from here to there

Ah, the gift of flight. I’ll not ever take it for granted. It took some soul searching, some good counsel, some desire, some faith, and some Mozart to find my wings. Thirty-three years and 393 air trips later, I’m still astounded and grateful for finding my way to my wings.

In her seventies, Georgia O’Keeffe traveled in an airplane for the first time and was fascinated at the view looking down on the earth and the clouds.

 Around 1963, working in Abiquiu, New Mexico, she began a series featuring endless expanses of clouds. Sky above Clouds IV was the culmination of the series.

Occasionally when I gaze out the window on a flight I like to think I’m seeing something similar to what O’Keeffe saw.

Just a short time ago this view.

I’m hoping we daytrip to Abiquiu during our time here. One afternoon on that trip years ago, we were sitting on a swing outside the guest house at Sue’s. Uncharacteristically unrealistic for us, we decided to get in the car and drive to Georgia’s place. We’d no clue exactly where she lived, but we were certain we would run across her out walking along the road.

While we had a lovely drive in that part of northern New Mexico, we did not find Georgia.

Here’s a stock photo to give you a sense of the area. I hope to replace it with my own in a day or so.

Before O’Keeffe saw the clouds from the sky above, she was totally taken with the New Mexico sky as she gazed up. In a letter to her friend Anita Politer in 1916 she wrote, “…and the SKY – Anita you have never seen SKY. – it is wonderful.”

This from a previous trip.

In the meantime, I had quite a turbulent ride across Oklahoma. Flying low, the views below are easily seen and enjoyed.

Now calm skies as we cross into New Mexico. Soon to arrive.

Crescit eundo. The New Mexico State motto. Latin for “It grows as it goes”. On that note, I have landed in the land of enchantment.