Fort Wayne, Indiana

This year I had the privilege of having my husband and his family, show me around their hometown! Thanks to his mom's hospitality, we had a comfy place to stay, good food, and we were out in the country nonetheless! I saw my first firefly, AND played with sparklers and fireworks!! It was pretty cool for a girl who grew up around the dry brush and wildfire hazards of the desert. Fireflies are much more friendly than scorpions and Arizona Sun Spiders.

As I am going through my photos, I have come to the realization the  G11 is getting WAY more shooting time than the 5D! It's so easy to travel with, shoots RAW, manual, and it's compact... I think my 5D is beginning to feel neglected, though it is the camera I use for all of my professional work, so it's had its fair share of usage. I like to rest it between gigs! My challenge to myself is to make the next post with work I did with the 5D, because it really is an amazing camera. Check out my website for photos taken with the 5D. (Takes a moment to glance longingly at the 5D, tucked away in its protective case.)

Sunset in Amish country. Splendid!

Storm rolling in over the Lake Adam Pub.

You mean, these are legal here?!

The power of machine and man. The Hanson rock quarry.

80 Degree Day in July

We were fortunate to find a home close to the Lake Pleasant recreation area in the Northwest Valley. On the 31st of July, after several monsoon storms satuated our area, we decided it was the perfect weather to explore an off-road playground west of Lake Pleasant called "The Boulders". From wild burros, to free-range cattle, abandoned mining areas, a broken down house and a point when we thought our route back was doomed... here are some of the photos from our adventure.

Wild burros! They paused long enough for me to snap a few photos.

  

No one is home.

Don't trash me.

You forgot your pants...

After I took this photo I noticed a loud buzzing noise coming from the large tree behind the Jeep. It was a swarm of bees. For anyone who knows me... I have an irrational phobia of insects, especially those with lethal potential. Time to go!

Summer Camping

Making up for lost time...

Hanging with the Guys: Family camping on the Mogollon Rim east of Payson, AZ. We were hiking-distance from Bear Lake. Luckily there were no bear encounters during this trip.

 Enjoying some of Uncle D's "Leeroy's Nectar of the Gods" homebrew.

 Cellphone paparazzi.

Father-daughter-son-in-law + Dogs & Dirtbikes: Labor Day Weekend camping south of Flagstaff, AZ.

Poor Quixie! He will run off if we don't keep him tied up. He needs to follow Cleo's example and stay close to camp. Didn't take as many photos this time. I did bring my 35mm and captured some black and white images, though I need to get them developed.

Take a Hike

While I didn't keep true to posting this on a regular basis, I am ready to give it another try.

One of Arizona's key weather features is one day it can be a beautiful 68 degrees before sunrise, but by noon it is a toasty 105. Despite the conditions I had an opporunity for a weekday hike, so I took it, because how often do I get to experience the outdoors, on a weekday, and feel the sunshine against my skin? Not often.

Lucky for me, scattered thunderstorms were rolling through the Valley at the time of my hike. 1 hour and 45 minutes, 1000 calories burned. Not bad!

When I was driving home, I came across a casualty of the mortgage crisis. The grand entry to a would be McMansion was overgrown with weeds and dead grass. It reminded me of some of the forgotten mining camps my husband and I have come across during our off-road adventures.  

It is nice to remember what the mid-day sun feels like.