Butterfly Pavilion, and there were plenty of wildflowers in bloom, but all the various types of cactus had yet to really pop. Denis and I are going back tomorrow, so I hope to have several photos of those to share in the future.

Meanwhile, let's see what Daisy, Suzanne, Denis and I got to see!

 

Outside Gertrude's Restaurant at the Desert Botanical Garden. Although they are pretty when they bloom, it always makes me sad-- once agaves bloom, they die.

Agave flowers.

Desert wildflowers.

Desert bluebells.

Daisy and Suzanne at the entrance to the Desert Wildflower Loop.

One lone verbena in a daisy patch.

We're now in the Butterfly Pavilion. Cabbage White butterflies.

Zebra Heliconian.

Malachite butterfly courting disaster. (Human feet everywhere!)

White Peacock. Why they call this "white" I do not know.

Two White Peacocks taking a seat.

One of the many paths in the garden.

It was cactus wren day in the garden. This one was grumpy.

Owl clover always makes me think of the psychedelic good ole days. It's one of my favorite wildflowers.

Daisy and Suzanne at the Webster Auditorium. The huge cactus behind them is the cardon. Planted in 1938, it's the oldest plant in the garden.

Shining brightly in the shade.

Shining brightly in the sun.

The Desert Night-blooming Cereus. Also known as the Queen of the Night. It looks a bit bedraggled because it does bloom at night, and by noon, the bloom has almost died.

Three squirrels in one shot. Top: gopher squirrel. Middle: rock squirrel. Bottom: ground squirrel.

Entrance to the Desert Botanical Garden, complete with Chihuly glass sculptures.

Fairy duster.

L to R: Daisy, Denis, and Suzanne, three of the best explorers to have on any kind of expedition.

I hope you enjoyed wandering through the garden with us. Soon, I'll be sharing our visit to the Musical Instrument Museum.