Wildflowers at Goblin Valley

When we made plans to go to Goblin Valley in May I wasn't sure it would be a great time to be there. It's definitely not the best time to hike the slot canyons, the possibility of flooding is too great. But it was the best time for our schedules so we went.

I was blown away by all the wildflowers in bloom there. Who knew that so many different kinds and colors of flowers could grow in that sandy, dry soil? I wish I had been able to write down all the names the ranger told us, but I didn't and it's been too long and I've forgotten most of them. But if you ever get a chance to go to Goblin Valley in the spring don't pass it up!!

Can't remember, but I loved the shape and color of this flower.

I think this one was called 'brittle brush'
This is the plant that had a little rattlesnake sleeping under it. Stacy and I both put our feet right up to it to take photos and later another person saw the snake under it. As the ranger talked to us about the danger of snakes, especially little ones, she and I both looked at each other with amazement. We were lucky to not have been bitten!

Maybe purple vetch?

Just a shot showing the variety of plants blooming!

I know this one is 'Globe Mallow"
We have it at home, but it does not grow that tall here.

no idea, but it's an interesting plant

Desert Primrose
These were everywhere. So amazing.

no idea

Salt Cedar blossoms (aka tamarisk)
I have always loved these shrubby trees. They have the most amazing mauve colored, feathery blossoms. Perfect for a T2 like me. But I have learned that they are a noxious weed. They invade and take over wherever there is water. So the government in our neck of the woods is cutting and burning them to get rid of them. :(

More Tamarisk

close up of the Primrose. Aren't they lovely??

They grow everywhere! Out of nowhere! Bunches and bunches of them.

This is one 'field' of Primroses we passed on our way to the Goblin's Lair cavern.
I could not believe my eyes at times.

This is a panoramic shot I took as we hiked to the cavern. I felt a little like Dorothy in the Wizard of Oz in the poppy field. There were flowers all around me and a small walking path in front of and behind me. Thankfully, the primroses did not make me sleepy.

Mormon cricket among the flowers. Pretty big and icky!

I can't imagine hordes of these invading and eating everything. Makes my skin crawl!

Charles' Preschool Graduation

Charles graduated from Mrs. Eardley's Joy School on May 15, 2014. This was a big accomplishment for him. The parents were invited to a little ceremony and Curtis and I were so happy to see him actually singing the songs, even doing the hand actions, and participating in every way. This was such a big change from the other programs we have been to at Joy School. He has gone from a shy little boy who hung his head rather than looking at people to a big boy who looks at people, sings and is now ready for the big world of Kindergarten.
Way to go, Charles, we are so happy to see you growing up to be such a big boy!

the happy graduate...

He's pretty proud of that diploma. And so am I.

Joy School graduating class of 2014

gotta love shaky phone photos

singing his little heart out

he's even doing the hand actions. 

Good Things:

School will be out next week

Things are starting to get green 

Big hazel eyes and shy smiles...

Goblin Valley

We made plans to go with Stacy and Stewart to Goblin Valley the Saturday before Mother's Day. It was the only day we could make it work with work and sports schedules. As it was, Cambria and Hannah had State Choir and weren't able to go with us.
We drove to Price on Friday and stayed at Stacy and Stewart's house. We enjoyed an evening meal and dessert roasted over the fire pit in the driveway. We got up early Saturday morning and drove back towards Green River and then headed SW to Goblin Valley. We had been trying to decide on whether to hike Little Wild Horse Canyon or not, but Stacy found out that there was a guided hike to a cave in the park so we opted to do that instead. Someday we'll do Little Wild Horse, but I think it will be better when the boys are older.
We ran down into the valley and played among the goblins. It's so interesting how well you can see across the valley when you're in the parking area and at the pavilion, but descend just a few feet onto the valley floor and you can't seen anything past the hoodoos in your line of vision. It's easy to lose kids there and at times it made me a bit nervous. Not enough to keep them tethered to me, but it got my heart rate up a time or two.
At the appointed time we went to the meeting spot for the hike to the Goblin's Lair. We had a nice guide who shared names of flowers and other information and put up with all the kids. As he hiked along with our kids following him, he looked like the Pied Piper.
The flowers we saw were amazing. This post shares some of the beauty we saw that day. At one point there were fields of primroses surrounding me and only a small path through them to walk on. I felt like Dorothy in the poppy fields. The cave was very interesting and I'm so glad we took the time to go there. We did get to do a little slot canyon on the way back to the parking area and it was cool. It made me really want to hike a bigger one, someday!
We ate lunch out of the backs of our cars and then headed back down into the valley to play. Some hide-n-seek and some frisbee were played. We wandered and wandered and just enjoyed the day. Early in the afternoon, the wind really started to blow. The valley floor is NOT the place to be when the wind starts to blow. Particularly if you are wearing contact lenses. I couldn't get out of there fast enough. It was easy to see how the hoodoos were formed and with the sandblasting it's apparent they get reshaped and eroded often.
Since a storm was moving in, we decided to call it a day. We would have liked to stay longer but I guess that just means we'll need to eventually go back! 

Smores at Stacy's-love the portable fire pit in the driveway!

So many places to climb and hide

The boys loved exploring amongst all the hoodoos.

Curtis

Charlie cheesing it up. :D

Olivia and Sadie framed by a couple of large goblins.

James made me a bit nervous. But he wasn't

Soren found a lounge chair!

Photo evidence that I was there!

Frog boy!

Waiting in the parking lot for our guided hike to begin. 

The boys didn't want to stay in line and before we knew it they were up near the front of the line of people hiking. 

The bush hiding the rattlesnake. How Stacy and I put our feet so close to him
to take pictures and didn't get bitten I'll never know!

Where are we going??? This is longer than I thought it would be...

Just follow the 'sandy, red road' 

This part of the hike up into the mouth of the cave was pretty strenuous.
I felt bad for some of the older people who were with us. 

Once we got up to the mouth of the cave, we then had to climb down to the cave floor. It was quite a ways down there.

this cool texture lined the walls of the cave. It was from the sand being blown onto the wet walls of the cave. 

This was looking up at the ceiling of the cave. Those are the 'skylights'
They were probably at least 50 feet above our heads.

Standing on the floor and looking back up at the entrance. Yes, we had to climb back out!

More cool textures...

Looking up at people rappelling into the cave from the ground above. 

Time to head back...

Curtis, James and Soren

James did very well, doing a lot of the climbing out on his own power.

Charles making his way out of the cave...

We took a bit of a detour on the way back to the parking lot. There is a small slot canyon there. 

crazy how tight the passages could get...
When we climbed out and looked back, I couldn't even tell that little canyon was there.
It was impossible to see from the road 10 feet away.

Sadie

We were minus a couple of girls that day, so this is our family picture at Goblin Valley

Hard to get everyone looking the right direction at the same time.