“Rest and Be Thankful” was the name of a book by Helen McInnes I read years ago. It came to me as the perfect title for this image – it was a lovely place to sit and be quiet, glad for being able to enjoy the beauty around me.
Tag: digital
Apple Trees at Oak Creek Canyon
Oak Creek Canyon comes as a delightful surprise, and one needs to stop to look.  The drive to Sedona from Flagstaff, Arizona, is along a curvy road, one undergoing serious reconstruction when we drove it (bump, bump, bump!).  There are numerous turn-offs for hiking and viewing along the way, but we chose to stop at the Oak Creek Canyon Park to hike.
Originally, a pioneer family settled in, raising food for itself, such as chickens and apples. Â The apple orchard is still there, as are remains of the rather fancy chicken coop (see a later photo) built of the native red stone. Â In the 1920s it became a resort, evolving from a homestead to a place for the rich and famous.
Now it is an area to be enjoyed by the rich and poor alike, along with tourists and other such riff-raff. Â Definitely a beautiful spot! Â Bring a picnic and spend a day – plenty to see and do and enjoy. Â It was one of my favorite places on our road trip.
A Tribute to Ansel Adams
Photography Decisions for Vacation

Yesterday, I packed up the rest of the choices I’d made for the photographic gear I want to take on our trip. Â It was a really hard, but choices had to be made.
My first decision was the bag size. Â I have back packs and over-the-shoulder bags of varying sizes, along with a sling bag. Â I decided on an over-the-shoulder bag, which is roomy, but not large, and is now carrying the following:
- Nikon V3
- 1 Nikon 70-300mm
- 1 Nikon 10-110mm
- 1 Nikon 6.7-13mm
- 1 Nikon 10mm
- 1 Nikon 18.5mm
- 1 Nikon 32mm
- Olympus OM-1n
- Olympus Zuiko 50mm
- Olympus Zuiko 35-70mm Close Focus
- 49mm yellow, orange, and UV filters
- 55mm ND filters
The OM system and the Nikon 1 system were chosen because they are small and lightweight, but deliver good quality.
I am also bringing 12 rolls of 35mm film, in black and white, and in color, ranging in speed. Â It’s still a toss-up between the XA4 and the Trip 35, but I am inclined to take the XA4 as it is more diverse, smaller, and has a covered lens. Â No medium format camera made it to the final mix. Â I may bring a tripod. Â I am also packing some art supplies and my Kindle. Â Some knitting, too. Â Headphones. Â Chrome Book. Â Plugs and cords and a power strip. Â Yeah, stuff. Â Clothes, shoes, and a toothbrush!



