The Verde Valley - Cottonwood, Arizona

This morning I woke up just before sunrise, so I got my camera out and waited for the golden hour, which is really like the golden 15 minutes. The landscape is so beautiful just before the sun rises and the fifteen minutes after. I usually get up about a half hour after sunrise, but I'll have to change that. The high desert is nice and cool at this hour, but the temperature quickly climbs, and this morning I was treated to a pronghorn antelope running across the grasslands near my campsite. They run so fast, that I could not get a photo. They are often referred to as “antelope,” however, they are not closely related to any African antelope species. The name “pronghorn” is derived from a forward projection or prong on each horn.

The benefits of rising with the sun, are the viewing of wildlife, and my mind doesn't wander toward my OCD. If I sleep too late I surrender to the depression and anxiety. So I get up, and make breakfast, and start planning my day.