Gratitude Practice 2020 Day 58: Antelope Island

Without question one of Utah's greatest hidden treasures is Antelope Island State Park. Knowing that it's a giant floating island and has an actual state park recognition probably negates my description of "hidden" but it's a treasure none the less. We recently spent a quiet cloudy afternoon lazily exploring all of the roads and...WOW! It was stunning from start to finish. Moody. Dramatic. Diverse in it's topography. Quiet. Peaceful. Peacefully haunting and almost deserted. A perfect collection of desert and mountain and sand and beach and roaming herds of hairy brown bison all surrounded by salty silent water. Nobody does neutrals better than Antelope Island and I can't wait to return in a few months to see how the contrasting yellows and golds of mountain yarrow and wild sunflowers will add both depth and demension. Miles and miles. Fields after fields. Meadow after meadow. Acre after acre. And so much salty sandy water. Such a tranquil day full of the most unexpected beauty and one my heart and soul needed.

"By definition, our national parks in all their particularity and peculiarity show us as much about ourselves as the landscapes they honor and protect. They can be seen as holograms of an America born of shadow and light; dimensional; full of contradictions and complexities. Our dreams, our generosities, our cruelties and crimes are absorbed into these parks like water." -Terry Tempest Williams

Tonight, grateful for a day spent on the island and how my mind continues to think back to this beloved Utah landmark and the hope that my heart never forgets.