New Palette Knife Oil Painting

"Sunrise from South Bass," 8x10" palette knife oil painting. This is a study for a larger painting I completed last weekend. The subject is from my Grand Canyon trip earlier this month on the South Bass trail. It was early morning, 6am, overcast and soft lighting. The clouds began to break up and the sun spotlit this scene for me to be inspired to paint.

Evening at Lynx Lake

A hike around Lynx Lake in the evening is gorgeous! We arrived at the South shore at 7pm, and began walking on the un-paved portion of the trail that follows the East side of the lake. My favorite spot for photos is where Lynx Creek flows into the lake, although the creek was not flowing today. The water was still and the sunlight was orange. We saw a blue heron that didn't allow me to get near enough for a photo. This is one of the best times to hike around the lake because it is so quiet, hardly anyone else was there. The trick is to not park on the North shore because the host likes to lock up the gate around 7:30. The hike around the lake is 3 miles and can take 45 minutes or up to an 1.5 hours. What are you waiting for?

I would have traded places with this fellow. I am itching to get a kayak of my own...

New Oil Painting

11x14" palette knife oil painting, "From Havasupai Point." 

Watson Woods on a hot summer day!

What is there to do on a hot summer day in Prescott, AZ? Wanting not to spend the hot afternoon being a couch potato in a cool, air-conditioned home, we decided to go to Watson Woods Riparian Preserve. This place is a gem! Many times I visit here for inspiration and to be amazed by nature's resilience. About a year and a half ago, a huge flood ripped through Watson Woods and it's bouncing back! I especially enjoy bringing young ones here to discover and explore. We found lady bugs, a toad, two snakes, a maze through the reeds, spongy ground, some trash, and an eagle roosting in a far-off Cottonwood tree. The air feels cooler there and refreshing. We are so fortunate to have this place to visit and to benefit from.

New Oil Painting

A recently completed oil painting: 14x18" oil on canvas, palette knife. "Lynx Lake Spring."

Snippets of my weekend at the Grand Canyon & Sunset Crater

Went on a day hike on Hermit Trail to the Santa Maria Springs

The figurative shape of this tree intrigued me.  I suspect this will be transformed into a painting soon.

Watching the sunset from Mather Point, followed by star gazing as a participant of the Star Party.  We looked through telescopes at Saturn, star clusters, and other stars.  Cool!

Lava Flow Trail in Sunset Crater. 

Kachina Trail

A quick post of a photo from a hike from a few weeks back on the Kachina Trail that skirts along the southwest corner of the San Francisco Peaks. The red bark of the Ponderosa tree attracted my attention against the white and greet aspens.

Beaver Creek

Beaver Creek is one of our (my wife and I) favorite summer spots to cool off.  It was about 95 degrees out, but the Riparian area of Beaver Creek is considerably cooler feeling with ample shade and cool waters.  I knew of a swimming hole with a rope swing and invited a few of my nieces and nephews along.  We had a great time exploring, swimming, and relaxing on the warm rocks.

I love roots!

We found a ruin, a rock home.  Here is my nephew Derek surveying the creek.

My niece Shana having a blast!

My niece Nicole, climbing with monkey skills.

Grand Canyon Hike Pt. 5

Here are a few more pictures from my hike on the South Bass Trail a week ago to conclude my series of blog entries about this trip.  I enjoyed every minute of being at the Grand Canyon and am already planning my next hike! 

Early morning on the way out

Heading a few miles up the trail for our second night, during the evening

Went on a short day hike near the river.  Dean enjoying the shade!

Plenty of lizards

Grand Canyon Hike Pt. 4

The first evening in the Grand Canyon was peaceful as the light softened and shadows delineated the ridges of canyon formations.  Here are a few of my favorite shots from the evening. I carried my tripod all this way, I needed to put it to use.

a sand critter!

Grand Canyon Hike Pt. 3

The South Bass Trail descends quickly, after three miles we are at the top of the Redwall.  After about a mile of scrambling through boulders, shrubs, and cactus we were hiking along the wash leading to the river.  I didn't see a rattler but we heard a few in the bushes warning us to keep back, which we gladly obliged.  By this time, the weather was quite warm, and we stopped to cool off in whatever shade we could find.  The river doesn't come soon enough, it seems we will never get there as the trail winds across the wash.  Finally, we can hear the roar of rapids and can see the river below us.  The last descent to the river is through the hot, black Vishnu Schist rock.  We passed an old metal boat left on the boulders and finally made it to the beach for a quick dip in the river. The water is very cold but refreshing. 

in the Redwall

rafters who shared our beach for a short time, they offered to take any trash we had and refills for our water bottles

a grandpa lizard

a view of our camp