#1707 the garden is alive

I know, I know. Of course the garden is alive! There are thousands of plants and trees at Red Butte Garden, and there are lots of critters there too and they were all out and about this evening, it seemed like. Who could blame them? It was absolutely glorious up there tonight. Warm, but not too hot. A light breeze. Blue skies with high, wispy clouds floating overhead. The air was full of fragrance. It was idyllic.

In the evening there aren't as many people roaming around the garden, so you can really get in tune with the critters that live there. Tonight I saw hundreds of bumble bees - big, furry roly-poly bees merrily buzzing from flower to flower getting drunk on the pollen. There were an equally large number of butterflies - pale little yellow ones to medium size orange ones to great big yellow and black ones. There were dragonflies and hummingbirds. The magpies were there; the little finches were flitting about. I heard songbirds twittering away even though I couldn't see them. There was a group of four lady ducks by the waterfall having some dinner and taking a swim. I think I was stalked by some quail. At least I hope it was quail and not something else! I saw bunnies and squirrels.  And there was a snake, too, a rattle snake. Fortunately, I didn't see it, though it was in the Children's Garden. I just hadn't made it to the particular area where the snake was hanging out. A couple of ladies came to find me and told me about it and showed me photos. It was long. I immediately went to find a gardener and she came right up to take care of it. She said that she saw it and helped it go back up to the natural area where people don't walk. I was ok with that, but I was too scaredy-cat to go over to the squash and corn area where it had been. Hope nothing was blooming up there today because I skipped it!

RBG delights me every time I am there. Even when I don't really feel like going (like tonight for example), when I walk out the door to the Courtyard and I see all the changes that have happened from the previous visit and I take a deep breath and smell the fragrant air, I always smile. I feel my shoulders and spine relaxing. I look around and marvel at how much the grasses have grown and notice that what had been blooming has changed. There are so many shades of green. There are so many shapes and textures. I feel lucky to go there and be a tiny part of it.

If you live in the Salt Lake area, I really recommend that you try to get up there this summer. I think you will like it!

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