My sweetie has been getting cabin fever recently, since he's been cooped up recovering from fixing his leg. However, the weather was awesome yesterday, he was feeling stronger, and we knew there was the handicap accessible Black Rock Trail at the White Tanks Park about a half hour drive from us. So we grabbed some chicken for a picnic dinner, and headed out for a lovely sunset stroll after his work.
I'm originally from the midwest USA, so the spiky texture of the plants out here is always kind of odd to my eyes. But there is definitely beauty when you know to look for it.
The Hohokam Indians lived in this region from about 500-1100 AD, and they left petroglyphs scattered behind them. Actually, some of the glyphs in the park are suspected to be up to 10,000 years old. I use some of the symbols in my gourd work, taking inspiration from my adopted home. So I took some time to carefully clamber around the rocks, not touching the images (the oils from my hands could damage them) but capturing them in picture for future reference.
It was getting dark by the time we made it around our little loop. There was a slight chill in the air, and all you could hear was the whisper of the wind and the occasional bird call.
I really appreciate having this peaceful refuge so close to home. And by the evidence left on the rocks, people have been enjoying this pocket of beauty long down through the ages.
WOW, excellent photos!
ReplyDeleteVery interesting post - really enjoyed the photos!
ReplyDeleteWhat an amazing place to draw inspiration from!
ReplyDeleteThanks for stopping by, folks. I wish you could have been out there too. If you're ever in the area west of Phoenix, AZ, the White Tanks park has some wonderful trails to explore.
ReplyDeleteIt's always amazing to me to see evidence of ancient people. I haven't been there but have been in areas in New Mexico. Great photos!
ReplyDeleteI'm so happy your husband is getting around. What an amazing picture of him with the sunset in the distance.
ReplyDeleteCan you believe someone lived and walked the same earth you did over 10,000 years ago and left images to prove they were there? I can't. We are but a drop in the bucket of time.
Seeing the images left on the rocks helps me push my brain out of the boxes that I learned as a white person in grade school. You know--all interesting history occurred in Europe and the Mediterranean until 1492, when Columbus discovered this wide empty continent and we all came over and settled it and made it wonderful. Oh, and there were Indians here, but somehow they didn't really count and they are left out of the stories until you need a convenient 'other' for the side plots.
ReplyDeleteNo. There have been *people* here. For ages. History didn't start in 1492.
Ok, that is my rant for the day. But I'm going to keep that turning around my head for awhile.
Thanks so much for sharing this. My husband is wild about petroglyphs and would love to see these.
ReplyDeleteMy pleasure! I know there are others in the park--I should really go back and hike some of the other trails and see what I can find. Preferably before it gets too hot to be out there in the daylight.
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