Dinosaurs

I’m taking a rest break in my travels in the small town of Tucumcari, NM. This gave me the opportunity to visit Mesaland Dinosaur Museum. I love visiting places like this and seeing fossils. It never gets old, no pun intended.

I so love science. Have a great day.

New friend

I spent a day at Petroglyph National Monument and made a new friend.

I believe this is a Western Whiptail Lizard (Aspidoscelis,tigris). They are extremely fast runners and found in Southwestern United States.

Today was another day of travel. The next few days will be spent on some editing and possibly a side trip to a museum. Stay tuned.

Happy Monday

We’ve been on the road today heading Northeast towards Indiana. I hope you all have a great week.

Photo(s) of the Week

This week’s photo of the week is a little different as I finish up my series of posts on Petrified Forest National Park. I’m always in awe when visiting places and seeing remnants of communities that existed thousands of years ago. This place is no different.

This is Puerco Pueblo, a prehistoric settlement built of shaped sandstone blocks by ancestral Puebloan people. It was inhabited between A.D. 1250 and 1380. It is believed to have had a population of 200 people. Large and small communities existed up and down the Rio Puerco and Little Colorado River. Archeologists have excavated only about a third of the site. For contemporary indigenous groups, sites like Puerco Pueblo are part of their heritage and oral traditions. Descendants return to pray, leave offerings, and interact with departed ancestors.

This site also contains several petryglphs. Although their exact meaning is not known, they are believed to be messages to other travelers and markings of clans that may have occupied the region.

I hope you have enjoyed this series on Petrified Forest National Park. My goal is to visit all our national parks at least once. If you have any questions, please go ahead and contact me. As you can tell, I love getting my nerd on about nature and wildlife.

What is petrified wood?

First, it is really cool. Technically, it is a fossil formed when plant material is buried in sediment—often volcanic ash—and replaced over millions of years by minerals, primarily silica (quartz), chalcedony, or opal. This per-mineralization process replaces organic cells with stone, often preserving detailed structures like tree rings, bark, and knots in vibrant colors.

The colors usually indicate trace amounts of other elements, for example, iron. The trees are a mix of conifer trees, tree ferns, and some gingkoes. It should be noted, it is illegal to remove petrified wood from the park. It is readily available for purchase in the area and I of course did get some to bring home with me.

I have to be honest, the pictures really don’t do it justice. They even sparkle on sunny days. This is a park to add to your bucket list. Check back tomorrow for the photo of the week.

The Painted Desert

The Painted Desert is an area of badlands stretching across northeastern Arizona. It’s know for its bright bands of color, mainly red, orange, purple and grey. Its layers come from sedimentary deposits over millions of years.

Petrified National Park is right off of I-40 (exit 311). When you take the exit, you are at the North/Painted Desert entrance. The Painted Desert Inn was originally built in the 1920 as an oasis of sorts for travelers. The clay shifted and the original structure began to show cracks. It was subsequently sold to the National Park Service. It was restored by the Civilian Conservation Corps and reopened in 1940 supplying travelers along Route 66. It continues to show cracks as the ground underneath shifts. It has also been modernized and is serving as a temporary visitor center while the normal visitor center is being renovated.

The Inn remains a charming place to stop while in the park. In the summer, you can even get ice cream in the parlor.

Check back tomorrow to see what petrified wood is.

Did you know?

Petrified Forest is the only national park in which the famous Route 66 passes through as it crosses the country from Chicago to Los Angeles.

Route 66 has been labelled the Mother of Transcontinental Highways. It was commissioned in 1926 and was considered the shortest all-weather route connecting the midwest and southwest. It was so popular it ultimately lead to the construction of interstates. Route 66 was officially decommissioned in 1985.

Check back tomorrow and learn a little bit more about the Painted Desert.

Petrified Forest National Park

I checked another National Park off the list today when I visited the Petrified Forest National Park. What a unique park with varying landscapes and history. Follow along with me this week as I highlight some of the sites in the park.

PHOTO OF THE WEEK

Shot with Cannon R5 & RF 600 mm

This beautiful Egret was fishing along the river. It was a cool sunny morning while I sat near the river and watched several birds fishing. The flowing water brought such calm to me. As the sun rose, the warmth washed over me.

As I struggle with the loss of a dear friend, I hope this photo brings you all peace.

Being an adult is so boring

The next few days will be busy adulting. As I prep to hit the road again, I have a bunch of boring things to do and it’s no fun at all. I just want to go out in the field and have fun. Now that my mini tantrum is over, I hope you like this picture. Have a great day.

Bald eagle at sunset

Leave no trace

I went to my “secret” spot on the river for the last time during this trip. I use the term secret lightly because there is really nothing secret about it. It is just a spot where I rarely see people. It’s been over a week since I visited this spot. In that time, others were there and had built a campfire. They did a good job with making sure it was put out and wouldn’t lead to any wildfire issues but they left a bit of trash at the site. This really bugs me. I don’t understand why people do this. You carried the stuff in, now that it’s empty you chose to leave it. This of course is dangerous for all wildlife. So I thought I would share the seven principles of leave no trace:

1. Plan ahead and prepare

2. Travel adn camp on durable surfaces

3. Dispose of waste properly

4. Leave what you find

5. Minimize campfire impacts

6. Respect wildlife

7. Be considerate of others

I hope this is a good reminder to everyone. Nature is for all and it is our job to protect it. Have a great day!

Green spaces

I love green spaces in city and urban settings. Studies show that as little as twenty minutes per day in nature benefits your physical, mental, and emotional health. That’s why these spaces are so important.

I found the Riparian Preserve at Water Ranch in Gilbert, AZ several weeks ago. I have visited a few times, photography birds and just taking in nature. It brings such calm to me. I hope everyone can get outside today. I know it is cold and snowing for my friends in the Northeast but even five minutes will bring you peace. Find a green spot whether it’s your backyard or a nearby park, close your eyes, and breath. You’ll be surprised how much this can calm you. Have a great day!

Goodbye Apache Junction

This is my last week here in the Apache Junction, AZ area. I’ve had an amazing three months exploring and photography the wildlife in the area. I will be returning to the area again in November but until then, I’m enjoying my last few days here. Have a great week.

PHOTO OF THE WEEK

The first time I travelled to photograph wild horses was a trip I took in 2023 to California. Not only was I photographing wild horses but we were also traveling between camps on horseback. Beau was my ride, and he took excellent care of me since I had only been on a horse for one lesson before the trip.

Two wil stallions playing

I almost didn’t get this photo because I was mesmerized just watching them play. Yes, they were just playing and not fighting. A few minutes later, they trotted off together to the water hole. Make time to experience nature and all it has to offer.

Carrying a big lens….

There is something that occurred to me while I was out shooting. When you walk around with a lot of camera equipment or are set up shooting, people tend to stop and ask you questions. This happens to me every time I’m in the field and I pass someone on a trail. I don’t mind at all, and I do my best to answer their questions. It sometimes leads to a magical moment. I located an eagle’s nest and was sitting on a spot near it set up to capture images of the eagles coming or leaving the nest. I was just off a very popular trail, and several people stopped to talk to me. One lady stopped and asked what I was photography. I pointed to the nest area and an eagle on a branch just above. As she was looking through her binoculars, a big smile came across her face. When she was done, she looked at me and said, “thank you, that is the first bald eagle I have ever seen.” For me in a photography sense, it was an unsuccessful outing as the eagle was too far away to get photos but on a personal level, it was one of my best days in the field. I helped a person experience wildlife in a new way. It’s the small things that bring joy. Keep an eye out for the small things.

Welcome to my blog

Hi! Wendy here. Welcome to my blog. I’m a wildlife photographer who lives and travels in my camper with my dog Scout.

Since June of 2025, we have been on the road, travelling around the USA. It has been quite the adventure, and I hope you follow along with us. There will be a mix of photography, wildlife, and travel along with some fun posts about my dog. If you have questions or any suggestions on places I should see, please let me know in the comments. Until next time.

This is Scout