Repost: Antelope Canyon

I've been out of touch for the last year, but have not forgotten the many dear friends I made on line.With apologies for the long absence, I hope to reach out and reconnect with each and every one of you.

I'm beginning with a repost, in part because my very rusty skills are in need of a jump start. I am also inspired by the work of photographer,Eric Pouhier, recently brought to my attention by my brother, Martin.     

On a road trip to Utah a few years ago,my husband and I made a detour into northern Arizona.

I had always 
been 
fascinated by 
pictures I'd 
seen of slot 
canyons 
and a stop 
at Antelope Canyon 
was definitely 
on my 
bucket list.

The Upper Canyon did not disappoint, though we did not get as much time to look as we had hoped. A rain storm approached and we were quickly hustled out.

The very same forces of water that formed the glorious swirls of sandstone over time also present considerable danger to unwary tourists who fail to heed the warnings of flash floods.

(My regular readers will know that this only peaks our interest further!)

Grey and stormy though the day was, the sandstone walls simply glowed in what little light filtered down.

Seen from above, there is little indication of the beauty that    lies beneath.





Once plodding through water, even our foolhardy selves were forced to admit it was time to leave, but I know it will not be the last time we visit this wondrous place.

G is for Grand Canyon

Though I have been lucky enough to visit several times, I am simply unable to come up with words that adequately describe Arizona's Grand Canyon.  

'Stunning' is a good place to start...'majestic' is also a true and undeniable description...yet neither of these begin to describe the visceral impact one feels upon registering its amazing beauty. 

For me, 'breathtaking' is as close as I can come to explain the sense of reverence I felt gazing into the Canyon's  cavernous depths. My breath, indeed my whole being stilled with awe the first time I saw this natural wonder, with its contours so intricately sculpted over millennia by the erosive forces of wind and water.

My eyes were all that moved, greedily taking in the vibrant colours, the statigraphic layers...the sheer magic of this place that is so unlike anywhere else on earth.

Before I ever saw the Grand Canyon from the ground, I saw it from the air, a large gash on the earth's surface that is shocking in its size.

 Of course, my camera and I were happiest to be right there peering over the edge of rocky ledges in an effort to gauge the full scope of its depth.

I was both amazed and delighted with the ever-changing mood and mystery of the Canyon as the day's light changed it from minute to minute. Layers that had been sharp and bright early in the day were later washed golden and hazy in the late afternoon sun.

 If I stood patiently enough, I could see the light change from minute to minute in its inexorable sweep across the Canyon, an elemental journey that has taken place in this spot for more years than we can begin to comprehend.

It is easy to be at peace here, where nature proceeds unhindered and all we humans are required to do is observe the process and accept with grace the fact that we're a part of something much bigger than ourselves.

I am linking up to ABC Wednesday...do stop by to visit many more takes on the letter 'G'!

http://abcwednesday-mrsnesbitt.blogspot.ca/