Arizona Summer

By the middle of June, Phoenix gets up to at least 115 degrees. This is one way to entertain the children...

My friend Erica from California met me in Phoenix where we spent 4 fun days with her daughter Melanie and grandsons. I was Mel's confirmaton sponsor at First Congregational UCC in Stockton - only a few years ago, right?

I nearly overheated when we took the boys to enjoy the water play, but we went to a grocery store & got bottled water. By the time our shopping was finished I paid for an empty bottle at the cash register! I was revived and remembered to carry my water bottle with me after that!

Good friends ... good times!

On Friday I spent a few hours with Becky and she took me to catch the Sedona shuttle again. Back to the Iris Garden Inn and the Summer Solstice Reiki Master class.

Our classes meet in the Mount Kurama Room at Infinite Light Healing Studies Center and Peace Place. It's the most wonderful space - calm and peaceful with an almost full-wall photo of Mount Kurama in Japan where Makao Usui made a pilgrimage/retreat and received the vision and instructioons and gift of Reiki.

In each class I have learned so much. I am re-energized and ready to teach Reiki to people around the International Falls area and reminded once again how well Reiki and my ministry are and can be intertwined. There is much to offer ... to those who are open to being amazed!

After class I had a free day and decided to see some of the sights. When I was first in Sedona for the Reiki drumming class (see January, 2007 blog entry, "Pink Jeeps") I took a Pink Jeep tour on the Broken Arrow Trail. This time I decided to take the Scenic Rim Tour, which was also spectacular!

Our Pink Jeep climbed the rim of the valley in which Sedona is nestled and we enjoyed the stunning red rocks and sweeping vistas that are not quite like anywhere else.

After a last lunch at my favorite restaurant, the Cowboy Club (see previous entries) I caught Sedona's free shuttle, the Roadrunner...

and visited some of the shops and galleries on the highway outside of "Uptown." The first stop was Tlaquepaque (pronounced Tlock-a-pocky) which one shop clerk told me tourists think should be called "Lock-Your-Pocket." Lovely Spanish-style architecture with lots of courtyards, specialty shops and Mexican restaurants.

Then it was on to Hilltop where I enjoyed more outdoor art and a cool fruit smoothie at an Italian dessert shop.

Next morning I had the same shuttle driver back to Phoenixx airport that I had to Sedona on my May trip. His daughter-in-law's siblings went to high school with my kids, so we had an enjoyable ride and talk. An uneventful trip brought me home, once again, to the northland.