Archive for the ‘Edward Abbey’ Tag
Heartleaf Goldeneye (April 13, 2017) — Computer Art by kenne
But it’s all still there in my heart and soul.
The walk, the hills, the sky, the solitary pain and pleasure —
they will grow larger, sweeter, lovelier in the days to come,
like a treasure found and then, voluntarily, surrendered.
Returned to the mountains with my blessing.
It leaves a golden glowing on the mind.”
— from “Beyond the Wall: Essays from the Outside” by Edward Abbey,
Cranesbill Geranium: Geranium caespitosum (Mt. Lemmon, August 5, 2016) — Image by kenne
“For myself I hold no preferences among flowers,
so long as they are wild, free, spontaneous.
Bricks to all greenhouses!
Black thumb and cutworm to the potted plant!”
–Edward Abbey
Mesquite Bean Pods — Computer Painting by kenne
“I would not sacrifice a single living mesquite tree for any book ever written.
One square mile of living desert is worth a hundred ‘great books’ –
and one brave deed is worth a thousand.”
— Edward Abbey
Grunge Art Desert Landscape — Image by kenne
“Beyond the wall of the unreal city … there is another world waiting for you. It is the old true world of the deserts, the mountains, the forests, the islands, the shores, the open plains. Go there. Be there. Walk gently and quietly deep within it. And then —
May your trails be dim, lonesome, stony, narrow, winding and only slightly uphill. May the wind bring rain for the slickrock potholes fourteen miles on the other side of yonder blue ridge. May God’s dog serenade your campfire, may the rattlesnake and the screech owl amuse your reverie, may the Great Sun dazzle your eyes by day and the Great Bear watch over you by night.”
― Edward Abbey
Juniper Tree, Spirit That Is Me — Image by kenne
“If my decomposing carcass helps nourish the roots of a Juniper tree or the wings of a vulture
— that is immortality enough for me. And as much as anyone deserves.”
— Edward Abbey
Bee & Mesquite Beetle on a Prickly Pear Blossom — Image by kenne
I would not sacrifice a single living mesquite tree for
any book ever written. One square mile of living desert is
worth a hundred “great books” — and one brave deed
is worth a thousand.
— Edward Abbey
I declare
Cue the sun
I declare life.
Cue the flowers
I declare spring.
Cue the children
I declare love.
I declare,
Isn’t it beautiful?
I declare!
I declare!
— kenne
(CLICK ON ANY OF THE TILED IMAGES TO VIEW LARGER IMAGE IN A SLIDESHOW FORMAT.)
Wildflower Images by kenne
The weather here is windy, balmy, sometimes wet.
Desert springtime, with flowers popping up all over the place,
trees leafing out, streams gushing down from the mountains.
Great time of year for hiking, camping, exploring, sleeping under the new moon and the old stars.
At dawn and at evening we hear the coyotes howling with excitement – mating season.
And lots of fresh rabbit meat hopping about to feed the young ones with.
— Edward Abbey
Solitaire Poppy Shadows — Image by kenne
“Where’s the Coke machine?”
“Sorry lady, we have no Coke machine out here.
Would you like a drink of water?” (She’s not sure.)
“Say ranger, that’s a godawful road you got in here,
when the hell they going to pave it?” (They gather around, listening.)
“The day before I leave.” (I say it with a smile; they laugh.)
“Well how the hell do we get out of here?”
“You just got here, sir.”
“I know but how do we get out?”
“Same way you came in. It’s a dead-end road.”
“So we see the same scenery twice?”
“It looks better going out.”
“On ranger, do you live in that little housetrailer down there?”
“Yes madam, part of the time. Mostly I live out of it.”
“Are you married?”
“Not seriously.”
“You must get awfully lonesome way out here.”
“No, I have good company.”
“Your wife?”
“No, myself.” (They laugh; they all think I’m kidding.”
“Well what do you do for amusement?”
“Talk to the tourists.” (General laughter.)
— Edward Abbey, from Desert Solitaire
Trails leading to a world as in Federico Garcia Lorca’s “waltzing, sexy, high-spirited, deathward-leaning proclamations of love.”
— Image by kenne
May all your trails be crooked,
winding, lonesome, dangerous,
leading to the most amazing view,
where something strange and more beautiful
and more full of wonder than
your deepest dreams waits for you.
—Edward Abbey
“Remembering The Hiking Moments” — Image by kenne
Remembering the Hiking Moments
Let’s remember for a moment . . .
The trailhead gatherings,
the greetings, the smiles,
the joy of another hike.
The steep climbs, the switchbacks,
the majestic views at the top,
the masterful returns.
The trail fellowship,
sharing who we are
and common interests.
The pools near mountain trails,
resting tired feet in the cold water,
while others jump in.
The hikes along ridges of granite
and the juxtapositions of water-loving
and drought-tolerating plants.
The images captured on camera,
or our mind’s eye,
lasting images to share.
That which we have added
to life’s experiences forming
a better understanding of self.
The desire, the drive to see
what lies just over the next ridge,
on the other side of the mountain.
To our Sabino Canyon friends,
“May your trails be crooked, winding, lonesome,
dangerous, leading to the most amazing view.” *
— kenne
* Edward Abbey
(CLICK ON ANY OF THE TILED IMAGES TO SEE LARGER VIEW IN A SLIDE SHOW FORMAT.)
Hiking the La Milagrosa Loop in the Santa Catalina Mountains (December 5, 2014) lead by Sabino Canyon Volunteer Naturalists (SCVN). The 6.6 mile loop combines trails through the La Milagrosa and Agua Caliente Canyons. Parts of theses canyons are also popular to more adventurous hikers and rock climbers than our Friday SCVN hikers. (Click here.)
Gathering before the hike at Suzenu Avenue
La Milagrosa Loop
La Milagrosa Loop
La Milagrosa Loop
La Milagrosa Loop
Resurrection Plants
La Milagrosa Loop
La Milagrosa Loop
La Milagrosa Loop
La Milagrosa Loop
Resurrection Plants
La Milagrosa Loop
Pictographic Writing
Pictographic Writing
Cholla Cactus
La Milagrosa Loop
La Milagrosa Loop
La Milagrosa Loop
La Milagrosa Loop Hikers
La Milagrosa Loop
La Milagrosa Loop
La Milagrosa Loop
Resurrection Plants alone the La Milagrosa Loop
La Milagrosa Loop
May your trails be crooked,
winding, lonesome, dangerous,
leading to the most amazing view.
May your mountains rise
into and above the clouds.
— Edward Abbey
Image by kenne
Mt Wrightson Trailhead Parking Lot
Old Baldy Trail
Old Baldy Trail
Old Baldy Trail
Josephine Saddle
Vista
Vista
Vista
Old Baldy Trail
Old Baldy
Mt Hopkins Observatory
Old Baldy
Old Baldy Trail
Old Baldy Trail
Old Baldy
Old Baldy Trail
Vista
Appalachian Mountain Club Hike Mt Wrightson In Madera Canyon — Images by kenne
(Click on any of the images to see larger view in slideshow format.)
This hike by the Appalachian Mountain Club (AMC) was their last in the Tucson area. We are pleased to have been able to hike with them and share our (SCVN) knowledge and experience of hiking the trails of southern Arizona.
This is the last in a series of postings on the AMC visit to the Sonoran Desert, so let’s remember for a moment . . .
Let’s remember for a moment,
the trail head gatherings,
the greetings, the smiles,
the joy of another hike.
Let’s remember for a moment,
the steep climbs, the switchbacks,
the majestic views at the top,
the masterful returns.
Let’s remember for a moment,
the trail fellowship,
sharing who we are
and common interests.
Let’s remember for a moment,
the pools near mountain trails,
resting tired feet in the cold water,
watching others jump in.
Let’s remember the moment,
the hike alone ridges of granite
and the juxtapositions of water-loving
and drought-tolerating plants.
Let’s remember for a moment,
the rich biodiversity of the Sonoran Desert
which the Arizona-Sonora Desert Museum
illustrates through its ecological theater.
Let’s remember for a moment,
the images captured by
our mind’s eye,
lasting images to share.
Let’s remember for a moment,
that which we have added
to life’s experiences forming
a better understanding of self.
Let’s remember for a moment,
the desire, the drive to see
what lies just over the next ridge,
on the other side of the mountain.
Let’s remember for a moment,
lots of mountains, few streams —
all dry this time of year, and my
turning back at the base of Old Baldy.
Let’s remember for a moment,
my friends from New England,
“May your trails be crooked, winding, lonesome,
dangerous, leading to the most amazing view.” *
— kenne
* Edward Abbey
“After The Rain” — Images by kenne
“The weather here is windy, balmy, sometimes wet.
Desert springtime,
with flowers popping up all over the place,
trees leafing out, streams gushing down from the mountains.
Great time of year for hiking, camping, exploring,
sleeping under the new moon and the old stars.
At dawn and at evening
we hear the coyotes howling with excitement –
mating season.
And lots of fresh rabbit meat
hopping about to feed the young ones with.”
― Edward Abbey
Arizona Popcorn
Blue Dicks
Desert Ragweed
Desert Zinnia
Fiddleneck
Musturd Evening Primrose
Silverpuff
Globemallow
Wildflower Images, February 25, 2014 Nature Walk by kenne [Place cursor over image to see name of flower, and/or click on any image to see slideshow.]
“Strolling on, it seems to me
that the strangeness and wonder
of existence are emphasized here,
in the desert,
by the comparative sparsity of the flora and fauna:
life not crowded upon life
as in other places
but scattered abroad in spareness and simplicity,
with a generous gift of space
for each herb and bush and tree,
each stem of grass,
so that the living organism
stands out bold and brave and vivid
against the lifeless sand and barren rock.
The extreme clarity of the desert light
is equaled by the extreme individuation of desert life-forms.
Love flowers best in openness and freedom.”
— Edward Abbey
Grunge Art Desert Landscape — Image by kenne
Juniper Tree, Spirit That Is Me — Image by kenne
Bee & Mesquite Beetle on a Prickly Pear Blossom — Image by kenne
