Route 66 Arizona And American Road Trip Community Winning Photos

I'm honored to have 4 of my photos selected in the Route 66 Arizona And American Road Trip Community - Photos And Videos Group. They had a photo challenge on the topic: Arizona The 48th State. Below are my 4 photos that were selected.

If you are on Facebook take a look at the winning photos when you have a chance, https://www.facebook.com/groups/388887202155323/. We have such a beautiful State.

                                             Grand Falls or Chocolate Falls - Navajo Nation

                          Desert scene on Highway 89A between Marble Canyon and Lee's Ferry

                                                              West Fork Trail -  Sedona

                                            Massai Point - Chiricahua National Monument

Photos with Quotes

I've been seeing a lot of beautiful quotes this week and decided to start adding them to my photography and photos of me. Here are several from this week. I hope you like them.

Arizona Highways Friday Fotos

I was honored this week to have two photos selected in the Arizona Highways Friday Fotos theme National Parks in Arizona. Each week has a different theme that they post on Wednesday morning what the them will be and you have until Thursday at 7:00 to submit two photos. I've been lucky to have several photos selected throughout the year. The Friday Fotos challenge is on Facebook almost every week. They do take a break for holidays. Check it out when you have a chance; there are some amazing photos each week.

Here are the two photos that were selected.

Casa Grande Ruins National Monument in Florence, AZ. I used my fish eye lens to take this photo to give it a unique look.

Cattle resting at Pipe Spring National Monument in Fredonia, AZ. Pipe Spring has provided water to people in the desert for countless generations and cultures - the Ancestral Puebloans, the Kaibab Band of Paiute Indians, Spanish Missionaries, Mexican traders, United States explorers and ethnographers, the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints, and the National Park Service. 

Adventure at Boyce Thompson Arboretum

OMG, what an amazing day with my friends Karol Harvey and Kimberly Hewitt. We went exploring Boyce Thompson Arboretum and had no idea what was in store for us that morning. 

It was a beautiful overcast morning in Superior and we even got a little bit of precipitation walking through the Australian area among the giant Eucalyptus trees. We decided to take a path none of us had ever explored before and we were enjoying the Turkey Vultures taking off from their high perch from the large rock mountain above us. 

We continued down the path widening around the mountain when we all heard something and didn't quit know what it was. Karol was in the lead and thought what kind of bird is making that sound. Kimberly thought it was a sprinkler going off and I was in the back and heard the noise and immediately saw Karol running back towards us unable to speak.

We were hearing the rattles of a gorgeous Northern Blacktailed Rattlesnake. I've never seen one before, in fact didn't even know we had these snakes in AZ. He was moving slowly across the path not looking at us but checking something out to the side of us. I didn't see anything that he was looking at and believe me I was keeping my distance; I know how far rattlesnakes can strike. He wasn't coiled but very interested in something behind a tree he settled under. I'm so thankful I had my long lens with me yesterday, I wasn't going to bring it with me. He finally realized I was there and coiled in front of me so I decided it was time to stop taking his picture and we all moved on up the path to spend time with the Dragonflies by Ayer Lake. 

We talked about our encounter with our little friend the rattlesnake for hours; it took Karol that long to calm down. If you notice in the photos, I got him sticking his tongue out; wildlife just loves me! Yes, Kimberly and I made sure Karol was in front leading the way all day.