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.
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| On our way to Greer at the end of May one year, we stopped at Black Canyon Lake to enjoy a snowstorm. |
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| 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. |
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| The Rim Country has been inhabited for thousands of years, and it's not unusual to find petroglyphs tucked away in the Ponderosa pines. |
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| A curious Abert's squirrel |
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| 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. |
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| 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. |
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| And so many flowers! This wild iris reminds me of my grandmother. |
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| 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. |
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| 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. |
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| So many birds up in the Rim Country, too, but my favorite is the Steller's Jay. Quite the personality! |
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| 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. |
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| 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. |
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| It's quite an abrupt change from trees to the volcanic field. Almost as though a line had been drawn. |
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| Another shot of the view from the edge of the Mogollon Rim. |
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| 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.
