Images of March, April & May

It's difficult to squeeze images of the last three months into one post. But as March was dominated by western scenery and April and May brought seasonal change as well as my final months living in Meredith, it felt right to include these three months together. Plus, my blogging game needs to step it up and get caught up. These months were some of the busiest that I can remember, but also some of the happiest and most reflective, with an emphasis placed upon change, challenge, and seeking new opportunities. Besides personal travel out west, there was plenty of job interview travel (more on that soon), local adventures, and a series of images of doors. I'm not sure why, but think I'm going to continue that door photography trend. As a side note too, it seems fair to say that spring is a single month season in northern New England: just the month of May. While still in the month at the moment, I think summer has already arrived. 

Early March. Lake Waukewan, Meredith, NH

Boston, early in the morning on the first day of spring.

Dan and I attempted to shop for plants on the first day of spring. Selection was small, but there were a couple of winners.

Early April! A melted Lake Waukewan. Meredith, NH

A chilly hike. Holderness, NH

The Atlantic! York, Maine.

Lunch with one of my best friends in Lexington, Massachusetts brought these lovely flowers!

Assembling my own line-up. 

The interior of the Round Church in Richmond, Vermont. I love the architecture, serenity and history of this 16-sided wooden interfaith church and try to visit whenever possible for a few peaceful moments.

Richmond, Vermont.

Vermont State House, Montpelier, VT. So much sun!

On this trip through Vermont, Dan and I found a sweet thrift store in Middlesex, VT where this awesome tie lived and was purchased. While purchased for his use, I nearly swiped it to try out this neck bow look more regularly. 

Meredith, NH

Holderness, NH

Bristol, NH

Overcast morning in D.C. Monuments from afar.

Blossoms in NH.

Blossoms in VT.

Lake Waukewan, Meredith, NH

Holderness, NH. So much peace and green. 

Lone loon on Lake Waukewan, Meredith, NH

Meredith, NH, late May. 

Visiting Arizona

Arizona was the final state on our trip and we were there about 36 hours. It was sunny, hot and filled with simple and bright beauty. The small slices of each state we visited previously all felt so remote and aside from the world. The slice we saw of Arizona was more populated with both tourists and residents. We'd also successfully escaped news of the presidential race and candidates during most of the trip, but once in Arizona, Trump joined us and caused controversy nearby. The peacefulness came to a brief halt! 

Horseshoe Bend in the northern part of the state was quite extraordinary. A 280-degree curve of the Colorado River, the half mile walk to the bend through sand with clear blue sky and strong sun felt like pure desert! The eighty-degree weather in mid-March was comfortable, I can't imagine the summertime!

The Grand Canyon was majestic! After exploration in many national parks in the previous days though, the Grand Canyon felt crowded and a little less extraordinary than the others. The changing colors on the formations throughout the afternoon were eye-catching as the sun shifted and it was still unlike anything we'd seen previously. I thought the National Park Service education was great, particularly the film offered and the information on geology. Still so worth a visit -- because we didn't hike/camp/explore in the canyon, I think we had more of a traditional tourist experience in just a couple of hours. If time allows, seek more in the canyon!

Sedona was great! Bright red and mystical and creative. We arrived late at night, shared some homemade chai tea with our airbnb host and the next day hiked the red rocks. The dry heat, small cacti and simple and beautiful scenery were all unfamiliar, as was the king snake we nearly stepped on while hiking. :) 

That afternoon we headed south to Cave Creek, Arizona, a little bit north of Phoenix. We loved seeing the saguaro cacti once we crossed into southern Arizona. We took a horseback riding tour with a small group where we saw coyotes (we were happy we were on horseback!) and rode among the saguaros. The sunset at the end was so, so beautiful and golden.

That night I headed east and woke up in Boston on the first day of Spring (although it was still winter for a little while longer...). The trip was an adventurous, full and exciting exploration out west. 

Visiting Utah

Of all the states we visited, Utah was stunning. We spent three days there overall, the longest of any state on the trip and it was the state we saw the most of. Crossing into the state after a very brief trip through Colorado, we immediately noticed the 13,000-ft. La Sal mountains on our drive to  Arches National park. The mountains provided beautiful background scenery while tall red rock formations littered the landscape we drove through. It felt like we were in both the desert and the mountains. 

Once at Arches, we planned our route carefully as it was a long day with plenty of state to cover. We both regretted that we didn't do more hiking in Arches, but in the few hours we were there, we loved the arches we saw, the bright red and brown rock formations and La Sal mountains in the distance. 

It really felt like you could see for miles!

In the late afternoon, it was my turn to drive and I drove us north to Salt Lake City, about four and a half hours away. The road north took us through sparse land, coal towns, Native American land, and a small snowstorm. The temperature dropped to 26 degrees on the drive, a big dip from the 70-degree temperatures we had enjoyed in Arches National Park. Visiting family in Salt Lake and having the following day as a rest day with no driving and staying in the city was really nice. My aunt took us on a tour of the city and it was fantastic to visit with my uncle and cousins. The entire city is beautifully surrounded by tall mountains.

We saw the statehouse with its white marble, large paintings of  Mormons pioneers founding the state for religious freedom, and dozens of children filing through on a field trip. The religious founding of the state is so intertwined with the present-day's state government and culture. That seemed fascinating and unfamiliar. 

 The following day, (St. Patrick's Day!) we headed south to Zion National Park, a five hour drive through straight interstate where the speed limit was 80 mph. The weather became much warmer and I was surprised to see lilacs in bloom as we arrived at Zion. 

It's tricky to say that one location in this world is the most beautiful when there is so much diversity in landscape, but Zion to me was unlike anything I had seen before, and felt true to its name of God and Earth meeting. To me, it was one of most truly beautiful places I'd seen and the best national park of the trip.

Maybe it was the early spring, but there was something about the colors, the bright blue sky, the light green trees, the bright red rocks, the height of the mountains, the emerald pools of water and the rivers flowing through it all. We did quite a bit of hiking in Zion, wanting to see as much as we could. 

We stayed in Kanab, Utah that night near the Arizona boarder and headed south the next day.

Visiting Colorado

After New Mexico was a quick trip through a slice of southwestern Colorado. The last hour in New Mexico took us through remote winding mountain roads. Much of the surroundings were green and brown with snow in the distance. When we approached the Colorado boarder and read the "Welcome to Colorful Colorado" sign, we noticed what looked like purple and golden hues woven into the landscape and blue ponds in the distance. Something about the very edge of the state did look more colorful than where we had came from.

We met up with my aunt and uncle at the Pagosa Springs hot springs about an hour's drive into the state. Pagosa Springs is known for its natural mineral pools and from a couple of miles away, we could smell the sulphur. The 23 pools along the San Juan River were just like hot tubs, but filled with natural mineral water. The air temperature was a bit chilly (40s or 50s), but the sun was bright and the natural hot tubs were easy to warm to. With different temperatures in each pool, we tried an assortment and while it might have been the elevation changes, I found some were dizzyingly hot. As chilly as it was in the natural air, the pools we tried at 106 degrees fahrenheit and higher (highest was 110) could only be enjoyed for so long before braving the chilly air for a slightly cooler pool! 

As it grew dark, we enjoyed a nice dinner in downtown Durango and headed out early the next morning. Colorado was a bit chillier and snowier than New Mexico and the mountains had grown taller. It didn't take long to reach Utah. 

Visiting New Mexico

After visiting Portland, Oregon, I flew to Albuquerque, New Mexico to meet up with my friend Carol and begin a road trip that would take us through New Mexico, Colorado, Utah and Arizona. As the plane descended into Albuquerque, the state looked different from anywhere I had ever seen. Brown, but mountainous and even green and snowy in parts. 

 Carol and I were close growing up and in high school and she's lived in New Mexico off and on for the last six years. I'm so glad I made the trip out to see her there. From Albuquerque, we drove about an hour northeast to Santa Fe. After a tasty dinner of tacos and exploring Santa Fe, we stayed in a beautiful two-room casita (airbnb is the best!).  

The blue sky and sunshine was really wonderful in the high desert, a terrain I'd never experienced! The elevation took a day or two to get used to.

The plaza (or downtown) area of Santa Fe was small with lots of clay pueblo buildings, woven rugs sold on the streets, colorful art, and beautiful churches. New Mexico had a distinctly Mexican Catholic/Native American culture. 

On my short list of places to see in New Mexico (it was a busy trip!) was the Loretto Chapel in Santa Fe and it's miraculous spiral staircase. You can read more about the staircase here. The summary is that the sisters of the chapel needed a specific staircase to reach the high choir loft in the late nineteenth century and after days of prayer, a mysterious carpenter appeared, insisted on working alone, and then disappeared after creating a beautiful and stand-alone spiral staircase with two 360-degree curves. It's believed St. Joseph – the patron saint of carpentry...produced the staircase. Regardless of how the staircase was built, it was an extraordinary work of art. Outside the chapel, a small tree was filled with rosaries. 

We visited the state capital and found that gorgeous visual art by New Mexican artists decorated the interior of the building. We also found the state government gets started later in the day. We had the house chambers to ourselves! 

As we headed north towards Colorado, Carol had wanted to be sure we visited the El Santuario de Chimayo, and we were both SO HAPPY we did. El Santuario de Cimayo is the most popular Catholic pilgrimmage site in the U.S. Despite its many visitors, it felt so small, sacred, intimate and naturally beautiful. The small clay chapel (pictured top left) had an entirely gold and red and turquoise altar that in its own artistic style, felt more beautiful than the elaborate Catholic churches and altars elsewhere. The folk art inside and outdoors, the emphasis on pilgrims or visitors leaving crosses and flowers and the natural beauty of the mountains and the clear blue sky made this location so peaceful. 

A little bit farther north, we stopped at the Rio Grande Gorge Bridge for beautiful views of the Rio Grande River far below.  Our final hour or so in New Mexico included a quiet drive through the mountains, (no other cars were spotted!) views of pine trees and snow-capped mountains in the distance. 

Visiting Oregon

For as long as I can remember, I've had a love for travel. Not so much the act of getting from place to place, but the excitement of seeing somewhere new, seeing how others live, leaving my comfort zone and finding joy in new destinations beyond what I see and know. With a months-long work project wrapping up in late February, I knew travel should be put in order soon after. The West, for the friends and family I could visit and the landscapes unlike most in New England, felt like the obvious choice. The trip was planned for 11 days, longer than I'd traveled in some time. It began in Oregon and continued on to New Mexico where a road trip with a friend conquered four states. The first step: depart Boston at sunset.

I'd visited Oregon before in August 2007 and May 2010 when my brother was an undergraduate in Portland, but not since. Meeting my wonderful friend Allison while we both studied abroad in Scotland three years ago was the reason for the western trip to begin there, in her home city of Portland.

The three days we spent in Portland were relaxing. It was early spring there, and while cloudy and rainy at times, I LOVED how green everything was. The roses, rhododendrons, daffodils and blossoming trees were very welcome as well.  

The Columbia River Gorge (top right) and the nearby waterfalls only 20 or so miles outside of the city were beautiful! As were the opportunities to think, read, walk through green parks and eat delicious Asian food.

The best part of the trip though was catching up with Allison. While Portland is a fantastic destination for natural beauty, a creative food scene, roses, and plenty of hipsters and pioneer history, she was the main attraction for the visit! 

It is true though, Portland's a lovely place! I was struck by it's natural and vast beauty, creative energy and attention to social justice and environmental sustainability. 

Images of February

I love this blog. I love writing it and sharing it and thinking of posts. But it slips my mind often. Too often. I hoped, months ago, that a monthly photography post would remind me to post and would be simple as it wouldn't require too much writing (when forced, it can be scary). It wasn't as simple as I thought.

In this transition from winter to spring, February feels like ages ago, but it was fun to revisit these images, and they should be shared. February was a quick month (despite the leap day) focused on work and indoor pursuits. There wasn't much snow, nor particularly exciting adventures that come to mind.

I traveled to New York for work early in the month and loved the lights and color of the theater district. Future Goal: See Hamilton

Pretty morning at work.

A small cemetery in Meredith, New Hampshire. 

My Mom's baking skills, generosity, and creativity know no bounds.

Flowers that made me smile. 

Saturday morning blue sky behind the library. 

A road in Meredith, New Hampshire.

 Partially frozen stream.

Felt proud to vote in New Hampshire's presidential primary! How long ago it seems.

An ultra-cold weekend in the middle of the month re-froze Lake Waukewan.

On that ultra-cold weekend, re-united with a fantastic friend! Sun and chill were strong.