Field Trips and Tourist Season

This past weekend Bob and I played "tourist" in Flagstaff. We did some of the things people do when they come to town for a short visit. We went to Arizona Snowbowl on Saturday and rode the ski lift up and down the mountain, taking lots of pictures along the way. Since it was warmer than usual in town that day, the trip up the mountain was a welcome respite from the heat.
The view from the top are phenomenal! On a clear day you can see the Grand Canyon, but on Saturday there was a wild fire and the smoke obscured the view in that area. There were other things to see, though, and I have included lots of photos. As you can see, the sky was blue, the forest was green and the air was clean!
Sunday I went on a "field trip" with Jamie. We went to Lowell Observatory for the night displays, and looked through the telescopes, listened to the lectures, watched the presentations and played with the interactive displays. It really felt like she and I were on a field trip with just the two of us, and it was fun!
One of the things that made this visit so memorable were the enthusiastic staff members. Most of them appeared to be students who had a passion for astronomy, which they demonstrated by sharing their knowledge of the night skies. They explained things in layman's terms making it easy for us to understand and process.
This little trip opened my eyes again to the importance of passion in your life. Passion for what you do to make your world special to you; passion for your calling, passion for your purpose in life, passion for your friends and family. I know that pursuing that which makes your heart sing is what will provide joy. I also know that it's not always possible to "do what you love or love what you do", as the shirt (Life is Good) says, but you can hold a tiny piece of your passion close to your heart and take it out when you need it most. Sometimes the memory will be sufficient to get you through your day.
It's been said many times that if you believe it to be possible, it is. I know this to be true. I dreamed often and constantly of leaving the city for the summer. I believe that dream that I often "took out when I needed it most" coupled with synchronicity helped make my being in Flagstaff this summer a reality. My passion for art, life and love has been reignited!

All weekends

should be like this one. What a great time! My husband came up for the weekend which was filled with activities. Friday night was Celtic music night at Heritage Square in Flagstaff, and much to my surprise, one of my favorite groups, and the headliner for the weekend, the Wicked Tinkers, played a short set. If you have never had the opportunity to watch this great tribal Celtic musical group perform, you are definitely missing out on a great time. The energy in the crowd was palpable, from the kids to the seniors. Everybody was clapping and yelling and dancing and truly enjoying a beautiful evening in the square. Talk about warming up the crowd! Incredible!

Saturday was a great day on the Kachina Trail. The weather, though slightly toasty by Flagstaff standards, was still beautiful, and the trail meanders through the beautiful Ponderosa Pine Forest near Snowbowl. It is so peaceful, clean, green and refreshing up there. A good place to restore your soul. The hike is not so difficult that it leaves you breathless, but it is challenging enough to know you got a workout. After hiking with friends, we joined others for a BBQ in the enchanted land of Sedona. Beautiful day, delicious food, good friends and conversation. What else could anybody ask for?

The Wicked Tinkers! That's what! Sunday we all went to the Celtic Festival in Flagstaff to watch the Tinkers play and laugh and drink and whirl and do the same ourselves. Happy wonderful music, laughter, good Guiness and good company. The festival certainly did not disappoint. Afterwards, a swim and a BBQ once again to complete a great weekend.

It was sad to say goodbye to my husband and daughters before they headed down the mountain. However, it was also a good time to reflect on the simple joys of family, friendship, music and laughter. How absolutely full I felt as I fell into bed on Sunday, feeling as though I was the happiest soul on the planet. I wish this happiness for each and every one of you.