Desert Applique

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There’s just something about the vastness of the desert that makes it feel so infinite. As if we’ve landed in Mars or back in the time of the dinosaurs. It’s land carries a spirit, and if you sit with it long enough, it will start to share its stories with you until you become part of it.

Inspired by this  Desert Applique exhibition by artist Lea Donnan. Created with salvaged crochet, wood, synthetic rope in Joshua Tree, CA.

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Mojave Moments

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Space around me where my soul can breathe
I’ve got body that my mind can leave
Nothing else matters, I don’t care what I miss
Company’s okay, solitude is bliss – Tame Impala

Tame Impala was the soundtrack to this past weekend. Always has been one of our favorite road trip tracks. As the sun flares cast shadows against the Joshua trees, and the desert pantones spread vastly into the horizon, we couldn’t think of anything better for this moment of solitude and bliss. The Mojave is home of the largest Joshua tree forest and is also known as the field of gems, housing geological magic such as opal, agates and quartz crystals just to name a few. I was enamored by the beautiful stones that lay with every step!

We love the soul of big boulders. We knew we found the perfect camp spot when a large Joshua stood just steps away from this incredible boulder formation. We climbed to the top of the boulder doing out “coyote calls” and laughing at our randomness. The 360 view from the top was a spiritual experience. We felt the pull of the desert and stayed atop these boulders and watched the sun set. It gives me goosebumps just writing about.

Tonight was the full moon-!! It cast an ambient light into the desert so bright that we didnt use our headlamps at all. We made a fire within the boulders. The smooth rocks were shaped like eggs chairs, which felt like it was made just for that. Talks varied from travel and friends to NPR podcasts.

Blessed and blissed- we laid down under the stars that night, cozied under blankets and dozed off to the sound of the wind outside our tent.

Artist Spotlight: Mara B. Stones

So excited to share the art of desert queen Mara Stones. Immensely inspiring images of her sacred playground, along with words unraveled from bits of her poetry. They always transcend me to an enchanted barren landscape that is abundant with existence and evokes a serene stillness. Find more of her art here.

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Low desert spirit

Let me start again.
The dirty stone gets further out of reach,
beyond my conscience.
I´m an incurable wild.
I have burned up all my chances,
and a chance is life.
I´m meeting my destiny
this evening
at the sea shore
and I´m gonna kill it.
So let me start again.

– Mara B. STones

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The skin burst above you.
Your hand more slow
than slowness,
and my speechlessness.
-Spill of secrets-
Scars in our maps
without marked places.
I´m using my gravity
to peer into your essence.
There´s a parched story
and a bitter gasp,
where our days are written,
still.

In the rippling sand.
Traces of our plans,
tethered thoughts
that carry us to
the poverty in the mouth
pronouncing each verb
-as we used to-
Without speaking.

– Mara B. STones

deserters series

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You fall in love with the insoluble
Because beauty is not
rather than part of the intangible.
And love actually
is only the beginning of the symptom.
So you fall for the impossible
and then you die a little.

– Mara B. STones

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The Golden City of India

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This post has been waiting to be finished for several weeks now it seems. So much has happened since Jaisalmer. We’re not even in India anymore. I’m still trying to piece together all the insanity from the last couple of months. It’s wild to look back at these photos and believe I was actually there. Jaisalmer was a special place. Special in a so many ways but I think a big part was due to the fact that it was the first long stop of my solo journey around India while Charmie was experiencing Ashram life in the north. This was a city I got to know all on my own. A place where I had several meals with locals and randomly made friends with an older chap from a nearby desert village that I ended up hanging out with for a couple days. This was also a place where I had never felt so isolated or alone. It was the “off season” so the town was extremely quiet as far as tourists go. Nothing but Indian faces and broken English conversations for days. I took advantage of having absolute freedom of going any direction without discussion. Each day I would go out and walk wherever the wind took me until sundown, getting lost in the maze of alleyways throughout the ancient fort. I remember feeling like I had discovered some sort of mystical desert wonderland and I had it all on my own.

Traveling alone in India was truly life changing. So many moments of peace, anger, excitement, euphoria, shock, confusion… all that can never be re-lived or fully explained. These are images and memories that I will forever hold onto as being one of my favorite stops along the journey so far.

Coral Sand Dunes of Utah

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Coral Sand Dunes

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Bright coral hued sands sparkled under the Utah sunlight. Sands so fine and incredibly soft that sinks like snow with every step. We’ve always been enchanted by the desert and this was an adult sandbox!

Photos caught through film

Enchanting Southwest USA

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Finally taking some time to go through the crazy amount of photos we’ve taken over the past few months. Looking back through our US road trip photos, it makes me a little home sick. The Southwest has to be one of the most beautiful places on this earth. There’s something magical about the desert and I look forward to returning there sometime in the not so distant future. Here are a few of my favorite shots captured with the Nikon EM.