A Day of Natural Beauty and Quality Family Time

No recipe today.  Instead, I'm going to share what I did today with our family.
My mother-in-law and her boyfriend are still visiting and Mr. 365 had the day off, so we decided to go on an excursion to get out of the 105 degree heat we're now having into the balmy (haha) weather up north.
If you're ever in Arizona, I highly recommend that you take a trip to the Tonto Natural Bridge State Park.  It's off the beaten path, so to speak, but it's truly a thing of beauty and it only cost $5 per person.  Well worth the trip and the kids were even thanking us for going.  Ok, so maybe the Dairy Queen on the way home had something to do with it, too, but they said they really enjoyed it.
I took pictures, lots of pictures, to share with you.

Of course, to get there, we have to get some gas and some drinks.  This IS Arizona, after all!

Looking down before we started on the trail.

I LOVED the bark on this tree!  Isn't it cool?  I've never seen anything like it.

There she is.  We're going in!

There's no swimming under the bridge and the rocks are very slippery, so you definitely need to watch your footing.  There are other spots that people can get into the water, but we didn't.

Under the bridge, looking up at the water dripping down.

So pretty!

The water dripping from the top inside the bridge into the water below.

This was just absolutely magnificent and breathtaking.  To think that this was naturally formed just blew me away.

Heading out the other side.

Looking back.

On the way home, we saw the following tree.
This tree is special.  It sits in the middle of the divided highway, I-17, north of Sunset Point.  Every time I drive by, someone has decorated it.  There was an article in the local newspaper about it and I think they said that the local Kiwanis are the ones responsible, but no one owns up to it.  They like their anonymity.  It's pretty spectacular to see and something I look forward to every time I drive north.  At Christmas, it is decorated with tinsel and ornaments.  I don't think I've ever driven by and not seen this little tree with something on it.  Today it was decorated with yellow ribbons and small American flags for Memorial Day.
It's a special thing that this person or people are doing by continually decorating this.  I know for a fact that it gives a lot of people much happiness when they see it and just knowing that someone is taking the time out of their day to "pay it forward".  Thank you, whoever you are.

I give you BIG baking hugs and muffins!!