Foto Friday catchup day

I’m in Torrey, Utah, where I’ve been fortunate enough to be on the faculty for the Entrada Institute’s Writing From the Land workshop, which has so far been super interesting and enlightening, but also busy. And for the last couple of days I was out in the southeastern Utah desert, getting gnawed on by vicious gnats and doing more of the “from the land” and less of the writing. All of which is to say I don’t have a dispatch for you today, so you can take the day off.

I can say that this is beautiful country — aside from the gnats (my legs are covered with festering welts that start itching at precisely 3:38 a.m.). Capitol Reef National Park seems crowded to me, meaning the parking lots are all full, but I don’t know if it’s unusually busy. The rest of Utah was relatively and pleasantly unpeopled, perhaps because of gas prices, the heat, or, yes, those damned gnats. By the way, if anyone knows why this year’s swarms are so vicious, do let me know. I haven’t been this bit up since I was a kid.

And now, a few photos for your viewing pleasure.