Orenda Ayashe

Many years before visiting Arizona, I woke from dreams of living here and of the red mountains and blue sky. Then I would occasionally see an advertisement or a commercial about traveling to "Red Rock" country.

It wasn't just Arizona, but Sedona in particular. I had been told, and read of the art communities, the esoteric shops and the mysterious vortex areas within the hills.

I'd traveled out of state alone many times before, but never this far and never to a locale I'd never been without someone else. But Sedona was calling with a strong pull. A few days before leaving Arizona to return to Washington, a local Native said "The Earth is calling you." He was right and I came back many times before finally making Arizona my permanent home, with no regrets. After getting settled in, I drove back to Sedona in September 2019, happily knowing I'm only 2 hours away from my Magic Place. Conde Naste Traveler Magazine rates Sedona as #1 most beautiful place in the U.S.