Another beautiful evening......

It has been beautiful in the desert lately. And, I have been fortunate to go out and enjoy the great spring like weather... These are some of the pictures I took during my evening walk today...

 

I am constantly amazed at how such delicate flowers thrive in our harsh climate...

Love the orange ...

Peek-a-boo with a Curve-billed Thrasher.

Another shot of the beautiful blooms

Random shot

Another gorgeous Arizona sunset...

A fitting end to a relaxing day...

With a promise of another day to come...

Quintessential Sedona …

In picture: rock formations around the city

I was in Sedona most of last week for a business trip. These are some of the pictures/moments from the week…

The unusual red colors of the earth/rocks come from the Iron oxide in a post-glacial flooding that filled all of the Verde Valley.

My first evening started with a cool glass of ‘Sangria’ which is Red wine with La Pinta pomegranate tequila, hibiscus and triple sec! I must say it is worth a try…

In picture: Chile Relleno with a side of corn tortilla, and beans topped with salsa

Dinner was Chile Relleno with vegetable picadillo, goat cheese and queso Oaxaca. Vegetable picadillo was an interesting twist to the dish! I wonder that’s why chef called it picadillo!

Many homes have adobe style, which can also be seen through out south west. House on the botton of the hill reflects the style.

Wide open spaces....

Room with a view..

Play of light on the leaves caught my eye...outside Hilton

I saw use of red rocks in the design elements though out the city, which creates a very harmonious visual effect…almost one with nature.

In picture: statue at the entrance of Sedona Hilton

There is a very big influence of Native American heritage on art.

I fell in love with this vibrant-colorful/so-full-of-mischief sculpture by a local artist. It was also so-out-of-my price-range!

Tamed...The tall one is Saguaro- an cactus found only in Arizona. It can grow several stories tall.

Play of color and light on the rocks...

The two shots were taken within minutes of each other...

At the end of the trip, we did get a chance to visit Palatki and Honanki Ruins. They are both a World Heritage site.

In picture: Palatki ruins

The people responsible for creating the ruins are the Sinagua (literally means without water) people, who lived in central Arizona between 500 AD and 1425. There are no signs of them anywhere and historians are not certain but they surmise that warfare and drought were key factors in their departure or extinction.

Site of the Ruins- taken from a distance. The dwellings were almost 20-30ft above ground, just where the tree line ends.

Luminous sunset, hinting all things must come to an end…..

Neela asman so gaya....

Fitting end to a wonderful trip..

Through my lens- Weekend shot

Kahin door jab din dhal jaye........

Sedona- The Red Rock Country....

Sedona often known as the “Red Rock Country” is a picturesque quaint city/town surrounded by red-rock monoliths in Northern Arizona.

Basant Bahar- Spring blooms

The desert has come alive with the blooming wildflowers and trees. Some years the blooms are more abundant than others, and I think this year was one such year. The weather has also been beautiful lately, with really nice-long-cool evenings, just the right weather to enjoy outdoors.

In pictures is Palo Verde (pal-oh ver-dee) which is Arizona's official state tree

The Great Blue Heron

Town lake

Inspired- moon beam

Rising over the purple hills of Arizona

waiting patiently

The Great Blue Heron .....waiting patiently

My attempts at catching him from a distance...

Spring is here!

Oranges, great taste and refreshing fragrance….

When I first saw orange trees lining the streets in Arizona, I was impressed, and than I learned that these were ornamental orange trees. The fruit is very bitter to taste and the tree itself is not very hardy. And you can imagine by disappointment and bewilderment.

So, why would one plant bitter tasting fruit trees, and not the edible kind? Beats me…any guesses?

Desert Bloom!

Desert blooms….spring is here!

Chalo kahin door nikal jaye....

One of our favorite things is to go for drive during a rain or a snow storm. The snow storm on Christmas day was no exception… since the freeways were all jammed we took the back roads and were rewarded with breath taking beauty of the day.

Chalo kahin door nikal jaye....

Our trip made possible in part by the snow ploughs!! :)

Picture perfect…hard for me to imagine that someone lives in these beautiful surroundings all year round!

For miles on end there was no one but us to take it all in….

The purity of snow made even the most mundane of the things look magical…

Beautiful end to a wonderful day…

Directions anyone?

Hmm........

I am back……

Wish you all a very happy and healthy new year.

Last year was a very eventful year for me on many levels- both personally and professionally-a year filled with joy, success, tears and loss.

Hopefully this year will bring courage, hope, peace and joy to us all.