Wednesday, October 3, 2007

We're home and back to the real world, darn.

We left on vacation a week and a half before the weaving workshop began and explored the Southeast area of Utah. There is a State Park called Gobling, called this as all the rock sculputres look like goblins, mushrooms, and houses that could have been on the movie Lord of the Rings. This is a few of the scultures.







We love to see ancient rock art and there is a lot in the Southwest. I think this is one of the best. They are life size figures, and some of them have wonderful designs on their "clothing". Archologists believe they are between 4,000 - 7,000 years old. Painted with NATURAL PIGMENTS, isn't that amazing? We had to drive down a 30 mile dirt road to get to the place and then hike down a steep canyon 3.25 miles to see the pictographs, then hike back out 3.25 miles up the canyon (and it was hot out!). Then drive 30 miles back out to get to the main road to go to our campsite. But it was worth all the work, the canyon was a very spiritual place. This is only a few of the figures in the canyon.










The rock was sooo red, I couldn't wait to try it as a dye. They say you can get a light rose color from it. We're going to collect some of it from the road side (out of the park).






After a few days we moved on to Arch's National park. It was awe inspiring. We hiked a lot and took lots of pictures. The rangers there we're very helpful teaching me about the different names of the native plants.







Ute rock art petroglyphs, around 500 years old. Notice the natives riding the horses. Canyon lands national park.








What a place to quilt!! Every evening I would sit out and quilt (until John would make me take a hike with him).









Picking sage bush to bring home to dye my wool fabric with (don't know how much color I will get).










Ancient "storage" ruins in Canyon lands.











Our campsite in Canyon land where we picked up a "pet". A mouse got into our camper at night. I hope he didn't come home to Michigan with us.












Collecting Rabbit bush along the road. We picked so many dye plants we would have to move them out of the camper at night into the truck so we wouldn't sneeze.
Tomorrow I'll put on some of the pictures from the weaving workshop, its so hard to pick which pictures to use as we took over 200 and I'm trying not to bore you.














2 comments:

Deb Hardman said...

Kathy, these are wonderful pictures! You couldn't bore me if you tried! Sorry I haven't blogged anything new, I'm working every other day & it's getting in the way!

Aren't you amazed that the both of you can still hike like that?! You are a walking miracle!

I'll be home all weekend if you want to call me. Sorry you faded out on your last call! I've missed you!

Melodie said...

I have to agree......the photos are fabulous!!

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