120- You Make the Difference

Today was our first day of BYU Womens' Conference. What a wonderful experience. The theme this year is In the Strength of the Lord.



I think the one thing that sticks out most to me are comments made during the opening session by a Sister Webb. She told us about the hymn Now Let Us Rejoice. It was written by W W Phelps just after the Saints had been driven out of Jackson County Missouri in the dead of winter. Imagine... what a difficult time to rejoice!

After she'd talked about the hymn and told us how we were to sing it we did sing it. I was a mess before the first line was even finished! To think of the trials that we all go through and that we are to rejoice... In the Strength of the Lord all things can be met with joy!

Sister Webb told us "You make the difference!" And you know, she's right. With the strength of the Lord we can make the difference

119- Just Girls...

I love traditions... they seem to bring a closer bond to those fun times that we get to spend together! Rebekah flew in today from CA to be here for BYU Womens' Conference. (This is her second year).

Last year Rebekah stayed with Camille in her *big* room... and since Camille just moved to another big room they are repeating the *sleep-over*. I am so glad these girls have each other. Sisters are the best.



One of our favorite traditions is to have dinner (or lunch or whatever!!) at Cafe Rio. It is just the yummiest. It is funny when you have regional restaurants... when I go to CA I can hardly wait for In n Out and Panera Bread.



I'm looking forward to the next few days with Rebekah here. My sister Ann is also coming to join us. Maybe someday Camille will be able to join us for Womens' Conference... but until then we will just enjoy each other.

118- Creamcicle Tulip

Have I mentioned before what a wonderful neighborhood I live in? (Maybe only a dozen time times!) One of my nice neighbors told me that these tulips make her think of Creamcicles and she wants to lick them! (Apparently there are other tactile-licking-people out there! Wait, that didn't come out right... we don't want to lick tactile people... well... just weird I guess...)

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I've been working in the yard for the last several days (Thursday, Friday, Monday and today) I am always amazed at how fast my stamina comes back. I have the front yard all set for spring, except edging the lawn... that job is always good for arm cramps for the next few days... where do those muscles go?

I've planted Dahlias and Clementius. I am excited for them to grow! I love the wonderful colors. I also have some orange trumpet vines that volunteered in my backyard last year (shoots from the neighbor's plant). I've put them on the fence on the north side of my lot. I am finally getting things down to a science with where I want my plants and where they will work. Sometimes I laugh and think I should put zippers on my plants because I keep changing them!

Ah, spring... what a beautiful season!

117- Gerbera Daisies

I'm not sure if it is the bright electric colors, their happy faces or [and I just learned this] that they are perennials but I just LOVE Gerbera daisies. Although they come in yellow, orange, white, pink or red colors these two are my favorites; with yellow being a close second.



I got these at my favorite WalMart on Friday and [wisely] kept them inside to enjoy. I wish I'd done the same thing with my tomato plants which I left outside, it's been warm right? Yeah, 'til it snowed on Saturday. Gordon rescued them for me but they are looking a little cold shocked...

115- Horses

Not too far from my house on 4th South there is a smallish pasture right next door to a tiny house. For the last several years in spring this pasture has been inhabited by a mare and her foul.

I've always loved horses and I am always captivated by the sight of sweet little colt or foal.



In 2005 I got this photo of this pair on the way out to Eagle Mountain. You can't see it too well in this photo but this little colt has blue eyes (which always looks so odd to me!)



What a happy sign of spring.

115- Moving Day

It is the end of fall/winter contract for Camille and that means time to move! In the spring/summer housing contracts are very inexpensive, which means a bigger room for less money. This will be the last move for Camille within the Branbury complex. She started out in 213, then 211, then 212 and now... 114! She has been in every stair well of this building!



I'm not sure what we did differently this time but the moving went very fast and without as much work as before... I'm just grateful.



The good/bad news is that it rained most of the day. Gordon told me that it snowed here in Springville for a couple of hours. I knew I had my tomato plants ;). I caught these cool reflections as we were making a WalMart run to pick up the I've-just-moved-need-some-stuff!

114- Black-hearted Tulip

One of my favorite things about spring at my Springville house are my tulips. (Sadly, it is also one of the swine-deer favorites as well!)

I have all those beautiful yellow to apricot colored tulips featured yesterday. They live on what I refer to as my island (a kidney shaped planter at the corner of our lot). Ann gave me some deep purple parrot-beak tulips several years ago that also live on the island.

But right up by my front door is this one bright red black-hearted tulip. I just love to look down into the bowl of it. Some years it has been enormous, perhaps 4" in diameter, this year it is smaller but still just as beautiful.



I love the fact that these sweet little flowers come back every year and every morning that wake up and they are still there my heart just sings... but I also realize that any day now I might awaken to nothing but stalks with all the heads nibbled off... and if that happens *it will just have to be ok*

113- Amazing

If you care to take the time... go back one week from today and see the 10" of snow on my yard! By Sunday we had highs in the 60s and by Tuesday it was in the high 70s.

It amazes me how much difference one week of warm temperatures can make! On Monday none of these flowers were in bloom, just tight compact heads.

Today is a different story. My island is a riot of yellow with the daffodils saying their farewell and now the tulips [mostly yellow shades] are all in bloom. I love the way the sun plays on their translucent petals.



I've also been patiently waiting for my apple tree to bloom. I just love the look of apple blossoms and I love the apples in the fall even more.



And there is always my very favorite spring flower- lilacs. I love the smell, I love the memories...

112- Lickable Tulips

Yes, I can already hear you Miss Sarah, "What is with you and all the licking?!"

I suppose that the only honest thing I can tell my dear niece is that I am just a tactile person... I love to pet fabric and when a color is just looks so delicious I WANT TO LICK IT! Can't you just taste this tulip? Hmm... sweet and smooth, yummy...



Or how about this one? Can't you just smell that faint grape bubblegum flavor?



But my all time favorite lickable color has to be that wonderful shade of raspberry... you know the one? All marbled like a batik fabric! And you KNOW what it tastes like? Yup, sun-ripened and warmed raspberries freshly picked by my big sister Suey a life-time ago in Mom's funny little raspberry patch.

See, I'm not totally crazy for wanting to lick all these luscious colors!

(PS for Grannie Annie... these were taken with my little marsupial-pocket camera as I left the temple today!)

111- Tony

My Tony would be 37 today- seems hard to believe. Tony's story is a very special one.

My pregnancy was normal and there was no indication that there were any problems until he was born. (April 21, 1972) Tony had Gastroschisis. In a nutshell, his abdominal wall had never closed in utero (failure of fusion on the mid-line) and his intestines were protruding through this hole in his stomach. The doctors at Portsmouth Naval Hospital had never seen a case except in textbooks. The delivering doctor and pediatrician told us that he probably wouldn't survive more than 24 hours but if by some miracle he did, he would need so many surgeries his stomach would look like a road map.

They whisked Tony away as soon as they could get him breathing to the pediatrics building where he underwent his first surgery. We called our families and asked them for their love, support and prayers. That evening my mom opened the scriptures at random to Alma and read the discourse on faith.

The next day I was allowed to go to the other building to see Tony for the first time. He was in an isolete with a mesh bag sewn to his stomach to encase the intestines. There was an antibiotic drip to fight infection and keep them moist. The theory was that the intestines would gradually go back into the abdomen over the next week or so. (Interestingly enough, a friend had a baby 12 years later and as soon as I saw a photo of him in the isolete I knew he'd also had Gastroschisis.)

We asked our former Bishop to come and give him a blessing, but when he got there he encourage my then-husband to give Tony a father's and priesthood blessing stating that they both held the Melchizedek priesthood. It was a beautiful and moving blessing. The spirit was strong and I knew that Tony would be ok. During the night I determined that IF my baby lived... I would have milk for him.

My mom arrived on his 3rd day of life and was a wonderful source of support and love. What an amazing woman. I went home the same day, leaving little Tony in the Pediatrics 3-B. Tony continued to progress nicely and on day 6 he had a second surgery to close his abdomen. The worry now was that there would be blockage in the intestines.


Tony on his first day out of the isolete April 28, 1972.

The next day, at one week old, I was able to hold Tony for the first time. It was a wonderful feeling to finally be able to hold my son. The following day he had his first oral feeding. All went well and he didn't have any blockage.

Tony was sent home on Saturday, May 7, 1972 (15 days old) weighing only 5 lb 6 oz because he could tolerate breast milk but not formula (in those days they wouldn't let me bring in the pumped breast milk). The next day was Fast and Testimony meeting. We took him to church in our old ward in Norfolk VA to be blessed. What a special day. (Tony gained 4 oz in first 48 hours he was home.)


Tony in his blessing outfit. It said Happiness is... and then Mom embroidered- Tony. May 8, 1972 .

Despite all odds and the initial prognosis Tony never needed any more surgeries to deal with his birth defects. He truly was the miracle baby of Pediatrics 3-B... we used to say he just forgot to get his zipper zipped up before he came. It didn't take long for Tony to get caught up weight wise. He continued to thrive and grow.


Tony at 2 1/2 months. Happiness is... Tony outfit.


Tony at 3 1/2, October 1975

Raising a boy-child in the 70s wasn't as easy as it is now. ADD was just beginning to be diagnosed and I recognize now that Tony was classic ADHD. He was a loving and hardworking boy. I am amazed that I expected so much from him at such a young age. And although he frequently gave his two little sisters a hard time (he definitely felt the pressure of being the oldest) he would protect them. I only remember Tony getting into one fight and it was to protect his sister!


Tony, consummate Cub Scout, July 4, 1981


My last photo of Amanda, Tony and Rebekah at Lassen National Park

Tony's short life came to an end on August 3, 1981 he drowned in the act of saving his sister.

I've been so grateful for the comfort and support from my Heavenly Father. I am grateful for the atonement and the hope of a glorious resurrection wrought by our loving Savior, even Jesus Christ.

I feel very strongly that Tony wasn't meant for this world but a loving Father rewarded our faith and prayers. I had Tony for just over 9 years instead of 9 minutes, hours or days. I am grateful for that time. I am especially grateful to know that my family is sealed in an eternal family unit and that we will be together again.

110- April Softness

I think that one of my favorite things about spring is the softness: the air, the colors, the new growth on the plants... everything is soft, new and fresh.

Today was my first day of yard work for 2009... yes, I know, there are lots of my neighbors who've been out there for weeks now... but today the out-of-doors just called to me.

I unearthed the lawnmower from the shed where it has been happily hibernating since mid November when I gave the lawn a super short winter haircut in hopes of getting rid of some of the thick thatching I have in my lawn. It is looking better this spring, but still not where I want it to be [and that little voice says, then maybe you should have been out there 2 weeks ago! nanny-nanny!]

I love the smell of freshly mown grass. I'd only been outside in my short-sleeved shirt and shorts for a few minutes before I realized I really didn't want to get a sunburn so I came in and sprayed on some Coppertone SPF 50. Ahh, that smell transported me back 50 years and summer... yes, I do like that.

After the lawn was finished and the weedless flower beds mulched with the grass clippings [thank you, Miss Diane, for that tip!] I traded in the lawnmower for my camera and went out for some spring shots. [And laid in a bunch of ants... they weren't too happy and neither was I!]

This captures on film those soft spring colors that I love.


Bradford Pear aka fruitless pear or flowering pear. (f 1.8 1/4000 shutter speed, ISO 100, 50mm lens)

After some more photos... not all so good since I'm trying to learn how to shoot on manual I traded in the camera on my babing-suit [that's an Amanda-ism] and went out and soaked up some Vitamin D [now THAT is a photo you will NEVER see on my blog!!!LOL]

109- Big Family Dinner

When we moved to Utah four years ago we instituted the Third-Sunday-Dinner-at-Grammie's-house tradition! I love this tradition. I love to have my family gathered round, with all the talk, chatter, eating, visiting, babies, and, yes, sometimes even a little chaos! I love it! I love the connectedness... I suppose it is because I just love my family so much!

Growing up the only time we had this was when we traveled 250 miles to Oakland to visit my mom's family and that wasn't too often. I'd always hungered for this tight-familial bond.

We have issued a blanket invitation to all of our kids and many of our/their friends [that now are family as well]. This month we hit the jackpot- we got some of our nieces and nephews here too.

We are a crazy bunch... I love to watch our children and grandchildren interact on this wonderful basis... So without further adieu... join us for out TSD...


"Hey, everybody look at Grammie!"


Making dinner is a family affair and I will enlist any help I can get! We are famous for consuming copious amounts of mashed potatoes! [This night we doctored them with all sorts of cheesey-sour cream-garlicy-goodness]


Sweet Ashton... with family in the background [Jessica brought a loaf of fresh bread... good thing... I'd forgotten to do rolls!]


Stuart loves the babies... but what's not to love, right?


Several months ago Shan [who grew up in North Carolina] was telling us about pig-pickin' [roasting a pick and pickin' off the meat] and the Famous Pig-Pickin' Cake. When she arrived this afternoon I put her and Camille right to work making this wonderful cake!!! Can you say yummy?? [I'll post the cake recipe on the sidebar]


Stuart always is my meat carver [tonight was pot roast and he said, this is just falling apart... yep, just the way we like it] Always the fastidious one, he didn't want to get pot roast gravy on his white shirt.


Jake and Cody joined us for their first TSD, but we've had the privilege of having them stay with us for a week or so on either end of their Korean adventure. It was so nice to have them here again tonight.


Our tiny Roxie-princess on her throne.


Uncle Stu helped Ethan peek in the OPEN kitchen window. [Yeah, 10" of snow on Thursday, 68 degrees on Sunday... go figure.]


And lastly... poor pig-pickin' cake all gone... this mashed piece when home to Kevin who just got home from a business trip.

Hey, thanks for joining us... we do it every month...

107- Nest, Sweet Nest

This morning I needed to walk down to a neighbor's house so she could photocopy (legally, I might add) some choir music for me. I noticed that up in her tree was this precious little bird's nest. I've been amazed this winter at all the bird nests I am finding in the naked trees.

I came back home and got my camera and went back to get some photos. As I was stopped there on their driveway clicking away Breanne came out and told me that last year there were little baby birds in that nest. I would just love to have little birdies build a nest at my house (somewhere other than the dryer vent like happened in Palmdale... never a good birdie-plan!)



I was amazed at all the different material these resourceful little birds used: leaves, twigs, looks like raffia, but maybe it's grass and pieces of plastic grocery bags. Sweet little recycling birds.

107- Shoe Tree

I'm sure there are some people that might find this an eye-sore... but the whole concept of a *SHOE TREE* just catches my imagination.


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Today Gordon and I went on a one-day-road-trip up to Park City, UT (can you say cold?) and right there by one of the very nice hotels was this shoe tree! Gordon is so very accommodating and drove around until I could finally get out, tromp (with permission) through a hotel lobby and get some shots of this tree.





The first time I ever remember seeing a shoe tree like this was on one of our yearly girl'-getaway trips to Big Bear City, CA. It always makes me laugh when I see one.



Finally in 2004 when just Auntie P and I were coming back together I stopped and got some wonderful photos of this shoe tree.



I was so glad that I did, because when we went the next fall all of the shoes had been removed from the tree (spoiled-sport!)

I've only seen one other shoe tree since then. It is on Hwy 89 between Springville and Fairview, UT. I didn't stop because I was in a hurry to be to a wedding (so I could wait for the hour I was early...) and on the way home there was a blizzard and I didn't even see the silly shoe tree.

Have you ever seen any shoe trees? If so, I'd like to know where... I think I'm on a quest (hey, that's a good idea for our next one-day-road-trip.

106- Spring Snow

It is a beautiful day today with lots of sun and bright, clean snow outside. It started snowing yesterday about 10:30 am and when it was finished we had 10" of new snow on our landscape!



The only down side to this snow storm is that all of my peach trees are in bloom. Two weeks ago we had the same thing happen to the apricot tree. Perhaps *Joanie's Bountiful Harvest* won't be so bountiful this season.



I was careful to make all my trips through the house so I didn't have to track through the snow in my clogs... this is my beautiful Japanese Maple that resides just outside my front window. I love how the sun is playing peek-a-boo through the snow. What a beautiful sight.

105- Elsie Louise

Today my Mom would be 96 years old... but she has been gone for way too many years now (32 to be exact).

As I contemplated this post for the last couple of days [since I had a minor emotional break-down in the post office parking lot because I saw a post office *Property of United States Government* pen... yeah, well, maybe you understand... maybe you don't] I'd considered using the photo of my mom taken when she was 27 and engaged to my Daddy... but then I thought, "No, I want to share the Momma I knew!"

I was born when mom was 39 [and Daddy was 55]. I've realized as I've gotten older what a burden I could have been to my family [sisters 10 and 8] but they never made me feel like I was anything less than the greatest thing that ever happened to our family... "They prayed for me!"

By the time I arrived Mom had raised her two younger brothers [her mother died when she was just 14] and then my sisters. I was definitely the beneficiary of all that experience. I was her #1 helper and companion. Whenever Mom got a calling in our little Branch it was always with the proviso that *little Joanie* would come along too.

I don't have many photos of Mom when I was little, but as I got older I was able to get her in front of the camera instead of always behind the camera.

This first photo was taken by me in our little front room about 1967. The beautiful curtains in the background were made by Mom and Sue (or maybe just Sue). I love how tanned Mom was... and her left arm was always more tanned than the right since she drove the rural mail route everyday [hence the break-down over a PO pen ;)]



In 1972 when our little Tony was born with severe complications and birth defects [see upcoming 4/21/09 post] Mom prayed, read Alma 32 on planting the seed of faith, jumped on a plane and came across the US to Portsmouth, VA be with us. Here she is, the proud Grammy [and what a wonderful Grammy she was] the first day Tony was out of the isolete, April 28, 1972.



Mom got the job of rural mail carrier in Greenville in 1962 and drove that 30 mile trip every Monday through Saturday for the next 15 years. That job was such a blessing in our lives. Mom was closer to home now that it was just she and I left at home. This is a snapshot taken by one of her coworkers outside the back door of the Greenville post office in 1972.



Mom was synonymous with playing the piano. She filled our home with music and happiness. I love the hours we spent singing around the piano. I can close my eyes and see my Momma's hands on the keyboard. This is a photo taken Christmas 1974 with little Rebekah helping her Grammy make beautiful music.



I've spent well over half my life without my Momma here. Yes, I've missed her and every year on her birthday I think how nice it would be to sit down with her and have one more piece of fresh strawberry pie with her and give her a wonderful, warm and loving birthday hug and kiss...



I love you , Momma...

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104- Wishing for Blue Skies

Are you wishing for blue skies? Are you experiencing a true April where you live? (You know, super changeable.) At this point I wish I'd just taken a photo of the sky every day at the same time this month. I think it would be a very interesting study.

Yesterday was beautiful, sunny, lots of high standing lenticular clouds ** spread out across the sky and temperatures in the low sixties. Yeah, I can like that.

Today I woke up to grey skies and rain showers. And even though I know we need the rain - *this* day I would have appreciated some more blue sky. But I remind myself that all too soon I will have blue skies everyday with all of its accompanying work: lawns to mow and water, tomatoes to plant and harvest (now I CAN like that!), and all the other fun summer activities I love.

But for now... it was an inside day and I spent most of it fooling around on the computer creating my handwritten font... just think of all the things I could have written in the same amount of time! LOL


These are NOT lenticular clouds but cumulous

** Years ago when we still lived in Palmdale I saw a standing lenticular cloud that was ginormous... it covered the whole width of the sky west to east! I've never seen one that big before or since!

103- Sunrise

This morning I had the opportunity to be up before the sun. Camille's spring break is this week and she's on vacation in CA to see her friends. When she scheduled this flight several weeks ago she was only thinking, "Get to CA at 9am! Yay!!" But yesterday at dinner she realized that meant she'd have to get up at *dark-thirty* ON HER VACATION!

But it was ok... we got treated to a beautiful Salt Lake City sunrise for our troubles. So this photo is courtesy of Camille with the Momma's camera! We make a good team. (But have you ever tried to get a beautiful sunrise photo while you are buzzing down the freeway? Yeah, we have lots of photos of a stupid van! LOL)



The other funny was yesterday... we became aware that our son was out of town so Gordon called Suzi to see if she and baby wanted to come to dinner. When he talked to her she said sure, but Kevin was getting home at 2 pm [Yeah, leave him home... just bring the baby! ;)]



Suzi is the cutest little girl! She showed up in these darling bright pink shoes... WITH TOES TO MATCH! How cute is she?