Our bus tour through Arizona and Utah was coming to a close. Heading back to Phoenix via the scenic route took us through iconic Monument Valley, a desolate desert punctuated by isolated towering buttes of tremendous beauty. The backdrop of numerous films, this landscape has been photographed by many who pass through this unique area, which is home to the Native Americans who live within the Navajo Indian Reservation that straddles the border of Utah and Arizona and encompasses 27,000 square miles. Due to the health concerns that have dominated 2020, Monument Valley is indefinitely closed to visitors, so I am especially thankful for the opportunity to pass through last year.

It was a dreary day with threatening rain clouds, but the rain held off while we stopped briefly at Goulding's Trading Post. In the 1920s Harry Goulding and his wife purchased land in the area and began trading with the Navajo people who lived nearby, eventually building a two story stone trading post, with a store on the first level and their residence upstairs. It was the Gouldings who first brought Hollywood to Monument Valley in 1939 with the film Stagecoach, which starred John Wayne. More movies have been filmed here, bringing economic support to the Navajo people. Now a museum, Goulding's Trading Post offers a glimpse into the life of this couple who lived in Monument Valley for decades. The trading post also offers another vantage of the stunning landscape.

I enjoyed the rustic wooden fence, wagon wheels, and other props around the trading post. It would have been nice to linger awhile longer, but the rain finally began to fall and our next stop was the Navajo Museum. There we would meet one of the four remaining Navajo Code Talkers, a 90 year old World War II veteran who had a fascinating story to tell.

What an honor it was to meet a WWII veteran who had served in such a unique capacity! Initially, 29 Navajos were recruited by the United States Marines in 1942 to develop a secret code for use during the war. Up until then, the Japanese had cracked every code that had been used. Based on the unwritten Navajo language, this code enabled the success of the Pacific campaigns of WWII. Beginning with these first 29 young men, over 400 Navajos became Code Talkers.

Many of the Navajos who joined the Marines were underage, including the gentleman we heard at Navajo Museum. Because secrecy was vital to the successful development and implementation of the code, these young men did not even know what they had signed up for. Those first 29 men developed the code and the others memorized the code. All learned to transmit the code with uncommon speed and accuracy. The Navajo Code Talkers played a fascinating role during WWII and are worthy of honor and respect. 

The next day we headed back to Phoenix. The bus tour had ended, but we still had one last day to enjoy the Sonoran Desert before traveling back to our home in Florida.

~ Debbie
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If you missed the earlier stops, follow the links and enjoy the view. 

First stop - Phoenix Desert Botanical Garden here.
Second stop - Montezuma's Castle here.
Third stop - Sedona here.
Fourth stop - The Grand Canyon here.
Fifth stop - The Desert Watch Tower here.
Sixth stop - Glen Canyon and Lake Powell here.
Seventh stop - Zion National Park here.
Eighth stop - Between canyons here. 
Ninth stop - Bryce Canyon here.
Tenth stop - Utah's Scenic Byway 12 here.
Eleventh stop - Ancient Petroglyphs here. 
Twelfth stop - Goblin Valley State Park here. 
Thirteenth stop - Arches National Park here.
Fourteenth stop - Moab, Utah here.
Fifteenth stop - Monument Valley here. 
Sixteenth stop - Hole in a Rock here.

After our bus drive through Arches National Park, which you can read about here, we spent the rest of the day exploring Moab on our own. People come to Moab, Utah to visit the nearby National Parks, and they come for biking, hiking, driving jeeps, boating and rafting. Some come to ride in hot air balloons. No wonder Moab is called the "Adventure Capital!"

We enjoyed a quiet stroll along the Colorado River. Moab is just one town that the river meanders  through, ever southward, on its way to the Grand Canyon and beyond. Here its banks are lined with invasive tamarisk trees and other plants, a ribbon of green ​beneath the towering red hills.

We crossed over the river on a foot bridge to get a closer look at the red rocks. Was there a peek hole in the rocks, an unnamed arch high in the varnished cliffs? Yes, there is. Can you see it, too?

Red and yellow wasps were buzzing in the heady fragrance of these flowering plants. And the milky white trumpet shaped flowers of Datura plants were open to the sun. Their unpleasant odor is a warning that although beautiful, ingestion of the plant is toxic.

Earlier, we had a chance to see petroglyphs from the bus.These intriguing symbols left by an ancient people remain, mysterious messages carved into the rock varnish of the sheer rock face.

This petroglyph panel can been seen on Kane Creek Blvd. There are many other places to see petroglyphs around Moab. Most involve a hike.

​In this area centuries ago, people left pictures for others to see, pictures captured in rock. Today, people like me capture pictures with a ... 

... camera.
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Well, not with this metal camera sculpture made of hand tools and other odds and ends. But this unique camera certainly captured my attention, so I captured it with my camera!

There is much more to Moab, and we hope to see more of this area some day. Our next stop is Monument Valley, so come along for the ride!

​~ Debbie

If you missed the earlier stops, follow the links and enjoy the view. 

First stop - Phoenix Desert Botanical Garden here.
Second stop - Montezuma's Castle here.
Third stop - Sedona here.
Fourth stop - The Grand Canyon here.
Fifth stop - The Desert Watch Tower here.
Sixth stop - Glen Canyon and Lake Powell here.
Seventh stop - Zion National Park here.
Eighth stop - Between canyons here. 
Ninth stop - Bryce Canyon here.
Tenth stop - Utah's Scenic Byway 12 here.
Eleventh stop - Ancient Petroglyphs here. 
Twelfth stop - Goblin Valley State Park here. 
Thirteenth stop - Arches National Park here.
Fourteenth stop - Moab, Utah here.
Fifteenth stop - Monument Valley here. ​

Continuing our tour brought us to the town of Moab, Utah and its prime attraction - Arches National Park. The world's largest concentration of natural arches is located in this National Park. There are over 2,000 arches with openings that range in size from 3 feet to 306 feet. The park receives over a million visitors each year and the wait time to enter the park by car can be lengthy. One advantage of being on a tour bus was quicker entry to the park, but a major disadvantage was the lack of parking. I was disappointed that we were unable to stop at many of the overlooks and viewpoints due to no parking. But we were able to get out and walk around at a few stops, and of course, I took pictures of the stunning scenery. 
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From the Balanced Rock trail, the Windows Section of the park with more stone arches, including Turret Arch can be seen in the distance with the La Sal Mountains further beyond. The La Sal Mountains are the second highest mountain range in the state of Utah. With peaks up to 12,000 feet, these "Salt Mountains" were an important landmark on the Old Spanish Trail between Santa Fe, New Mexico and Los Angeles, California. On the return drive to Phoenix a few days later, we saw that the first snow of autumn had "salted" the high peaks of the La Sal Mountains.

That morning, most of the arches had to be seen from the windows of our moving tour bus, but we were able to stop and take the short walk to a beautiful arch "hidden" in a slot canyon shaded by two sandstone fins - Sand Dune Arch. The easy trail leads through deep rust colored sand and becomes quite narrow until opening up into a cathedral like room with a ceiling of blue sky. Sand Dune Arch stands alone. It was quite beautiful with golden sunlight streaming from above. 

Perhaps the most photographed arch in Arches National Park is Delicate Arch. With its opening of 46 feet high and 32 feet wide, this beautiful arch is the iconic symbol of the park and is the largest free-standing arch in the park. We viewed the arch from the lower viewpoint, which is one mile away. To get up close involves a 3 mile roundtrip hike up a steep slope of slickrock and takes 2-3 hours. Hundreds of visitors gather throughout the day from sunrise to sunset to take in the view, and some venture out at night.

Some of the nearby rocky hills were covered with a beautiful turquoise green layer of earth, a natural patina produced by minerals in the soil. 

Here are a few more beautiful stone arches that we saw while driving through Arches National Park that sunny day in September 2019:

Here is another view of Balanced Rock:

We only spent a few morning hours in Arches National Park. Someday I hope to return and enjoy more time in this awe inspiring land of balancing rocks and stone arches. 

That afternoon my husband and I took a scenic walk along the part of the Colorado River that winds through Moab on its southward course through the canyons and deserts of Utah and Arizona through the Grand Canyon and beyond. You are welcome to join us in the next post! 

~ Debbie

If you missed the earlier stops, follow the links and enjoy the view. 

First stop - Phoenix Desert Botanical Garden here.
Second stop - Montezuma's Castle here.
Third stop - Sedona here.
Fourth stop - The Grand Canyon here.
Fifth stop - The Desert Watch Tower here.
Sixth stop - Glen Canyon and Lake Powell here.
Seventh stop - Zion National Park here.
Eighth stop - Between canyons here. 
Ninth stop - Bryce Canyon here.
Tenth stop - Utah's Scenic Byway 12 here.
Eleventh stop - Ancient Petroglyphs here. 
Twelfth stop - Goblin Valley State Park here. 
​Thirteenth stop - Arches National Park here.
Fourteenth stop - Moab, Utah here.

It's been a while since the last post of this tour, which was about ancient petroglyphs in the Fremont River Valley of Utah. While that post highlighted the strange and fantastic pictures etched into a rock surface bordering a valley, this post is about strange and fantastic rock shapes carved into a valley of red dirt.

Goblin Valley State Park is not as well known as the other canyons that I've written about in previous posts, but it is well worth visiting this remote spot which is located between Capitol Reef National Park and Arches National Park. Unlike the towering spire hoodoos of Bryce Canyon, the hoodoos of Goblin Valley are smaller sandstone formations that resemble mushrooms or the not so nice creatures of fairy tales called goblins. It's interesting that the old German, Norse, and English word for goblin all convey the idea of a hollow or cavity in a cliff, rock, or earth. In J.R.R. Tolkien's The Hobbit, three trolls turned to stone at sunrise, and I can imagine that the fantastic shapes that fill Goblin Valley State Park could indeed have been goblins or trolls turned to stone in the baking heat of the San Rafael Desert.

There are thousands of goblins in this small valley that is 2 miles long and a mile wide. Visitors are free to roam the area. Three short trails wind through two narrow slot canyons or atop a ridge overlooking the valley. Apparently there are petroglyphs and pictographs here, but we didn't have much time to explore and missed seeing them. Another reason to visit Goblin Valley again!

Like most deserts, Goblin Valley has extremely high temperatures during the hot summer, over 100 degrees, but the nights are much cooler. Most of the hardy animals that live here are nocturnal, starting their day under twinkling stars in the clear night sky. Goblin Valley State Park is a designated Dark Sky Park with one of the darkest night skies in the world. There are camp sites and even two yurts that can be reserved for those who aren't afraid of goblins. 

You never know what kinds of travelers you might meet. Apart from the stone goblins that congregated in that valley, we met a macaw, a colorful bird that, when in the wild, makes its home in lush tropical areas. This particular macaw was traveling with its owners in a specially adapted area in the back of their van. We took a few minutes to admire its beauty before leaving the valley of goblins.

Near the entrance of Goblin Valley State Park are three hoodoos known as "The Three Sisters." Our next stop would be Moab and Arches National Park where another "Three Sisters" are located. But that is another post for another day. Until then, thanks for joining me in this tour of Arizona and Utah.

~ Debbie

If you missed the earlier stops, follow the links and enjoy the view. 

First stop - Phoenix Desert Botanical Garden here.
Second stop - Montezuma's Castle here.
Third stop - Sedona here.
Fourth stop - The Grand Canyon here.
Fifth stop - The Desert Watch Tower here.
Sixth stop - Glen Canyon and Lake Powell here.
Seventh stop - Zion National Park here.
Eighth stop - Between canyons here. 
Ninth stop - Bryce Canyon here.
Tenth stop - Utah's Scenic Byway 12 here.
Eleventh stop - Ancient Petroglyphs here. ​
​Twelfth stop - Goblin Valley State Park here. 
Thirteenth stop - Arches National Park here.

We are living in strange times. The effects of the coronavirus are far reaching, even to those who haven't gotten sick. Many common household and hospital supplies are hard to come by these days. Some are asking what they can do to help. After seeing a post on social media about the need for face masks, and that fabric ones are an acceptable substitute for the paper face masks usually used, I knew I could help in this way. Not only am I a soap maker, but I have a large stash of 100% cotton fabric from when I was an active quilter. So hi ho, hi ho, it's off to sew I go!

There are many fabric face mask variations. This is just the way I made them. 

I used the "Deaconess" pattern found here, but after making a couple masks, I tweaked the pattern so that the mask would fit better over the nose, and I found a process that worked for me. A face mask with straps that can be tied will provide an even better fit, so that will be the next change I make moving forward, but in the meantime, I hope this picture tutorial will be helpful.  Feel free to modify and adapt the pattern, just as I did.

Cut a 9" x 12" piece of cotton fabric. For a snug fit over the nose, I sewed a small dart on each 9" side. To do that, fold the 9" side in half right sides together so that the folded piece is 4 1/2" x 12." On the cut edge, mark 3/4" from the fold. Then mark 1 1/2" on the folded edge.

Sew the nose dart on each 9" side. I sewed a few back stitches at the point to secure the dart.

After making the two nose darts on opposite sides of the fabric, fold the fabric along the 12" side, right sides together, with the dart seams lined up and the darts facing opposite directions.

For the straps there are a few options. I started with 1/4" elastic until I ran out. I found that for my face, elastic cut to 7" worked well. But to fit my husband who has a larger face than I do, elastic cut to 7 1/2" was better. I read that loop straps are usually between 6 - 8 inches. This tutorial is for a fabric loop strap.
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​Tie straps are completely adjustable, so I will make face masks with ties going forward. Plus I'm out of elastic, as is Walmart and Jo-ann's. And I have lots of cotton fabric...
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To make the fabric loop straps, cut two pieces of cotton fabric 1" x 7," or for a larger size, cut the fabric 1" x 7 1/2" as shown. Fold each strap in half with the wrong side and long sides together. Then fold the raw edge in to meet at the center fold. The raw edge will be enfolded within the strap. The strap will measure 1/4" when sewn. Yes, it's tiny and a little fiddly to do this. Using elastic is easier.

Sew down the length of each strap as close to the folded edge as you can. Insert one strap into the mask with one strap edge lined up along the sewn edge of the mask and the short raw end of the strap lined up with the edge of the mask. In the photo, the short edge still needs to be lined up with the edge of the mask.

Starting at the top where the strap is inserted, sew a 1/4" seam down the short side of the mask, stopping 1/4" from the bottom of the folded edge of the mask. There needs to be an opening to insert the other side of the strap later.

Now do the same with the second strap on the other side, only this time, leave a 2" gap in the middle of the seam so that the mask can be turned right side out. Then pull the four corners of the mask through the gap so that the mask is now right side out.

At this point, using an iron to press the edges neatly together is an option. I just finger pressed the edges together in preparation for inserting the other end of the straps and sewing around three sides of the mask.

Starting with the side of the mask that doesn't have the larger opening for turning, insert the end of the strap into the small opening at the bottom of the mask at the folded edge. Insert it far enough into the opening so that it will be sew down in the seam. Insert 3/8" to 1/2" inch.

Sew a 1/4" seam down the short side of the mask. Sew over the strap at the top end of the mask. I back sewed a few stitches over the straps for extra reinforcement. Next, sew a 1/4" seam across the top of the mask, turning slightly at the nose dart. 

At the other side, sew down the short edge of the mask, over the inserted strap, continuing down the side, being sure the opening edges are turned inward. Be sure to insert the loose end of the strap 3/8" to 1/2" into the small opening at the folded bottom edge of the mask.

To reinforce the side seams, sew a small 1/8" seam close to the edge of each side. This will also close that large opening on the one side where the mask was turned to the right side.

To make the mask even more fitted, two tucks are made in the short edges. Many fabric face masks have three tucks, but with the nose dart, two tucks are enough. To make the first tuck, measure 1 1/2" from the top edge of the mask and fold under about 1/2" to make a tuck and pin in place, keeping the edges even.

For the second tuck, measure 1 1/2" from the folded bottom edge and make a tuck. The two tucks should be facing down towards the folded bottom of the mask. Pin. 

When the tucks are pinned in place, the short sides of the mask should measure 3 1/4."

Sew a 1/4" seam down each side of the mask, removing the pins before reaching them. It is not a good thing to hit a pin. Don't ask me how I know. I back stitched at both ends of the seam to reinforce the inserted straps. Congratulations! The mask is finished.

Wash and dry the mask before donating it to someone you know who needs one. Better yet, make a bunch of them and drop them off at your local hospital, hospice, or nursing home. And make one for yourself. You might need it someday.
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Although we live during anxious times, we need not fear. Jesus said, "Peace I leave with you; my peace I give to you. Not as the world gives do I give to you. Let not your hearts be troubled, neither let them be afraid." John 14:27 "I have said these things to you, that in me you may have peace. In the world you will have tribulation. But take heart; I have overcome the world."
​John 16:33 

"For everyone who has been born of God overcomes the world. And this is the victory that has overcome the world - our faith. Who is it that overcomes the world except the one who believes that Jesus is the Son of God?" 1 John 5:4-5 "Whoever has the Son has life; whoever does not have the Son of God does not have life." 1 John 5:12

As I sew more fabric facial masks in the days to come, my prayer is that those who wear them will not just overcome the coronavirus, but overcome the world by faith in the Son who gives eternal life to those who believe.

​~ Debbie



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