- This year we travelled to Sedona, Jerome, Cottonwood, the Grand Canyon, Prescott, Williams, and Montezuma’s Castle, all in two days.
That’s what the Sedona sunrise looks like.
Here is your chance to see the classic Luanne ponytail–always just off center as though the middle of the back of my head is just too far to manage.
The slide show is the Grand Canyon. It turned out to be overcast that day, but the rain held off at least.
The squirrels at the Grand Canyon beg for food. They are adorably cute, but it’s kind of sad that people have unwittingly trained them this way. This little guy gave me vertigo because he would go very near the edge of the walkway.
Sort of between Sedona and Phoenix is Montezuma’s Castle, which is the remains of a town that existed between the 12th and 14th centuries. The people, called the Sinagua, lived on the face of the mountain in a beehive of rooms that are known as “cliff dwellings.” Only a few parts of the town remain.
The settlement was built along Beaver Creek.
I used to bemoan the fact that we have all these spindly trees in Arizona–Palo Verde, Mesquite, Sweet Acacia. At this national monument I discovered an actual Real Tree of Arizona that is not an evergreen. The Arizona Sycamore! Beautiful and wise . . . .
The bark looks like camouflage clothing.
I’ve had too much company in the past few months to get much writing done. But I also feel that I need to start a new project and haven’t landed on the one I really want to tackle. It’s not writer’s block–in part because I don’t have much time to think anyway and also because I actually want to write but need a project that feels right at this time to focus on.
Until then, #notreallywriting. heh
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As you know, I typically don’t post much political and didn’t post any petitions for the elephants on my elephant book post, although they are in danger of becoming extinct in 15-20 years if humans don’t change their ways. But I am posting the following. You can stop reading here and it won’t insult me. But I can’t not post this information because this abuse of horses and mules is almost in my own backyard.
Please consider signing this petition for better treatment of the pack animals at the Grand Canyon. The horses are said to be “punched, kicked, push off the sides of mountains when injured, starved to death, without water and rest for long periods of time?” I even read the yelp reviews that talk about the horrific abuse of the animals.
You can sign here: http://www.thepetitionsite.com/815/945/903/.
If you are interested in more information you can read this:
About This Petition
A concerned group of citizens have started the “Stop Animal ViolencE” (SAVE) Foundation to protect the pack animals in Havasupai from abuse. These horses and mules travel from Hualapi Hilltop to Havasu Falls daily, and there have been an overwhelming number of reports of rampant and heinous animal abuse.
We are calling on the Havasupai Tribal Council to establish a minimum standard of care for all horses and mules living in Supai, AZ. Until it is confirmed that these standards have been adopted and implemented, we will boycott trips to the Havasu Falls that use horses and mules.
This treatment that has been witnessed by many tourists around the world is nothing short of horrifying and violent for both animals and humans. SAVE has collected first-hand accounts of extreme animal abuse and neglect by specific violent people. Recently, a Havasupai man was charged with four counts of animal abuse.
We are turning to you, the public, to help these defenseless animals. We are committed to the cessation of violence against animals by these violent individuals. Please help us in putting a stop to this violence and bringing about not only healing for these peaceful, deserving animals, but with your signature, change.
Do you feel pain and agony seeing this photo and imagining the terror of these horses? We have eyewitness accounts of these horses being punched, kicked, pushed off the sides of mountains when injured, starved to death, without water and rest for long periods of time. It’s a death camp for pack animals.
So, please, reach into your pain and feel the ferocity of compassion well up in your heart. And then take action. Sign this petition to demand that the Havasupai Tribal Council adopt SAVE’s guidelines for a minimum standard of care for these horses and mules. For you, for me, for the earth and for all the inhabitants who will suffer if this abuse continues. Please, do not post anything hateful against an entire group of people. These crimes are being committed by certain violent people, not by a group. We will not accept prejudicial, rude, or inappropriate comments targeted toward entire groups of people.
If you read down to this point, thank you SO MUCH for caring about the horses and mules.
Thanks for the stunning photos and other information about your travels. Also the call to action re: abuse of pack animals.
You’re welcome! I would have liked to show some pix from Williams, etc. Very interesting town! But there is not enough time in the day . . . .
OMG! Luanne, I went to the site that told about the abuse and was horrified. I always said I would never do the horse or mule ride on the Canyon, but it was because I’m afraid of heights. I had no idea this kind of cruelty existed in the US. You hear of it in third-world countries, but here at home???! It’s shameful and shocking. Can’t anyone make them stop? I would never recommend a mule or horse ride in the Canyon now (or anywhere else for that matter).
It’s unbelievable. To think I was JUST THERE. I am afraid of heights, too, and would never do that. But I am always a little suspicious of the treatment of work animals in places where it’s mass market, if you know what I mean. I am going to contact my state’s US senators, etc., and see if I can get a response out of anybody. The thing is that since it’s a national monument it’s likely that the national park service has some kind of contract with the Havasupai, so the feds need to put pressure on the tribe to monitor this situation and enforce humane treatment of the animals.
It really is shocking. I can’t stand to see animals mistreated. It’s bad enough when they suffer in nature without humans adding to their pain.If I lived in the area I’d want to stand there with a sign to warn off visitors.
That’s horrible what’s happening to those animals. Thanks for sharing this.
Your photos are fantastic.
Jill, it’s just beyond. Who would think that horses and mules would be subjected to this in the United States!!!!
Thanks re the photos! I was pretty proud of the sunrise one (it’s unfiltered). Daughter took the one of me and filtered it. Photos of me can’t be allowed in public unfiltered . . . .
I’d love to visit the Grand Canyon Luanne, but the abuse of the pack animals is horrific, I’ve signed the petition.
Some day you must come visit the Grand Canyon, Andrea! But we humans need to carry our own packs!!! Thank you so much for signing!!!!!
I’m not surprised about the treatment of animals. I don’t do horse carriage rides in cities, circuses or anything that exploits animals. Locally we have a zoo/preservation which has announced they are going to bring in African animals starting with giraffes. I live in the northeast. They don’t belong here. I know that zoos do preserve some species as man seems to be killing anything that lives these days.
Oh, no, those beautiful giraffes! They are one of my personal favorites. So gorgeous and to see them run . . . ! Zoos are so sad. I find them unbearable (and that is not a pun even though it is). We drove by a drive-through bear “zoo” on this last trip and daughter wanted to go, but I of course refused and reiterated to her why it is a blow to the animals to support their confinement for the amusement of humans. I do recognize the need for a type of zoo, but they all need a lot of work to make them better.
Love the photos, love the ponytail! Thanks for including the info about the petition.
Re the ponytail–hahahahaha. Seriously, I don’t even seem to want to have a straight ponytail, and I’m not sure why I don’t want to work more on it. I didn’t realize how it was always crooked until a couple of years ago and then I figured, so what? hehe
The ponytail is the reason I don’t want to cut my hair short. So easy to just put it in a hairband!
Me too!!!
Thank you for all the pictures! I’ve never been to Arizona. It’s really quite beautiful. 🙂
I’m glad you liked them, Robyn. There is a lot of beauty in Arizona. It is a different type of beauty than back in Michigan, where I am originally from. And different from California, though AZ and CA share some similarities. Too bad the whole state though isn’t like Sedona haha as to me it is the most beautiful by far. I feel more comfortable in Sedona and like that it is just low enough in elevation that there are lots of tree-trees (and not just pines).
Beautiful pictures! And I had no idea about the treatment of the animals. How horrible. You’d think folks would take care of the means of their livelihood.
Thank you, Elyse. Oh man, it just broke my heart to learn this. So so awful. Horses and mules are animals that have done so much good for humans and horses, in particular, have been such friends to our species. Makes me just cry.
Some people are just horrible to animals of all kinds. But I really can’t understand this treatment (OK, I can’t understand being harsh to a dog or cat either) of animals that literally are your business.
Yeah, I know what you mean. It seems almost stupid. But I think the thing is that once you have “used up” a work animal, they cost the business money. That in some ways is what Black Beauty was all about.
I love the “Luanne ponytail” and your pics are fantastic.
Animal cruelty of any kind makes me so mad. I’m going to sign the petition. How dare they treat animals this way!
Hahaha, yes, the ponytail is definitely an oddity. Thank you so much re the pix. So much beauty is difficult not to have show up in my iPhone viewer. What I mean is that it’s easy to take decent pix of these views!
Thank you SO much for signing the petition, Dianne. It’s just horrifying.
Signed the petition (thanks for the opportunity), love the photos, love the ponytail! Glad you and the family are having some fun. 🙂
Carla, thank you so much for signing!!! These sweet creatures are counting on us! Haha re the ponytail–you have seen it in person ;)!!!
Some beautiful country around Sedona, a palpable energy, or maybe it’s just that beautiful. And the Grand Canyon, a special place. We’re lucky to have them relatively near to us.
We are definitely lucky to have them near. There is something so special about Sedona. The only other place I’ve felt that was Assisi in Italy.
Masada and many places really. But places like that are very powerful.
I’ve never been there!
Adore the photos, Luanne. Glad you got a chance to get away.
It’s nice to get away from the ringing phone!
Lovely pictures, and fun text – except, of course, for the pack animals section
Oh, thanks, Derrick. Yes, except for that. So tragic.
Thank you for sharing the photos. I wasn’t aware of the abuse of the horses and mules, like a lot of your other readers. Thanks for making us aware of the situation.
Lovely photos!
Woohoo, that’s quite a compliment, coming from you!!!
Yet again proving that people of all tribes and colors have the ability to treat creatures kindly or with cruelty.
Criminals amongst us everywhere . . . .
I am saddened at any abuse of neglect of animals since they are at the “mercy” of their owners or mankind, for those in the wild. I wasn’t aware of this but I believe in the heat many animals are not humanely treated, Luanne. Thank you for calling attention to yet another issue of mistreatment and cruelty of animals. I will try to keep this in mind if I ever get back to your area of the country, friend! 🙂
I would like to try the train ride through the canyon, I just heard of this recently. Otherwise, I have seen the Eastern side in winter, February, in the 70’s and would like to see the Western side and all the area surrounding this grand and beautiful canyon! <3
Makes me so sad I can hardly bear it. Yes, please keep it in mind. We almost did the train and decided not to for a few reasons. It looks fun though!
I will keep all you mention since they cover important elements of nature and caring for animals, Luanne.