Presenting a Print to Teton Ken

This week I attended Teton Ken's lecture on the Lost Dutchman, held at the Superstition Mountain Museum. As promised, I brought a print of the color pencil drawing I had made of Teton and his sidekick, Daisy. Teton Ken had already seen the original last March, which was shortly after his heart attack and the deadly rattlesnake bite for Daisy. 

When he saw me, Teton warmly greeted me, remembering my name. He was tickled that I had brought the print and said that it would be displayed in his dining room. Since Teton didn't have his reading glasses, I read the story I wrote about him, which was affixed to the back of the print. A small gesture of kindness for a man who has brought happiness to so many.

Mary (the burro he had with him today) was more interested in the protective tissue surrounding the print, taking a brief break from gnawing on the wooden column of the shed to try and sample the new object. Teton was quite protective his new piece and put it in a safe place.  

If you're in the Mesa/Apache Junction area of Arizona, be sure to visit Teton Ken at the Superstition Mountain Museum.  He is often there during the weekend, offering rides to kids (young and old alike) on his burros. 

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Down the Path of Yesteryear: Teton Ken and his Burro

My latest artwork, of Teton Ken and his belated Daisy, set against the magnificent Superstition Mountains. If you are in the Apache Junction area of Arizona, be sure to stop at this gem of a museum. Teton Ken will be lecturing about the Lost Dutchman and his mine on January 4, 2018.

Down the Path of Yesteryear: Teton Ken and his Burro. Color pencil ©2017 Melissa Enderle

Them there mountains have been such a big part of my life. How many times have I meandered up the narrow paths of the Superstitions, flanked by jumping cholas, saguaros, and the occasional Palo Verde tree. Daisy has done it so many times that she can navigate nearly by herself–great for feller’s eyes like mine that get cloudier all the time.

In my younger years, I used to do some prospecting up in them thar hills. Them’s years are over, both for me and these rocks. Not as quick as I used to be, I stick to the path. Less of a chance to encounter a rattler or bobcat, but they still are here as well. That’s why I carry this gun. Done for the day, I’m ready to head back into town. A cold beer sounds good right now. And some oats for ol’ Daisy. 

See more of my artworks at www.melissaenderle.com 

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A Walk Through the Desert Wildflowers at Catalina State Park

I timed my trip down to Arizona this spring so I could see the desert wildflowers. The area had received ample rainfall this winter, so the flowers were happy. We took a drive about 1 1/2 hours away and visited the Catalina State Park near Tucson. 

I was surprised to see how green much of the park was. The leaves of many of the trees were emerging, and grasses of different sorts looked very fresh - unlike the wild grasses near Apache Junction which have already dried up. The creek going through the park definitely helped.

In addition, the area was dotted with various wildflowers, in various intensities of yellow, white, orange, red, orange, and blue. Some were so tiny and appeared to be very fragile. They reminded me of some of the tundra flowers higher on a mountain.

Some of the flowers played hide-and-seek, peeking out between the cacti. Many of the cacti themselves were beginning to blossom as well. I suspect that in a few weeks, rocky hills and mountains in this park will look very different yet again, with these fragile rainbows all dry and withered up, hoping to reappear next year.

See more of my photos from Catalina State Park on my Flickr Site

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Teton Ken and Daisy: Color Pencil Artwork

Below is the latest artwork I have completed, a color pencil drawing of Teton Ken (formal name of Ken Eddy). I met Ken and his burro Daisy at the Superstition Museum, where he was very willing to pose for me and chat. Gleaning information about Ken was far easier than most of my subjects in foreign countries, where language and/or time was a challenge. 

With my grizzly beard, worn leather hat, gun, and mining gear saddled on ‘ol Daisy, I certainly look the part of a gold prospector. Yessiree, I can truthfully say that I have found a nugget or two, but nothing that would make me rich. I admit that I have been amongst the many who have gone up in these here Superstition Mountains searching for the fabled Lost Dutchman mine, but the greatest wealth I gained there revolved around enjoying the spectacular scenery. Leading some adult treasure-hunters and movie crews up the mountain also helped pay some bills and enabled me to purchase several burros including this here Daisy. I even acted as the ghost of the Lost Dutchman in a movie! On weekends, Daisy and I hang out here at the Superstition Museum, giving kids rides on my burros. I’m not sure who has more fun - me or the kiddos!

See more of my artwork on my website www.melissaenderle.com.

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Warm Glow of the Saguaro

Yup, this is a far different scene from the last nature photo posted on Monday. I successfully escaped the Wisconsin winter (for a few weeks at least) and am down in sunny Arizona. This morning, I took this photo, just a short distance from the "silver" park where my parents stay for the winter. It's a lonely, single saguaro cactus with Superstition Mountain in the background, but it is what I could access on short notice. Within a few minutes of this photo, the warm glow of the sunrise was gone. 

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Seoraksan Fall Photos - Flickr

My Fall photos of Seoraksan on Flickr. See Album

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Vertical Autumn Landscapes, Seoraksan

During my hike in Seoraksan, I took several shots with some common elements. Slightly diagonal, meandering paths of stone or water, yellow-greenish foliage with a splash of reds & oranges. And interestingly, all of these here are vertical shots. Who says landscapes have to be horizontal?

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Seoraksan Entrance

Due to the national holiday honoring the development of the Hangul alphabet,  we had a three-day weekend in earlier October. I knew that it would probably be a bit early for autumn colors, but decided to take advantage of a meetup group trip there. No need for me to do travel planning then - especially nice due to the busy parent teacher conferences that week and my lack of Korean language skills. As the national park of Seoraksan on the east coast is a very popular destination for nature lovers especially in fall, I also thought that visiting the park early in the season would mean fewer people to spoil any views.

Our bus ride eastward across the country did unfortunately take much longer than what had been budgeted, preventing us from visiting all the intended destinations on the first day of our travels. Because we had stayed at a pension hotel that night, we were able to get an earlier start the next morning. Had it been up to me, I would have left the hotel much earlier, but it sure is nice to have someone else in charge of logistics.

By the time we arrived at he park, the early morning rains (which also produced a rainbow) had dissipated. I still brought along my umbrella, just in case. I didn't want to chance my camera to get wet.

The sunlight illuminated the leaves on the trees, which had changed ever so slightly. For this hike, we were going to do the shorter, easier trek up to the Biryong Falls. Once in the park, we walked across a stone bridge with dragons flanking the ends. Currently, the Sangcheon Stream was more like a path of large rocks, but I'm sure it swells at times.

Trees just starting to change colors lined the edge of the Sangcheon Stream.

How could anyone ever tire of seeing such beauty?

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Korean Natural Beauty - at Bulguksa Temple

On our way up the hill to the temple, we passed by a series of stalls selling souvenirs, cheap Chinese plastic toys, and other junk. Mercifully, likely due to the early time of the day and not being peak season, most stalls were closed. Around the bend, we were treated to a beautiful landscape that reminded me a bit of the Secret Garden of the Changdeokgung Palace in Seoul. In the middle of a tranquil pond was a tiny island, covered with a low-lying tree. A willow tree gracefully drooped in front of a triple-arched stone bridge. Underneath the bridge, the reflections from the water danced. Tall evergreen trees around the edge of the pond partnered up with trees just beginning to bud. In the background, brown and hazy green mountains completed the picture. All of this was reflected in the still pond.

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Beetab Valley, Kashmir

Just as I was beginning to wonder if I had gone too far, a young man who was walking in the same direction pointed to a driveway sloped sharply downward. Spotting a sign saying Beetab Valley, I thanked him and headed down to the entrance, with many Indian tourists were approaching from their vehicles. A spring thaw was well underway here, the snow covering the valley beginning to melt. Brown patches of soggy grass were peaking out in spots. A shallow river surrounded the park-like area, the still-brown slopes jutting upward at a decent angle. I sat on a bench for a while, enjoying the opportunity to relax and take in the sights. How beautiful this area must look when everything is green and in bloom! I walked past the Indian tourists who were frolicking in the less-than-optimal snow, careful not to step in the puddles formed by melting snow. Walking back to the village, I reflected on what a wonderful morning walk it had been.

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A Road Through the Mountains

The road sloped upward, the river that had flowed right through the village now at quite a distance below. Around the bend, a Gujjar-style house stood alone, its wooden-shingled barn attached. Pine trees became numerous on the slope below the road and those above. The road was leading me towards the mountains, whose snow appeared bleached in the bright sun and cloudless blue sky. How wonderful it was to walk here, taking in the beauty and tranquility of the area! 

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Out for a Walk

With the advice of the hotel owner, I took the small road in the direction away from the village. I passed by several hotels including some touting as being luxury hotels - all built after the terrorist acts in the area ended. A man tended his sheep in the sloped field. Young men stood by their horses, eager for some tourist riders. A young woman with her child near the gate of their house invited me to come in for some tea. Eager to continue on my walk on this beautiful morning, I politely declined. 

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Pahalgam Arrival

Less than 3 hours on a state–run bus, I arrived in the mountain town of Pahalgam.  Meaning Valley of the Shepherds, this picturesque area is now a popular mountain resort.  The owner of the B&B I was staying at met me at the bus station, driving us past touristy shops, hotels and signs advertising horseback riding, trekking, and white water rafting.   I breathed a sigh of relief as we entered the small village of Laripora  in which the B&B was located, as this looked more authentic and a whole lot quieter.  After the 1st of many cups of tea I’d have  during my 3 day stay here, I was escorted up  the wooden stairs to my room. The young workers made sure I was comfortable - even in this dreary, cold weather. A small electric heater was provided, and an electric blanket was already on the bed. My “deluxe” room included a viewing room area, complete with a daybed/couch, cane table & chairs, a TV with cable, and a large window.

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Spring break to Kashmir

Although I have traveled quite extensively through India, one area of lasting intrigue that I had not yet reached was Kashmir. Located in the north and sharing a border with Pakistan and China, this area has long been disputed area. Wanting to keep my itinerary simple and relaxing, I chose to focus on the Kashmir Valley region, an area nicknamed “Heaven on Earth.” Still very early in this mountainous region, I knew that spring wouldn’t be in full swing yet, but I was keen to experience whatever natural, human, and artistic beauty this area could offer.

In the next several weeks, I'll be sharing some of my experiences through photos and writing. You can view more of my photos of Kashmir on my Flickr Site http://www.flickr.com/photos/melissaenderle/.

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Flight and Drive to Dharamsala

Looking out the small plane’s windows, the vast brown mountain peaks (a few distant ones capped with snow) indicated that we were near our destination – Dharamsala. A short time after the luggage was loaded airline’ red truck, we picked up our luggage on the tiny airport’s one carousel and grabbed a taxi. The taxi driver calmly navigated the narrow switchback road with its steep banks and forested surroundings. Streams flowed over stony beds. Occasionally we paused to let goats and their herder cross the road. Tea bushes formed green blankets in a few areas, punctuated by planted trees. Interspersed were diminutive clusters of homes and small shops hugging the road, with a hardware store, cement place, and tea stall almost as a prerequisite.

 

A pleasant ride later, we reached McLeodj, about four miles (7km) north of the actual town of Dharamsala. We knew that the Dalai Lama was not present at the moment in this Tibetan exile headquarters town, but we were confident there would be much to enjoy anyway.

See more photos of Dharamsala on my Flickr page http://www.flickr.com/photos/melissaenderle/sets/72157625792041888/ 

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Hike to Little Adam's Peak, Ella

The next morning I was awakened by the horn of a train, which coincided with the time the residents of the small town began to go about their daily business. After breakfast at the Sun Top Hotel consisting of eggs, mounds of toast, freshly made pineapple juice and honey made from palm trees, I returned up the small road to Kasun’s house. With his brother and younger cousin joining us, we walked through the tiny town and up the road towards Little Adam’s Peak. Amidst the tea bushes was a large tin corrugated roof structure, from which sounds of kids, dogs, and chickens emanated. Kasun said that over 200 tea pickers lived there, many whom were from Tamil Nadu (India) or were Tamil in origin. In addition to speaking their native language of Tamil, these workers also spoke Sinhalese. He added that the tea pickers (always women) earned about 15 rupees (13 cents) per kilogram of picked leaves and could pick up to 50 kg per day. Many families had around five children, creating a financial burden. Up past the dwelling I saw Hindu temple in early stages of construction.

On the way up, I paused to look at my surroundings – and beautiful they were. Blue and yellow flowers dotted the embankment by the tea bushes. Trees popped up amidst quilted landscape of the tea bushes. Looking forward on the path, Ella Rock appeared in the distance. Buildings occasionally punctuated the green landscape. Kasun explained that there were four tea factories in the immediate area. The government owned the land, but rented it to the tea companies in exchange for part of the profits. Hotels were also going up, especially in the hills. Although they would have a beautiful view, Kasun was concerned about water availability. We also walked past a plot of land with its trees being cut down. These trees were planted by the British but are not conducive to the land (take too much water, not good wood, birds don’t like), so new ones are going to be planted to take the place of the pine trees.

Up more paths and some steps, we arrived at Little Adam’s Peak. Oh, what a green view! The steep slopes were covered in grasses. Nearby hills had grass and were tree-covered. Red busses made their way along the narrow, slithering mountain roads. Near Ella Rock we could see Rawana Ella Falls – our next destination. On clear days, one can see the sea and some lakes, but with the haziness of today, all we could see where distant bluish mountains. After taking in the view for a while, we headed back down the hill and into the small town. Here we had a snack of curd (made from buffalo milk) mixed with fresh fruit, as well as some tea.

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Arrival at Lisu tribe festival

The next morning after more rice, greens, dried soybeans, and of course more tea, we said goodbye to our hosts and moved onward into the hills. Tee’s father came along, as he wanted to visit some relatives and friends in the hill village. On the way, we stopped to pick up a village resident friend of Tee’s father. Both older individuals shared a fondness of chewing paan, had their teeth blackened, and talked animatedly in the Akha language.

On the way to the Akha village Tee spotted a cloth sign fluttering in the breeze that promoted an annual festival of the Lisu hill tribe people. Able to speak some Lisu, he was able to inquire of some Lisu people walking alongside the road that the festival was indeed happening today. It was the last day of the three-day festival, but there should be some things going on. Traveling on a narrow hilly dirt road, we passed by some trucks with Lisu people in the truck bed who were traveling away from the festival location. Tee explained that some Lisu people would have traveled for over five hours to attend the festival, with some perhaps even coming from Burma (Myanmar). Yesterday, over 3,000 Lisu were in attendance. The school grounds in the village of Ban Doi Lan (meaning “million mountains”) was the site of the festival. Tee introduced me to one Lisu woman who spoke fairly good English. She was one of the organizers of the festival and saw it as a key opportunity to celebrate and promote the Lisu culture. Like Tee, she expressed a concern for the disappearance of her culture and language. One of her ambitions involved utilizing the internet as a tool for educating others about the Lisu culture and as a way for Lisu people to keep in touch with each other.

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Drive to Ooty

For a departure from temple towns, flat land, and rice paddies, a trip to the Nilgiris is an excellent choice. Nicknamed the “Blue Mountains” (or nila giri), this junction of the Eastern and Western Ghats is named because of the Kurunji shrub that turns the hills blue with blossoms once every 12 years. Similar to the hill station in Munnar, this region contains high altitude grasslands, shoals (montane evergreen forests), and steep hills covered with freshly plucked short tea bushes. Although the drive up to the Nilgiris can be slow, one is rewarded with beautiful glimpses of lush green valleys, tea plantations, various types of trees, and some wildlife. Due to its high elevation, clean air, and cooler climate, Ooty and surrounding areas in the Nilgiris are popular tourist destinations, particularly by South Indian residents who come here to escape the scorching heat.

What started as an efficient drive from Srirangam abruptly changed shortly after passing the “Welcome to the Nilgiris” sign. Our car climbed up the steep road, passing through forests of tall sholas and tropical trees. Due to a road closure further up (the Nilgiris had problems this monsoon season with mudslides), we had to turn around and take the less efficient route to Ooty. Seeing that some people had pulled over and were now looking in the valley below, we also went to check things out. Several wild elephants were spotted, but unfortunately trees mostly obscured the view. The air was much cooler and cleaner up here – a refreshing change from the normally hot & humid Chennai. Our driver expertly maneuvered the car through the narrow winding roads without becoming impatient, stressed, or aggressive. A bit higher up, we began spotting more monkeys along the roads and in trees. Soon the light began to fade, enveloping the tea fields with a cool blue fog. Visibility was further reduced by rainfall. Further along, our pace slowed from a crawl to a halt, due to an accident. Needless to say, we arrived in Ooty much later than expected.

For more photos of Ooty, visit my Ooty Flickr page

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Araku Valley Tour

The bus took us to our first destination, the Tribal Museum. The spiral walkway inside the small museum took us past diorama type displays of life-sized tribal people, tribal tools. jewelry, and musical instruments. The bus then ushered us to a rather disappointing botanical garden with a toy train, and then to a hotel for lunch. After a traditional South Indian meal eaten with our fingers, we went outside and watched a Dhimsa dance performed by one of the 17 indigenous tribes of the region. It was rather challenging photographing the dance, as the women dancers wove in and out, abruptly changed directions, and alternated between full height and nearly crouching. Capturing the faces of the fast-paced tribal women was further complicated by the tourists who joined in the dance.

Moving onward, we stopped at a scenic vista to absorb the view of the valley and then drove past coffee plantations along the steep sides of the road. The yet-unripe coffee was shaded by trees. Was this co-existence needed for the coffee or was it simply a way of maximizing land use with multiple crops? Also present were groves of cashew nut trees. Located about 29 km from the Araku Valley were the Borra Caves. One of the largest and deepest caves in the country (80 m depth), the opening of the cave was impressively wide. A paved path and well-maintained series of steps led visitors through the cave, with its varied sizes of stalactites and stalagmites illuminated by carefully spaced lights. Contrary to most caves I’ve been in, the temperature inside wasn’t noticeably cooler.  With several minutes to spare, I sat on a plastic chair and enjoyed the picturesque valley with its fast-moving stream below.

With the light quickly fading, we boarded the bus once again and headed towards Vizag. Considering the severe turns, narrow road and size of the bus, the driver moved at a rather fast pace through the mountain roads. At around 8pm, we finally were back to Vizag. It had been a long, but enjoyable day.

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Eravikulam National Park

During the afternoon we visited Eravikulam National Park, located on the border with Tamil Nadu. The highest peak (2,695 m – 8,842 ft) south of the Himalayas is located here. This park was established during the 1970’s with the aim of conserving the endangered Nilgiri tahr, a rare breed of mountain goat. In fact, the park harbors the largest surviving population of this agile goat.

Walking along the paved path, we spotted quite a number of the tahrs, some quite close. With dense clouds obscuring the view, it was sometimes difficult to spot the wildlife. In areas with lighter fog, one could see the dense shoals – tropical montane forests unique to the Western Ghats. Small waterfalls and streams could be spotted along the path. Recalling the photos we saw of the blue kurunji flowers that transform this landscape into a sea of blue, I tried to imagine how even more stunning the view would be. Sadly, the kurunji flowers bloom only once every twelve years, the last time in 2006.

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