A beautiful Sunday Morning greeted us and as we ate our yogurt at our little kitchen table. Four deer slowly walked past the window. They were so graceful and beautiful, taking a moment to stop and look in the window. There were two does and two fawns. As I jumped up to look at them cross the front yard, they bounded off across the street! Early morning visitors to grace us at the start of this lovely day.

Today we decided to go South to Sedona and explore the parks in that area. Sedona is home to some of the most stunning red rock formations anywhere. But, first we had to drive through Oak Creek Canyon to get down in elevation to where Sedona rests between the jutting and magnificent red rock formations. It was a gorgeous drive.

Once in the town, we found back a little Native American Trading Post that we had visited once 12 years ago. It was still there and still filled with amazing articles that challenged me to make choices. I could have taken one of everything. But, I settled on a hand woven basket for my new kitchen and a small hand painted  vase for roses from our garden.

By this time the driver needed his coffee, (he’s not a first thing in the morning coffee guy, but more like the middle of the morning) so Gypsy obliged and we located the closest Starbucks. Outside the store were the most amazing group of cacti I have ever seen. Big, prickly pear cacti, the size of bushes, with giant purple nobs on them that looked like they were either seed pods, or perhaps just ready to bloom. I asked a passer by what they were and she said, “That’s what they make cactus jelly out of.” Hum, I don’t think I’ve ever heard of making cactus jelly. Very Interesting. Something I must learn more about.

We drove on out of town and beyond the small town of Cottonwood to the site of Tuzigoot. The Tuzigoot ruins are all that remains of a vibrant culture that built their community in that spot and thrived there from about 1100 to 1400 AD. It’s always amazing to learn of cultures that had such complex social structures and economic systems. On this very warm day, it was easy to see how their “condo” of stone dwellings would have provided a cooling effect on days such as this. The views of the valley beyond were stunning.

From there we drove farther South and found the site of Montezuma’s Castle. This is also a complex site where a community lived about the same period of time as the people of Tuzigoot, only these industrious people built their dwellings in the side of a cliff. It was a very natural system of self-protection. They built ladders to climb up and they would pull up the ladders behind them, barring any enemy from following them into their dwellings. It’s impressive engineering in any age! Beaver Creek, at the base of the cliffs provided their water source. The surroundings were beautiful.

By this time we were ready for a late lunch / early dinner! So, we drove back into Sedona again and found the Mexican restaurant that the clerk at the Trading Post had recommended. It’s the oldest Mexican restaurant in Sedona and she assured us we wouldn’t be disappointed. And, we weren’t. Their guacamole was EXCELLENT – as was everything else as well.

A stop next door for a piece of chocolate and we were ready to head back “home.” But, not before finding a place to stop at an overview so the photographer among us could take some late-afternoon-sun-shots of those beautiful red rocks. I just love the afternoon sun! Photographs taken anywhere of anything at that time of day always seem to be the most brilliant and beautiful.

One very large cloud grew dark and angry as we drove back North to Flagstaff. It couldn’t help but rain. So, to grace the end of our day among the red rocks, we had a little bit of an Arizona rain shower and a exquisite double rainbow.

Who could ask for anything more?