I’m back from two weeks exploring canyons in the American West. Now I need a vacation to rest up from my vacation! As I work my way back into the daily routine, I hope you enjoy a few photos and some canyon-inspired haiku.
parched earth, dry with dust
the white sun bakes a blue sky
a spring desert blooms
arid land fractured
by a river’s slow wander
through five billion years
golden canyons cleave
ancient swirls of earth revealed
smoothed by the winds’ breath
spring cold and waist deep
rivers lead around the bend
carved canyons beckon
uplift of the land
seas recede, plates in motion
beauty wrought by time
***
Myths of the Mirror 
Love this. Saw at least 1 similar photo to one I took at the Grand Canyon. Great share. Thanks!!!!
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That place is pretty amazing, isn’t it? I’m so glad you got there. Now that my husband and I are retired (sort of), we’re trying to visit all these beautiful places. Thanks for browsing!
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Yes the Grand Canyon is indeed grand. We also went to Sedona to experience the vortexes, red rock formations and the like. Was so amazing. I think having the luxury of time to travel and see the wonders of the world/nature is a true blessing. Enjoy your well deserved blessing of almost-retired!! Cheers
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❤
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Diana, I am only just now catching up with your posts! This is breathtaking. The photos are absolutely stunning! I get the resting up from the vacation haha, especially if the vacation involved a tonne of walking 😀 And the mind must also rest up from processing such magnanimous beauty. Absolutely gorgeous 🙂
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It was so beautiful, Lenora. I’ve been wanting to go there for decades and finally checked it off the bucket list. This is the best thing about being retired. Thanks so much for the visit and for the lovely comment. Have a wonderful Sunday, my friend. ❤
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Stunning photos, Diana, and gorgeous haiku. The photo of you and hubby is so cute, and you have me more excited for our backpacking trip next month. Welcome back! As you can see, I lost some reading time, so I’m playing catch up. 🙂
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I’m so glad you have a backpacking trip ahead. There’s nothing quite like getting out there into deep nature and away from the internet! Lol. We had a wonderful time and loved seeing parts of the country that are new to us. Happy Trails!
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It’s hard to believe there’s a part of the world that looks like that! The pictures are fabulous (so is the haiku).
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Thank you, Adrienne. It’s quite a place and now it’s checked off on my bucket list. 😀 This is really a beautiful planet and I wish I could visit all its wondrous spots. Have a lovely day and enjoy some of the great outdoors. 🙂
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You went all out for this exploratory tour. Congrats
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Thanks for stopping by to check out the photos and poetry, Michael. I’m at that age where I may not get a second trip to all the places I’d like to see, so I’m making the most of them. The knees sometimes complain, but the soul loves it. Have a great Sunday!
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I’m a bit late in commenting here (my apologies). These photos and haiku are breath-taking. You’ve captured the essence of the earth’s deep places here in both word and image. Although I grew up and currently reside in the southwest, there are wild desert places I’ve never visited, so seeing your photos really left an impression on me. Gorgeous photography! Your talents as a fine wordsmith are readily apparent (as always). Each haiku is brilliant and they all spoke to me. I’m yearning to see slot canyons in particular, something I’ve never experienced. It looks as though you had a wonderful vacation and I’m so happy for you. Thanks for sharing your adventure with us, Diana! I really enjoyed this post. 🙂
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Thank you for your kind comments, Mike. I’m so glad you enjoyed the photos and the poetry. I love putting them together, adding the thoughts these landscapes evoke to the images. These places are steeped in history and wonder, and so incredibly beautiful. I went to Antelope Canyon in Page, Utah. If you can get there, you’d love it. It’s magical, and definitely worthy of your talents with a camera. Have a wonderful weekend, my friend. Hugs.
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Exciting, and awe-inspiringly exquisite, Diana. The greatest gift- sharing a celebration of life and beauty. Chi miigwetch. 💜
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I just think this planet is absolute perfection, Carol. The most beautiful, wondrous, awe-inspiring place in the universe. I can’t get enough of it. 🙂 Thank you too.
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Photos – amazing. Photo of you and your guy – adorable. Haikus – thought provoking. I love the idea of the blue sky being ‘baked’ by the sun. xo
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Aw, thanks for the lovely comment, Pam. We had a fun time. We’re hoping for more adventures while we’re still able to follow the trails. The canyons were incredibly beautiful. I’m so glad you enjoyed the post. Big hugs.
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Thank you for the photos and the haiku! Beauty is always welcome!
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Beauty is all around us, Basilike, if we let it flourish, nurture it, and pay attention. I don’t know why humans choose to inflict so much suffering when this is the alternative. Thanks for the kind comment, my friend. Hugs. ❤
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I don’t know that either, Diana. It seems we choose the ‘easy’ way
It’s easier to not care than to care, to do the wrong thing than the right one. Therefore…
Hugs back ❤️
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❤
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How well your beautiful Haiku blends with those glorious images. You look so adventurous! Toni x
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Ha ha. Not that adventurous. Well, maybe a little, Toni. We do all the “easy” trails. And the national parks are very accessible. I’m so glad you enjoyed the post. Thanks for dropping by!
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Those photos are absolutely breathtaking! Love the haiku, too ❤️
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Thanks, Tessa. I enjoy pairing a little poetry with the photos. Glad you enjoyed the post. It was a fabulous trip. I love this planet! Have a great day, my friend. 😀
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Awesome post! The photos are amazing!!! Beautiful poems! I love the line, “A white sun bakes a blue sky.”
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Thanks so much for the kind comment, Linda. It was wonderful just soaking up the sunshine and the awe-inspiring beauty of nature. I’m glad you enjoyed the post!
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Gorgeous photos, Diana! And the poems fit each photo! What a great trip!
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Thanks for the visit, Jan. We had so much fun and being offline for days at a time was a much needed rest for the brain. 😀 I’m so glad you enjoyed the photos and poems. Have a great day, my friend. Hugs.
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Looks like a stunning vacation….love the pictures!!! Welcome back!!
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Thanks Kirt. We has a great time and hiked everyday. It was good to get back to our soggy cool climate here, though a little sunshine would be nice! Ha ha. Have a great week, my friend.
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Gorgeous! What an incredible vacation!
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Thanks for the visit, Ann. We had such a lovely time and the weather cooperated beautifully. I’m so glad you enjoyed the post, my friend. Have a wonderful week.
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Fabulous & brilliant post Diana! I love it, tweeted it out!
PS: you look marvellous, simply marvellous!
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Ha ha ha. That’s my glamorous hiking get-up, Resa. I’m glad you enjoyed the photos and the poems. It was a great trip. I’m looking forward to the next adventure. 🙂
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Marvellous and excellent pictures, Diana and you are looking so nice with your husband. Awesome post.
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Thank you, Kamal. We’re getting up there in years, but will be enjoying the great outdoors as long as the knees and backs last. 😀 Thanks for the visit and the kind comment. Have a lovely week, my friend.
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You are always welcome dear Diana. You too have a lovely week ahead.
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Wow! Your professional quality photos are breathtaking, as others have said, and your haiku are perfect! Thank you so much for sharing them. I had been looking forward to this particular post, and hope there will be others related to your vacation.
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Thank you for the kind comment, Peggy. Most of these pictures are my husband’s since he’s better at this than I am! Lol. I just love this planet and can’t get over how amazingly beautiful it is. I’m so glad you enjoyed the post. More travels to come! Have a lovely week.
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Absolutely breathtaking! Thank you, Ranger Diana.
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Thanks, Jennie. We are loving this part of retirement and getting to see some of this amazing planet. More in the future. 🙂
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Just wonderful! Retiring when you can still get around and finally do your bucket list is a dream come true. Honestly, your photos were gorgeous, and your take on nature and how it came to be was the icing on the cake. Best to you, Diana.
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I’m so glad you enjoyed them. ❤
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I did! 😀
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These are some magical shots of geology at work. Vacations to rest up from vacations are a real thing.
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Yes! Lots of geology! Which I love. 🙂 I had a busy week at home, but my weekend was restful. Are you home from your reunion? I hope you had a wonderful time too. 😀
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Yes, hence my remark about resting up after a vacation. I did drive up and back to a decade party of one of my closest friends.
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Ha. Yup. Rest up, my friend.
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Absolutely wonderful! Photos and of course your poetry.
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Thank you, Nico. I’m so glad you enjoyed the post. Nature is beautiful and inspirational as you know. 😀
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