Two trails diverged in the desert way

I know that you all must think I just spend all my time in the desert.  It seems that most of my blog posts lately are hiking in the desert.  Just photo after photo of cactus, etc. 

I don't really.  My day begins before dawn and it feels that I am just on the go all day long.  I'm exhausted when I get home at night.  My hikes in the desert our usually when I can catch a few hours on the weekend or evenings (when it is light enough).  Being out in the desert helps me get clarity and quiet.  I love when Jim can go with me but often he is working on other projects so I go alone. 

Monday was a holiday but Jim had to work.  I had invited a friend to go hiking with me but she ended up not being able to go.  So, I debated if I would go or not.  I finally decided to.  I took my normal trail backwards from how I usually hike it and came to a Y in the trail.  Which way.  I chose the way I have never been before.  I decided that since my cell phone was charged and I had GPS I could go figure it out.  I had a fabulous hike.  I'm not sure how far I went but according to my maps later I went at least 7 miles.  My goal was to find some petroglyphs. My thought was "If I were out here looking for a place to draw...where would I go".  Found them.

I also was thinking about this poem by Robert Frost.  One of my favorites.  I often think about the what if's in life.  What if this had been different what would my life be like?  What if this, what if that.  In life, we make our choices and we live with them.  We persevere even when things are hard.  We get over the hard stuff and try to enjoy the scenery as we go.  We can't go back so we move on.  I'm so happy for the peace in my life.  I'm thankful for the beautiful days that I have had.  I'm thankful for the sunshine, for my friends, and mostly for my family.   I'm thankful that the way that I choose brought me here. 

In other news....for the last 5 months I have been having problems with my eyes.  I thought it was allergies so I ignored it.  I ended up having abrasions on my corneas and did quite a bit of damage to them from just having dry eyes.  So, I'm happy to say that the treatments I have been getting have helped and I'm finally able to wear contacts again.  Anybody that knows me, knows that's a pretty big deal.  So, I'm pretty happy.  My eyes are not 100% but so much better and less painful.

Two trails diverged in the desert way

And sorry I could not travel both

And be one traveler, long I stood

And looked down one as far as I could

To where it bent in the undergrowth;

I chose the one less traveled...and that has made all the difference.

Good thing I wasn't relying on this trail marker to show me the way.  I almost missed it.

Looking for petroglyphs.

none here.

Only the remains of some animals lunch (feathers)

Onward

Wait, what is that high on that rock.  Could it be a drawing.

Someone liked sunshine as much as I do.

The Road Not Taken

By Robert Frost 1874–1963 Robert Frost
     

Two roads diverged in a yellow wood,

And sorry I could not travel both

And be one traveler, long I stood

And looked down one as far as I could

To where it bent in the undergrowth;

Then took the other, as just as fair,

And having perhaps the better claim,

Because it was grassy and wanted wear;

Though as for that the passing there

Had worn them really about the same,

And both that morning equally lay

In leaves no step had trodden black.

Oh, I kept the first for another day!

Yet knowing how way leads on to way,

I doubted if I should ever come back.

I shall be telling this with a sigh

Somewhere ages and ages hence:

Two roads diverged in a wood, and I—

I took the one less traveled by,

And that has made all the difference.