The Dry Garden

Tomatoes

 
 The Gardener grows tomatoes in a cage to protect them from moles and gophers. 

Plants Have Grown Well in the Dry Garden

 
 The Mound

It's hard to believe this was bare earth and rocks last December!

A Bizarre Occurrence or Never Camp Under Flowering Cottonwoods

We take the shuttle into Springdale on Wednesday morning to buy groceries and then return to camp for lunch. I'm sitting talking to the Gardener when I realize that I'm looking through a fog.  I feel I can't ignore this so we drive to a medical clinic in Springdale.  

After many tests the doctor asks, "Are there any cottonwood trees out there?" The bright green of cottonwood trees looks amazing against the red cliffs of Zion National Park.  They're particularly beautiful at this time of year as they drop drifts of pale pink blossom.

"We're camping under cottonwoods," I say.

He tells me that the whites of my eyes are bulging and that he thinks that, like many other people, I'm allergic to the cottonwoods. He gives me drops to rinse out my eyes and drops to take the red away.

Darn! 

We head out for the East Gate of Zion National Park and walk up part of the East Rim Trail. I took the following photograph on 3rd March 2008 when there was snow on the ground:

 
 View from the East Rim Trail (taken March 3rd 2008)

We head back to camp for an enjoyable dinner and settle comfortably in our sleeping bags. 

When I wake next morning my eyes are swollen shut. By putting my hand over them, I can force them open a slit, enough to see the ground but that's all.

The Gardener and his sister pack up camp while I sit in the truck with my eyes shut, my sunglasses on and a sweater over my head as I can't bear the light.

We stop at a hospital on the way home and the doctor there says it's viral,vernal or allergic conjunctivitis. He gives me a prescription for steroid drops for my eyes and for painkillers.  I sleep for most of the 800- mile drive home!

The following day my ophthamologist confirms it's allergic conjunctivitis. In future, I will avoid the desert in late April/ early May that's for sure!

Zion

We spend a morning in Saint George, grocery shopping and visiting a bookstore and then head out for Zion National Park and set up camp.  In the afternoon we take the shuttle into Zion Canyon. We walk up to Weeping Rock where water from Echo Canyon weeps between two rock strata, kayenta and Navajo sandstone. Lush hanging gardens flourish here.

Next day we take the circular Middle Emerald Pools Trail.  The views are amazing and we see many wildflowers.

 
On the Way to Middle Emerald Pool 

 

Middle Emerald Pool

 
On the Way to Lower Emerald Pool

 
Lower Emerald Pool  

 

Why Do These Things Always Happen on a Sunday?

We set off for Zion National Park. As we drive under a freeway overpass in Bakersfield, a horn sounds loudly and continuously.  We look around uneasily and then the terrible realization dawns: it's our car that's making the noise.  After about 40 seconds the sound stops and we breathe sigh of relief. Twenty minutes later the horn blares again, and again another fifteen minutes later.  Why do these things always happen on a Sunday?

We wind through the Tehachapi Mountains and across the Mojave Desert to bursts of the deafening and inharmonious sound. Finally the Gardener finds a quiet spot and manages to disconnect the horn. Oh, the sweet sound of silence!

We press on for St.George, Utah, fall into Cracker Barrel for comfort food (not sure about the green beans tossed with bacon grease, though) and then into bed at the motel.

An Enormous Bird

We take a camping trip to Pinnacles National Monument, the remains of an ancient volcano, with the Gardener's sister. This is the ideal time of year to visit because the spring flowers are magnificent. We set up camp in a very nice spot. 

We see an enormous bird flying overhead, one that dwarfs the turkey vultures that fly below it. We know that California Condors were released here in 2003 and we suspect that we're lucky enough to be seeing one.  A California Condor can have a wingspan of nearly 10 feet and soar as high as 15,000 feet.  

 
 On the High Peaks Trail

Next day, after a hearty breakfast of bacon, eggs and fried potatoes, we take the High Peaks Trail.  We see many spring flowers,some of which would do well in our dry wash; golden yarrow and monkey flower are examples.

   

  Our Picnic Spot 

Back at camp in the evening a fellow camper invites us to look through his spotting scope at the Condor, which is sitting on a tree branch.  A marvelous sight!