Way Out West...

That's where we've been since early last week. My husband Jakc and I took a trip to Arizona which included a loop from Phoenix to Sedona, Jerome, Prescott, Wickenburg, and Cave Creek. The weather was lovely, and the trip most enjoyable. I even got to visit three quilt shops along the way... Quilter's Store in Sedona, M's Quilts and Inspirations in Wickenburg, and Olde World Quilt Shop in Cave Creek. The quilt shown above is one that began as a print panel I bought in the Sedona shop several years back on another visit. Our guild had a "Too Pretty to Cut" challenge, and that's when I decided to incorporate the panel at the center of this wallhanging. It seemed an appropriate choice to show with this post. It hangs on the wall in my sewing room to remind me of the beauty and fond memories of Arizona.

Here are a few photos of the things we saw on our trip. Of course the red rocks of Sedona are just magnificent. This photo was taken near the Chapel of the Holy Cross, a chapel built right into the side of one of these red rock mountains. It has gorgeous views.

The rocks range from the deeper reds to tans, depending on the iron concentration. Every view, in every direction is uplifting. Before coming to Florida, we had considered retiring to Wickenburg, another good place for horse lovers. So we still enjoy returning to visit the area from time to time.

We also stopped in Talapaque Village, a collection of shops, galleries, and restaurants in Sedona.

Beautiful displays of art and sculpture can be enjoyed in all of the many courtyards throughout the village.

You can see the woven rugs on the second floor balcony above the bronze sculptures. There is even a small chapel on the grounds. The bell tower can be seen in this photo, and there's another shot of the chapel below.

This is a bronze titled "The Kiss" and it's by Kim Kori. It's fun to walk through the courtyards and be surprised by art pieces like this one tucked into corners. Flagstaff, AZ, had received nearly two feet of snow the weekend before we arrived. But the temps warmed up and we saw only a dusting of snow on the higher elevations. It was just enough to look pretty but not to cause problems.

What a blessing it was to visit this beautiful area and enjoy the sights!