The Southwest

Back in mid-October, the bigs and I headed south to Arizona for a family wedding and a bit of desert exploring.  This was their first time in the Southwest -- they were awed by the variety of cacti, the red rock canyons, and eating dinner poolside (in October!).  And, as expected, spending time with extended family was awesome -- and long overdue.

Dressed and ready to head to Elizabeth and Richard's wedding.

Anders, Jorja, and Aunt Vesta at the wedding (the sole photo I have from the event).

Visiting the Desert Botanical Garden.  The gardens are amazing and extensive -- I could have spent hours and hours beyond the 3 we spent there!

Jorja taking field notes.

Relaxing in the shade.

Strolling the trails.

J's turn with the camera...

and A's turn.

Barrel cacti.

Love the whimsical nature of these cacti.

Jorja stiking the pose of the statue in the background.

Checking out the dial.

Jorja taking the lead -- map in hand.

Playing with the water feature.

Pounding mesquite pods.

The ubiquitous saguaro cactus.

Exploring the view.

Post-wedding, we headed to Sedona with Lori and Morgan to hike one of Lori's favorite trails.

Lori hitting the trail.

The fall colors were spectacular.

One of many, many creek crossings.

Searching for wildlife in this snag.

Fish sighting.