Sin City, Nevada

Well, I took another spectacular drive through the desert; beautiful with lots of mountains. It was about a 5 hour drive to Las Vegas. I wasn't expecting this but as I got closer, I realized I'd be going right by the Hoover Dam. WOW!!!! I couldn't believe it! It was, yes I'll say it again, AMAZING! It was around sunset so the sky was a backdrop of orange/yellow and purple making mountains glow.
As you can imagine, it's hard to get a picture when I'm driving so this one does not do the experience justice, but gives you some idea. As I've said before, I struggle with the pictures because I want to capture the feeling I have so you can have it,too! I know it doesn't work that way so I'll try to explain. Ya know when you are a little kid and you're so excited about something that your knees itch? (Bo, you know what I mean,remember?)That is what I feel like most of the time!
So... I'm going past the Hoover Dam feeling astounded by it all,crying and , of course, called my mom who was sleeping (3 hour time difference). I couldn't help myself. I couldn't believe how gorgeous it was and massive! As I continued the sunset drive, I saw Lake Meade which also looked so pretty against the bright sky.
My aunt and uncle live in Green Valley, right outside Las Vegas and it was green. In the desert surrounded by mountains, this little area was covered with trees and greenery. It was really beautiful.
I was delirious with the night sky and just happy to be seeing them. I got there pretty late in the evening on a Thursday night.
We worked on Friday; hung out and had great long talks. Saturday my Aunt Faith and I went out to lunch at a resort nearby. We even played some electronic poker. There are slot machines everywhere, even the grocery store. We treated ourselves to pedicures and manicures after that. A great day!
Saturday night, when my Uncle Steven got home from work, we all went to the strip to see the action in Las Vegas and there was lots to see! We walked all over the strip (well some of it, there was so much in the little area we walked).At the Bellagio there were beautiful fountains that go off around every 1/2 hour and they are choreographed to music. Each time different music is played. When we stopped it was dancing to the theme from Chicago. I love the Show tunes!
Here's a picture of us in front of the fountains. Does it look blurry? Well, I figured why not add it! Everything is blurry in Vegas!
We walked through a couple of the hotels. I couldn't believe the displays in the lobbies of these places! It was magnificent. We walked through Paris and then into Cesar's Palace (I think it was) where they had their Spring/Summer display. There were live love birds in cages and a whole summer- garden theme. There were flowers hanging from the ceiling made from blown glass. and sculptures and fountains everywhere. The sculptures were made out of live flowers. Since I love frogs, I grabbed a photo of this one to give you the idea!

As we wandered around we got to see the things that make Vegas, Vegas. The pole dancers in every bar, the guys on the corners passing out cards to see "GIRLS,GIRLS, GIRLS" (adult entertainment) clicking them as people passed,making noise like cards in the spokes of a bike. We got to see the famous, get married quick in Vegas, wedding chapels and some of them are even drive through -good luck!
And what's a visit to Vegas without having a "little" Elvis sighting! And I mean little!

They were such great tour guides!! There was so much more like the erupting volcano in front of one of the hotels,stimulus overload!
Sunday was a day of relaxation and hanging out together. We had more great talks and I went to the pool for a while. We also had a yummy dinner together and Monday morning, after laundry, I was off!
I really loved connecting with family and we had such a great bonding time! And it was great to see where they are and the beautiful location they live in.

So it's off to San Diego and I'm really excited about hitting the "other" coast! More to come...

Sedona, Arizona

As I drove through the Canyon and entered Sedona my breath was literally taken away. It was so beautiful! I couldn't get enough and for once I wished I had a driver. I wondered if the locals ever get sick of looking at the red; do they even see it anymore? And those rock formations. Each time I looked at the same rock I saw something different. A new sculpture, another profile, a cut out of an animal...I felt like the faces of spirits were looking at me. Not only is it beautiful it is amazingly calming.
My hotel was great! Guests had rights to the Hilton Spa down the street so I could go to their pool, gym and yoga classes. Yahoo! The hotel had a perfect view of Bell Rock, one of the most popular formations.

My first adventure was a long walk.My hotel was in the Village of Oak Creek which was outside downtown Sedona and beautiful in it's own right. The neighborhood had so many beautiful homes and I walked until I got lost. Finally I saw someone outside their house and I asked which direction to go to get to my hotel. On my way back I saw a yard sale and went over just for fun... I met Carl who was around 75. I asked him why he selling everything. He told me the tale of his beautiful wife/poet who had died a couple years before and that he had recently been in contact with an old highschool friend. They ended up getting together,falling in love and he was moving to New Jersey to be with her. As I approached him sitting on his porch, he was writing a poem to his new love which he ended up reading to me, wonderful! Meeting Carl reminded me of how much love and experience we can squeeze into life if we are open.

The next day I went on a jeep tour. I met Karen, the guide. She had just moved from Taos where I had just left so it was fun to talk to her. She said Taos is an art community with a spiritual undertone and Sedona is a spiritual community with an art undertone.
It was a great way to compare the two. Needless to say we went four wheeling which was fun and a little scary. We got pretty close to the edge a couple of times. We learned about the history and the natives and she took us through an area that was not open to the public so it was really great. We even saw a rattlesnake (far enough away so I wasn't scared).

Sedona has vortexes-pockets of energy that permeate the area. This energy is said to be felt all over Sedona. I read that going to one of the vortex sites, where the energy is strongest, can be a very powerful experience. The energy is said to create a feeling of well being and can last for days. This is also one of the reasons that Sedona is known as a spiritual power center; lots of energy coming from those vortexes. I did have an invigorated, breathless feeling before I knew about them so understanding what they were explained alot.I wonder if that is why I was so upset about leaving.
Bell Rock was the first formation I hiked and I could certainly feel the power of the vortex there. When I started to climb, I saw a woman sitting with coffee. I stopped and there I met Ivonna. She was from Poland and had just had a fight with the friend she was traveling with (which made me glad to be alone). I asked her if she wanted to hike with me and we spent the next couple of hours together. We took pictures of each other. We solved the problems of the world and parted ways. Again, the meeting reminded me that meeting people is the best part of my trip.

I took lots of drives through Sedona just to look at the rock. It truly was amazing.
Someone had told me to go to Slide Rock Park. It is a natural water slide nestled in the Oak Creek area. It was great! There were lots of people there and it was beautiful. It was about a 10 minute walk deeper into the forest before getting to Slide Rock, then down stairs into the creek. The Rocks were slippery from the constant water rushing over them, creating a perfect slide. So you walk a bit until you get to the beginning, get into the water and the current pushes you down the slide. I hesitated because the kids who were in there had blue lips and were shivering acting like they were having a great time. "Is it cold?" I asked, knowing the answer and they all said,"Freezing" but I knew I'd regret it if I didn't do it sooo. WOW... it was cold BUT it was exhilarating! Another moment that took my breath away.

I had been asked by Crowfeather, in Taos, to bring an offering to Sedona. It was a spiritual offering of prayer for two of his kids. He gave me the offering (2 feathers and a rock) and asked me to bring it to a "sacred" space that included a tree, place the offering, sit and pray for them. Each day I carried the offerings with me so I'd be prepared when I felt the time/place was right. One evening I hiked Cathedral Rock (one of the most photographed formations). I got about halfway up and I saw a beautifully twisted Juniper that looked like it was glowing. The sun hitting it just right. "This is the place", I thought. I placed Crowfeather's offering at the tree;sat, prayed and moved on. I continued toward the top where I saw the perfect tree for my own offering. The leader of the Sweatlodge had taught me how to create a prayer offering with pieces of material and string asking "Spirit" what is next for me. So days before I went to Walmart so I could put together my prayer flags. I only needed a small amount of material so they gave it to me for free and I told Sally, the clerk, I'd say a prayer for her, which I did when I got to my spot. I found my space, tied my offering to a tree and sat and prayed. As I did, I looked to my left looked and saw this cactus.

It was growing love. See the hearts?
Cathedral Rock was beautiful. I realized when I started to climb down that I needed to stop,lie down with God and just watch the clouds.So I did.

The next day, before leaving, I went back to Cahthdral rock because the other side had a creek I wanted to see. I hung out there for a bit. I didn't want to leave.

I loved Sedona and will certainly go back. It was amazing! Las Vegas is next; a totally different kind of energy!!!

More to come...

More New Mexico...lots of stuff here!

Well, what can I say, guys. I had a hard time leaving Taos and what started as a 5 day trip turned into 3 and 1/2 weeks! As in life, sometimes it's in the stopping that we really move forward...
It was so nice to spend time with Eileen. Her husband, Steve, was away on sabbatical so we were roommates and had lots of time to have meals together, go for walks, hikes,some site seeing and tons of time to talk. It amazes me that no matter how much time we have to talk there is always more to say!

Our first adventure was Ojo Caliente, a spa with mineral spring pools. They are healing pools. Their waters are legendary. Did you know SPA stands for "Salud Per Agua", which means "health through water"? I didn't. All the water comes through the mountains and there was even a mud pool (which was great..I love to get dirty). All had their own mineral associated with them and each had different healing properties. It was GREAT! We ended the afternoon with a "Milagro Wrap". It is a dry wrap where you take off all clothes, get wrapped in a light cotton blanket, then a heavier wool blanket. It accelerates the release of toxins from the body. It was like being enclosed in a cocoon. There was soft music in the background as we lay quietly being comforted/hugged. Need I say more? It was a great way to "wrap" up the day after spending time in the healing waters while staring at the beautiful scenery.

We also did some hiking; a mountain hike which we did a few times and was beautiful. And a hike along the Rio Grande River, also beautiful, very different than a mountain hike, but equal amounts of joy. There were such incredible views of the Rio Grande and as we continued the walk we stumbled upon a labyrinth. Right there in the middle of the desert someone created a labyrinth. A nice little surprise so we quietly walked it.



Our first Sunday, we went to church and out to lunch with some friends. One of them asked what I did for work. Eileen jumped in and told her I was a Reflexologist and she hired me to work on her feet the next day. It was great! I have been giving treatments to people who've hosted me, but this was an extra treat for me. I tell you, it is always a spiritual experience for me and this time was no different. I was also told by my Reflexology teacher to look up a woman, a master Reflexologist in Taos, Whitehawk. I called her and we soon had a date to exchange treatments! WOW!! She was amazing and taught me a couple of things. I also received some additional training, using magnets as part of the treatment. After my session with her I could hardly remember the drive home! The magnet treatment enhances the response to the Reflexology (I'll say) so I can't wait to try on any who are interested.


We also went to a poetry reading; two authors, Ellen Bass (who wrote the Courage to Heal) and Marie Howe. I thought, given the topic of their other books, the readings would be kind of dark or related to healing around abuse, but NO WAY! They were funny, philosophical, light and just had a wonderful way of viewing life on life's terms. I loved it! Why don't I go to more book/poetry readings?!...


One of the nights, a friend of Eileen's (a couple who sang at her wedding and have a nationally syndicated radio show) were playing at the square so we went to listen to music. It was a balmy summer night and the music was perfect for the landscape. Loved it.
On yet another evening we had a small dinner party with some friends I've met over the last 4 times I've been in Taos. We had dinner and then played Quiddler, one of my favorite games. I actually learned how to play the first time I was in Taos. I lost. I am not sure I've ever won but I never care. It is so fun and we always have lots of laughs.
In between the adventures I had the luxury of going to alot of meetings and made some new friends.


On my last Sunday we went to an early meeting then were supposed to go to church. We met Inky, another friend for coffee and instead,Eileen went to church to play (piano and sing) and I went to my other church,nature. Inky and I took a long walk in the woods. It was beautiful. I had told her of all the turtles on my path and we talked alot of Native Americans and their animal medicine. She had studied this for a while.

Later I met Eileen at a restaurant for lunch and we decided to go to a few stores because I wanted to buy a drum. They make them at the Pueblo and they are beautiful, authentic Native American drums.Eileen and I meandered through a couple of stores playing the different drums. I saw one I LOVED. It made my heart sing, the tone was just gorgeous. I wanted to comparison shop so we went to another store and that is where we met, Crowfeather,an Apache Indian. We joked around and got into conversation where I told him about the turtles and how present they have been on my journey. As we got talking about the meaning of turtle he felt I was being called to participate in a "Sweat lodge". He invited us and there happened to be one that evening.

What the heck is a Sweat Lodge? You might ask. I had no clue. It is a sacred ceremony the Natives conduct for prayer...more about Sweat Lodges. He explained they don't normally invite strangers but he felt strongly, after a few serendipitous moments, that we should go. The Sweat lodge is designed to resemble the turtle, "Mother Earth"...and I found out from the leader at the lodge that often people who carry turtle medicine are creators of and/or hold sacred space for other's to worship or heal. Eileen said she'd go and support me if I wanted to go and we went. All I can say is WOWOWOWOW!! I loved I really believe the turtles on my journey led me to this experience .

I can't say enough about how much participating in the ceremony meant to me and continues to mean to me, spiritually. I was giddy then emotional as we all prayed out loud. There were four rounds of prayer. They were very clear that we pray to whomever our God is. I could feel the Presence. When we were done, about 2 hours, we all got out and the sunset was amazing. We were at the base of a mountain in Questa (25 minutes outside Taos). The drive home was a vision. On one side was the dimming orange sky and the other, a full moon rising. The ride was peaceful as we talked a little then listened to music and we all smelled like cedar and sage. It was an amazing experience and helped ready me for the next leg of this journey. My time in Taos felt complete. By the way, I went back and bought the drum.I continue to use it during my meditation time.

Like I said, it was VERY difficult to leave Taos. I really enjoyed nesting there and the people are just wonderful.

The last 2 days were spent at the home of a wonderful couple I've become friends with over the years, Ken and Janet. They are so loving and generous and it was great spending time with each of them. (Steve had come home from his sabbatical)...


I will miss my new friends and felt spoiled by the time I spent with Eileen. It was hard to leave it all... but the journey continues, more adventure, more God and more of this beautiful country and mostly?more lessons along the way...

So I am now in Sedona...What a drive..I'll be writing about that soon!!

New Mexico

Here I am, New Mexico!!

Alot of you know this is my fourth visit and I am here to visit my very dear friend Eileen.

The ride from San Antonio was 13 hours. I packed my lunch and dinner and told myself when I started that I would take it one step at a time and if I needed to stop overnight I would. The driving felt really easy so I continued. This is where I got to see exactly how big Texas is. I drove through miles and miles of ranches and then miles and miles of desert land with oil digging devises bobbing up and down, up and down. There were miles and miles of vast land;acres of windmills, too.

It just didn't seem to end...until it did.

The reason I needed to take it one hour at a time is that the drive into Taos (which is on a mountain) is very steep and that would mean the last 1 or 2 hours of the drive would be climbing that mountain on those steep and windy roads with my little trusty 4 cylinder car. So as dinner time approached and I reached a new time zone, I stopped, got gas, had dinner and really felt like, "Okay, God, I think I can do this, so lets try".I really felt like I was familiar enough with the mountain. I didn't think there was anything that would make it more difficult than rain and it wasn't raining so I decided to go for it. Let's just say I didn't consider everything.

There really is something magical about New Mexico, just being surrounded by the mountains and that sweet smell of sage(especially strong because it had rained that day). There is a sacredness to being here. I could feel it as I approached the mountain. I had a lightness about me.At one point there was a lake with mountains surrounding it; the sun was starting to set and I couldn't believe how beautiful the mountains reflecting in the water with the sun setting, looked. There were orange and yellow blankets holding me close. It felt warm and lovely.

As I was driving I noticed the "God Rays"(which I call the rays of sun shining through clouds) pouring through. I felt like I was being called, lifted right out of my car! It was unbelievable! I was being hugged by the universe! I started taking pictures while driving just hoping against hope they'd give you some idea of what I was feeling.
I felt the presence of God so clearly I was jumping out of my skin and had an intense need to dance. I kept feeling it until I finally said, "What's stopping you?" So I pulled over to the side of the road, grabbed my camera (in case someone drove by and wondered why I was out of my car;this picture is the spot I danced in) turned up the music and just started dancing my head off!! I was giddy with the freedom of it!!!




I felt exhilarated as I started up the mountain. The route AMOS (gps) took me was unfamiliar. I didn't realize there was more than one way up. I went through a town I didn't recognize.It got really dark and foggy; it rained a little. Because of the clouds there was no moon to guide me. I started to get scared and wanted company so I looked for music on radio, no stations coming in, no luck. Finally, I relaxed into the ride and realized that as dark as it was, I wasn't alone. I had Guidance and it would be okay, just take it slow. So, step by step, very slowly I continued. As I really started to relax and turn a corner, the headlights caught a glimpse of a deer off to my right, beautiful. I continued along and as it got steeper, I got a bit more anxious, talked myself down;got relaxed and to my right was a large ELK walking next to the car; See?Guided!

The trip made me realize, again,I can think I am planning for one kind of journey but I don't know what will crop up. So pay attention to the signs along the way! There are always lots of little surprises if we're present for the "ride".
This whole trip? Different than I thought it would be and MUCH BETTER....

I got to Eileen's house and she had just come home from playing at "The Bistro" where she plays piano Saturday nights.I was drained. She said, "Want to get in the hottub and look at the stars?" Uh, Yaah!! So we did and that was the beginning.


I have been here for a while and have lots to share and soon!!

San Antonio..last stop in Texas

Well here it is,San Antonio, my last official stop in Texas. I stayed with some wonderful people. I met them through work and we had become friendly over the phone. Over the years she had invited me to stay with her and when I knew I was taking the trip we made a plan.
The ride from Austin happened in the blink of an eye. It took about an hour and a half and I took my time. Again, the landscape was not what I expected; hills, streams and flowering trees interspersed with ranches and flat land. As you know by now I really enjoy seeing how different the landscape is from place to place even within the same state.
Lori, my host, was there to greet me and welcome me into her home. She set me up in their guest house which was more like a log home. The main house was designed in French Country,inside and out, and was like something out of a magazine. After I got unpacked, I was invited to have dinner with the family. When I explained what I did with my food (which some of you know could raise an eyebrow)she chuckled at what 3 teenagers might think (her 3 kids). She thought it would be entertaining since they give her a hard time about things she does. Let's just say I braced myself for the adventure! The kids were really great. We had a wonderful dinner and lots of laughs, mostly about how worried they were that their mother invited someone she'd never met to stay with them and how relieved they were when they realized I wasn't a serial killer. We soon discovered that we had all been secretly worried that the other didn't watch American Idol and it was the final week. What a bonding session! No worries for any of us, we all sat like faithful idol fans hanging on everything Simon said. I even voted with them!


I saw alot of San Antonio and like Austin, there was a beautiful lake and lots of mountains and trees mixed with humongous flowering cactus.From what I understand, Hill Country (which is where I was and I am guessing Austin is part of it too) is an enigma in Texas which is generally flat.

Lori wanted to take me to a popular tourist spot and her favorite place in "Hill Country" called Fredericksburg. Immigrants, mostly German settled there back in the 1800's. The town has a lot of German style restaurants and pubs. There is an area, like Plymouth Plantation, where volunteers still dress in the immigrant clothing and you can see the authentic lifestyle of the original settlers. There are also beautiful boutiques, restaurants and bed and breakfasts lining the area. She said it's a romantic get-away for couples.

I also went to Alamo and we all know what that's about. Well, I didn't really know the story so I went through and watched the video to get a better understanding of all of it. Even after watching the film I still couldn't quite figure out who the actual bad guys were or who should have had the rights to what.What I do know is those 200 men who stayed to fight for Texas knowing there was no way they would live through it were incredible and in the end, Texas is Texas and freely part of the US, not Spain or Mexico, so there it is.
Right across the street was an entrance to the "River Walk". For all you couples out there, I'd recommend it.
River walk is a boardwalk that borders both sides of the San Antonio River. It goes right through the area and there are shops, restaurants and street musicians up and down this beautiful, active area. It's a nice place to sit and have a meal or just sit and watch all the people (one of my favorite activities) and there's so much to see. They had little boat cruises giving tours so I hopped on one and it was a great way to see the whole walk and get a little history of the buildings. I really loved it. I even saw a little albino duck.



I think one of the many lessons I'm learning on this life-changing journey is how to receive, gracefully. I 've mentioned before how generous people are with their homes, even if I've just met through someone else or over the phone. What is really amazing to me is every stop I make I am so grateful to even be staying that I am shocked when they offer more or invite me to participate in their family activities and won't accept my offers to reciprocate...They don't realize what a gift they are already giving me by sharing themselves and who they are. I always feel so welcomed and part of their everyday lives. That is always the best part of any of my journey. So, I am slowly starting to take it in, accept it, relish the experiences and say, "Thank You".

Okay so Texas was "huge" which I really discovered on my way OUT! The 13 hour trip to Taos, New Mexico (where I am and have been for a bit) was long but UNBELIEVABLE...more to come and soon!!!!