A Photographic Tour of Salt Lake's Red Butte Gardens

That's what we did for Memorial Day. No BBQ and swimming. No trips to the cemetery. Just a trip to the local arboretum. (What can I say?) 

Afterward, we took the kids to Hawaiian Ice for snow cones. Snow cones around here are serious business. Hawaiian Ice in particular has options like gummy bears or ice cream on the bottom, and heavy cream, sweetened condensed milk, or sour spray poured over the top. (Heavy cream. All the way.) 

(Unfortunately, it was a super long wait and the kids were going bananas, so while I was helping Rachael jump up and down over and over again by holding onto her hands and lifting her up and down and up and down, I re-injured something in my bicep and the pain/tension has now spread into my neck and head. I am NOT a happy camper today!! Where is my chiropractor father when I need him?)  

Also, Kate is not in any of the pictures because she was at a friend's house watching the Studio Ghibli movie, Princess Mononoke, and ranting about all the injustice shown to Nikola Tesla. (Totally unrelated to the movie. She wants to get a fake moustache for Nikoa Tesla on July 10th. She is SO fourteen!!) I also threw in a few pictures I took out of the car window on the drive up and back since the mountains are ridiculously beautiful right now. Honestly, this spring has been so gorgeous!

Thus ends the journaling for this post. Enjoy the pictures. It really was a beautiful place, and they even have an awesome summer concert series. I was bummed to find out that both Sheryl Crow and Norah Jones were already sold out! Last night was also a sold out show--The Shins. (And Laura, Wilco sold out on June 25th...) I can't believe it took us almost two years to get to this place. It's only like a half hour drive. (I do love Thanksgiving Point's gardens, but they are much more manicured and very young. I'm a sucker for natural space that has old trees and feels kind of wild.) 

Okay, I really am done now. On with the photographic tour!

These next three are my absolute favorites:

Rachael was telling me to sit down and relax in the grass. So I did.

Will spotted a bunch of spittle bugs:

These next two are pretty good too:

Who knew chives were so cute?

I so get this:

Isn't this so clever?

The snake fountain--brilliant! It winds around and around, getting increasingly bigger or smaller depending on where you begin:

 

Brandon wants to make a playhouse like this at our new house:

And prune a tree like this:

I had no idea I was such a plant lover! I may even take up gardening in my next life. (When Rachael goes to school full time.) 

Over the mountain and back to the other valley:

That's all folks! (Brandon just brought me some cold herbal tea and a muscle relaxer. Mmmmmm....)