Last year, I posted all my blooms each week on Sunday since it is too much to do daily. This year, I am going to try to do a recap at the end of the month. So, for June 2020, we had the following 50:
Daylilies of Corona: June Blooms
Tag: Chaco Canyon
First of the Lasts
Today marks almost 3 weeks since the first bloom of 2020. I’ve had about 31 cultivators bloom so far. Not quite 20% of my daylilies.
Today brought several new faces to the group – so the daylily epidemic is upon us. Hopi Jewel is a fun cultivator with an interesting shape. She was a bonus daylily for one of my Southwestern daylily name orders.
I did well with Robert’s spider daylily premier blooms. Echo Canyon came to visit for the first time of 2020. Such a lanky spider.
Coral Taco also joined us today for the premier of 2020. She is another lanky Roberts cultivator.
Chaco Canyon, a little less lanky spider from the Roberts group also showed up. I love the place Chaco Canyon. I wonder if I would favor these daylilies less if they had names that didn’t bring to mind my roadtrips?
Mini Pearl from my family name section also gave us a premier today. She was purchased because my grandma was named Mini Pearl.
Now, for my finales (OMG – the summer always goes too fast):
I missed that Mildred Mitchell had a finale bloom yesterday. She was short lived this year – only one scape. I think my near blues need to be repotted in fresh soil, again. Bluegrass Music appears to be taking the year off.
Saratoga Springtime also had her finale bloom. Springtime is gone, afterall. She gets a lot of attention because she has the yard to herself for a couple weeks. Well, she and the plainer yellow trumpets and Dream Keeper.
Tomorrow, another day, another camping trip. When it is January, I think about summer and wonder how the he## I fit it all in. Mostly, no sleep . . . well, a little but not enough.
Canyon Colors of the Southwest
The red canyons of the Southwest warm my heart and soul in ways beyond words. My body instantly comes alive, my curiosity sparks, I feel like I am where I belong in the Universe. So, another blog in my series on my vicarious road trip through my Southwest named daylilies.
I think my favorite canyon is Canyon de Chelly, Arizona. The red is just deeper or richer than most of the sandstone of the Southwest.
Dominguez Canyon, much closer to home, is my favorite day adventure.
McInnis Canyons National Recreation Area is also pretty close to home. My first COVID plan was to hike here every weekend all spring, but it is more than 20 miles.
Canyonlands National Park is fabulous on a grander scale, and we usually get her once a year in February. It is often snowy at Island in the Sky.
Chaco Canyon is the most spiritual canyon I can think of – I hope to go back on one of my roadtrips soon.
Black Canyon of the Gunnison National Park is in my own back yard – 10 miles or so away. It is a canyon of a different color.
Canyons of the Ancients National Monument is so cool – Hovenweep and all the surrounding areas filled with Ancient Pueblo Ruins.
Of course, there is the Grand Canyon. And, that’s just to name a few.
In my yard, there is a daylily named Canyon Colors. When she blooms, she takes me to all the canyons that I love from my road trips. She was an early Southwest order, the name (of course) drew me in.
Being a semi-evergreen, she lives on my little back porch in winter but summers in her pot on the corner of my house. IDK – Which canyon do you think best reflects her color?
I didn’t look to see if she had scapes yet. Saratoga Springtime, Ojo de Dios, Dream Catcher and Kokopelli are the only ones I noticed – but I was busy grading so didn’t get outside much.
I did have a chance to hook-up my new solar drip pump. It is one of those you get off of Amazon. I have used them for the last decade – replaced them often at first but the last one lasted 3 years. They have made improvements – so I am hopeful for at least a couple with this one. Three days of 50 MPH winds, I think my driveway pots are ready for a little drip of water.
And, I am ready to see canyon colors.
Firebird of the Aztecs
A proud bird with a golden tail. That was the tagline for one of the major airlines a few years ago. It makes me think of my bright and beautiful Aztec Firebird daylily. She is one of the brightest color combos in my yard.
But, let’s back up to my vicarious road trip through the daylilies. Who were the Aztecs? They were ancient people of Mexico. They flourished 700 years ago and are known for the massive size of its empire.
I have never been to the Aztec ruins of Mexico, but there are ruins called Aztec Ruins in New Mexico. They are Ancient Pueblo Ruins, like Chaco Canyon and Mesa Verde – but when they were first discovered, they were thought to be built by the Aztecs. I can see why, because they appear to hold a fairly massive population.
It is the last couple of days until my nursing students graduate. I am buried in grading and ready to be done. I enjoy working from home because I can wonder outside and see my gardens despite the crazy spring wind this week. And, today I spied the first scapes of the year – Dream Catcher and Kokopelli. I am jazzed. I wonder if I can go back to being away from home 40 hours a week – it is weird how my creativity is back now.
At any rate, soon enough Aztec Firebird will bloom her big, bright bloom. A bird rising from her own ashes. She is an inspiration and symbol or resilience during these crazy COVID times. I am grateful for my garden now more than ever. And, gratitude sure beats arguing over masks on social media.
Anasazi: My Daylilies in Ruins
Anasazi is a Navajo word meaning “enemy ancestors” – but today we equate the word with the Ancient Pueblo people of the Southwest. This week, I talked about Chaco Canyon, which was the center of the population – like our New York. If there was a pandemic, it would likely center at Chaco. But, I have visited so many Ancient Pueblo ruins on my trips that it is mind boggling. Here are some favorites:
Maybe we should start at the center: Chaco Canyon, NM – The Center of the Universe!
Chaco Canyon – 2014
Chaco Canyon has outlying ruins that are miles and miles away – We have visited the two directly to the north – Salmon and Aztec Ruins National Monument near Farmington, NM.
Salmon Ruins – 2016
Aztec Ruins – 2016
One of the most interesting of the Chacoan Outliers is Chimney Rock near Durango, CO. My heavens, I had the worst vertigo when we camped there in 2009. This is the highest of all the Chacoan Ruins and they think it was used to send smoke signals to the other sites! It was beautiful and rainy on the day I visited.
Chimney Rock – 2009
Of course, not too far west of Chimney Rock is the famous Mesa Verde National Park. I started fostering my little disabled dog the same weekend we visited Mesa Verde. She was Dotsie in her past life, and I was trying to think of a name that rhymed, so she is Sazi Ana.
Mesa Verde – 2017
Not to talk politics (save me from that during this pandemic!), but White House Ruins at Canyon de Chelly, AZ is also part of the the system. I miss this canyon.
White House Ruins, Canyon de Chelly – 2018
Lowry Pueblo is a very interesting outlier not too far from my home. I love this one because you have to drive through rural farm land to reach the site. I love the figurines in the kiva – they represent summer and winter people.
Lowry Pueblo – 2019
Then, let’s zoom up to Utah to Edges of the Cedars State Park, where there is another Chacoan outlier. They had a crazy large geographic area for that time in civilization.
Edges of the Cedars State Park, UT – 2019
There were other Ancestral Puebloan ruins that are not direct Chaco outliers, like the ruins at Petrified Forest National Park. I love the Agate House – a ruin made of petrified wood!
Agate House, Petrified Forest National Park – 2018
And, Navajo National Monument has Betatakin and other Ancient Pueblo ruins.
Navajo National Monument – 2016
My old favorite, Hovenweep National Monument, has awesome Ancient Pueblo castle ruins.
Hovenweep National Monument – 2019
Some lesser known Ancient Pueblo Ruins we have visited include Five Kiva Pueblo near Blanding, UT.
Five Kiva Pueblo, UT – 2019
And, Yucca House National Monument near Cortez, CO.
Yucca House National Monument – 2019
I think the furthest one from the Four Corners is at Anasazi State Park in Utah – way up in the mountains near Boulder, UT.
Anasazi State Park, UT – 2019
That is a lot of ruins for one daylily. And, that Daylily is Anasazi. How on earth could I resist a name like this one? She was a bitty fan when I first got her – took her a few years to bloom. But, the first year she bloomed, she threw a double. It was memorizing.
Anasazi daylily double bloom – 2017
She usually blooms fairly early, but is a rebloomer.
Anasazi daylily – 2018
She looks a bit slow to take-off this spring. I probably should refresh her soil – the ants like her pot so I probably should take a look at the roots.
Anasazi daylily – 2019
I have other cultivators that would fit with this blog, but I will wait because I am trying to savor the vicarious daylily road trip for a couple more weeks.
Adios, Albuquerque
This year, there was no spring break road trip – adios, Albuquerque. Adios to the best week of the year. Adios to the canyons of the Southwest. The only novel adventure this year is named Corona – and I don’t mean the arch in Utah.
Petroglyph National Monument HQ – 2014
Albuquerque is about 6-8 hours down US Hwy 550. In fact, that highway starts in Montrose and ends in Albuquerque.
Petroglyph National Monument near Albuquerque, NM – 2014
When I think of Albuquerque, I think of my 2014 road trip with my new dog, Maizzy, and my new Honda Fit, Mini Pearl. I had plans for Chaco Canyon and for Route 66, and what lie in between was a mystery – my choice of which way to turn on the open road. The first couple of years, I didn’t get reservations until the day I left the previous motel. More dogs = more planning.
Petroglyph National Monument – 2014
I don’t like cities, so I was zooming as quickly as I could from US Hwy 550 to I-40 (Route 66) when I noticed a sign for Petroglyph National Monument. I was like – “Well, that sounds interesting”, so off I went. There was a dog friendly section where we hiked until mid afternoon.
Maizzy – my non-desert dog in the desert at Petroglyph National Monument
Road trips through the Southwest are geology on wheels. I found these petroglyphs stunning because they were on volcanic rock and not red sandstone like I am use to. This one looks like Charlie Brown with a baseball cap to me.
Charlie Brown Petroglyph and Petroglyph National Monument
From there, we headed west on I-40. I saw signs for El Malpias National Monument, so we stopped there for a short scenic drive. It was like a combo of volcanic rock and red sandstone. I realized they what I realize most everyday of every road trip – that I play too long and run out of time before I want to stop.
El Malpias National Monument – 2014
The other cool place near Albuquerque is Salinas Mission Pueblos National Monument. We didn’t run into these 2016. That was another serendipity where we were on a stretch of highway with nothing to do between point A and point B – then there was this photo on the wall of ruins – and I had to find them.
Maizzy at Salinas Mission Pueblo Ruins – 2016
Last year, our trip took us through that area, again – so I went with all three dogs. I love the big old mission buildings as a background for my small dogs.
Kachina, Sazi, and Maizzy at Salinas Mission Pueblo Ruins National Monument – 2019
These trips to me are Albuquerque – unique in culture and landscape. Adios Albuquerque was added to my daylily garden in 2016, I think. After these trips that are forever engraved in my memory. I put it in my Southwest garden with (mostly) other Ned Roberts spiders.
Adios Albuquerque daylily – 2019
The garden was put in where there was only rock garden – on the easement between the sidewalk and the street. I have no back yard, because it is a split lot – so I actually have almost all of these daylilies in buried pots in case the water main ever busts there.
Adios Albuquerque daylily – 2019
I like the bloom – it is subtle. Albuquerque was Ned’s home until he moved to Colorado for treatment – at least that is my understanding. He, no doubt, loved the New Mexico culture. It is different from Colorado . . . it must have been hard for him to say Adios, Albuquerque. Fortunately, I have his daylilies to take me on a road trip on the year of the pandemic.
Adios Albuquerque daylily 2019
Chaco Canyon
A daylily by any other name would smell as sweet . . . maybe, maybe not. Chaco Canyon is a beautiful, spiritual place in New Mexico. It is not easy to get there – the road is dirt, not improved – many ruts for miles and miles. But, it is worth it because it was an empire of the Ancient Pueblo Indians.
The road to Chaco Canyon before it turns to dirt
I have been there twice. The first time, I had no idea what the road was like but I am persistent. I was on my way home from a conference in Albuquerque and had seen the road signs on my way down.
Hungo Pavi – one of the many Chaco buildings
I was instantly taken by the place, but it was late so I didn’t get to see much. I bought a book and loved looking at the pictures.
The walls of the Chaco ruins blend into the background of the canyon walls
So, six years ago when I had decided to travel for my spring road trip and got me a fine dog (Maizzy) to accompany me . . . we headed back to Chaco. This time, we met an old friend of mine. We hiked and caught-up with each other after several years.
The canyon walls tower above the ancient ruins
Chaco Canyon was a huge trade center that is linked to the stellar world in crazy and mysterious ways. I am no expert, but many of the buildings are aligned perfectly north/south – and you can follow the north line miles to the next building. The buildings are aligned to both sun and moon cycles. There are petroglyphs that light up like Las Vegas on Solstice and Equinox each year.
The round petroglyph on the right reminds me of my daylily bloom
My trips to the Ancient Pueblo ruins remind me how humanity has lost touch with our connection to nature. We drive in cars, leave the lights on 24/7, and argue with strangers about wearing masks. We have become so disconnected from the messages from our planet and solar system – it makes me sad for all of our advancement some days. The message of Chaco is sacred and special to me.
Petroglyphs and wasp nests cohabitate on the walls of Chaco Canyon
So, when I happened to see a daylily named Chaco Canyon – just after I discovered one named Kokopelli (and by the same hybridizer, Ned Roberts), I ordered it instantly. Not only did I like the name – It is a striking daylily. I wonder what about this daylily reminded Ned of Chaco Canyon – maybe the red color? Maybe because it blooms around summer solstice? Maybe because it looks like the sun or the stars?
Chaco Canyon daylily soaking up the sun – 2019
My Chaco Canyon grows in a big pot on my back porch. I moved a couple fans to the Southwest garden last year to extend the bloom season (the two gardens have slightly different peak bloom times). It is getting big and I am watching for scapes now because it blooms on the early side. I can’t wait to be stunned by the first flower!
Chaco Canyon daylily shines in the sun – 2018
I thought I had lost the photos of my trip to Chaco – but silly me, I uploaded them to Facebook 6 years ago. Taking a road trip vicariously through my daylilies makes me want to go back to this place, again, when COVID-19 clears. It isn’t all that far away. In the meantime, I wait for it to bloom in my yard.
Two Chacos dancing in the breeze
Getting My Kicks With Route 66
Route 66 is due South of Montrose, CO. You can get to the New Mexico one by just driving south on Highway 550 until you hit Route 66 in Albuquerque. Or, you can take Highway 491 and catch-up with it in Gallup. You can also catch it in Arizona – we often drive by Monument Valley to Flagstaff and catch it there. Of course, you can also catch it in Holbrook at the Petrified Forest. We have done all of the above plus more. I have always said that it must have been a pretty amazing highway in its day – the road to the Southwest – the ruins and rock structures.
Maizzy, my crazy old chi-hound and I met up with it in Gallup on our first road trip (after a trip to Chaco Canyon and El Malpias). We rode it all the way to Petrified Forest. Well, we took the sections that we could and were mostly on I-40, a place full of big, fast semi trucks. We got to Holbrook, where we hung out on Route 66 for a bit. Then, back home through Monument Valley and Canyonlands. That was 2014.
Maizzy on Route 66 marker in Holbrook, AZ – 2014
Our road trip is South, so we almost always cross Route 66 – well, always because we have to cross it to get to the other side of the Southwest. The next year, we traveled from down to Catalina State Park, AZ and back up to the Grand Canyon and Horseshoe Bend. We went out for a night on the town at Route 66 in Flagstaff.
Maizzy, Route 66, Flagstaff, AZ – 2015
The following year, 2016, we went down to Lost Dutchman State Park, AZ and on the way, we stopped at the Petrified Forest – where we walked in the Crystal Forest and crossed the old Route 66. We headed home through Socorro, NM and up through Farmington, NM. Good grief, I can barely remember these amazing routes!
Maizzy hiking in the Crystal Forest at Petrified Forest National Park, AZ – 2016
Where did 2017 take us? From the Four Corners to Flagstaff and down to Gila Bend and Organ Pipe Cactus National Monument. We came back and visited Casa Grande – then back up by Route 66 at the Petrified Forest. By then, I had acquired dog #2, little once-feral, Kachina.
On that bench on Route 66, Flagstaff, AZ, again – 2017
Soon enough it was 2018, and a new adventure came when spring warmed the earth. This year, we left on Friday the 13th and took the Devil’s Highway (once numbered 666 because it was the 6th spur off Route 66) all the way to the AZ/Mexico border. We visited Canyon de Chelly and headed south to Chambers, AZ, which is smack-dab on Route 66. We drove to Clifton on the long, winding road and ended up in Tombstone. We stopped at the Petrified Forest on the way home. It was a horrific windstorm that day – but my dogs managed a photo at the Route 66 turnout. Oh, and another dog joined the family – my little disabled chi rescue, Sazi Ana (think Anasazi).
Windstorm at the Route 66 turnout at Petrified Forest National Park, AZ – 2018
And, my last road trip in 2019 was super awesome to start. We went through Shiprock, NM and then down through the badlands to Grants, NM – which is on Route 66. It is a long story that I forgot to get gas on the way to El Morro National Monument, so I was too tired to stop at any of the Route 66 attractions. We headed south (I can’t stand I-40 in a Honda Fit with all those semis) after Grants and stopped at Salinas Pueblo Mission Ruins near Albuquerque – then to White Sands. We did a long sprint to Tucson, Catalina State Park, then back up to . . . um, drum roll . . . Petrified Forest. You see, it’s dog friendly so we stop most years. Except, last year I got Noravirus the day we were suppose to go. We went – but I was too sick to do anything but pray for a motel bed ASAP. We cruised (wanting to upchuck) I-40 (the new Route 66) and turned off to get to Window Rock. The scenery in that part of the State is worth posting, except I was too ill to get pictures.
El Malpias National Monument Near Grants, NM, off of Route 66 – 2019
The motel in Window Rock, AZ, a few miles from Route 66 – 2019
Why am I talking about Route 66 on a daylily blog? Because I am taking a road trip vicariously through my Southwest named daylilies while we wait for COVID-19 to settle down. (Maybe Noravirus helped me to see how serous it is to catch a virus when you are traveling – all those restrooms, hotels, eateries, gas pumps – not safe yet). Route 66 is a cultivator that I picked up years ago at the local greenhouse – long before I started collecting daylilies with Southwest names. Long before I started taking road trips.
Route 66 Daylily in bloom – 2019
However, now the blooms are more special. I think of our trips to Gallup and Grants and Chambers and Holbrook and Flagstaff. I think of the colors that are on the tee shirts – the red and black. When I see the blooms, I think of my goofy dogs and all of our fun times, getting our kicks on Route 66.
Land of Enchantment
I love New Mexico. It is, indeed, lives up to its motto of being the Land of Enchantment. I have a fair number of daylilies named after New Mexico places. More than any other State with the exception of Colorado. Probably largely because Spiderman, Ned Roberts, (my favorite hybridizer) lived in Albuquerque for several years.
Land of Enchantment 2019
We traveled through New Mexico on our April Southwest road trip this year. We saw badlands, flea markets, monuments, ruins, and white sands. It was awesome . . . at least until norovirus hit and wrecked havoc on the last 4 days of a 9 day trip. But, I was well until we were in Arizona and headed back toward the 4-corners.
Chaco Canyon 2019
We will be down in the 4-corners area for Labor Day. I am looking forward to it . . . I should say we were also near there on our summer road trip, but not in New Mexico.
Chama Valley 2019
I have actually visited places in New Mexico because I have daylilies with that name. Like Ghost Ranch – totally put it on the map because of my daylily.
Ghost Ranch 2019
Chaco Canyon I visited long before my daylily collection – It is such a sacred place with the roughest 20 something mile road in the world. But worth it.
Santa Fe Christmas 2019
Santa Fe is a pretty yuppie town (is that still a word?) Artists abound and it is kind of pricy, but we were near there a few years ago passing through New Mexico.
Truchas Sunrise – 2019
Truchas, New Mexico is about halfway between Santa Fe and Taos. I actually contemplated driving there just because of my daylily, but didn’t like the traffic of Santa Fe.
Star over Milagro 2019
I’ve never been to Milagro – but it isn’t too far from the Salinas Pueblo Mission Ruins south of Albuquerque that we have visited a couple of times. Next time, maybe I will plan to go watch stars over Milagro.
Moon over Chimayo
Chimayo, New Mexico is east of Espanola, where my favorite Aunt Pearl once lived. The road trips have taken us close to Chimayo . . . maybe next time.
Navajo Grey Hills 2019
Navajo Grey Hills is likely named after Two Grey Hills Trading Post. This is a place I have driven through between Shiprock and Window Rock on the Navajo reservation. Honestly, it must have been before one of my daylilies was named after the place because I had to look up where the name came from. Again . . . future destination.
Adios Albuquerque 2019
I have been to Albuquerque many times. I don’t like cities – but there are also some cool smaller towns and attractions near Albuquerque. I like Petroglyph National Monument! US Highway 550 starts in my hometown of Montrose, CO and ends just north of Albuquerque – 305 miles from my door (+/-). Chaco Canyon is along that route. I often take the backroads, though.
So, tonight I am using internet explorer to blog. Still glitchy (my photos keep disappearing) but faster than Edge. Ugh . . . I may just have to switch out of S Mode and go back to Chrome. This would be murder during peak season.
Tired
It’s crazy – I had 13 cultivators in bloom today. Hello . . . It’s August 20th. The weather is now acting like desert weather. Hot and dry. It was in the 90s today.
Purple Corn Dancer 8.20
It’s been a year tomorrow since my surgery. After that, I could not be in the sun for a few months, so the blog just stopped . . . Until the poinsettias bloomed. I only had Purple Corn Dancer in bloom, anyway. Healing was a journey.
Purple Thunderbird 8.20
I never know what to think this time of year. Tired of the heat but dreading the cold, dark seasons ahead. Tired of my camera but don’t want to miss the late bloomers. Hate to see camping season end but ready for some mellow hikes around home. I think my daylilies are in a similar place with life right now – still blooming but longing for a rest.
Cripple Creek 8.20
PS – I ordered my new 2 in one laptop. My old one was tired, too.
Shape Shifter 8.20
Purple Grasshopper 8.20
Indian Sky 8.20
Orange Flurry 8.20
El Desperado 8.20
Chaco Canyon 8.20
Coberg Fright Wig 8.20
Ruby Stella 8.20
Frans Hals 8.20
Colorado Kid Daylilies 