Most people, when they talk or hear of Arizona, immediately think desert. Well, not too far north of Phoenix, the elevation starts to climb fast, and today, on Interstate 17, on our way to the Grand Canyon, the road is icy with snow accumulating under cold gray skies. Our original plans had us leaving Friday afternoon for dinner in Sedona with an overnight about 25 miles (40km) south of the canyon rim, but poor weather kept us at home until first thing this morning. Shortly before arriving at the Grand Canyon, the clouds parted, offering up blue skies with a wonderous snow-dusted canyon.

This was our first view of the Grand Canyon here at Mather Point. The drive up was treacherous, but the effort was worth all of the grandeur the canyon displays on these rare days when a visitor can witness the snow-dusted canyon walls under blue skies. We were well bundled up with warm clothes as the temperature was a chilly 35 degrees (2 Celsius) day and 11 degrees (-12 Celsius) overnight. The world’s greatest hot chocolate at the El Tovar Hotel and Restaurant also works wonders to help keep us warm.

Jutta was prepared for this weather as Caroline and I suffered: it’s cold out here.

But the views are spectacular enough that it’s worth enduring a bit of discomfort.

Just a bunch of wow.

Much to my surprise, had you told me those first years I knew her that Jutta is a great sport and loves to laugh, I’d have never believed you.

I think it was Caroline’s intention to encase her mom in snow, but the old lady wiggled about too much, and getting the dry, cold snow to stick was problematic – wet snow might work better the next time. Of course, my idea wasn’t to turn her into a snowwoman but to simply nudge her off the canyon rim; who would have assumed that she did anything but slip? Well, she’s alive and kicking, so it may be that my best opportunity to “off” the mother-in-law has come and gone.