Resting up for the next adventure...and getting some work done

Today we did some resting up.  We went over to clean up Moss and Christie's stonework.  It turned out really pretty I think.  We won't have to wonder if we have the right house anymore!  After lunch we went up to check to see if the road to the Sequoia was open yet (Scout business) and then stopped by the job site in New Harmony.  The view of Kolob Fingers was just spectacular from there!

The elusive windlass...found at last!

I'm feeling a little guilty...and euphoric.  Guilty because right here at the end of the school year when I'm so ready to be done, I get to take a few days off because Ms. Godfey is doing the mandated individual testing of the kindergartners. (I could be there making materials, but technically I'm not supposed to be...and I'm taking advantage of that technicality.)  She deserves a break much more than I do. Euphoric because it feels just like the last day of school only like I somehow cheated it and got out early!  So I'm trying to pack the days with fun, and then I'll go back, get out and then go back again for summer school.  Monday we decided to go to Water Canyon, first to check it out for a possible Scout trip and also in the process we hoped that this time, with a better map than ever before, we would finally be able to locate the old windlass that they used to lower logs down from the top of Canaan Mountain to Canaan Ranch way, way down below.  Paul used his amazing compass skills to interpret the map and we found it!  The day was pretty cool and the hike steep but we came off the mountain feeling stuffed with beauty!

The windlass...found at last.  Now that's some heavy duty equipment.  Check out the drop those logs had to make to get down to Canaan Ranch. 

Ahhh...the water! If only it had been warm, I would have been in it!

Amazing rocks - White Domes, Black Rocks, The Notch - all of these were route markers we needed to find to know we were on route to the windlass.  Every time we found one, we got more excited knowing we might actually find it this time.  You can also see Zion in the background looking majestic.  Also pictured is Canaan Arch and me when we reached the top of the Water Canyon Trail saying hallelujah!  

Here's some other fun stuff and Paul doing his compass thing.  One of those dead trees looked like a giant spider coming to get us.  The flowers were beautiful and the little pebbles were laid in the cracks so perfectly.  The old pot was at the windlass site.

Zader #3

The blowing of the candles - sorry it's B&W - too much window light so it worked better.

Sunday evening we got to celebrate with Zade for his #3.  He's a cute little guy and we had a lot of fun doing the birthday stuff with him even though it was a little belated.  We love you Zade!  

Little boys, a snake and Genghis

Oops, forgot one less artsy Saturday happening.  I went out beside the house and found this cute little snake trying to hide.  I knew the neighbor boys would love to see it, so I called them over.  We decided Genghis would enjoy this little playmate and took it out back to show him.  He does enjoy them.  The nice thing is that he doesn't enjoy them enough to eat them or even damage them, so they always end up getting out of range of his rope after a while.  The boys had to take it over to show their parents too and then they carefully brought it back.  Brenden sort of liked seeing it and then we left it to play with Genghis and then escape back to the rocks where it came from. Just a note - the boys were a little worried at first and wondered if it was a "venison" snake, or could they pick it up?  I took it that "venison" meant venomous, and assured them that it wasn't and that it would be ok to pick this one up.

Saturday of the Arts

Saturday we had a fun time enjoying the arts around the area.  After getting some need to dos done in the morning we got into it.  First we attended a little art show out at the Santa Clara Town Hall.  We go to a lot of these things and are pretty familiar with some of the artists.  Some we even know personally through church association.  Since it was small, we could actually visit with some of them and they let us take some pictures of them and their work.  One of them even told another artist to come over and let me take his picture by the other guys work, just for fun.  It was cool to see some of the work in progress as we watched.  If I was loaded with cash and had a house that would hold it, I would sure want to have some of these pieces...but I can just enjoy visiting them too.  Unfortunately that doesn't do much for the artist's pocketbooks.

 

Later that evening we went to the opening concert at the O. C. Tanner Amphitheater in Springdale, Broadway Under the Stars. It was the Southwest Symphony with Alex Boye. (It included a BBQ dinner in the parking lot beforehand.)  Even if the music hadn't been delightful, and it was, you just revel in the beauty of the venue.  We don't afford to do such things often, but every once in a while I just have to go to a concert up there.  And is is cheaper than the ones down here at the college.  So, there you have our artsy Saturday in a nutshell.

The Lover's Gate - my drive by discovery

The other day I didn't take my usual route home and made a sweet little discovery - The Lover's Gate.  I'm sure it's been there for quite a while, but I just hadn't seen it.  I didn't have time to stop then, so on our morning walk we went down to check it out a little more.  What a fun thing.  I thought that people should take it one step further - just a few blocks over is the place where you can actually lock your love forever in the most permanent of ways. Still, I wouldn't mind getting one of those little heart locks and having it engraved, but then I would have to try to think how to express all that love I have for Paul in a very short way.  That would be one tough thing to accomplish. 

The rest of Saturday - more Ironman and family food and fun

After we finished up at the Ironman, we headed home and I wasn't tired, but promptly went to sleep in the car until we got there.  We ate, showered and napped and then went down to check out the bike and run legs of the race.  We saw lots of people we knew and were there for the overall winner's arrival.  Then it was back to the house and getting stuff ready for the the family get together for Mother's Day and last chance to see Supe before he leaves for Africa and Bean before he heads back up to his mission.  Thanks to all the kids for the National Park's pass...can't wait to make use of it.  Thanks to Moss and Christie for the sweet personalized mouse pad too!  I get to enjoy the family picture every time I'm working at the computer!  Thanks for all the good food and great company too.  Can't think of a better Mother's Day gift than a great family like I have!  After clean up all who didn't have to get home, walked down for a little more Ironman and then it was time to call it a day...quite a long day...but a fantastic one.

This year's overall pro male winner with a time better than last year's winner.  Supe posing with the Wheaties Champions - we made him do it!

 

Ironman #2 - an adventure at the lake

It's been another busy, enjoyable weekend at the Lillypad.  Paul and I told Moss we thought it would be fun to come out and see the swim leg of the Ironman this year since we had seen quite a bit of the ride and run section last year.  He invited us to help out on one of the docks.  That included camping out at the lake on Friday evening with him and Christie and Supe which was lots of fun.  We hung out around my little camp lantern eating junk and talking.  We were up at 4 am for the volunteer meeting and to grab a bite to eat and then got boated across the lake to the dock.  We got to go down and watch the pro and amateur starts at 6:45 and 7:00 and then headed back to tend to helping get people who had to quit out of the boats and turn them over to medical personnel if need be, and remove their race chips.  This year the weather and water temp. were so great that we ended up with only 14 people between us  and our lifeguard, Lyndsey, on one dock and Moss and Christie and Derek on the other dock.  The finish line was right between the two docks so we had a ringside seat to the drama.  Some of my favorite things were the two guys who stood on surf boards paddling and leading the swimmers out of the start and the whole way.  The guards on kayaks and paddle boards (Supe was on one of those) and the search and rescue boats were all cool too.  They were all so good at their jobs.  The swimmers were truly inspiring and the coolest thing was watching all of them finish...even the last few who didn't make the time cut off.  The last guy to make it in on time (4 people didn't quite make it) was so cool with all the kayaks, surf board guys and paddle board guards pretty much in and kind of lined up in escort fashion and encouraging him to keep it up and finish in time.  Everyone who finished the swim or even trained hard and then couldn't quite get the job done for one reason or another were an inspiration. 

First pro male to make it in!  (Didn't get a shot of the first female pro to come in.)

First male amateur to make it in!

First female amateur to make it in!

Getting ready first thing in the morning.

The swim crew getting set up, Moss and Christie's dock, the amateur start and our sweet boat ride back across the lake. 

Happy birthday Kaebri...we love you!

Once again we gathered for our family feast of the fast over and also to wish Kaebri a happy #9 birthday.  We also got to add Paul's sister, Sheryl, to the fun.  She is here to help Grandma K out during her rehab from surgery on her neck. (She's doing great by the way.) Derek and Weed cooked up some fantastic elk steaks, chicken and tube steaks and everyone else added their contributions to the delicious meal.  We had cheesecake and strawberries for the birthday cake.  All of it was so good and especially to the grumbling fasting stomachs.  It's so much fun just hanging out and visiting.  The 3 little boys are still in the process of learning to share - they all love cars and the one that someone else has is always so cool they just need to have it too.  They crack us up with all their two year old funny ways of saying things.  Kaebri is a sweet girl and we are all so happy she is part of our family.  Happy birthday Kaebri.  We love you

A visit from a cat burglar

The other night when Paul and I went on a walk I saw this ball of hair cat.  I gave it a little bit of petting.  It followed us for a little bit more, and then a little bit more, and then it just decided to follow us all of the way home...several blocks.  It wasn't about to give up and tried to come in the house with us.  It's fat and someone must be feeding it, but it acted like it was planning on moving in.  It yowled at the door and Genghis went crazy trying to get out there and see who was in his territory.  Finally we put Genghis to bed and just forgot about the other cat.  We have been sleeping with our window open and after we got to bed we hear that cat yowling up on our windowsill.  We just ignored it.  Later in the night we hear it yowling and then suddenly, it's in our room!  Don't know how it did it, but the screen was part way off - it didn't tear a hole in it or anything.  Paul jumped out of bed, threw it back out of the window and shut the window.  So, I guess you could say we had a cat burglar trying to steel some of Genghis' exclusive territory.  Crazy cat.  It was still here the next morning and had a hissing and growling duel with Genghis.  They just sort of hung out eyeballing each other all morning.  Thought it was gone later in the day, but this morning it was back, so I took this mugshot of it.  That was one weird experience.  Hope we never have a real live cat burglar.