EDITOR'S PAGE

WHEN IN 1938 I first entered the world of commerce as an apprentice clerk (some would say carryout boy) at Lantz's Grocery in Prescott, the finest peaches in town came over Mingus Mountain from orchards at the mouth of Oak Creek Canyon: the famous Jordan Farms. I have never eaten better peaches in all the years that have passed since then. Unfortunately from my point of view-peaches no longer are a major factor in the economy and popularity of the Oak Creek area (though it still produces a respectable crop of apples each fall). But I was pleased to learn as we worked on this issue of Arizona Highways that Walter and Ruth Jordan, long retired from their orchardists' vocation, are still active and still raise choice produce in their garden (page 4).

My other main memory of Oak Creek Canyon from long ago has to do with its beautiful and distinctive scenery. Its attractions were much admired in Prescott, many of whose residents made an annual fall pilgrimage to the village of Sedona and on up the canyon to enjoy the spectacle of autumn color.

It was common in those days to hear new arrivals exclaim in wonder over the surprises of the red rock country. "You Arizonans are the sly ones," I heard one traveler say to my dad. "You tell the world about the Grand Canyon, but you keep Oak Creek Canyon as your own secret."

In due course, Technicolor and Kodachrome gave away the secret. Color photography and cinematography and the southwestward migration that followed World War II led to an increasing awareness of Sedona and a surge in its growth that shows no sign of abating.

Our report on the Sedona region this month comprises five articles produced by a talented alliance of writers and photographers. In addition to their coverage (see pages 4 through 31), we recently came upon a distinctive treatment of the Oak Creek landscape unlike any I had seen before. It is the work of a nun of the Dominican Order of Preachers named Sister Adele, a photomontage of a kind she calls "counterpoint imagery," combining in this case a landscape elevation with the intriguing bands and hues of a geode in cross section. Reproduced on this page, it depicts Courthouse Rock (also known as Cathedral Rock and Eagle Rock) on the left and Bell Rock at right rear.

Rich as the area is in material for journalists and artists, red rock country is not our only preoccupation this month. For example: In several parts of our state, stockmen long plagued by the problem of overgrazing and deteriorating rangeland are looking at new possibilities of range renewal through the techniques of Holistic Resource Management, specifically by switching from grazing cattle to browsing goats.

Our art portfolio focuses on the achievements of the late Maynard Dixon and includes some paintings never before reproduced. And we give you an opportunity to smile at the antics of that curious bird, the roadrunner.

It is spring now on the Arizona desert. Wherever you are, we hope this issue will suggest to you the warmth and appeal of our land and of our people.