Sounds of Escalante Canyons Art Festival 2010

It was double-duty volunteering and filming the Escalante Canyons Art Festival this year. During the week of the Plein Air Competition, artists were sprinkled through-out Grand Staircase Escalante National Monument with their easels and brushes, capturing their visions onto canvas.

The last two days of the festival, energetic & lively music was heard in town as the tensions mounted for the outdoor paintings being auctioned off. Pertinent speakers gave food-for-thought as they orated historical views or futuristic probabilities regarding the Colorado Plateau.

Hear for yourself the excitement of the varied sounds during Escalante Canyons Art Festival and see the diverse award winners & sold paintings.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=0YqY3Gxxb3c

Rain, Rain Go Away

The Monsoons have arrived & I have other newbies asking me (5 year full-time resident), "is this rain normal?" Yes & no. Previously, we bragged about not having to use our swamp-cooler because of summertime thunderstorms. With all the precipitation from cloudbursts this past week-end, we almost used our heater.

I admit I love the drama of thunder, lighting & the clatter of rain pelting down on the roof. Our rain gutters are linked to thick hanging chains directing massive flows of water from our house roofs to our greediest trees. Rain & dirt smells permeate all around us. We wonder which canyons will flash flood. The downpours bend the tall corn stalks in our garden. Lightening shows in the wee hours rival flashy rock concerts of the past.

And then the sun comes out. The corn & trees rise up again. Pools of water sink into the ground. Hummingbirds return to feed from the penstemons. We love the sun rays on our skin, the optimism of another hike & the wishful beauty from the lingering rainbows.

Quick Overnighter

2-night minimum used to be our motto, until we packed our raft up to Long Willow Bottom lake, above Barker Lakes near Escalante. We scoped Wide Willow Bottom lake first but dozens of rowdy boy scouts had invaded the area. We found a secluded lakeside camp spot on LWB.

Yep, the mosquitoes were so thick I was inhaling them. The specks in the picture are just some of our encountered swarms. I paddled out in the lake to find relief from the pests.

It was a cold & star-filled night. There was frost on my deflated raft the next morning. We hiked out mid-morning taking only 2 tiger trout, trash, and a few mosquitoes bites.