#NaPoWriMo 2022 Day Eleven

Grand Canyon

Grand Canyon

Canyon
Giant hole
Cut through bedrock
River wears steady path
Breathtaking

NaPoWriMo Prompt – And now for our (optional) prompt. Following up on yesterday’s love poem, I have for you another deceptively simple challenge. Today, I’d like to challenge you to write a poem about a very large thing. It could be a mountain or a blue whale or a skyscraper or a planet or the various contenders for the honor of being the Biggest Ball of Twine. Whatever giant thing you choose, I hope this chance to versify in praise of the huge gets your poetic engines humming.

Good afternoon and welcome to day eleven of NaPoWriMo where I write a small poem about a grand object. I’m a little slow today. My right ankle is very sore it started last night and hasn’t seemed to improve with a good night sleep. So this morning my ankle has been occupying a lot of my concentration but I realized the eleventh would be a good day to write an elevenie. Even though it is a small poem (or because it is) word choice makes all the difference. I think I came up with something decent. Thank you for reading my little poem about a very large thing.

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Desert Heats Up (Language)

WTForecast for Wednesday July 8

Too hot to think straight
Does this verse have any chance
Inspiration wilts

Yesterday my evil twin posted the WTForecast for Buffalo, NY, complaining of the heat. Before I checked it for Arizona I wrote the verse for the #haikuchallenge word chance and then had a good laugh – I think I did describe the hot weather in words. I also told Kati she cannot complain about heat to me; and she returned with, but it’s hot and humid here. Yes, I enjoy my dry heat it is nice to step outside and not have your clothes stick to your body. It’s also nice to not have my knee ache nonstop.

Arizona is going to really heat up this weekend we are on a heat advisory through the weekend which is nothing new for the summertime. Most summers we are able to escape the heat for a little while. Last July we were able to go up to the Grand Canyon.

Photo by Gretchen Hosking July 2019

Drive along Canyon
Chance encounter with wildlife
Brings cars to a halt

This year we have to wait until August before we can escape the desert heat. Hopefully we’ll have a smooth trip up to Oregon to drop Robin off at school.

Grand Canyon #100years 1919-2019

 

No wall made of brick
Stands between me and the edge
Acrophobia

Today’s #haikuchallenge word is brick and I’m still enjoying the photos from our trip – and also my acrophobia. This month between the seats we had for the concert and then going to the Grand Canyon, I’ve been having so much fun. I kept my distance from the edge most times. When we took the family photo Shawn held my shoulder and I had a death grip on Gretchen. Still everyone commented on how much I was shaking.

Grand Canyon #100years #keepitgrand

 

When Gretchen graduated from high school earlier this year, I asked her how she wanted to celebrate. She said she wanted to go to the Grand Canyon. It’s been 9 years since our last visit and Shawn’s mom, Kathy has never been. I looked into setting up our first extended Hosking family vacation.

Family weekend
Love to see their happiness
Grand time at Canyon

I booked a couple rooms at a motel up in Flagstaff and we drove up early Friday afternoon. We met up with one of Rachael’s friends Friday night and had dinner in old town Flagstaff Friday night. Then Saturday morning we drove out to the Canyon. We stopped at the visitor center and watched the introductory film. Then we had lunch before taking the red line shuttle up to Hermit’s Rest.

Mom and Rachael 2010

Mom and Rachael 2019

 

After we got off the red line shuttle tour, we drove to the desert view to see the watch tower. On our last trip in 2010, Shawn wanted to see the watch tower, but we did not make the stop. This time we made it there in time to see the sunset. Of course my husband and children took better sunset photos than me. So I borrowed one.

Watch Tower

Sunset photo by Rachael Hosking

Drive to Watch Tower
Just in time to view sunset
Explore Grand Canyon

After the sunset, we drove back to the motel in Flagstaff. It was a fun filled 12 hour day. We left the motel at 9:30am and returned at 9:30pm. Everyone was tired, but we all had a really good time. One of the most remarkable moments was seeing the elk on the drive over to the desert view. Then Sunday morning we checked out of the motel; stopped for breakfast at Dunkin Donuts; and then drove back down to Phoenix. It was a great three day weekend.

Protect the Canyon
Stop uranium mining
Time to take a stand

NaPoWriMo 2016 Day 22

Grand Canyon July 2010

National parks will
celebrate centennial
discover nature

NaPoWriMo Prompt – Today’s prompt comes to us from Gloria Gonsalves, who also suggested our prompt for Day Seven. Today, Gloria challenges us all to write a poem in honor of Earth Day. This could be about your own backyard, a national park, or anything from a maple tree to a humpback whale. Happy writing!

Happy Earth Day, everyone! Did you know the national parks (US) are celebrating 100 years this year? Rather apropos Rachael will be visiting Glacier National Park in July. The Grand Canyon is in our backyard. Okay it’s a 4 hour drive to the north, but close enough. Still we haven’t been there since 2010 and my mother-in-law has never seen it. Maybe we can arrange a weekend this summer to go again.