Christmas catch up

 I haven't felt like blogging this Christmas. My brother, Simon, is very ill and everything else takes a back seat until we find out what is wrong and what the treatment will entail. To that end I have also delayed my winter travel. So this is just a quick review of Christmas to get some photos off my camera and on to the blog.

The trip to Arizona was a Christmas gift from Christine and Jason and we all had a lovely time there and I enjoyed it enough that I think I will go back.

Mike and Aimee moved into a new house, in St Albert (near Edmonton) at the beginning of December so I went for a visit and to help with some painting.

The whole house was painted brown so Mike, Aimee and I painted the living room (shown), dining room, hallway and kitchen a pale grey (with a touch of blue in it) and it brightened the space significantly.

 

The kitchen is s large space with much less storage or counter space than their last place, so they bought and built this unit.

Avery wanted his room black and white but was talked into a compromise of the light grey and dark charcoal (called "zombie"). Mike and Aimee had to go back to work so this was largely my job. Avery plans on decorating with video game posters and a decal of video game consoles.

I got started on Maya's room...the pale grey and a sky blue (we talked her out of turquoise) and she plans a rainbow and butterfly decal for her wall.

When not painting or babysitting I worked on River's stocking. George's mum started the tradition by making felt stockings for Mike and Chris and I have continued it with stockings for Aimee, Jason, Avery, Maya, Cigi and now River.

The weather was surprisingly warm, and cloudy, for Edmonton and if I hadn't been so busy with the house and kids I would have enjoyed walking around their new neighbourhood. I managed to spend an afternoon with Aimee shopping for their Christmas gifts, which I left for her to wrap.

Chris, Jason and Cigi came for a few days before Christmas and we had a mini Christmas celebration and had Daniele, Fiona and Rick for a Christmas lunch (Nicola and David were sick and couldn't make it).

We also fitted in a walk around the Simcoe Panorama of Lights and Cigi saw her first live Santa. She was mesmerized and when he asked her what she wanted for Christmas she said "socks" (good job I had bought her some - with baby Yoda on).

So it was then a very quite Christmas, just Rick and I. We did do the whole turkey dinner thing.

Christmas Day was grey and mild

so we had an "urban hike" on the pier,

beach

and around town.

There were lots of people out walking off the turkey

and Mergansers in the water.

Arizona - Phoenix Art Museum

 Built in 1959 and with it's most recent renovation in 2006 PhxArt is the largest art museum in the South Western United States, according to Wikipedia.

I started with the exhibition of work by Amelia Mesa-Bains. Pieces in the first room resembled home alters and ofrendas found in Mexican-American homes.

 

Her other sculptural pieces used diverse materials such as moss "The Amazona's Mirror",

woven material (that's what the label said but it looks like rug hooking or punch needle to me)

glass and

lights."What the River Gave to Me"

I was excited about this as I had been unable to get tickets to her show at the AGO.

It was just one room, quite disorientating (a number of people stepped through the black curtains and then stepped out again, unable to deal with not being able to see where they were going). I reached out, found a wall (all were mirrored) and followed it around to the exit, some bravely stepped away from the wall and risked running into it.

The mirrored walls infinitely  reflected the strands of lights that were constantly changing colour. Every now and then I saw a ghostly reflection of myself, reflected multiple times and when others were in the room at the same time, the videos they were taking on their phones also lit the space and reflected. It was beautiful and I returned to it 3 times.

Next was an exhibit of paintings by Philip C. Curtis. "Mountain Village"

"Entrance with light bulb"

Between the exhibition halls there were large foyers displaying some of the huge pieces in the collection. From the distance I took this for a painting but up closer all those little black marks were people walking. It was a video and mesmerizing. Michal Rovner "Blue Hills"

This oil painting was massive and I loved the way you first notice the figure on the blanket but the way the light comes through the trees draws your eye until you see the figure centre right. Rebecca Campbell "Jack and Diane"

Enough art for now. The next blog post will have more.

Arizona - Phoenix, solo tourist

 I have picked up Cigi's cough so had a very poor nights sleep. I spent the morning on the internet finding out where the art galleries are in Phoenix and how to get to them. It turned out that the main one wasn't open on Tuesday but the Heard Museum (Native American Art) was. I was even less successful figuring out the transit system so asked at the front desk. The suggestion was to buy  a day pass either from the variety store one block east or the light rail station 3 blocks west. 

As the rail station was in the direction I wanted to go, I took that option.

When I got there one of the ticket booths only took cash (I had none) and the other indicated it took credit cards but didn't work. Frustration for me and the people who followed me who couldn't get it to work either. They lost some ridership that day!

I knew I wasn't up to the walk so instead wandered back towards the hotel on side streets

Grabbed a sandwich for lunch (turned out it was big enough for supper too)

Garfield was developed from 1883 to 1955. The neighborhood was one of the first additions to the original Phoenix townsite. It is also an excellent example of a “streetcar subdivision,” where residential development was directly related to the establishment of a streetcar line through the neighborhood. from phoenix.org

I ended up getting back to the hotel and blogging then napping (something I rarely do but may have been cough related or just 10 days of over stimulation).

I felt a bit better today so headed for the Phoenix Art Museum that was open today. This time went to the Circle K and bought a Day Pass for transit. The clerk there tried to tell me which bus to catch but even he couldn't figure out the website on his phone so I just waited at a bus stop planning on "winging it". 

While waiting for the bus I finally was able to take a picture of a driverless car. We had seen a lot of them but I never got my camera out in time, until today.

 Waymo One currently operates 24/7 across 225 square miles of Metro Phoenix. Let the Waymo Driver take the wheel from Downtown Phoenix, to Scottsdale, to the East Valley. from the waymo website.

After the bus I took the light rail and with the help of another passenger got off at the right stop. Using the website was not easy, using the transit itself was very easy, however at no point was there anything to read my pass and no-one asked to see it!

Think this is the place.

No food or drink allowed inside so I had to leave my water bottle and cough candies in a locker, made for a lot of coughing in the exhibits!

 They did allow photography though (no flash) so, as usual when I visit art galleries, I have hundreds of photos to go through and decide what to post....next blog.

Arizona - Montezuma Castle Monument

Packing up from Sedona Pines took far less time than packing up from the Mesa house. 3 separate units meant that, mostly, each families stuff was in one small area. Mike, Aimee and the kids went to Slide Rock (an activity that I attributed to them in the previous post) and then we all met for brunch before driving to Montezuma Castle Monument.

Passing through some impressive scenery.

This was another national park so Avery and Maya each got their activity books to earn another Junior Ranger badge. This also forced us to read a lot of info boards to help them. To quote Mike "I'm learning something too".

Not a large site and paved path all the way. Chris carried River in the "backpack" and Cigi pushed the empty stroller.

The limestone cliffs are pocked with caves

Its not much to look at from outside but inside it is built into caves and its 5 stories have 20 rooms.

The Sinagua—peaceful, pre-Colombian Native Americans—were hunter gatherers and farmers who grew mainly corn, squash and beans. Their exact origin is unclear.

Recovered Sinagua artifacts have shown they were simple people yet gifted craftsmen who used their natural resources to create practical tools and ornamental items. They were also master spinners and weavers who fashioned intricate designs made of cotton they grew themselves.

Many artifacts recovered at Montezuma Castle weren’t native to the area. In fact, the Sinagua were master traders and bartered for items hundreds of miles away. Montezuma Castle was a thriving commercial center and traded a variety of goods and ideas. from history.com

It’s estimated that the Sinagua built Montezuma Castle somewhere between 1100 and 1350 A.D. They erected the structure about one-third the way up a 150-foot limestone cliff high above Beaver Creek.

The dwelling’s walls were made from limestone and mud mortar. Large beams covered by smaller beams were used to frame the roof, which was then covered with thatch and mud. from history.com

There was a Ranger there to answer questions and he told us that there was a video of the inside on Youtube. I looked at it and its black and white and poor quality.

He also said that the caves below the building were used for storage as they are quite cool at the back.

Further along the cliff face was the remains of a more recent, though still ancient, pueblo.

A fellow tourist found a lizard on a tree stump. She called it a Fence Lizard and said that they all have blue on the throat or belly.

Back to the park shop and Cigi got a Junior Ranger hat (they had been looking for a sun hat for her, the whole trip, and managed to find one on the last day)

and Avery and Maya had earned their second badges, and a second stamp in their National Parks passport.

One last selfee after a great Sweeton Family Christmas

 Mike and Aimee dropped me at my hotel in Phoenix and then went to the airport to fly home. Chris and Jason had one more night and flew home the next day. I have a couple of days to myself in Phoenix before flying home.

Arizona - Sedona, Boynton trail vista/vortex

I started my morning at the adults only hot tub. The resort has 3 of these "spas", one at the pool, this one and one at the laundry facility. Throw your wash in a machine and sit yourself in warm, swirling water until its done - brilliant!

  Each year Sedona is more and more known for "The Vortexes." What are they, where are they, and is there any science that explains them? The Vortexes are geographical/topographical sites on the Coconino National Forest that can enhance prayer, meditation, mind/body vitalization, stress reduction, healing hurts from your past, and outside-the-box creative thinking and problem solving. from verdevalleynatgeo.com

Chris was curious about the vortexes, one website said that all of Sedona was a vortex, and one of the things she wanted to do while here was go to one. After her usual internet research she decided that the Boynton vista vortex was the easiest to get to and should also have good views.

It was a Sunday and the parking lot was full so we joined the many cars parked on the side of the road and walked in to the trail area. It was a busy section with lots of jeep tours, atv tours, license plates from all over and other walkers on the road.

Even from the road, beautiful views.

I think there were way to many people for any self respecting bear to stick around.

The first section was through a valley and busy with people setting out on the other trails as well.

Then we took a right hand fork

and started to climb.

That was our goal

but plenty of views along the way.

This is the vista and most people scrambled up to that rock, got their selfee and then moved on. Some tried to climb it and others sat and enjoyed the views

up Boynton Canyon in one direction

and off towards Cathedral Rock in the other.

 

 Chris, Jason and Cigi headed back down as those dark clouds produced some hail, but it didn't last for long and I sat enjoying the expanse of country laid out before me (trying to feel the effects of the "vortex").

Sedona, Arizona has been called “America’s New-Age Capital.” People often talk about Sedona’s energy, healing powers and vortexes, but are these energetic centers legit? 

Some of the Sedona vortexes, as well as other places known by spiritual teachers around the world to hold energetic power, were or still are sacred sites of native populations. Although not specifically referred to as vortexes, these sites were sacred to Native Americans in the area and were used to perform rituals and ceremonies.  

In 1980, a psychic named Page Bryant said a spiritual being named Albion told her about the vortexes in an audio recording called “The Earth Changes Survival Handbook.” Seven years later, 10,000 people came together in Sedona for a spiritual gathering, welcoming a time of transition noted on the Mayan Calendar. After that event, the Verde Valley would never be the same. 

From those original claims by Bryant, the myths have grown. From the theory that aliens have installed a giant crystal under the Sedona red rocks to the idea that the formations are spaceships and transdimensional portals, the stories are colorful and push past cultural norms. 

As these meditative sites grew in popularity, so did the spiritual community of Sedona, with people moving from across the nation to be near these energy centers. Sedona is now a destination for spiritual tourism, with various retreats, tours and meditation experiences to provide a pathway to spiritual enlightenment for thousands annually.

Are the Sedona Vortexes legitimate scientific phenomena? Scientists say no. There is no evidence that Sedona or any sites pinpointed as vortexes of swirling energy entering or exiting the Earth are real. No measurable magnetic or electric energetic field is found in these areas. Does that stop people from visiting these sites and having transformative experiences? Not at all. 

MIT Honors Graduate and Sedona vortex expert Pete A. Sanders identifies these vortexes more as meditative sites. The beautiful red rock sites with higher elevations help individuals in meditation to embrace a viewpoint that is wider and encompasses more of the universe. In contrast, lower-elevation places like canyons and caves encourage introspection. Being in beautiful natural spaces may be the true secret to the power of these vortex sites. from thesanctuaryatsacredmesa.com

This higher elevation site certainly invited taking a wide view and it was easy to sit and enjoy.

I read also that the vortexes are said to cause the juniper trees to twist.

A shout for below and the other half of the family had caught up, led by Maya.

Even River enjoyed the view.

Looking back up at Maya and Mike as more weather started to roll in.

 Before coming on the hike they had been to Slide Rock State Park to do something that is usually done in the summer months, swim in Oak Creek. Chris corrected me...they were late to the hike as River was napping. The Slide Rock swimming occurred the next day.

Maya did end up taking a quick dip but so fast that Aimee couldn't get a video. Mike stayed in a bit longer and said it would have been fun to do if the weather was warmer.

That night Chris and Jason had a date night....dinner out and star gazing at the Lowell Observatory in Flagstaff. I was on babysitting duty and after the 5 bedtime books, took Cigi outside to look at the sky her Mum and Dad would be looking at via telescopes. She was sad for the moon as it looked "broken", used to the round moon depicted in her "Goodnight Moon" book.

An Emission Nebula, from Rick. He is getting the hang of the astrophotography.