It is with irony that I write about local vistas this week.  We have just returned from a week at the Grand Canyon. For us, it is a quick jaunt to one of the world’s most famous vistas. More on that in a minute. 

First, home.

Exploring your local community is a lesson in culture, no matter where you live.  In fact, in our previous life as a military family, exploration was paramount to figure out where to go, what to do, and often where to live. 

I would get lost, on purpose.   

Our move to Arizona was no different. Before we purchased our home, we knew we wanted to be close to our kids, close to Lake Pleasant, and close enough to travel North. Our local community would have to be one to keep us active, with hiking, biking, and water sports on the agenda.  

And we nailed it.  

Do you remember our sunrise hikes through the winter at Deem Hills?

Every day a million miracles begin at sunrise. – Eric Dickey.

Lake Pleasant? She brings us solitude, a place to gather family, and searches for wildlife.

Perhaps all we really need is a trip to the lake, for it is there we will find what we seek.

City-life in Arizona is unique. The hills that dot the landscape and jut from our neighborhoods offer history of our indigenous people, and evidence of how the sixth, largest city in the country has grown.

Always take the scenic route, it’s there.

The Grand Canyon

I truly believe everyone needs to see the Grand Canyon at least once, and I am forever grateful that God seems to have nominated me for this privilege.  

I am OK with that.

This weekend we camped remotely, with new friends, on the North Rim. Some had never been there. Others, like us, return over and over again. Every time, we come away with different impressions and a sense of how insignificant we are in this space. To think this canyon has been formed by a river is another story.

We gathered with nothing more in common than a love for the outdoors. And an appreciation for lunch with a view.

And our evenings brought us all to the campfire where I heard how this lifestyle is life-changing, about getting away, and a how we are simply a presence in this beautiful place we all call home.

Create the life you want to live…build the story you want to tell…

…and let me know when you have arrived so I can share it with you.

Wind Kisses, Donna

Inspired by: Lens-Artists/ Local Vistas, Weekend Sky WQW