High Country Love Story: Arizona Made me a Fangirl

Society and the media tell us October should be about scares and screams. But I am SO not a fan. Instead of howlings and haunted houses, I’d like to share some heartwarming highlights of the beauty and blessings I experienced over the past couple of weeks. (And now I’ll stop with the alliteration. You’re welcome.)

At the end of last month, I had the privilege to travel to Arizona, a state I wasn’t all that familiar with. I attended the Faith, Hope, and Love writers conference in Phoenix, and my husband and I decided to turn the trip into a mini vacation afterward.

I’m not gonna lie—Phoenix didn’t really charm me. But to be fair, we didn’t see much beyond the area around the airport. (Why do so many cities put their airports in the least pretty places?) And frankly, with temps over 100, it was too hot to do much exploring.

Faith, Hope, and Fangirling

The conference itself, though, was wonderful. I met some folks in person I’d only known online before, made some new friends, and as a special bonus, I got to spend some time with an old friend (no, she’s not old—we’ve just been friends for a while).

I confess, I was a little star-struck when James Scott Bell walked by my husband and me on the way to breakfast. Then I spotted Robin Lee Hatcher in the restaurant with some friends. Later that evening, I got a picture with James Scott Bell…taken by Robin Lee Hatcher.

They were both so gracious and down to earth. But still. I might have fangirled just a little. I only regret not getting a picture with Robin. Maybe next year.

Though I haven’t read much of James Scott Bell’s fiction, I have gleaned pearls of wisdom from his books on writing, and I absolutely love his Substack posts. (You can check out Whimsical Wanderings here.) He’s got a real way with words. (Yeah, go ahead and groan. I deserve it.) 

The conference wrapped up with some soul-stirring praise and worship, and a small-group brainstorming session and quiet time for writing sprints. But our Arizona adventure was just about to begin. 

Savoring Sedona

Monday morning, we picked up a rental car, and Hubby and I headed north to Flagstaff. I’d heard so much about the town of Sedona, so on the way to our Airbnb, we stopped in to see what the hype was all about.

I’m a nature lover, but I’m also a heat wimp. Or maybe a humidity wimp. I don’t do well outside in South Florida’s heat and humidity, and I’m definitely not a fan of the (un)official South Florida bird. 

So I usually hibernate until December.

But Sedona? Warm … minus the spirit-crushing humidity, and I fell in love with all the new-to-me flora. In a public parking lot, I spotted bushes with little blue flowers and stopped to investigate. Turns out, they were rosemary bushes—huge, fragrant, and buzzing with bees. I love rosemary. To cook with, to smell, to look at. So of course, I took pictures. Yes! In the parking lot. 

As we walked away, the air was filled with the woodsy-tangy scent of pine trees baking in the dry Arizona sun. I took several deep whiffs and wished I could bottle it.

We had lunch at a Mexican restaurant called La Vecina—yummy food, great service, and a shaded patio with a breeze and lovely views of the red rocks. That looked something like (but not exactly) this:

After walking around for a bit, we were ready to call it a day and head up to our Airbnb in Coconino National Forest. But more about that place later. 

Grand Canyon Grandeur

On Tuesday, we headed to the Grand Canyon. I mean, duh, right? You don’t go to northern Arizona and not visit the Grand Canyon. 

I’d been once before, briefly. That trip was in early summer, but this time, it was COLD. I had a jacket, but poor Hubby only packed for Phoenix’s sweltering 107-degree weather. Then, the sun woke up, I removed my jacket, and Hubby stopped shivering. (He wasn’t actually shivering. I was shivering for him.)

Can I just brag on God for a bit? What a breathtaking display of His creativity. At first glance, one might think it’s a lot of the same scenery, but every new overlook was just as gorgeous and awe-inspiring as the last. Here are a few of my favorite pictures.

(Click the pictures if you want to see larger sizes. That’s the case anywhere there is more than one picture in a group.) 

As we were leaving, this lovely lady (I think it was an elk) stood right at the edge of the road, calmly eating and posing for anyone who wanted a picture. Her mate was nearby, snorting and tossing his head around—but he was a little more shy, more’s the pity.

Bill Williams Mountain: Hairpin Thrills and Windy Chills

The next day, we took it easy on our feet. (But not on our nerves.) We drove to Williams, a smallish town on Route 66. The reason? To climb Bill Williams Mountain. And by climb, I mean drive. 

I read online that it was a “loop road that goes around the mountain.” To me, that meant you go up one side and come down the other. 

Nope. It meant up and back down the same narrow dirt road.

Picture hairpin turns. Sheer, stomach-dropping mountainside drop-offs. And no guardrails. Talk about breathtaking. We were holding our breath, praying we wouldn’t meet a car coming down. 

Once we reached the top—without incident—all the anxiety blew away. Literally. It was WINDY up there. And COLD. I forgot for a few minutes that I’m a heat wimp.

But oh, the views. There’s an old 1930s metal lookout tower there, so we climbed as high as we dared. From that height, we could even see bits of the Grand Canyon in the distance.

Then we began the trek back down the mountain. But may I brag on God again? He kept the traffic away. Not a single car came up the road until we were all the way down, and the road was wide again.

At which time we passed a large(ish) pick-up truck, which would have been lots of fun trying to pass higher up.

 

 

Chattering Critters and Creative Sparks

By Thursday, we needed a rest, and we spent it enjoying our Airbnb in the forest. The deck was amazing, like sitting in a treehouse, and I even had several visits from squirrels.

(You might have to click if you want to see these guys. They were hard to catch.)

Yes, I got excited about squirrels. Don’t judge me. Where I live, I never see them. They exist in some parts of South Florida, but I’ve never seen one in either of the communities where we’ve lived. Instead, we have these critters I fondly call the South Florida Squirrel: 

(Yes, they are invasive. And a little creepy at times. But when they chase each other up and down the trees, they remind me of squirrels.)

So on Thursday, I sat out on the deck, soaking up the perfect weather—not hot, not cold, just…well, perfect. I got a lot of writing and plotting done, and it was exactly what I needed. I’d been in a bit of a slump with this second novel. The ending always seems just out of reach. But that day, I was relaxed and inspired.

Leaving the Magic Behind

It was difficult to leave on Friday, but we took our time driving back to Phoenix. We pulled over a few times down the mountain for pictures…

…then stopped in Sedona again. Had lunch. Walked until our feet hurt. Purchased some gifts for family, and headed on our way.

All in all, the trip was amazing, and Arizona has made me a fan. The landscape is so beautifully diverse, going from desert with cacti, to red rock hills with low bushes, to mountains and pine forests, in just a couple of hours.

By Saturday night, we were back in Miami, greeted by the whole family at the airport. And from Sunday to Thursday, I had the joy (and exhaustion!) of taking care of my beautiful two-year-old grandson while his parents took a mini vacation. 

Let’s just say, I may need a vacation to recover. It’s been over 30 years since I had a toddler underfoot. I used to consider myself a night owl, but having a two-year-old in the house turned me into an early-to-bed, early(ish)-to-rise grandma. Yeah, I know. It won’t last long.

Daughter Number 2 came down on Friday, so we had the whole family together. They’ve returned home, now, and the house is quiet. I miss them, but I feel … so blessed.

For many, October might be about ghosts and goblins. But for me, this month has been full of breathtaking beauty and bountiful blessings (So sorry … I couldn’t help myself).

How about you—have you ever taken a trip that filled your creative well or reminded you of God’s blessings? Tell me in the comments.

Before you go, if you haven’t browsed through the books in the Cozy Kisses promo on Book Cave, click here. Shadow of the Wolf is part of that promo, and there are 23 other clean romance books available for you to choose from. Plus, you get entered into a drawing for a gift card. So don’t miss out! This promo ends on October 31, 2025.