Sunday, May 6, 2012

Hard work and fun times

As I make this post I do it with a broken body.
I worked so hard last week...
My body has given out.
I am glad I had some exciting adventures to allow my body to heal.

I wish I had taken some before pictures.
For those who didn't see this...
It was completely over grown and woody.  
It took me all week to do this.
There are a lot of fresh ground cover starts and alyssum seedlings...
these will need to be thinned out over the summer as they grow quickly...


 I cleaned 6 LARGE over flowing wheel barrow of 'stuff' off this spot and the stone walk way.

 I did take a picture of this before...
It is overgrown with grape Hythenths.

 This is it all cleaned out.
I filled a wheelbarrow with just things from this little spot in and around this lilac and lavender patch.
 Tuesday evening I was clearing all the wooly Thyme off this walk and out of the flower bed.
I was feeling a lot of pain and wondered how I was going to finish this...
THEN...
An angel came...
Chris was inspired to drop Angie off as she went to pick up Jayden in Malta.
She did in three hours what would take me three days.
While she was digging some ground cover starts out of a patch so I could transplant them...
I was able to plants some seeds and prepare a place for the starts she was digging.
What a blessing she was to me that evening.
 The wooly thyme covered this walk and flower bed to the left.
I planted grass seed that is mixed with blue mulch.

 I pruned and weeded all down the flower garden on the other side of the lawn...
And the flower garden down by the old willow.

 The flower box looks pretty barren right now...
But give it a month and it will be full again.
The waterfall Tammy Henrie and I built many years ago...
It is beautiful but nonfunctional at this point...
I may use it as a small botanical garden.

Wednesday Luana Barrett had cataract surgery...
I arranged to have my back appointment that day and went with her...
She is so small and frail.
Her daughter Barbara and Nadene Sunberg drove her in...
What a wonderful lady.
I visited her on my way home.
I feel so honored to have known her...
She is my idle

Friday I made my way to Boise without Stan/Grandpa.
He had duties helping his home teaching family move.
Braden is in the Jr ROTC
 It was supposed to be the Governor's parade and award assembly.
BUT..
It rained...
They did their parade and marching competition in the morning when the skies cleared.
No time to let anyone know...
BUT we were there for the indoors awards assembly...

 He received two awards


 He was part of the color guard.
He is in the back and shouted the cadence.
We are kind of proud of Braden.
It was fun to be with the Rice family.
I didn't get pictures of them.
We had lunch together at Jimmy John's...
Oliver, Braden's older brother is expecting his mission call to come this week.
EXCITING!

I drove three hours up to Boise spent about three hours there and three hours home....
I had time to wash clean up and prepare to go to....
Salt Lake City the next day....
Saturday.

My baby sister Patti came down from Bellview Washington to visit Jason and his new wife who just graduated as an RN.
 Brooke Jason Patti
 Diana and Patti
 Brooke Diana and Jason.

We got to see our daughter Mary and her family as well.
Megan had a soccer game...
She is the goalie.  
She also got to play a little bit.
She is beautiful to watch...
A real gazelle.
Glad we got to be there.
 The cutie in the green is Megan...

After the game we went to Cafe Rio for dinner.
These kids are so much fun.
Patti and Mary and Patti's friend Rose all adopted girls from the Marshall Islands
(Katie Anna and Megan)
in the above picture.
Diana Jo is on Anna's back...
Megan is on Katie's back...
Then there is Gabbie and a friend of Megan's

I wish i could have stayed longer but I did have to get back so I could go to church Sunday...
Stan and I got to substitute the 8 year old class.
We taught these children when they were three.
What a joy to teach them at 8-9.
They are so smart and know so much about the Book of Mormon.
We didn't know the B of M like that when we were eight.

We have been without oil in our lamps since Tuesday...
the last day of April.
I hate being without my temple recommend.
It is scary to me.
Chris Stan and Diana had our bishop's interview after church...
we went home got a quick lunch...
then Chris rode back with us to interview with Pres Jack Hunsaker.

It is such a privilege to have a temple recommend.
I don't EVER want to be without one again.
The interview is always such a sacred experience for me.
Then to have Bryce our Nephew interview us was amazing.

It was testimony meeting today...
Our fast today was for our family.
It was all such a wonderful time.
I love the Savior...
I know He loves me and my whole family...
intimately.
He knows our hearts...
He knows our concerns...
He knows all.
He is in charge.

Sunday, April 29, 2012

Wicked

Last week my girls Becky and Esther...
their girls...
Eve and Sydney...
and I...
Attended a Broadway production...
Wicked.
There is such a powerful message there.
I have pondered it this week.
Circumstances have brought it very close to home.
It is so easy to take a circumstance...
Read into it...
Talk about it with others...
Speculate...
Draw conclusions..
The pass judgments...
Judgments that are so far from the truth...
We find we have created...
Something that isn't real.

In ward Conference today our Stake leaders spoke with power.
We shouldn't judge.
We should show forth with love.
We need to forgive.

The Broadway play addresses all of this.
But it first came from the Lord.

Monday...

We picked Becky and Sydney up from Esther's and it was on the road again...
First I took time to take a picture of Esther's garden now weed free.
 Stan cultivated the largest part along with cutting out mallow weeds around the grow boxes.
 I weeded and cleared the straw from the grow boxes...
 Becky and I thinned the strawberry box far left above.

We took the longer route home...
but it took less time the the short way...
The way we traveled to Penrose.
 In the oil fields there is a town...
Sinclare...

 For the most part it was uneventful...



UNTIL...

We came to Bear Lake and Logan Canyon...

Syd is showing the lake...
Split in half by the Utah (below) Idaho (above) border.
 
(Just some information about the lake I found interesting) 
Bear Lake is a natural freshwater lake on the Utah-Idaho border in the Western United States. It is the second largest natural freshwater lake in Utah[1] and has been called the "Caribbean of the Rockies" for its unique turquoise-blue color, the result of suspended limestone deposits in the water.[2] Its water properties have led to the evolution of several unique species that live naturally only within the lake.[3] Bear Lake is over 250,000 years old.[4] It was formed by fault subsidence that continues today, slowly deepening the lake along the eastern side.[5]
Originally named Black Bear Lake by Donald Mackenzie, an explorer for the North West Fur Company who discovered the lake in 1819, the name was later changed to the current Bear Lake.[6] The lake is a popular destination for tourists and sportsmen and the surrounding valley has gained a reputation for having high quality raspberries.[7]
According to folklore, Bear Lake holds a lake monster: the so-called Bear Lake Monster. Although this originated with Joseph C. Rich, who later admitted to making up the monster,[citation needed] people continue to report sightings of the monster today.[citation needed]









 

We traveled a lot of miles this past weekend.
To come back and travel our own back yard...
We are grateful for the beauties that are here...
That we take for granted.  

Logan Canyon...








Then we came down into Cache Valley...
 four days of 70-80 degrees
What a difference four days can make.
Trees leafing out...
Trees in bloom...
bulbs in all their glory...

 I think I like to take road trips...
When we leave..
Larry comes and works his magic...
the back splash is beautiful.
(Stan has the electrical outlet covers on now)

 Thank you Larry for your talents.
We are so grateful to be the benefactor of these talents.


Then we...
Look out the window and what did we see...
Popcorn popping on the apricot tree!
 
 I went outside to start working...
That warmer weather really did it's work
I sprayed before we left for Colorado...
But look at this bucket!
 
 I dig more each day...
Stan Ross and Olivia planted a Contorted Filbert tree...
Blue Colorado Spruce (no we didn't get it in Colorado)
Carnations...
Grapes...

Then as is normal with our Idaho weather...
It can be 80 degrees one day...
The next 27 degrees.
No you can't see the mountain...
That is snow!


Thursday...
I went to town with Chris...
She turned 44 Saturday.
What a blessing she is to this family.
There is so much that she does.
I am proud of her...
Her girls are as wonderful and service oriented as she is.
We had a great day together...
Thank you Christene Ann for being our #1 Daughter.

When I go to the chiropractor each week...
I visit Luana  Barrett in Malta on the way home.
She sleeps a lot...
Forgets to eat...
She is supposed to be having cataract surgery next week.
She is very confused.
I worry about my dear friend.

Saturday
 
I got some yard work done after cleaning the house...
Both felt good.
We didn't have any family gathering this weekend...
We didn't go anywhere...
We actually stayed home.
Well Stan did his home teaching...

Our ward Conference was amazing.
Our beautiful daughter next door...
Ben's wife Melissa...
Along with Marlane Hall and Sheri Lewis...
Sang in the Saturday evening conference...
Beautiful Savior.
Wow!
What a treat.

I love the Lord.
I KNOW HE is in control.
We always need the faith...
Things will work for HIS good.
When we force it...
We will make a mess of things.

I love this thought:
Don't pray for tasks equal to your ability,
But pray for abilities equal to your task.
Then the performance of you tasks will be no miracle...
BUT...
YOU WILL BE THE MIRACLE!