December 2013 Remembered – Magic Of A Winter Morning

In these closing days of 2013 we have finally (!) arrived at post number twelve in my series “Twelve months in thirteen days.” I have always wanted to do this – to post a remembrance once each day at the end of the year, for each month of this year, remembering people, places, rocks, birds, trains, bench marks and early morning skies I have gotten to know better in 2013.

December morning magic

In these closing days of 2013 we have arrived at post number eleven in my series “Twelve months in thirteen days.” I have always wanted to do this – to post a remembrance once each day at the end of the year, for each month of this year, remembering people, places, and rocks I have gotten to know better in 2013.

Not everything posted in these “Twelve months in thirteen days” has been written about previously on Watching For Rocks or even has that much to do with rocks. In fact, some of it has flown below the blog radar altogether – that is, if it has even flown at all.

First spotted this guy cresting a hill behind my house

In these last days of 2013 we have arrived at post number ten in my series “Twelve months in thirteen days.” I have always wanted to do this – to post a remembrance once each day at the end of the year, for each month of this year, remembering people, places, and rocks I have gotten to know better in 2013.

You can swing a cat from my backyard in southern Utah and it will hit the ground running in some pretty spectacular landscape. This past October I drove over to Zion and Bryce National Parks for some hiking and some sightseeing.  I live here.  This is what I do for fun.

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Grotto Picnic area

In these final days of 2013 we have come to post number nine in my series “Twelve months in thirteen days.” I have always wanted to do this – to post a remembrance once each day at the end of the year, for each month of this year, remembering people, places, and rocks I have gotten to know better in 2013.

If I had to vote for one tree to be considered a symbol of Cedar Breaks National Monument, it would be the Great Basin bristlecone pine. In the crumbling limestone and dolomite cliffs at the edge of an eroding natural amphitheater, these trees not only survive but thrive in their barren windswept environment.

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Bristlecone pines at Cedar Breaks National Monument in southern Utah

In the waning days of 2013 we have come to post number eight in my series “Twelve months in thirteen days.” I have always wanted to do this – post a remembrance once each day at the end of the year, for each month of this year, remembering people, places, and rocks I have gotten to know better in 2013.

Among the many trails in Yellowstone, Pelican Valley has a reputation as major grizzly bear territory.

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Pelican Valley trail head and its many postings

We have come to post number seven in my series “Twelve months in thirteen days.” I have always wanted to do this – post a remembrance once each day at the end of the year, for each month of this year, remembering people, places, and rocks I have gotten to know better in 2013.

As a seasonal interpretive ranger in Yellowstone I get asked a lot of questions by visitors.

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A female elk grazes in West Thumb Geyser Basin

We have come to post number six in my series “Twelve months in thirteen days.” I’ve always wanted to do this. The time is now! This means a post each day for the rest of the year, for each month of this year, remembering people, places, and rocks I have gotten to know better in 2013.

And birds. Don’t forget the birds.

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A white pelican feeds at Little Thumb Creek on Yellowstone Lake

We have come to post number five in my series “Twelve months in thirteen days.” I’ve always wanted to do this. The time is now! This means a post each day for the rest of the year, for each month of this year, remembering people, places, and rocks I have gotten to know better in 2013.

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An abandoned homestead stands silently in the refuge

We have come to post number four in my series “Twelve months in thirteen days.”

I’ve always wanted to do this. The time is now! This means one post each day for the rest of the year of people, places, and rocks I have gotten to know better in 2013.

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Route 66 in Kingman, Arizona

Here is post number three in my series “Twelve months in thirteen days.”

I have always wanted to do this. The time is now! This means posting at least one image each day for the rest of the year of people, places, and rocks I have gotten to know better in each month of 2013.

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These happy hikers sure asked a lot of questions!

We have come to post number two in my series “Twelve months in thirteen days.”

I’ve always wanted to do this. The time is now! This means posting at least one image each day for the rest of the year of people, places, and rocks I have gotten to know better in 2013.

View west into Nevada and the Great Basin

I’ve always wanted to do this. The time is now!

This means posting at least one image each day for the rest of the year of people, places, and rocks I have gotten to know better in 2013. Twelve months in thirteen days – there is no telling what will post on that thirteenth day!

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The Chinle Trail can be found in the southwest corner of Zion National Park

Lately I’ve been poking around the Virgin River Canyon Recreation Area, pondering the rocks and trying to figure things out in the Virgin River Gorge.

Sedimentary rocks of the Virgin River Gorge

To many people the phrase “interstate highway” conjures up all sorts of negative images and descriptions, mostly having to do with getting from Point A to Point B in as little time as possible. To these folks I have only one thing to say. You might want to consider spending some time along interstate 15 through the Virgin River Gorge.

Sedimentary rocks of the Virgin River Gorge in NW Arizona

Katherine Hanson

Hey there, I'm Katherine Hanson, the curator of watchingforrocks.com, a site dedicated to uncovering the hidden gems of the USA. With a passion for exploration and a love for discovering the beauty in every corner of this vast country, I'm on a mission to share the best cities, national parks, historic landmarks, and entertainment hotspots that the USA has to offer. From towering mountains to bustling cities, there's so much to see and experience. Join me as I embark on adventures and uncover the wonders that make America truly remarkable.
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