
This year, my husband and I are determined not to overbook our schedules. Life seems to fill up the rare empty spaces on the calendar despite our efforts.

Our first stop was the seven hundred year old Butler Wash Ruins. A short hike took us back in time. We tried to imagine life in the hidden cliff communities. Even though their lives were brutally short and challenging, the Anasazi still found time to create beauty out of their surroundings. The pottery remains exhibit an appreciation for art as well as utility. The kiva, the ceremonial heart of the community, is a beautiful underground structure. And then there is the scenery itself.


Our friends headed down a dirt road that led to parts unknown. We found ourselves on the Ute Mountain reservation. A few fences and corrals, and Native American cowboys with pickup trucks, provided the only evidence of human occupation. Otherwise it was all wide open spaces, rocky sage-brush covered hills, and rugged canyons.

Our next destination: Mule Canyon Ruin.