Author: Sedona Best

… first we have a Great Egret go airborne off the side of a very steep slope above the shore and glide out over the water of the lake seeking somewhere where we are not … thanks to some nice back lighting we have very fine detail in the wings and a sharp brilliant eye. In the lower shot we have been airborne for some time and are catching most of the Sedona metro area. In the foreground is the loop area and Oak Creek is within the emerald green trees snaking its way to the south. around the western…

The Mary D. Fisher Theatre is honored to be the home for the Met Live Opera programs for the 2021-2022 season, presented by the Sedona International Film Festival. The season will continue with Giuseppe Verdi’s “Don Carlos” on Saturday, March 26. There will be one show at 9 a.m. — a live simulcast as it is happening at the Met! Plan to come early as Russell Fox will lead a pre-opera talk one hour before the production. For the first time in company history, the Met presents the original five-act French version of Verdi’s epic opera of doomed love among…

The 18th annual Native American Indian Disability Summit, under the theme “Gathering Native Voices to Build Strength Through Unity,” is Friday, April 1 from 8 a.m. to 4 p.m. at the Desert Willow Conference Center, 4340 E. Cotton Center Blvd. in Phoenix. A virtual online component is available. The event is fragrance free to accommodate those with allergies, breathing conditions or multiple chemical sensitivities. There is no cost to attend the Summit, but registration is required. To register, visit www.ability360.org/american-indian-disability-summit. The Summit officially begins with opening ceremonies at 8:30 a.m. featuring the presentation of colors by the honor guard from…

Coconino National Forest officials have implemented restrictions on climbing and other activities on a portion of the cliff face of an area known as the Peaks Crag in order to protect nesting peregrine falcons. Similar restrictions have been in effect over the last several years allowing the nesting peregrine falcon pair to successfully fledge one to three young each season, while still affording recreational climbing opportunities in the vicinity. The current Forest Order allows access from Forest Road 522 (Freidlein Prairie Road) to the climbing area north of the peregrines’ nest site. The Forest Service, with the help of volunteers,…

By Amaya Gayle GregoryEveryone has their own gig. We are unique individualized experiencing vessels. Sometimes what another sees as truth fits us like a nice pair of stretchy jeans. Sometimes, it’s loose and baggy, or too tight to squeeze into. Fortunately, there are racks and racks of jeans, different brands, sizes to fit everyone, and quirky designs and a magic mushroom show of colors. There’s even a no-pants rack. Isn’t that cool! This Big Universe creates something for us all. These days many seem to be riding the rail of one – one right way, one way to see it,…

… the northern migration is in full swing at Lake Pleasant is filled with birds and in a back water bay of the lake we jumped these mergansers and they had no option but to fly directly at us to get out of the narrow bay … and I got this shot as they flew at us. It reminds me a lot of the hunting we used to do as kids down in the Minnesota River bottoms. Saturday we headed down to Watson Lake near Prescott and was amazed at the amount of water in the lake … it is…

On Saturday, March 19 – Sunday, March 20, 2022, the Verde Valley Wine Consortium and the Town of Camp Verde will be co-hosting the 21st Annual Camp Verde Pecan & Wine Festival in Camp Verde, Arizona, sponsored by Yavapai College and their Southwest Wine Center, SRP and Larry Green Chevrolet. Celebrating two of the areas prime tourism draws – wine and pecans – the festival, which is FREE to all, will feature 13 Arizona wineries along with a variety of pecans for pairing, a very competitive Pecan Pie contest, a Budweiser Beer Garden, food trucks, 70+ local artisans, AND two…

On March 12, 2022 the Yavapai County Sheriff’s Office, Cottonwood Police Department, Arizona State Land Department, U.S. Forest Service and Partners Against Narcotics Trafficking participated in a joint operation to address ongoing problems with squatters littering and using State Trust and Forest Service land as a residence. A valid recreational permit allows up to two weeks of recreational camping in a 12-month period. Using the land as a residence is not permitted. Numerous subjects were contacted today and warned that they were not allowed to abuse State Trust or Forest Service land. The participating law enforcement officers were able to…

The upper portion of Cathedral Rock Trail will temporarily close to the public for construction starting March 16. The closure will remain in place through April 30, but could lift earlier if construction work ends sooner. The Forest Service Red Rock Trail Crew will be reconstructing rock walls and check steps during the closure. A Forest Closure Order has been put in place due to the inability to safely reroute hikers around the work area, which includes the trail itself and the 200 feet of land on either side. During construction, there is a possibility of large rocks rolling downhill…