Cedar Mountain Rainstorm!

After a long, hard week for Paul and a tough hike on Friday for me, we decided to take it easy on Saturday.  It still wasn't a good day for the kayaks.  When we checked the weather we saw that it was supposed to rain on Cedar Mountain, so we decided to chill by taking a drive up to enjoy the rain in the mountains - and we were not disappointed.  It rained on us here and there as the clouds moved around, and it even hailed a little on us at a Cedar Breaks viewpoint we stopped off at.  It was was SO very refreshing and lovely, so green and smelling of the rain.  It was just what we hoped for.  We had a little excitement on the highway going up when someone pulled of in an old motor home a little in front of us and deserted it when it caught fire and burned completely down.  The police still don't know who it belonged to or why they just left it behind and took off.  It held us up a little while, but luckily not too long.  We enjoyed some viewpoints at Cedar Breaks.  Then along our  way we stopped off for a nap and found a new little stream access place.  We got out and walked along the stream for quite a ways enjoying the beautiful spot we had driven by so many times without stopping or realizing that you could get down to it.  After that we drove on to Panguitch Lake and walked down to see the spillway and drove around the lake and saw a "pirate ship" launching.   It was a perfect afternoon respite from the heat.  Oh, we stopped off at Ace for some cinnamon licorice too and found some really fun presents for family in the process!  

Grapevine - With Supe, Beacher and Jasmine

They wanted to borrow our walking sticks to navigate the steep trail...and they got me too!  I was a little worried about the trail because I remember how crazy steep it is in places, but it was actually better this time for me than last time.  And the waterholes and stream were so beautiful that it was worth it.  Supe and Beacher are always fun to be with and this was my first time hiking with Jasmine.  She and Beacher are so funny as sisters together.  (We saw a raccoon and I learned that they are even more bad than cats - to them!)  We got to the big pool/waterfall destination after a stop to cool off lower down.  And we enjoyed watching Supe climb up and jump in from off the cliff and rock above.  Beacher probably would have if she wasn't so very pregnant with little Jemmy.  She's still an adventurer even so pregnant!  We ate some food down there before we left.  I mooched some sausages that Supe cooked on his little stove.  They were so good!  We went down late afternoon and came out about 7 pm.  It was nice to come out in the shade and cooler time of day.  So, I'm glad I did that hike again!  I wasn't sure I would.  Today my thighs are not so happy.  I sort of took it easy yesterday too!  Getting to be a bit of a granny.  

Dinner Date - Kaebri & Tavin

We had such a fun evening dining out (first time since Covid-19) with Kaebri and Tavin.  She graduated and we usually take grads to dinner and Tavin is leaving for the second installment of his mission next week.  We wanted to spend this time with both of them.  We had yummy dinner at the Outback and chatted away.  We followed the guidelines of eating far apart from other diners, the waiter wore a mask, we had throw away menus that we folded into paper airplanes!  Then on the way home we decided (I decided) we should check in at Nielson's Custard to see if they had lemon.  They didn't, but we did anyway!  

They are both amazing young adults and they have been affected by this pandemic a lot.  Tavin had to come home after just a few months on his mission in the Philippines, quarantine at home for two weeks, and then wait for several more weeks after being released, to be recalled and set apart to go back out to a different mission - Tacoma, Washington.  They tell him to keep working on his language in case they can put him back in the Philippines sometime before he's released.   Kaebri had to miss the last quarter of her senior year of high school and all the fun stuff that goes along with that.  She had to do all of her schoolwork at home/on-line and miss a big completion she could have attended in graphic design.  She had an on-line graduation ceremony. She was a rock and found other ways to celebrate and other ways to proceed with her college plans. She had some job plans interrupted too.  Life goes on and they are doing it with a great attitude!  Couldn't be prouder of both of them.  

Maiden Voyage...not!

So we got our own kayaks!  Moss found a good deal and shared it with us and we couldn't resist.  We hoped we could try them out on Saturday at Enterprise Reservoir, but it was cold and windy when we got there...and we just didn't want to get into the water then.  But we still had a great time just driving different back roads looking for camp spots and fun things to see!  And we found one empty camp spot even with all of the crazy Memorial Day/Covid-19 crowds out that day!  The camp spot was on the road between the reservoir and Gunlock - 006, and it had a fun swing  over a little stream that we tried out!  And we saw a long, undangerous snake in the road and just a whole lot of other pretty!  (We did have to stop by Mountain Meadows on the way up because Paul has to do some work up there for the Church.  It was pretty busy, but cold and quiet.  It is just such a sad place.  I kind of don't like to go there even.)

May birthdays - Kaebri, Trigg & Zade!

Our Smith family May run of birthdays this year are all pretty landmark type.  Kaebri turned 18 to become and "adult".  Trigg turned 8 - and will be able to get baptized as soon as such things are able to happen again.  And Zade turned 12 - he was already ordained since the change in that made it possible, but still, tradition says that 12 is when he becomes a member of the Aaronic Priesthood.  So, lots of amazing things happening amid the craziness of not a lot of other things happening right now.  It was good to go by and say our happy birthdays.  We actually felt like we could give hugs again starting with Trigg's birthday!  When I see these kids growing up and time passing away, I think of Weed and miss her missing these important things in her children's lives.  But I also hope some way she's aware of it and sending her love out to them.  They seem like they are doing well...bonding and teaming up with Derek to get it done and have life be good for them.  It's good to see them healing and moving forward.  

Kaebri high school graduation - Covid19 style - via video!

Here I sit at my computer waiting to watch Kaebri's high school graduation.  In normal times I'd be at DSU Burns Arena with the whole family ready to scream and yell at the appropriate times...but not this time.  This will be a graduation that will be remembered long after because it will be so unique.  Kaebri dropped by her graduation announcement today, along with instructions of how we can "tune in" to watch the prerecorded, spliced together film they worked out to be the graduation ceremony.  It was so good to visit with her and hear her tell about how she and some friends did their own little senior prom day date, dinner and dance since they couldn't possibly do it as a school.  And tonight, after the on-line graduation they will car parade to a spot at Staheli Farms where they will park and watch a drive-in movie of school memories together.  They have spent their last quarter as seniors at home doing on-line school.

 I had a "Weed moment" during all of this - a time when I miss her and am sad that she isn't here to be a part of this important milestone in one of her children's lives.  I comfort myself hoping that somehow she is watching, and is not sad watching, because she is in a different time zone, a heavenly time zone, that makes it so she knows and it feels like to her that they will all be together again "soon".  I hope and pray that's the case - that she's watching, sending love, and doing it happily. 

One of the graduation speakers - class president I think - spoke about a new word she discovered that seemed useful in this whole corona virus disruption scenario that we are in and in speaking of their lives and the disruption of the normality of this end of high school year and graduation.  The word is anti-fragile. It's meaning is way over my head, but in a sort of simple way is described like this:  In his 2012 book, Antifragile:  Things That Gain from Disorder, Taleb offered the following definition: “Some things benefit from shocks; they thrive and grow when exposed to volatility, randomness, disorder, and stressors and love adventure, risk and uncertainty.  Yet, in spite of the ubiquity of the phenomenon, there is no word for the exact opposite of fragile.  Let us call it anti-fragile.  Anti-fragility is beyond resilience or robustness.  The resilient resists shocks and stays the same; the anti-fragile gets better.”  The book's central theme purports that we must learn how to make our public and private lives anti-fragile, rather than simply less vulnerable to randomness and chaos.

 I like the word and think it's good in that life is fragile here on earth and we are always in the midst of something - that's actually why we came - you know - opposition in all things.  And we also know that the way to get through it is the Gospel/Christ's atonement... 'cause we sure can't avoid all the shocks and chaos - like in losing your daughter/mother - in our lives.  So, anyway, I liked what she had to say - wisdom from one so young.  

I'm going off, because this was really a very unique graduation "in the history of ever" as one young speaker put it,  and I don't know that there will be another one like it.  

Andrew Wells, student body president, said this class was born during the year of the 9/11 bombings (2001-2002) and now graduates during the 2020 Covid-19 Pandemic.  Their focus was unity, which got pretty difficult during the last quarter because they had no school at school and could not gather in groups.  Adversity came!  Their theme for the year was - The Spirit of the Storm.  Life is good and can always be good, even in the storms - if we look for good and focus on it.  He did a nice job too.

Hopefully Kaebri gets a copy of the whole thing and can save it for future inspiration!  Her college plans have become disrupted along with the internship she was doing.  Her other job got lost in the social distancing mess too.  But she is happy and hopeful, moving forward in the storm, humble and sweet, giving service to her family and friends in her quiet ways...so much like her mom in that way. I'm so thankful that she is on track, that she has weathered her storms so far and is following the path that will help her to be anti-fragile, and focusing on the good so her Life Can Be Amazing - that was the song they sang at the graduation - in a socially distant,  combined school district choir really cool video.  The combined school district orchestra video was equally awesome.  

Life Can Be Amazing

I'm living right here and now and I don't wanna miss out.

Is this what life's all about? The world is calling and I'm list'ning.

I feel the freedom inside. Come on let's go for a ride.

I finally opened my eyes and I can see it so clearly.

And isn't it amazing.

Oh life can be amazing. Oh I feel my heartbeat racing. I fly!

Soaring ever higher I can light my inner fire.

And then we'll see what happens now! Watch what happens now!

Sometimes we have what it takes.  Sometimes we make our mistakes.

And now the journey awaits so don't you wanna come with me?

We'll make our way to the top. We'll never break never stop.

And when we get to the spot we'll know we made it there together.

We'll remember forever...life is but a dream...

So, I was really impressed with the whole program.  The walking part was about the same...long, very long waiting for the S's to come up!  But, all in all, it WAS amazing.  Maybe it will start a new tradition!

Getting out of town...in spite of Covid-19

We decided to go pick up some gold coins that G'ma Kurtz wants us all to take as an early inheritance.  They were at Ross and Lerlyn's in Aztec, NM.  Boy were we glad to go!  They could have mailed them to us, but the idea of a trip was just too good to pass up!  So we went!  And it was SO wonderful.  Wonderful to see them and visit, and wonderful to see all of the beautiful scenery we found along the way (and not so along the way).  And we even listened to a Tony/Anita Hillerman book that takes place in this very area.

We left Thursday night and made it home Sunday afternoon just in time to get to our socially distanced ward council meeting.  On the way there we went through Kanab, Page, Kayenta and then through Monument Valley, just along the highway.  I called to see if Hovenweep National Monument was open and got the message that the staff weren't opening the Visitor's Center or campground, but that you were welcome to come and see the ruins trail - which we did.  There was one couple leaving as we got there and we didn't see anyone else - just had the whole place to ourselves.  (We had hoped to go to Mesa Verde, but they were closed, so this was a really nice substitute since we weren't expecting anything else instead.)  It was such a cool little place.  We enjoyed the whole thing and then headed out to take some back roads that got us to Durango, CO in time to get some dinner at the Wendy's drive-up.  We took it over to the Fish Hatchery and ate it there on an available picnic table while deer walked around checking us out.  The scenery along the way there was "to die for"!  Then it was on to Ross and Lerlyn's for the night.

 The next morning Ross had too much work, so they didn't join us on our day trip to Pagosa Spring/Blanco Basin.  IT WAS SO BEAUTIFUL!  We drove over to get a closer look at Chimney Rock National Monument, but weren't so lucky there - it was closed.  Just got to see the rock from a distance and not the ruins.  Then on to Blanco Basin...a place of so many wonderful youthful memories for Paul.  It was perfect no coat weather with sun shining and snow melting on the majestic mountains all around us.  The aspens were just coming out with their bright green leaves.  We drove and walked around to our hearts content taking pictures constantly and just feeling like we were in the most beautiful place on earth.  After we had to leave, we ate lunch at a park in Pagosa Springs and then headed back to Aztec for dinner with Ross and Lerlyn and an evening of visiting.  They live way out of  town in a beautiful, quiet place.  They have a beautiful home and were wonderful hosts to us.

 Saturday morning we needed to start heading home.  We left and took the Durango, Silverton, Ouray, Montrose, Grand Junction, Green River, Richfield, Panguitch, Cedar Mountain way home.  We stopped to pick up lunch to put in our ice chest in Durango and ate it outside of the Ouray Hot Springs Pool.  The pool wasn't open yet, but it was so good to see it and all of the other wonderfulness along the way.  We had stopped off at Molas Pass, drove though Silverton and checked out Bear Creek Falls along the way (and had a nap spot by Red Mountain).  After lunch it was time to really start home...we went down out of the mountains to Montrose and then over to Black Canyon of the Gunnison National Park.  It was sort of open with the Rangers at tables handing out info outside the closed Visitor's Center.  We drove the South Rim Trail and stopped at every awesome viewpoint along the way.  We had been there with Paul's folks when we were first married, but I had no memory of it at all.  It was magnificent and awesome combined!  We stayed quite late and then ate dinner at a very authentic little Mexican place in Delta, CO.  We decided we weren't going to make it home that night and went as far as we could til bedtime and stayed the night in Green River, CO.

The next morning we left by 8 am to make it home by a 2:00 meeting deadline.  We stopped at a few viewpoints in the San Rafael Swell area. (We were hurrying, so it's bugs on the windshield pics.)

 It was a wonderful chance to get out of town and enjoy some of our most favorite scenery and memory areas of our lives.  It was WONDERFUL!!!

Covid-19 Humor!

My hair got a little long before the salons could open back up.  Paul and Bean are finally getting haircuts today.  But lots of guys who are just staying home working remotely are into facial hair big time.  Seeing a lot of beardos. 

Not necessarily funny, but real for life during the pandemic.  

Mother's Day 2020

We were in the middle of a big project, so the possible Mother's Day camp out had to be put on hold.  The project is worth the wait - a beautiful stone privacy wall between us and the neighbor's back yards.  We like our neighbors, but it's a little uncomfortable to be in each others view every time you go out into the backyard.  They run a home based business plus have a spa in their backyard and are out there ALL of the time.  They man seemed a little miffed, but I think they'll actually enjoy it in the long run.  They don't own the house, so they may not even be there too long.  So, after a long time of not doing anything, Paul had time and got it started.  We needed to keep working on it so that we could get it done enough to move the covering off the grass so it could be watered...so short story long, we stayed home to work on the wall on Friday and Saturday instead of going camping.  And we'd just gone the week before with Supe and Beacher, so it was OK.  Paul made delicious ribs for dinner.  Anna Lou really loved them...along with the rest of us.  It was a nice peaceful Sunday at home and I got to see or talk to all of the kids.  Nothing better than that can happen for Mother's Day!  The kids spoiled me with presents too.  All in all it was a lovely day.  I did feel a bit sad thinking of not having a mom to call myself, so I called both of my sisters on Saturday night and that was a very enjoyable thing.  I need to do it much more often.

Here's a lovely quote about mother's:  To all of our mothers everywhere, past, present, or future, I say, "Thank you.   Thank you for giving birth, for shaping souls, for forming character, and for demonstrating the pure love of Christ."  To Mother Eve, to Sarah, Rebekah, and Rachel, to Mary of Nazareth, and to a Mother in Heaven, I say, "Thank you for your crucial role in fulfilling the purposes of eternity."  To all mothers in every circumstance, including those who struggle--and all will--I say, "Be peaceful.  Believe in God and yourself.  You are doing better than yo think you are.  In fact, you are saviors on Mount Zion, and like the Master you follow, your love "never faileth."  I can pay no higher tribute to anyone.  Elder Jeffrey R. Holland

And there were some beautiful songs sung on Music and the Spoken Word that day that really touched my heart:

Home is a special kind of feeling, a feeling of a place where you belong, a feeling that world is left behind you, like a shelter form your cares that seems to want you to be there.

Home is a special kind of feeling, the feeling that you've made it on your own, somewhere which you know is really your place, a place for living, your special place, your home.

Home has a welcome kind of feeling, the firelight, and the warmth of hearth and home, a welcome that you know will always cheer you, like a gentle kind hello, that seems to touch you with a glow.

Home has a quiet kind of feeling, an island when you need to be alone, a haven for the times you spend together, there's nowhere better, no other place like home.  By John Rutter (from Wind in the Willows)

Fill the World With Love - from Goodbye Mr. Chips

In the morning of my life I shall look to the sunrise,
At a moment in my life when the world is new.
And the blessing I shall ask is that God will grant me,
To be brave and strong and true,
And to fill the world with love my whole life through.

(Chorus - between each verse)
And to fill the world with love
And to fill the world with love
And to fill the world with love my whole life through.

In the noontime of my life I shall look to the sunshine,
At a moment in my life when the sky is blue.
And the blessing I shall ask shall remain unchanging.
To be brave and strong and true,
And to fill the world with love my whole life through.

In the evening of my life I shall look to the sunset,
At a moment in my life when the night is due.
And the question I shall ask only God can answer.
Was I brave and strong and true?
Did I fill the world with love my whole life through?

That song reminded me of my mom.  She just had this way of making people feel loved..she loved them.  My kids only got to go out to see her in CA once or twice a year (usually only once),but they felt her love through her kindness, care packages, and just the way she treated them when they were there or on the occasions when they came to visit us.  She was always interested in them and what they had to say and what they were doing.  She wasn't critical or preachy to them.  She just loved them!  That is certainly a character that I would like to have inherited more of from her. We have such different personalities.  Hopefully in my own way and in my own personality I can come to be like her in that regard.  In the evening of my life I would hope to be known as a person who filled the world with love my whole life through...like she did. 

Evening before walk

Our wall in progress...and done!