Painnted Half Dome
Terri Webster Schrandt

Sunday Stills: How #Iconic are Your Favorite Places and Spaces?

This week, the Sunday Stills’ challenge theme is “Iconic Places and Spaces.” The definition of ICONIC is “widely considered to epitomize an era, culture, community, or place.” An icon is something or someone who is widely influential, recognizable, and/or revered. Source

I tend to believe “ICONIC” is in the eye of the beholder.

Half Dome View from Glacier Point
Iconic Half Dome View from Glacier Point, Yosemite National Park

As many of us in the Northern Hemisphere long for spring, we may already be making plans for upcoming vacations and travel. We booked an RV campground for mid-October to attend a family wedding in Northwestern Washington. Oddly, after three years of living in Washington, we’ve only traveled within the state’s Eastern, Central, and Southern portions.

Diamond Peaks of Cascade Range, Wenatchee
Cascade Range, Wenatchee, WA

We hadn’t had the urge to visit the Seattle/Tacoma area known to Eastern Washingtonians as the “West Side.” Mostly we didn’t visit because the pandemic caused restrictions in 2021 to some degree and other events and travel didn’t take us in that direction. We hope summer 2024 changes that! After all, we have some family and friends in the area as an added incentive!

“There’s nothing greener than Washington state. They have the most beautiful vegetation on the planet. And the water is so clean.” ~ Fabio Lanzoni

But, believe me when I tell you that Eastern Washington has many sights to see.

Local Eastern Washington Iconic Places

We live within a few miles of Riverside State Park, which boasts amazing geologic formations, two dams, and the beginning of the 40-mile-long Centennial Trail.

“There is no exquisite beauty without some strangeness.” ~ E.A. Poe

Deep Creek Steel Bridge
Deep Creek Steel Bridge Centennial Trail
Bowl and Pitcher 9 mile falls
Bowl and Pitcher
Moose on the trail
Moose on the Trail

The town of Nine Mile Falls takes its name from the actual falls. After a snowy winter, water was let out of the dam on the Spokane River in December, and I never get tired of seeing the falls in their spring glory.

The falls tickle ALL of my senses. As I drive by, I roll the windows down in my car, hear the incredible ROAR of the falls, and see the dense mist rising as I use my windshield wipers to better see. Walking along the trail downstream, I stoop to feel the ice-cold water. A quick taste–the water is sweet. You can see for yourself its stunning beauty!

water falls
Rare Winter View of 9 Mile Falls
Nine Mile Falls in Jade
Spring water rage from March – June

The Nine Mile Dam was built on the site of the falls in 1908, creating Nine Mile Reservoir.

Of note is also the Spokane House Interpretive Center. Spokane House was a fur-trading post founded in 1810 by the British-Canadian North West Company, located on a peninsula where the Spokane River and Little Spokane River meet here in Nine Mile Falls. The murals were repainted in 2022 and the dedication ceremony was held in the summer of 2023, complete with a drum ceremony from members of the Spokane Tribe of Indians.

Spokane House located in 9 Mile Falls
Spokane House located in 9 Mile Falls
Spokane Tribe Drummers practice
Spokane Tribe Drummers practice

These attractions are close enough that visitors can walk from the Spokane House to the waterfall.

Arizona Icons

“There’s something wonderfully healing in Arizona air.”
~ Zane Grey, The Call of the Canyon, 1924

A desert icon, the saguaro cactus (Carnegiea gigantea), is one of the defining plants of the Sonoran Desert, seen here along Hwy 87 in Tonto National Forest.

Saguaro Cactus Forest
Saguaro Cactus Forest Tonto National Forest

Along the Mogollon Rim

“Then the wind blew cool through the pinyons on the rim. There was a sweet tang of cedar and sage on the air and that indefinable fragrance peculiar to the canyon country of Arizona.” ~ Zane Grey

The Mogollon Rim is a 2,000-foot-high escarpment rising 5000 feet above sea level that defines the southwestern edge of the Colorado Plateau. The Rim stretches 200 miles across central Arizona into New Mexico.

Although I had never heard of the Mogollon Rim until we moved Dad to Payson, Arizona, which sits at the base of the Rim, I am transfixed by the iconic views that live there along the Rim Country.

Payson City Water Tower
City of Payson sign against the Rim

The day after New Year’s was “warm” and sunny so our family caravanned to Sedona for a day trip.

Sedona Red Rocks
Can you see Snoopy?
Couple in Sedona, AZ
Warm day hike

The Chapel of the Holy Cross has been a fixture of the Sedona community since its completion in 1956. I made a point to finally see the iconic Chapel for myself! Inside is an active Catholic church.

Chapel of the Holy Cross, Sedona AZ
Chapel of the Holy Cross

Page, Northern Arizona

“What are men to rocks and mountains?” ― Jane Austen

The town of Page, Arizona sits at the border of Arizona and Utah. I’m sure the residents of Page would declare their pride over the various attractions found in the area including the Glen Canyon Dam at Lake Powell. I need to visit here again to see everything Page has to offer.

In 2023, we stopped for an hour to visit Horseshoe Bend State Park. Just wow!

Iconic Horseshoe Bend, Page, Arizona
Iconic Horseshoe Bend, Page, Arizona

And just recently in January, I toured Antelope Canyon. Not much to look at from above, right?

Top of Antelope Canyon
What’s Below?

“Should you shield the canyons from the windstorms, you would never see the beauty of their carvings.” – Elisabeth Kubler-Ross

Wavy sandstone Antelope Canyon
Wavy sandstone textures Antelope Canyon
Iconic Twisted Walls of Antelope Canyon
Iconic Twisted Walls of Antelope Canyon

Our Navajo Guide was a talented photographer and flutist!

Navajo Guide Antelope Cyn
Our Navajo Guide measuring the height of Antelope Canyon
Navajo Flautist Antelope Canyon
Navajo Tour Guide plays his flute in Antelope Canyon

“Where words fail, music speaks.” – Hans Christian Andersen

Iconic National Parks

“Within National Parks is room — glorious room — room in which to find ourselves, in which to think and hope, to dream and plan, to rest and resolve.”
— Enos Mills

Marsha mentioned in her WQ post that beliefs are inherited, whether taught by our parents or inspired by others. My parents LOVED visiting national parks every summer. Because of that leisure ethic and legacy, I can’t drive within 100 miles of a national park (or state park) without stopping in for a visit. We have several iconic national parks here in the Western USA, and I have been so fortunate to have visited many of them and several state parks.

Gallery of visits to National Parks: Sequoia, Yosemite, Bryce Canyon, the Grand Canyon, and the Kilauea Crater in Volcanoes (Big Island, HI).

Two Bloggers
Terri and Marsha at Sequoia NP
Man and woman in Yosemite Valley
Yo-Selfie in Yosemite Valley
Bryce Canyon view
Me at Bryce Canyon
Winter in South Rim of Grand Canyon
Cold Winter’s Day in South Rim of Grand Canyon
Kilauea Crater 2018, Big Island, Hawaii
Visiting Kilauea Crater 2018, Big Island, Hawaii

“In the end, we will conserve only what we love, we will love only what we understand, and we will understand only what we are taught.” ~ Baba Dioum

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What I’m Inspired By this Week

Each week I find inspiration from my fellow bloggers’ photo challenges. I enjoy incorporating these into my Sunday Stills weekly themes.

Sunday Stills Photo Challenge Reminders

The Sunday Stills weekly-themed photo challenge is easy to join. You have all week to share and link your post. If you choose to link to Sunday Stills, kindly leave a comment on my post.

  • Remember to title your blog post a little differently than mine.
  • Please create a new post for the theme or link a recent one.
  • Entries for this theme can be posted all week.
  • Tag your post “Sunday Stills.”
  • Don’t forget to create a pingback to this post so that other participants can read your post.
  • I also recommend adding your post’s URL to the comments.

This Week’s Featured Bloggers

Sunday Stills is a wonderful community of bloggers, poets, artists, and photographers who desire to connect with one another. Below are this week’s links from bloggers who shared their photos of iconic places. I add these all week as new links are posted.

This week, think of the places you visit and consider your favorites. Would you categorize any of them iconic? No doubt every country and culture has its iconic places and spaces that attract your eye or inspire you. Please share and tell us a bit about them. Have a great week.

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122 comments

  7. So many of these places I visited with my family when I was growing up…which was some time ago! That means I can look forward to visiting them again. :-) I came here from Donna’s “Sound” post, so I can’t forget to mention enjoying the roar of the waterfalls you shared. This is really a Marsha post (and I mean that in a good way), as you covered a zillion things in one post. :-) National parks are a treasure and I enjoy each one.

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    • Thank you, Janet. I’m thankful my parents loved camping and adventure. My own daughters have embraced this as did my nieces. Locals here are worried that seeing the 9 mile falls now means we’re in for a hot dry summer. But it’s nice to see the falls now. We usually wait until late March.

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  8. Sheesh. I almost forgot to post….I agree that “iconic” is in the eye of the beholder. Great thought. I’ve always loved the cascade and olympic mountain ranges. I love our state. I love what you shared from teh East side. I rarely get over to that side of the state. Arizona is on our list of places to go. YES. I see snoopy. How funny. Wow, that chapel in the hillside is pretty neat.

    Loved your post. I have friends who are making it a goal to visit every National Park. They don’t have too many left to see. what a fun goal.

    https://troyerslovinglife.blogspot.com/2024/02/taking-in-life-around-mesundaystills.html

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  13. Oh my Terri, you stirred up some amazing memories of our visits to many of the places in your post. We are fortunate to have traveled to most of them and each is as magnificent as the last (or the next!). There is so much to see and love in every one of them, as well as in the many state parks and even local places like Charleston’s Magnolia Gardens for example. Thanks for the lovely reminders of these iconic, incredible places. Your images are wonderful

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  14. Your pictures of these iconic places are spectacular, compelling, exquisite, and inspiring. In other words, WOW! Thank goodness your parents inspired your belief in leisure. Mine did, too. We visited state parks mostly, and museums. That has followed me through life, even though I haven’t visited any of the Indiana State Parks recently. LOL

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    • Thank you, Marsha! Our Western US has so many amazing places to see. Looks like I’m heading back to Yosemite this summer. It will be worthy of a future post. My grandparents inspired my mom and her zeal for enjoying the outdoors. I’m glad your parents were instrumental in that legacy for you. State Parks are pretty amazing! Washington’s State Park annual pass is super cheap compared to some other states. But a $10 entry fee to many of the ones I’ve visited in several states is not bad.

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  20. I love the landscapes of the US, especially your National Parks – thank you for taking me to them, virtually! I love this theme too but as I’m travelling won’t be able to join in, though I’ll bear it in mind for a future post perhaps.

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  25. Beautiful images you have here Terri. The Nine Mile Falls would be a definite highlight for me too – all that energy and then the crystal-clear water. What a treat to see! I have heard of the Saguaro Cactus Forest before. That must be a sight to see as well. My mom would have enjoyed seeing that venue; she had several cactus gardens on the kitchen windowsill for many years. How on earth did they build the Chapel of the Holy Cross? That is some architectural feat! Visiting the national parks is a lesson in nature that no textbook could ever teach. You are lucky to have experienced such wonderful venues in your travels.

    Here is my post for this week – iconic as it is about some artifacts and ruins at the Henry and Clara Ford Estate.

    Let me tell you ‘bout the birds and the bees and …

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    • Thank you so much, Linda! When we first visited Spokane in 2010, I thought it was quite a beautiful area. It wasn’t until we saw our current property 4 years ago this month that I had even heard of Nine Mile Falls. What a gift to live so close to trails and nature–something I longed for in Sacramento for years.
      The Chapel of the Cross is really amazing and a lot larger than you expect when you walk up to it then go inside. I’m bummed I didn’t get any good pics on the inside (they were about to start a church service)!

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  30. Too many gorgeous photos for me to pick a favorite! But you have inspired me to want to visit Riverside State Park! I’ve passed through the area around Spokane but spent very little time visiting. Looks like a great place to go camping! And I always love red rock country in the Southwest. Your photo of Horseshoe Bend is outstanding as are your photos of Antelope Canyon. I’ve chosen to share another iconic place that I never get tired of visiting – the Redwoods! Come with Me for a Walk in the Redwoods – Cats and Trails and Garden Tales

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  32. I love that you took us through your recent travels for iconic places, Terri. It stretched the theme for me as I was thinking of city places. Yes, No place greener that WA. There are reasons for all that rain. I love that you included the church, the moose, and the saguaro. A great topic to think about. Just this morning I attended the Native American World Hoop Fest, and oh how the drums were a favorite. The sound just resonates in a natural way…as it should. Yes…great topic.

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  33. Terri,

    Helen and I have had the good fortune to visit many of the places in your photographs and we loved reliving some great memories through your camera. Horseshoe Bend was one of those great memories. One of the best days I ever had on a hiking trail was on Mt. Ranier during wildflower season. If you haven’t experienced it, I hope you have the opportunity. Thanks again, and have a great week! Joe

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    • Thank you, Joe, and I’m glad I could share some reminders for you. There is so much to see near Mt Rainier, Mt St Helens and the whole Olympic peninsula. Hopefully we can make an appearance there this spring or summer! Thank you for the suggestion 🙂

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  34. Hey, Terri. Just thought I would let you know I got a double set of posts from you today. This one and one at https://wordpress.com/read/feeds/47362352/posts/5123207523 that has only one line of text and no photographs. Strangely, the text is not in this post. It has your avatar but not your photograph. If I click on the title, it takes me to your home page. This is the feed url: https://wordpress.com/read/feeds/47362352 which has a number of your posts listed just by the title. You may already be aware of this but thought it best to let you know because of problems you had been experiencing. Marie

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  41. Oh, my, goodness, so many majestic and enchanting sights to see! It was fun to travel with you through your photographs. I’ve never seen a real cactus in person in the desert so Saguaro Cactus Forest was fascinating to see to me. I’ve never been to any of the places you featured, so now I’m a tad jealous. At least I can say I’ve seen them through the lenses of a buddy who lives near there! 😉 Of course, seeing all the smiles captured along the trips made me smile too. Lovely post, thank you so much for sharing!

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  44. My husband and I had a wonderful time reading this post, Terri. Great photos! We’ve been to most of these places, and have plans to go to Sedona for some hiking this spring. We haven’t visited the Spokane area yet, but are heading up to the Northern Cascades this summer, a little west of you, but in your direction. Enjoy your NW Washington trip. The Olympics are stunning especially the Ho Rainforest and the giant logs that wash up on the westernmost shore. And the seafood… yum. I get excited just thinking about your coming adventures.

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    • Thank you, John. I hope you can see a lot of AZ while you’re there as well as the AZ blogger group! Seeing the sights in Page are worth the effort.
      Yes, Half Dome is also the logo icon for Yosemite in that view from Glacier Point.

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  54. Goodness, Terri…those rocks, canyons and Horseshoe Bend are just incredible, definite icons! The Chapel of the Holly Cross is something else! I love waterfalls and this one is spectacular. A wonderful post.

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