During my mother’s & niece’s visit, one of the best things we did involved a trip to Antelope Island State Park. If you’ve been reading my blog, then you’ll know that my first visit occurred in the fall (lots of pictures there). One major difference between the two trips can be summed up in two words–biting gnats! Now, prior to this spring visit, I had consulted websites about the park & what to know, in case there were changes or if there were any closures, & some pages mentioned these pesky tiny bugs that you could barely see but could certainly feel. Apparently, bug repellent is useless, so the only thing you can really do, if adamant about being outside at the park, is to wear netting, practically from head to toe.

This didn’t seem like it would be much of an issue, as my mother has mobility issues & I’d been nursing a knee injury. I just figured we’d mostly stay in the car & take in the views from there.

As you may have read before, my mother loves car rides as do I, since my dad would take us out for adventures on Sundays, quite literally for a “Sunday drive.” So, I knew my mom would be pretty contented just observing from the car. Or so I thought. In these days of social media, I guess my sister & some of my mom’s friends were insistent that my mother have more pictures of her in these Utah parks posted so that they could see her there as evidence. And so this meant many awkward moments of, “Hey, let’s jump out for a sec while I snap this picture,” followed by a scurry & “Run, run, quick, don’t let all of the gnats into the car!” This, to be followed with a further flurry of opening & closing the car windows while moving so as to force the gnats out, as they collected at the bottoms of the car windows.

We did manage to capture some spectacular lake mirror views & lovely animals in the wild, despite the frenzied in & out of the car sessions. It was worth the trouble, as you might see here.

Unlike what it might seem here, we complained minimally about the gnats at the time (believe it or not) because we were surrounded with such incredible beauty. The gnats were a small price to pay for the stunning vistas & close-up encounters with the bison we observed. A gray coyote happily wandered across the road, looking quite pretty, & we saw several herds of grazing bison all over the island as we explored both sides. One herd in particular had a number of calves, at least six, similar to cow calves but with slightly shaggy coats, while many nearby adult bison rolled around in the dirt or mud, looking like they were trying to alleviate themselves of the annoying gnats. Some singular bison were spotted periodically about the island, preferring to be alone, while others were found in repose, completely prone on the ground, presumably for a nap.

On our way back from the oldest farm or ranch on the island, we were treated to a few bison close to the road so we could get an up-close view of their woolly shoulders.

The science center located on the island offered plenty of neat exhibits to interest children & adults, so we made our way there towards the end of our visit. All exhibit elements related to the sustainable wildlife & ecosystem of the island, from brine shrimp & birds to antelope, deer, & bison. (While it’s small, I highly recommend checking it out if you find yourself visiting the park.) There were also sweeping views of the Great Salt Lake, & when there we were able to get some great shots of a mirroring effect of the snow-capped mountains & sky on the water’s surface. (The banner & last image were shot from the center interior.)

At some points, it could be difficult to distinguish water from sky. The Salt Lake mirrors I see in these images as I write this make me consider reflection–what it means, what it signifies, why it’s important.

Reflection can be a powerful process for introverts with anxiety. As I arrange these the various Salt Lake & Antelope Island images along with this composed narrative, I’m struck by how our experiences in our minds can help us relive & enjoy again positive memories, as if transported back into those settings which engaged all of our senses. How valuable to capture treasured moments in writing & in photography (or whatever best medium for the artist) so that we can revisit them. (This is one of the reasons why I’m grateful I’ve hung onto a number of my teenage journals, no matter how embarrassing the melodramatic writing. I can go back in time to hear my father’s voice or remember a joke my brother would tell.)

And so I do know with great profundity that my mother won’t be here forever; life experience has taught me that I can very easily lose contact with the people I love. Our memories are the best way of keeping those loved ones with us, so we need to be vigilant in that not forgetting. I’m glad I took the time to bring my mother to Antelope Island, as we need to make time for the people we love, for that connection, for our own happiness.