I need the energy provided by a vortex!

The Chapel of the Holy Cross, near Sedona, was inspired and commissioned by Marguerite Brunswig Staude.

Friday was apparently a "monument" day as we went to 3.  Pat has said after we conquer the National Parks, or rather the ones we can conquer, we start on National Monuments.  We have a start!

In 1951 they stopped giving tours of the cliff dwelling to prevent further damage.   This diorama was made to show what it looks like inside. 

This site is called Castle A and was larger than it's neighbor Montezuma Castle.  Excavated in the 1930's it was determined that the Puenlo had burned and fallen away from the cliff.

This spring-fed well provided water for 

a 14th century Pueblan farming community.  It keeps a constant temperature of 74°.  1.6 million gallons of water regularly flows through 2 main vents at the bottom of the spring every day. 

Remains of Pueblo Cliff dwellers.

Coot

In the 1930's this pile of rubble was excavated to reveal a 110 room Pueblo, with some rooms built over 900 years ago. The restoration provided needed jobs for depression era families.

Beams and large stones on the bottom indicate a multiple story design.  It wasn't built all at once but added onto over the centuries.

Over on the hillside resides the town of Jerome.  Jerome was once a thriving copper mining camp.  Today it is a tourist and artist hub.

Fresh Apache Fry bread from a little roadside stand in Camp Verde. Salt, powdered sugar, cinnamon and sugar, honey or an Indian taco version were available.  We had more on Sat. but I could feel the weight piling on.

I may have found where I want to live, except for....  The view driving into Sedona Saturday was unbelievable!  The red rocks were beautiful, the town gorgeous.  However, the elevation of 4,350' will produce cool weather and SNOW.😝  The cost of living is high, no oceans, desert appears to be an allergy problem for me and, granted it was a weekend, but the crowds were a turn off.  I still liked it.  Maybe Phoenix or Tucson could provide a better place to live but within a drive of Sedona?  We'll see.

We made it to most of the spots on my list in Sedona but we didn't get to do much.   It was hard to find a parking spot and, when we did, there were too many people to enjoy the sights. 

We have super neighbors, Trisha and Bruce, and have enjoyed visiting with them.  

Weddings are held at the Chapel of the Holy Cross, completed in 1956.

The Chapel of the Holy Cross looks down on this multimillion dollar, 8,143 square foot mansion.  The land was bought in 2001 and it took about 10 years to complete.  Many locals and tourists were upset, saying it detracted from the chapel. 

Cathedral Rock from the Church of the Holy Cross.

Views below from Yavapai Point.  We couldn't find parking near Cathedral or Bell Rock.  Too bad as these are two of the four best known vortexes near Sedona.  I was not familiar with vortexes, which you can't see but you feel.  Some produce energies that flow upward while at others the energy spirals downward.  They may bring feelings of peace, harmony, balance and tranquility,  while others provide personal reflection,  deep insight, and a clear mind.  I hope to make it back before we leave Arizona.  I'll let you know what I encounter. 

Bell Rock

A nice vineyard & winery near Camp Verde.

Where are the Piepers now?  Camp Verde, AZ

You're going to need a truck!

I guess this guy shouldn't have tried to make off with a piece of petrified wood!

What a great day!  I should say that everyday, but...  It was incredibly windy and so cold yesterday at Petrified Forest N.P./Painted Desert N.M.  It was supposed to get down to 28° last night, and although close, I don't think it quite reached that.

The road through Petrified and Painted Desert was 27 miles, with 7 or 8 overlooks at each park.  It was just too cold for us to go on any of the longer trails.  Pat did get out at some of the stops.  Mary, Pat joked that it wasn't this cold on TV, haha!

South entrance

We didn't check out the trail by the South Entrance Visitor's Center this time, but I guess we did in 1996.  Pat and the boys.

Crystal Forest

It looks like the logs were cut, but the heavy quart causes cracks which break and make it look like they were sawed. 

It takes millions of years to change into crystalline quart.

The water that created agate bridge millions of years ago will eventually destroy it.  In 1917 they put in a concrete foundation to try and preserve it. 

In the Blue Mesa the different layers and stones tell geologists about the environment and how the area was formed. 

Enjoyed the clouds.

The Puerco Pueblo was a village inhabited around 1300 A.D.

Petroglyphs at Newspaper Rock.

The Painted Desert Inn was originally built with petrified wood and then was renovated in the 1930's with an Adobe facade.  It is currently a museum. 

The black basalt was formed by volcanoes millions of years ago and forms a protective cover over the red Chinle formation below.

The Painted Desert is beautiful!

Proof that Pat got out of the car.  We were a little windblown by the end!

Wednesday we went back to Petrified Forest N.P. to take 2 trails, totaling just 2.5 miles.  The first trail took us to the ruins of a 1,000 year-old pueblan building made of petrified  wood.  We continued on to the second trail, "Long Logs." 

Small pieces of petrified wood.

The 8 room "agate house" was made of petrified wood around 1300 A.D.  Under an archeologist, the CCC reconstructed the structure in the 1930's.

Even though they have separated you could tell how long the logs were.

Yes, this is petrified wood.

One of the many dry river beds. 

We only had two days here and could have explored more.   Both Petrified National Park and Painted Desert Natiinal Monument were beautiful.  When the sun came out from under the clouds it painted an even more intense picture.

Where are the Piepers now?  Holbrook, AZ