After so much sad destruction to report, it’s nice to write about the brighter side of Glen Canyon Park.

And is it ever bright! Spring has come again to the upper slopes of Glen Canyon in a blaze of yellow, the bright light color of the oxalis (Bermuda buttercups)  and the mellower darker color of the wild mustard. The flowers bejewel the meadow below the Christopher Playground, contrasting with the darker vista on the other side of the canyon.

The best time to see these flowers is on a bright day. Oxalis furls its flowers like tiny umbrellas  in shade or rain, and we took these pictures in the evening when they had closed for the day. It was still lovely.

The Natural Areas Program dislikes oxalis, and in earlier years, pesticide warnings soon followed the flowers.  “Volunteers” presumably took their cue from that, and there was illegal spraying. We’re glad to see that the area around the rock, pesticide-sprayed by a “volunteer”, seems to have recovered to bloom nonetheless. Also, at least thus far, there are no pesticide warnings.

And did we say “golden”?  It’s not just gold. This cotoneaster was covered in berries so red they almost glowed in the dusk. They attract birds – and paparazzi.