Category: Five Shots of…

Arizona, Five Shots of..., five shots...., nature, photography

5 Shots: Briar Patch Inn on Oak Creek

Cindy Bruchman

My daughter wanted to celebrate us for an early Mother’s Day occasion. Since we are moving out of the area soon, she surprised me with a royal treat. She works as an innkeeper at a Sedona cabin resort. She was compted a free cabin which sits literally over Oak Creek, a raging river that flows from Flagstaff down through the Red Rock region.
Surrounded by the Red Rocks, Oak Creek entertains millions of tourists each year. The resort is private and utterly relaxing.
The cabin’s private balcony affords guests an intimate view.
Guests on the property gather for breakfast and conversation.
Our cabin had a fireplace on the patio. I worry and think too much, yes?
Vanessa’s gift included an outside, private massage next to Oak Creek. My masseuse, Michelle, worked out all the kinks caused by moving.
Mother and Daughter
Leaning over the balcony, this was our view.

The twenty-four-hour escapade was just what I needed. Breakfast was served to us in a basket with muffins, oatmeal, fruit, egg quiche, and coffee. The resort is a bubble world of tranquility. It’s where you should stay if you dislike overtourism. https://briarpatchinn.com/

Vanessa and I are close. Strange we never thought to have a mini-holiday together. We vow to do this every year before Mother’s Day.

Arizona, Five Shots of..., five shots...., glamping, nature, photography

5 Shots: Arizona Winter Skies

Cindy Bruchman

Sitting on a bluff in our motor home, the winter clouds fill up the big sky with the depth and breadth of unique cloud formations. This is my kind of drama. We sit in the late afternoons and watch the day transform into the night. Which shot do you like best?

1. Strips of Clouds
2. Verde Valley
3. Rolling Hills to Sedona
4. The Rain Falls
5. Peek-a-boo Light
2020s, adventure, family, Five Shots of..., five shots...., glamping, nature, photography, travel

Dear Friends,

Cindy Bruchman
Ruby on board at Sunroad Resort Marina, San Diego

Some summer breaks are uneventful for weeks at a time before an international trip happens. Weeks go by waiting for the big bang of adventure far, far away. Other summers, little trips happen–two days here, five days there–throughout the whole summer. This was my 2021 summer. You might recall a recent post at the beginning of June when Jim and I went to Cerritos Beach outside of Todos Santos, Mexico for a week. That was a great kick off to the summer.

Nothing eventful occurred until the end of June when I had rotator cup surgery which required three screws and nine sutures. Ouch.

Covid had kept our family members away from each other. A joy, then, to reunite with my daughter-in-law and grandson who stayed for a ten day visit. Whenever friends and family visit, we become tourists which is important. Seeing one’s neighborhood through the eyes of others is a perspective that keeps me grateful. Jim took his daughter on the Williams, AZ train to the Grand Canyon. We revisted Montezuma’s Castle, an ancient Anasazi monument in Camp Verde, AZ.

Ben and the Gene Autry Cowboy
Anna, Ben & Montezuma’s Castle

My son visited for a weekend. It had been a long time, so I tried something special and booked two nights at a Phoenix resort, so I could visit with my grandchildren and two sons at a fun location. We spent the days in the pool and had a blast.

My son, Paul, the accountant
San Diego skyline

Jim and I reconnected after the kids left, and we took Ruby with us to San Diego. We tried staying in a sailboat for a few nights at the harbor. What a fun glamping experience.

Fort Rosecrans National Cemetery

Atop a ridge overlooking San Diego on one side and the Pacific Ocean on the other was a somber final resting place for veterans. It felt like visiting Arlington National Cemetery with manicured grounds and white marble headstones symetrically placed over many acres.

Ruby and Jim

Always ready to fish, Jim and Ruby spend the mornings in the ocean.

A Pacific Croaker
Inside the sailboat

It was pristine and quiet in the marina. Our boat was just right for two adults and a dog.

Ocean Beach, San Diego

After exploring several beaches on the coast, we headed back home to our Arizona desert. The water followed us as monsoons hit the Phoenix area with great force. Up north where we live, it has rained for days now. Our drought-suffering region needs it.

Crimped and tired, Ruby.

Now I’m done with summer adventures. The school year starts up on August 2. I did not write much in July. I’m hoping to spend the remaining week getting a chapter out of the way. Thinking kind thoughts of you all.

Love & Friendship,

Cindy