Good News, Bad News and Pretty Pictures

The good news - Desolation of Smaug. Go see it.

So under all of my tile should be something similar to this...

Bad news - floor leak is from the shower pan. Since I have a bathroom that is 100% tiled from floor to walls, getting this repaired will potentially destroy my bathroom. The tiles are not available any more, the house is 1960's era *sigh*. But...no choice. I have to have a leak-proof shower. So I'll be talking more with the plumber today and going from there.

The Mittens, part of Monument Valley, Arizona. They are iconic and fabulous.

After all of that, I think I need pictures of something beautiful that doesn't entail water. So, no fountains, lakes, rivers or oceans today. Today I'll put pictures of the beauty of the desert. Think dry...

Saguaro National Park is located near Tucson, Arizona. The cacti are very slow
growing and are extremely tall. So beautiful!

One more view of Monument Valley as we leave that part of Arizona for different deserts.

The Grand Canyon in Arizona defies description. Once you've actually seen it,
you'll understand exactly why I say this, but until then, here's one small picture
of one huge canyon. 

This shot is a slot canyon in Antelope Canyon, Arizona. It's
my final picture of an Arizona desert. Now we'll move a bit east
into New Mexico and a magical place for my final pic of the day.

This is Chaco Canyon, New Mexico. The ruins are huge with many stories behind
them. I've been in Chaco several times. It's a huge complex stretching down a
canyon. Pueblo Bonito (shown here) is just one of several huge pueblo ruins. Friends
of mine from my archaeological days have worked here as part of the Park Service,
and other friends have done archaeological work in the outlying areas. It's
almost like coming home, to have this picture end today's post. 

So, as I get ready to start my day and call the plumber to discover the next step we need to take, I wish all of you a safe and joyful weekend. See you Monday.