Rushing Forward...

The days here in Tucson with the group have been full. I really don't know any other why to describe it... maybe spelnded? Maybe rich? Maybe luxuriously brimming? In any event, we've been exploring Tucson, finding treasures, eating fabulous lunches, and taking LOTS of pictures.

Yesterday we went to Tohono Chul Park in Northwestern Tucson. It's part art museum, desert garden, and al around beautiful place. It's a surprising little gem!

One of my favorites, and probably one of the most photographed objects in the "Cactus Man" statue. It's surrounded by a two partial semi-circular stone benches topped by organ cacti, reading straight to the sky.

I always worry about going to any botanical place in winter. Even if winter consists of 70 degree weather. You never know what will be alive and what will be dead. Luckily there was a lot in bloom and the lushness of the shade gardens was rich and full, much like our days.

One of the things that I love about this place is that it sit at the foothills of the Catalina mountain range, which border Tucson to the North. Wandering along the trails, a pocket of land in the city, it was easy to forget yourself... to feel out in the wild of the desert, standing at the base of the mountains.

The number of various birds, swinging and swooping was really impressive. I love the little gold finches. I sat in the courtyard for away, listening to their song and watching as darting bodies of bright yellow flicked around the sky.

Above is a great shot of Charlene. Later in the day Charlene made me laugh so hard, I thought I'd choke on my lunch. I really love the group we have assembled. I really couldn't ask for more.

Another of the fabulous participants is Meryl. She's staying here at the house and we've been talking into the wee hours of the morning. She's such a sweet, grounded force. I love that she's a librarian and is using this experience to help build a blog for the library that she works at. People are coming for all different reasons.

Another great gal in the group is Kathi! She was our last sign up for the first session of the workshop and I'm glad she decided to come. She was adamant that she had no interest in blogging, but I'm glad that she decided to push herself and step out of her comfort zone. I know that talking with her and looking at her images has been extremely exciting and enriching for everyone else involved.

At the end of the day, we all met back at the Atomic Ranch to go over our days with a glass of wine and some good company. We worked on our assignments and I think it was a great environment. I could hear the mental wheels turning.

And of course... the food shot.