When You Wish....

It was 114 degrees in St. George, the week of July 4, 2015.  We had not visited our St. George house for nearly four months and we wondered if it was still there.  What to do?  We went south, but spent both Friday and Saturday at 8000 feet above sea level, in pockets of coolness.  We got what we wished for--relaxed wandering, gorgeous scenery, and quirky places.  And, as it turned out, it was hotter that weekend in SLC (97 degrees) than in St. George (90 degrees).

On Friday morning, July 3, we headed for Bryce Canyon, which, at 8000 feet, has 200 days per year of freezing weather.  We could use some of that.  We moseyed along, visiting antique shops in two rural towns on our way.  The first stop was Orderville.  I always check out the tea cups, since I keep a collection for my grandchildren to choose from when we make homemade scones, homemade jam, and hot chocolate for "tea".

We will return to Orderville to visit the Old Rock Schoolhouse, now a Daughters of Utah Pioneers museum.  It houses items from the days that Orderville lived the Law of Consecration.

Down the road was Mugwump's antique shop, festooned with flags and "I am a child of God" signs.

The land between St. George and Bryce is gorgeous--streams, green fields, and red and blue mountains in the distance.

The shops at Bryce are filled with Indian treasures, fossils, and rocks and minerals.

We wandered the "rock yard"--such a Utahn place. 

Dave loves petrified wood.  He wondered if there is any spot left at any of our houses for a $2000 slice of it.  "We'll have to call Susan Taggart and ask," I suggested.

We took two hikes at Bryce.  We walked a mile on the Bristlecone Pine trail, which wanders from one viewpoint to the next by way of an ancient bristlecone pine forest.

It began to rain, but the thunderclouds just made the views more stunning.

As we left Bryce, we took the "Mossy Cave" hike, which was new to us.  The trail forked, with paths to both Mossy Cave and a waterfall.

We could, indeed, see moss in the cave, but that was a bigger deal for Southern Utah desert dwellers than for Dave and me.

The waterfall adorned a canal cut by downstream water users.  In the early years of Utah, many places, such as Hurricane, had to build canals to get water from sluggish rivers to thirsty farmland.  Dave's ancestors were Hurricane canal builders.  There were Bryce canal builders, as well.

On Friday evening, we attended a production of a new Disney musical, "When You Wish," at the Tuacahn Amphitheater.  It had great Disney songs, dancing, and vignettes from Disney shows, but not much of a plot.  That didn't bother me.  What did bother me was that it was 87 degrees at 10 p.m., when the show let out.  We downed water and frozen lemonade all night to stay cool.

The thirteen-year-old star of "When You Wish" was charming.

On Saturday we drove to the North Rim of the Grand Canyon, by way of the antique stores in Hurricane.  This is the store in which we bought the saddle for our "bunk room."

 Serendipity!  We read in the St. George newspaper, The Spectrum, that residents of Colorado City who had left the polygamist cults there were having a "coming out" party and inviting former cult members from around the state to come.  The public was welcome, as well.  Since Colorado City was on the way to the Grand Canyon, we stopped by.

 David described Cottonwood Park, where the party was held, as having a "third world" look.  There was dirt where SLC parks would have gravel or stone, and there were no water fountains or similar amenities.  Nearby the park were the huge, unfinished, small-windowed houses which are typical of Colorado City and its sister town, Hilsdale.  They are well-suited for huge families. 

 There were, however, displays of farm equipment and lots of happy people.

 A musician crooned on a pedestal.

 Teenagers mingled and little kids shared a tire swing.

 We drove on to Jacob's Lake.  The Jacob Lake Inn is a favorite stop.  "These are some of the best cookies I've eaten," David said, as he downed a fudge cookie, frosted with chocolate and studded with raspberry jam.  We had lunch at the Inn--grilled chicken salads with orange basil dressing.

 The gift shop has fancy rugs and pots from the pueblos.  Small rugs in this collection cost $700!

 Our server at Jacob's Lake gave us something even more delightful than the salads and cookies.  "Don't miss Cape Royal or Inspiration Point at the Grand Canyon," he said.  We have been to the North Rim of the Grand Canyon several times, but have only visited the viewpoints and trails right near the lodge.  We have always thought of the North Rim as the "poor man's Grand Canyon"--fewer people and closer, but not as pretty.  The views from Cape Royal and Inspiration Point matched any views at the South Rim.

 Our final treat of the weekend was a concert of classic rock music at the Dixie State Cultural Center.  Juice Newton's most famous song is "Angel of the Morning," a special favorite of Dave's and mine.