And that is something I can do . . .
I have a love hate relationship with Spring Break. I mean, it's great. Absolutely wonderful. You know, until it ends in three days instead of three months. It's like taking one bite of ice cream and then having Mom snatch it away until you eat your broccoli. Which isn't to say that my mom does that, or that I hate broccoli. (Actually it's not that bad.)
Needless to say, I'm currently blogging because I'm in some sort of conscious denial that I have English homework and it actually does have to get done before Tuesday. But hey, Tuesday's still a few days away, isn't it?
We've spent the last few days in St. George, hiking in Zion's National Park. When I was younger, I didn't think Utah was all that beautiful honestly. There was too much dirt and hot and the red rocks clashed horribly with all of the pine trees. (Why were the rocks red anyway?) I enjoyed Arches for a few hours, and Goblin Valley was pretty cool, (although I couldn't ever figure out why the hoodoos were called goblins. I thought they looked like rocks stacked on top of each other), but it wasn't until last year that I started to understand what was so unique about this state I live in.
Last summer Mom had a half marathon in Bryce Canyon so we spent a weekend up there. I remember standing above the canyon and being able to see for miles and miles and miles. We'd look down and see pillars the size of skyscrapers descending into the canyon below us. I remember thinking that this place must be where God comes when He needs something uplifting to help Him cope with the despair of our world (I love this!!).
Later we hiked down into the canyon. We'd walk in the shade of these huge cliffs on either side of us and stare in wonder at the trees that would grow right out of the rock. There was no possible way that they were surviving in their environment and yet they were.
I think last summer was the first time I remember being sorry to leave the dirt and the heat and the red rocks and the pine trees. Now we're in Zion's. I have to say I still prefer Bryce Canyon, but this place has its own wonders. The rocks don't form pillars, they're ginormous, sheer sandstone walls that reach as much as a thousand feet into the sky.
We've hiked along the edge and looked down into cavernous depths.
We've seen gravity defying trees that grow sideways from the cliff and water that seeps down through several feet of solid rock to drip on the heads of ignorant hikers.
We've watched minuscule rock climbers scale the cliffs. We've looked out from precarious heights and seen what a small river and a few million years can do to a landscape. It's absolutely breathtaking.
And it's much more satisfying to think about than The Merchant of Venice.
Kiersten's blog, Be a Little Better, can be viewed at kierstenleary.blogspot.com.
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Erik and his friend Squirrel. My, he was friendly.
Ash was 100% positive we would run into her friend Ellie. I kept telling her it was nearly impossible because of the amount of of people. Ah, the faith of a child. Are they really the same age??
Alex worked hard for his badge. He is now an official Jr. Park Ranger and loves to tell everyone.
1 comment:
Great pictures!
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