Snowy Superstitions!

Snowy Superstitions

 Man's heart away from nature becomes hard.  

~Standing Bear

 

 Once we arrived to look at the mountain... it was breathtaking!

If you haven't taken a break among nature in a while,

you really need to!

Tonto National Forest

Tonto National Forest

One of my fav places to stop along this highway is Needle Vista Point, 

as there are usually some very good views in every direction.  

The sky was still partially blue at this point.  

I really enjoy how one can see for miles, and 

how the mountains are layers behind layers in the distance.  

Arizona the beautiful!

Elvis Church

Elvis Church

Normally, the Elvis Church has a gorgeous blue sky backdrop 

along with the Superstition Mountains, but today, they are shrouded in clouds 

that swirl and drift with the breezes blowing as the temperature drops lower.........

Cool and Cloudy

Cool and Cloudy

As I left for home, I looked east (as I always do) to check out the clouds, and noticed some very large white ones just covering the skies, and the temperature had dropped several degrees as well.  By the time I got home, I convinced myself that in spite of the cold and what were bound to be miserable driving conditions, I bundled up and ventured out toward Superstition Mountain.  This was the view from the highway before making the turnoff.  The mountain was topped with snow, and there was more coming down.  YES!  I couldn't wait to get closer and see what nature had in store.......

Through the Trees

  Through the Trees

There is always Music amongst the trees in the Garden, 

but our hearts must be very quiet to hear it.  

~Minnie Aumonier

As I walk my neighborhood with Sadie, I happened to notice these three pine trees growing in a triangle - and I have to wonder, on purpose, or by accidental design?  I laid in the grass and looked up through these pines and wondered in awe at their magnificence grown from a single seed.  Nature is amazing!

Carnival Rides

Carnival Rides

 

Fading Light

Fading Light

As the sun set low in the February sky, the last light

bounced across the wooden bridge in Freestone Park.

 

Merry Go Round

Merry Go Round

Life is like a merry-go-round. It is full of ups and downs, 

sometimes you feel like you're just going in circles, 

but when the ride ends, you want to do it again!

This is the Merry-Go-Round in Freestone Park, all lit up, 

just waiting for someone to come take a ride.  

When was the last time you rode on a steed of white??

Sunset at Freestone

Sunset at Freestone Park, Gilbert AZ

I was captivated by the way the sunlight hit the side of the storage barn -

And the clouds didn't detract from the overall picture either!

Water Bird

 Water Bird

Out at Riparian Preserve in Gilbert, AZ, 

there are a myriad of different types of birds who inhabit the ponds.

It's always fun to try and capture one in a pose. :)

Weaver's Needle

Weaver's Needle

Weaver's Needle is a 1,000-foot-high (300 m) column of rock that forms a distinctive peak visible for many miles around. Located in the Superstition Mountains, Weaver's Needle was created when a thick layer of tuff (fused volcanic ash) was heavily eroded, creating the spire as an erosional remnant with a summit elevation of 4553 ft.  It plays a significant role in the stories of the Lost Dutchman's Gold Mine.

Saguaro Views

Out on a hike in Tonto National Forest, 

near Superstition Mountains,

I often stop at Needle Point Vista.

The magnificent Saguaro Cactus, the state flower of Arizona, 

is composed of a tall, thick, fluted, columnar stem, 

18 to 24 inches in diameter, often with several large 

branches (arms) curving upward in the most distinctive 

conformation of all Southwestern cacti.