Traveling

I live in a landscape dominated by trees. When I look out the window of my house, I see trees in every direction. When I walk in my woods in spring or summer, the foliage is so thick that I can't see more than twenty feet in any direction. At my parents' camp, we live in the deep shade of tall oak trees, whose branches spread over and tangle with the branches of smaller trees. When we hike in my part of the country, we see mostly trees in every directions, getting a longer view only at a rare rock ledge or the summit of a mountain.

The southwest landscape, without the trees I am used to, is dominated by sun, by sky that stretches over rocks and cliffs. No matter where I go or which way I turn, some kind of scenic vista stretches before me. Whether hiking along a trail or driving in the car to our next destination, I can see for miles. When I close my eyes at night, I can still see this view.