Zinnias in the cleft of the rock

"He hideth my soul in the cleft of the rock"

Most of the zinnias are gone, but this one, nestled up against the boulders that make up a rock waterfall next to our pool, is still healthy and blooming. It made me think of an old hymn with the line "He hideth my soul in the cleft of the rock" that my grandfather used to sing.

When I think of "hiding in the cleft of the rock" I think about shade in a desert climate, or perhaps a refuge from predators. In this case I think the rocks heat up during the day, and radiate that stored heat back at night, making this tiny spot a more hospitable microclimate for the zinnia plant at this time of year.