Tuesday, June 4, 2013

Sea of Sego Lilies


Sego Lily - State flower of Utah
Between 1840 and 1851 food was very scarce in Utah due to a crop-devouring plague of crickets.  During this time the pioneers learned to dig up and eat the soft, bulbous root of the sego lily. 

This past weekend we had a wonderful time in Moab and Arches National Park with family.  While on one of our RZR rides, (side-by-side 4 wheelers), we came upon this beautiful field of yellow wild flowers followed by another beautiful sea of sego lilies.  I don't think I've ever seen so many sego lilies in one place at one time.  As is typical when we travel, I see some of my favorite scenes in the middle of the day, and this was no exception.  Here it is mid day with glaringly bright sun creating harsh shadows and washing out all the colors.... not at all conducive for great photography.....or for that matter, even semi-good photography.  As Joel Sartore, (a photographer for National Geographic), said in a workshop I attended, "good light is good and bad light is bad"!  So true!  Anyway, I did more editing than usual to try to make this less bad!!!!