A Letter to Midge Dear Midges Midge I Color time on the mountain and us with only an hour and a II half halt to see it We decided that the closest place to see the colors colors col col- col- col ors was to go out the airport road As we turned off the main highway and started darted toward the airport we stopped to check an oily smell smelt the car had 1 t looked at the surrounding hills hUls the odd formations lorm and wondered at atthe atthe atthe the small outcropping of f light color was to the left What geological joke left that small pile of different formation formation forma tion Uon In all th tb the red sandstone sandston Nothing wrong with engine sowe so sowe we woe proceeded onward We turned turned turned turn turn- ed to the left at the fork In Inthe Inthe th the road and climbed out of ot the Pack rack Creek area Even the grey brown hill hUl we were climbing Was wa enticing Occasional patches patch latch es of yellow against the drabness drabness drabness drab- drab ness of the hillside lent to a fall faU atmosphere The clouds were were white against a blue blu blue sky One of two of the clouds had an undercoating of dark darl grey Was it going to storm As we neared the top of the first Mint hill over to the right was a small brilliant patch of yellow from where we were It looked no bigger than a handkerchief We knew though If we were there It would be a sizeable patch of trees Soon we were going down the Mill Creek side of the hill hill all all allaround around were vast stretches of color yellow reds and browns I remember the statement of an artist that lived in Chicago but was a native of this coun coun- try If It I would paint a picture with these colors in it and tell tet the folks there that this Is the way It is in th the west they would think me mea a 11 fool with a brush brosh The road showed the results of the recent rains not bad but some ruts rots with rocks and debris debris de de- de- de bris at the side washed by the water from higher places We Ve were in our first as we started down the Mill MillCreek MillCreek Creek side The side is much steeper and that the Pack Creek side Our son said We Ve would be for sure if we fell off from here But we were out to see the colors colors colors col col- col- col and not be ors I by the steepness or of the canyon One time you asked what are They are a tree that grows at higher elevations and belong to the birch family In the summer they have small green leaves that are never still In the fall these leaves turn to a brilliant yel yel- yel- yel low Some of the leaves are tinged with red or orange On this trip there were some that were dark brown almost black I wondered why The grow in a clone clone around around a mother mother mother mo mo- mo- mo ther tree getting their start from Tom underground shoots It is almost Impossible to start this tree from seed As we reached the turn in the road where one goes to Lake and the other climbs out of Mill Creek to Castle Valley Valley Valley Val Val- ley and other parts our time was half hatt over so we turned around stopped around stopped to t take ke color pictures have a cool drink from froma a spring piped for handy drinking drink ing ate a crisp fall fan apple and soaked up some of the beauty We stopped at one place lace to take a quick look for arrow heads found some spruce gum just the right dryness for chewIng chewing chew chew- Ing the secret for chewing che this delicacy Is 19 to hold hoM it under ones one's tongue until it is warm and saw th the work of ot a cup and saucer spider in a juniper tree I know there are other towns where one can get out Into the hills quickly but there are not many In one hour and a half halt we were in the mountains saw the fall faU colors drank from a cold spring felt the autumn sun on our backs the autumn breeze through our hair and got back to a waiting appointment appoint appoint- ment Again I 1 say It Is a privilege privilege lege to live in Moab Come and try it sometime Love PEPITA