Desert Solitude

In February I started working part-time. I reluctantly went back into speech therapy, which has been challenging in many ways. It's been a slow and very frustrating re-entrance into the work world, and at first I was not happy to be there. Now that I've gotten my feet wet again, I'm okay with it, and some days don't even mind my job. One of the duties of the majority of SLPs (speech-language pathologists) who work in Flagstaff is traveling to the Native American Indian reservations to provide services to children and their families in their homes. It's a very interesting and sometimes difficult thing to do, but I'm seeing more and more the people who truly appreciate what we do. I can't say that's the majority of folks, but the few who do make up for those who don't. I've realized that I'm really lucky to be invited into people's homes and connect with them and their children. I've been serving the Hopi reservation, and will be adding more clients on the Navajo as well. There are unique cultures that vary from mine here in Flagstaff, and it's only 100+ miles away. On the days that I spend 5 hours in the car by myself, I appreciate the silence and that I can't get any cell phone service. I have to admit, at first this separation from my kids was emotional, but now I look forward to it. One of the things that I look forward to the most is listening to my favorite radio shows. Speaking of Faith (http://speakingoffaith.publicradio.org/) is the most interesting talk show I've heard and I'm learning so much about spirituality, people, and life as I listen to the talk show and my thoughts. And what's really cool for me that connects all this, is that I get to drive through a really sacred part of the country and see some amazing scenery. Springtime is so beautiful because it's actually green (for the desert), the sky is amazingly blue, clouds are perfectly placed, it even smells good. And it's not too hot for the animals. I've spotted antelope, coyote, cattle, Navajo churro (sheep, which I've also avoided hitting!), horses, goats, and of course the many dogs that are characteristic to the reservations. On my past couple of trips I tried to capture some of the diverse sites that I see - from the car window while driving. These pictures don't nearly do the area justice, but I usually don't have the time to stop, or the camera to make it worth the effort. It is a super cool area and I feel really fortunate that I get to be part of the culture and landscape.

Flagstaff's San Francisco Peaks

The light-colored piles of dirt at the base of the mesa were new this trip. They're from all the blowing dust due to our wonderful spring winds.