Tuesday, January 20, 2009

Salt Lake City 28.1.02: Mountain Peaks and Sage Green Carpets

Just back from a hike up Ensign Peak Mountain or park on the outskirts of Salt Lake. A beautiful fall day, clear skies, not too warm. The leaves that have changed are mostly yellow, brilliant against the blue skies of the West. Sumac adds a splash of deep wine red, but it seems uncommon, and some small tree—hawthorn?—has yellow leaves tinged with maroon.

On the mountain peak, I picked dried yellow flowers, to show I made it to the top. And just below this stuck into the journal, a leaf from the tree I think is hawthorn.

All in all, a pleasant day, with invigorating air on the mountain, and a beautiful view of the city in the valley below on both sides of the peak. Hills carpeted in sage green, muted brown, yellow, and tan. I begin to see the appeal of the West, bleak as it can seem at other times.

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