Arizona Balloon Classic

Yesterday evening Eric and I drove to Maryvale to the Arizona Balloon Classic.  While I got some decent photos...I'm not so sure I'll be going back anytime soon!  We left the house at 4:30 and Eric was still pulling in to the parking lot at 6:40.  Luckily, he let me get out and walk so I wouldn't miss the balloons.  One other thing that bummed me out was that the sunset was lackluster.  Friday night's was like cotton candy in the sky and tonight's was beautiful as well.  But Saturday, when I had my camera, it was very subtle.  I guess it just wasn't my night.  But hopefully you all enjoy the balloons!

Closeup at dusk

Inflating the balloon that ended up being my favorite

Saguaro Balloon

Balloon lineup at dusk

Trying to inflate Hello Kitty balloon

 

Closeup of Hello Kitty looking at how it's done!

Witch Balloon

Hello Kitty is gettin' there!

Back of the POW balloon

Cluster of Balloons

Light my Fire!

Moon between two balloons

Football balloon

Love the colors in this one!

Balloon Lineup After Dark

Red on Black

Hello Kitty! Glad you could join us!

"The balloon seems to stand still in the air while the earth flies past underneath."

— Alberto Santos-Dumont.

Habitat for Humanity

This weekend, through PAC,  I had the opportunity to do a volunteer photo shoot at a Habitat for Humanity building site.  The project is still in it's early stages so there were walls going up and lots of hammering going on.  It was a perfect day to be outside and a perfect reason for all of us to come together.

These are the future homeowners, Mbonimpa and Erick

Chuck, one of the many volunteers

On this day, they blessed the house and the volunteers wrote on the beams.

Mbonimpa and Erick escaped the civil wars of the Congo in Tanzania and brought their children, Irumua and Lisa, to AZ.

Working Together

Leigh "Dawg" and Dale

"Volunteers don't get paid, not because they're worthless, but because they're priceless."  ~Sherry Anderson

 "No one is more cherished in this world than someone who lightens the burden of another."   ~Author Unknown

Snow in Sedona 2014

This blog is few words, lots of photos.  As usual, I had a difficult time capturing the true beauty of Sedona.  It's definitely to be viewed in person!  But here are my best efforts:

Oak Creek Canyon

Snow on the tree

Leaves in the water

Snow on the red rocks of Sedona

Snow on the Agave

View from our hotel

View from our room

Great moon

Dusk at our hotel

Local wine in plastic hotel cups

Red berries covered in ice

Bird outside the window

Chimney Rock in the center

Happy Cyrus!

Cy and Eric

Chimney Rock

Snow covered nose

Ice on the trees

Ice covered prickly pear

Icy Agave

Cabin in the foreground of Cathedral Rock

B&W Ice

Eric and Cy along the creek

Cairn "garden"

Ice covered cairn

Icicles on a tree branch

Chapel of the Holy Cross

Chapel of the Holy Cross

"Year's end is neither an end nor a beginning but a going on, with all the wisdom that experience can instill in us."  ~Hal Borland