Portugal

 

Nazare and the Atlantic

There were lots of firsts on this European marathon.  I thought quite a bit about how to present them and decided to keep it simple and stick with the photogenic highlights.

 

The Viking Gyda on the Douro River

This was our first cruise.  Opting for a peaceful experience, we chose the 105-passenger Viking Gyda on Portugal’s Douro River. We loved the food and easy access to several destinations, and we made some new friends.  This last accomplishment is remarkable because we’re increasingly antisocial as we age. 

 

Open bridge with the captain

I reverted to 10-year-old mode when Captain Alves let me honk the horn from the bridge.  Sometimes it’s the little things.

 

Another ship exits a lock as we wait out turn

I was surprised at how much I enjoyed traversing the five locks on the Douro.  The trip was out-and-back from Porto, so we experienced each one twice.  I hadn’t understood much about how they work, and so I loved experiencing them from various ship decks and from our cabin.  I’ve written more about that here, in case you’re interested.  Alves told us that his grandfather was also a captain on the Douro, and he showed us some harrowing footage of sailing the river when it still had rapids, before the dams and locks went in in the 1960s. This video is similar.

 

Porto at night from Gaia, across the river

This trip was also an experiment in another way.  Toward the goal of not checking bags, I committed to shooting only with my iPhone 17, a tabletop tripod, and a circular polarizing filter.  I certainly appreciated traveling light.  Mostly it worked out well, but the phone is still a camera with a very small sensor, and there were a few technical issues that made me miss the big girl camera.  If you’re interested in this geeky stuff, I’d be happy to talk with you about it.  We’ll just spare my more normal readers those drawn-out details.  The image above is an example of the usefulness of the tiny tripod, shooting city scenes at night.

 

Riverside villa and vineyards

The Douro region is all about wine and olives.  Terrain is steep, and the photogenic terraces date back many hundreds of years. I loved shooting these images from our cabin veranda with a white port and tonic cocktail in my other hand.

 

Looking down at Lamego from the Sanctuary

Lamego was my favorite of the day trips from the ship.  The Santuário de Nossa Senhora dos Remédios is striking, connected to the town below by over 600 steps, which pilgrims traditionally climb on their knees.  We walked down, on our feet.  The views were striking, and we also enjoyed a stroll through the Thursday market where, among other things,  live chickens can be purchased.

 

Lello Bookstore, Porto

I very much wanted to go to Lello Bookstore in Porto, where JK Rowling is said to have hatched the idea of moving staircases at Hogwart’s.  The place has become annoyingly popular, requiring timed entry tickets, about 100 every 15 minutes.  Photography was challenging, but it was still a place worth the visit.

After a week living on the ship, we connected with some friends from the UK and covered a remarkable amount of ground in five days.  It helped that he had run a business in Portugal, but we managed to see a few things that were new even to him.  It was a great gift to see some beautiful places relatively off the beaten path.

 

Silhouettes in Braga

Braga was striking and quiet and, in the early morning at least, mostly populated with locals.

 

Tomar.  I did my best to minimize the dredging of the river

Tomar was a favorite.  I had mostly shaken an annoying virus by then and was able to resume my habit while traveling of early morning walks.  I’m sure I make my best images then.

Pegões Aqueduct

There were delightful surprises along the way, including the 17^th century Pegões Aqueduct, built to supply a convent.

 

Tourist gondola in Aveiro

Aveiro is referred to at the Venice of Portugal.  I’m not sure about that, but I did find it quite picturesque.

 

Óbidos

Finally, we stayed just outside the walled Roman city of Óbidos.  Fog was a great photographic gift during my morning walk there.  Like so many places in Europe, my sense of architectural history in the US was dwarfed again.

 

Delicious stairway detail,  Convento de Cristóbal, Tomar

Just like any epic adventure, it left more questions than answers in my mind, and a longer list of things to see.

There are more images in the Portugal 2026 Gallery on the website.

The Sixth Hundred Nights

Blooming Claret Cup, Grand Canyon - Parashant National Monument

Welcome to installment number six in this navel-gazing series which looks at camper nights 501-600.

Mostly, I’ll just say I’m deeply grateful for the opportunity to experience remote and beautiful parts of the world with the base camp that camping vehicles provide.  We’ve been doing this overlanding thing for almost 13 years, and are now in our second vehicle, a black Sprinter which Marco adapted for camping and which we call the Raven. The Raven has been with us for over 250 nights now.

So, in keeping with this tradition, I’ll run through some numbers and a few superlatives from these last 100 nights.

Since Marco’s retirement, I camp less often on my own, 27 nights in the last 100.  Eighty camps were dispersed (AKA boondocking) and four in the driveways of kind friends, leaving just 16 in campgrounds.  I’m pleased that we’ve successfully minimized that number, limiting it to times when there’s no other way to be in proximity to something photogenic or to fish.  Speaking of fish, there were 27 camps chosen for their proximity to angling areas.  One goal is to balance revisiting beloved places and exploring new ones.  To that end, there were 37 entirely new spots.

On to the superlatives.

East Fork Black River, Utah

The most beautiful camp was on the East Fork of the Bear River, Utah.  We’d day tripped there before, but never seen this grassy, isolated riverside nirvana before. I was a little late for fall color in the aspen trees, but the riverside willows made up for that.

Striped Tinaja, Southern Nevada

The gotta go back prize goes to the striped tinaja in middle of nowhere, Nevada.  Now that I know the hike, I can do it in the dark to catch sunrise and sunset there. It’s too bad the drive is long and slow.

Twin Point Sunset, Grand Canyon - Parashant National Monument

We just returned from the most remote spot, Twin Point in Grand Canyon-Parashant National Monument.  95 miles on pavement in 5 hours.  This was our second expedition to Twin - there was also a trip there in December.

Hell's Backbone, Utah

For favorite surprise image, we have Hell’s Backbone in Utah.  This special road had been on my radar for a while, and we tried it out on a whim on the way back from a fall color circle in Southern Utah. I had no idea what to expect. At the apex of the hill, Death Hollow and The Box drain in opposite directions.  I found aerial images conveyed this incredible place best.

Taking the trophy for most visited (four times) and for best solo retreat is my favorite secret sand dunes in the Mojave. This place satisfies my craving for peace.

Stormy day over Kelso Dunes, Mojave National Preserve

I was going to propose “worst site” as a category, but instead I’ll call it most utilitarian.  Sometimes we’re pooped and just need a safe, quiet place to be for the night.  Kelso Dunes, in the Mojave National Preserve is the winner here.  I’ve never gotten an image I love there – here’s the best I can do.

Sunrise from "Aspen Circle," Utah

About the best story, I offer what we call “aspen circle,” in the Tushar Mountains of Utah.  We discovered this place a few years ago when we saw the road on a satellite map and decided to give it a go. Then last July our way was blocked by a small fallen aspen trunk, maybe six inches in diameter, that lodged in other trees at about chest level.  We were stopping off on the way to Park City.  There was another, lesser spot nearby and we settled for that.  We bought a saw in the interim and on the way back opened the road up and enjoyed the site.

Box Canyon, Mogollon Rim Country Arizona

Finally, in the category of most unusual is a couple of nights camped at a boy scout camp (out of season – there were no scouts there) for reconnaissance for a Trout Unlimited conservation project.  We were on the bank of Christopher creek.  The best part of that for me was easy access to Box Canyon, which I hiked and shot from the drone with gratitude.

With gratitude to you, please wish us luck on the 7^th 100. 

Cheers.

Life as Art

Osprey above Willow Springs Reservoir

I’ve been reading Guy Tal’s latest book, Be Extraordinary. His books are dense and philosophical, so I generally read just a chapter or two at a time and let things soak in.  During last week’s trip to Arizona’s Mogollon Rim, I read a line which has resonated since.

“Make your life your best work of art,” he writes, among musings on a variety of aspects of art.  His words feel like nothing less than a unifying theory of life.

The view above our campsite, Canyon Creek area AZ

I’m in a place to contemplate the profound these days, having lost a friend in a car accident and just learned that another friend is under the care of Hospice. As I age, I know more and older people and there’s more loss. There is no antidote to bereavement, but a life lived well is the best we’ve got.

My husband and I say that we try to live without regrets, balancing time with friends and family, in the wilderness, and finding ways to help.  We’ve been making it up as we go along and that’s been working well since I’ve stopped caring so much about what others think.  All this is a work in progress.

Don’t get me wrong, I still waste time with things like games on my phone and binging Netflix. Maybe that’s part of the balance.

Tal’s philosophical musing resonated through my recent photographic adventures.

Canyon Creek AZ

Last week’s trip was unusual. Rather than a planned excursion, it was an exploration of a new place. I was mostly just walking around seeing what I could find and going where my husband wanted to fish. I stumbled on this section of Canyon Creek and played with it for some time.

I’m also working on underwater fish shots with a GoPro (though I suspect I’ll upgrade the equipment eventually).  There’s quite a learning curve here, so I feel a little vulnerable showing this shot.  Better work is coming, I hope.

Doing photography is life’s art for me whether I’m striving to communicate emotion or promote conservation; support nonprofits or enjoy time alone or with loved ones.

Yesterday I was the photographer for a community clean-up near home. No great art emerged from this project, but the work helps with community connection and supports the sponsoring church.

With friends at Taliesin West

Many of you know I’m a contributor to Arizona Highways Magazine.  Last week I was honored to attend a celebration of the 100^th anniversary of the publication.  I’m privileged to have made a small contribution to this exemplary publication.  The party was held at sunset on the patio of Taliesin West, Frank Lloyd Wright’s Winter Home and school in Scottsdale.  It was so fitting that the light was spectacular in honor of a publication known for photography.

I was in the company of many friends, some of whom I’m in touch with regularly and others with whom I joyously reconnected after many years.  I also met some folks from the magazine with whom I’ve only connected by email.

This is fun – I won this large, mounted print of the 100^th anniversary (April 2025) magazine cover in a raffle.  The image was made by the legendary David Muench, who was in attendance and was kind enough to sign the print.

I’m still thinking about life as art.  I don’t imagine I’ll ever stop.

Guatemala Stories

 

It’s always great to be back in Guatemala, which feels like a second home.

 

We’ve been visiting for almost 20 years, and we’ve seen some impressive changes.  The adult illiteracy rate in the Western Highlands (where poverty is worst) has dropped from 2/3 to 1/3.  Though the reasons for this are varied, including redoubled commitment from the Ministry of Education, nonprofits like the one we work with are a solid part of the change. There’s also a rising middle class, which I see as a very positive change.  The only really discouraging thing is that the (already horrendous) traffic problem is worse.

 

Florentina, about age 13, Santiago Sacatepéquez Guatemala

The whole family, Santiago Sacatepéquez Guatemala

Marco, Flor, Daniella, Rebecca, Carlos, Santiago Sacatepéquez Guatemala

Those who have been with me for some time will remember that we have been fortunate to enjoy a visit with our first scholarship student, Florentina, each trip.  This time we gladly accepted an invitation to meet the ENTIRE family at her house.  17 years ago, we met a determined 12-year-old girl whose family couldn’t afford school.  The Government pays through the equivalent of 6th grade.  Now she is a banking professional, married, and has an 18-month-old daughter, Daniella.  She’s sent her sisters to school, and lives in a lovely home, which can certainly be described as middle class.  None of her family will ever be illiterate or live in poverty again. We’re so proud.  By the way, there was food and a piñata (nothing is so funny as a laugh-at-the-gringos game, but all in good fun) at this party.

 

There are currently 3 kids we sponsor in middle school.  This is Madelyn and her mom, who we met for the first time last week.  She’s in the 9^th grade.  We’ve seen such an increase in confidence in these kids in two years.  Partly that’s because the program includes activities one Saturday each month to build self-esteem, work in their communities, and learn about career opportunities to name a few.  There’s also social support, because poverty brings many of the same struggles there as it does here in the states.

This trip was for Members of Rotary Clubs, and the group included Rotarians from Canada and The Cayman Islands in addition to US Club members.  One of my favorite parts of this trip is meeting them, as well as Rotarians from Guatemala.  International friendships are a great benefit of being a Rotarian.  We were welcomed at a meeting of the 100-year-old Quetzaltenango Club.  After a good meal and some scotch, several of us were invited to join in on a club tradition, to be given an animal nickname.  We walk around the room to music, and members vote on the monicker.  I’m the Flamingo (thanks for asking).  I figure it could have been worse.

Delfina, Casa Flor Ixcaco, San Juan La Laguna, Guatemala

The Western Highlands are mostly populated with people of Mayan descent.  They’d like you to know that Mayan civilization didn’t disappear – they’re still there.  Lots of adroit folks are re-kindling native arts with co-ops.  We had the honor of visiting Casa Flor Ixcaco in San Juan La Laguna, Where Delfina told us all about the process of bringing just-harvested cotton through the prep, spinning, and dying process.  The quality is mind-blowing. 

 

The burning of the Bull, Chiquilaja Guatemala

Learning about different cultures is priceless.  Here’s a somewhat frivolous, if shocking example.  There’s a tradition called the “burning of the bull,” which involves lighting fireworks which are attached to a sort of cage with a bull’s head attached.  The alarming part is that there’s a teenaged boy dancing around with the cage on his back.  Once we saw this display indoors! Guatemalans do love their fireworks.

 

And then there are the students.

 

So many stories.  There are more images in the Winter 24-25 Gallery on the website.

Water

Abstract reflections in Willow Springs Reservoir Arizona

Since many of my trips now revolve around my favorite angler, I’ve had a minute to consider the photographic aspects of water.

Cloud Reflections in Willow Springs Reservoir Arizona

Reflections are a photographer’s friend, especially on a glorious afternoon float.  This was the second launch of Marco’s new Flycraft boat, at Willow Springs Reservoir in Mogollon Rim Country here in Arizona.  More about the boat later, but because we’re just getting used to set-up, and we were in harsh afternoon light, I didn’t think I needed to pack photo gear.  Then after we got on the water the clouds came in.  Thank goodness for my phone camera, which does a pretty darn good job in these conditions.

Box Canyon, Christopher Creek Arizona

Images of waterfalls and cascades evoke the full experience, including the sounds and smells of hanging out by the creek.  Box Canyon on Christopher Creek is just 15 minutes down the road from Willow Creek.  It’s tough to get to, though, since that section of Highway 260 was revised and parking is now illegal at the trailhead. 

Box Canyon, Christopher Creek Arizona

Marco is working with Trout Unlimited on some habitat restoration along Christopher Creek in the area of the R-C Scout Ranch.  Because of this, we had the joy of camping Creekside at the Ranch.  From there it’s an easy walk to the top of Box Canyon.  I’m hoping to be back, perhaps to work this section of the creek in snow.

Great Blue Heron in flight, Willow Creek Reservoir Arizona

Waterbirds are a lovely bonus of lakes.  I test-drove my new Canon RF 100-500 L lens during our second day on the lake, and enjoyed shooting the big birds: Osprey, Heron, and Turkey Vultures.  I saw a Bald Eagle but was too slow on the draw to get the shot.  I’m looking forward to another chance.  To paraphrase P.T. Barnum, always leave them wanting more bird shots.

Ancient Sycamore Tree, R-C Scout Ranch Arizona

Riparian habitats are dazzlingly green and have big, glorious trees. That’s a gift to those of us accustomed to the drier parts of Arizona.  I fell in love with this huge Sycamore which was creekside.

Chevelon Creek Arizona

Chevelon Creek, below the reservoir, is surrounded in green.

Lakes also provide easy access to what would otherwise be rough country, though easy might be an overstatement.  The two of us required 50 minutes to assemble and rig the boat together. I missed my 10-minute kayak set-up, but the Flycraft is comfortable for two humans and Gypsy, who’s making progress on gaining her sea legs. 

The boat rigged for a short drive

Ultimately, we decided to load the boat on the pickup hillbilly-style to drive the mile back to our camp spot rather than take it apart and re-assemble it at o-dark-thirty the next morning.  Neither of us is excited about a trailer, but we have some better ideas about transport.

Rowing practice, Watson Lake Arizona

Though the rig has an electric motor, I enjoyed learning to row.  At least I enjoyed it before the wind came up.

My favorite Angler, Willow Creek Reservoir Arizona

Then, of course, there are fish in the water.  I hear that some people believe that they are the whole point.

Sunflowers backlighted at dawn, Peeples Valley Arizona

Before I sign off, I can’t resist sharing some monsoon sunflower glory from up here in Yarnell and Peeples Valley.

There’s more on the website, in the Summer 2024 Gallery.