Zion Nat'l Park 06-01-12

We had a late start this morning as we had some things to deal with before we left St. George, Utah.  We had decided to go through Zion to get to Bryce Canyon, but it was 100F at Zion and it was a long slow drive to get there.  We decided that driving further west and north to Bryce was not practical, so we retraced our drive to I-15 and turned north.  So, tonight we are in Cedar City, Utah.  We ate a not very good dinner at a local restaurant - in a large turn of the last century house with some very nice art deco stained glass panels and a flower-filled yard.  The lilacs are done, but the peonies are gorgeous.  

 
Not far before Zion we stopped at a fruit stand, that also dips ice cream and gelato, which was very good and very refreshing. The trees in the foreground are apple and they appear to be loaded with little green apples growing into the fall harvest.  Towering cottonwood trees abounded and there were several families of robins busy feeding their fledglings.  Such a peaceful and cool respite on our drive. 

 

We stopped at this lodge to check out the modern whirligigs just before the Zion Nat'l Park entrance and admired this "temple" of rock rising behind it.  

 
Beside being so hot, there were crowds of people (just as I remember from 50 or so years ago).  We had leftover duck from dinner in St. George and two croissants we purchased at a bakery near our motel, so we decided to find a shady tree (which happened to be in the parking lot) and make our duck/croissant sandwiches while the A/C kept us cool.  It was a delicious lunch.  But I had to put up with Ruth turning her head away when I tried to take her picture! 

 
This gaillardia is growing in a large pot with other plants - just the right spot and just the right height for a portrait.  (sometimes they are called 'blanket flowers'). 
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