Photo Story: the plan is to post a photo every couple of weeks and give a brief description to go with the photo. Where did I take it, why did I take it, what emotions did I feel, why am I sharing it with you. Cool? Okay then. Here we go.

Arizona Rest Stop

This photo was taken near Lupton, Arizona at the rest stop located about 1 mile West of the border between New Mexico and Arizona. Heading toward home on day 12 of a 14 day road trip to visit my daughter’s family in Louisiana. Albuquerque, New Mexico was the point of origin and Flagstaff, Arizona was the day’s destination.

We stopped for the same reasons most people stop – to stretch and use the facilities. It was snowing as we pulled in and parked the 22 foot Ford F250 that had taken us to there and back.

Please understand that I was born and raised in Southern California. I’ve been in snow about six times in a 50 year life span. Day trips to Big Bear, a church trip to Fresno once when I was young, an off year in Amarillo, Texas, and a strange flurry during a weekend trip to Flagstaff last year in May. I act like a child – joyful, giggly, playful – when I am in and around the cold, white stuff as it falls from the sky.

I built a snowman. It was cold, so Frosty is only about 12 inches high, but adorable, and the camera perspective provides more substance.

I jumped up and down in fresh snow fall, I took photos of the tress, flocked in the natural beauty that tree lot flocking just can’t match. I felt gratitude and childish delight in experiencing something that causes folks who live in it a feeling of eventual weariness, dread and sometimes terror.

Snow brings a muffled serenity when it covers the earth. It mutes the highway sounds. It is bright and glaring and peacefully present. It is so much white.

I look at this photo and am reminded of the distance we covered, and of the adventure that had yet to come on that trip. I remember the complete abandon of reserved adult-like behavior.

I prefer black and white to color and photo above is a favorite for its simplicity and reality. Also for the subtle photobombing of the Arizona Welcomes You sign.

Here it is in color, though:

Why am I sharing it with you? Because I can.  Thanks for sticking with me to the end.