151- Petunias

Petunias are another one of those memory-evoking flowers. When I smell them I am transported back in time to all the happy memories associated with their delicate fragrance.

I think my earliest and strongest associated memory is petunias and the Plumas Co Fair. Plumas County is located in Northern California and is where I grew up. Every spring the *Fair people* would recruit volunteers to come plant thousands of petunias in the borders of all the grass areas. By the second week of August they were at their prime and the minute you stepped through the gate you were be greeted by their lovely perfume.

As I got older Mom used to tell me that the best Mother's Day present I could give her was a flat of petunias and then I would help her plant them in our flowerbeds.

There are so many different varieties, colors, sizes, ruffled, striped... how could one not love them?

150- Model A Cafe

You might remember that back in March (Day 61 to be exact) I posted about one of our favorite restaurants, the Model A Cafe. I mentioned how beautiful the flowers are in the summer and promised another post showing them.

Tonight, after working in the yard, I just wanted to eat out! (and Gordon is always very accommodating about that idea). I just wanted a yummy hamburger. And although I'd never had a burger at Model A before I had no doubt that they were just the place to go for a yummy hamburger.

I was not disappointed with my Bacon Mushroom Cheeseburger! (I was too hungry to even think of taking a photo of it!!) The bacon was crispy, the meat juicy, but well cooked, the onions grilled to that wonderful caramel stage, and the melty cheese enrobed the sauteed mushrooms... Add lettuce, tomato, pickles, just a touch of mayo... YUMMY!! Just what my mouth wanted!



When we drove up to the cafe my eyes were treated to a riot of color and the minute we stepped out of the car I was enveloped in that wonderful petunia-Plumas-County-Fair smell! It is just heaven.

And do you want to know the most wonderful part about these plants?? A local nurseryman from just down the street stopped in one day and asked Teresa if he could do their flowers. He placed a very tasteful sign by the car. Guess where I'm going on Monday?

PS... a little sideline... I am listening to the crickets for the first time this year! I love that sound!

149- The Beautiful Smell of May

I am so grateful that I don't suffer with spring allergies! I love the smells of spring, particularly late spring.

I walk outside and the perfume just envelops me! Sometimes I can identify the smell and others it is just a wonderful sweet mixture of all the flowers and trees in bloom.

As I was taking a little walk I saw my neighbors beautiful roses... I just had to stop and smell (and shoot) the roses.

148- Just No Substitute...

There's just no substitute for a good camera (or insert the word of your choice here!) My Daddy taught me this years ago. When I was still in my mid teens he started buying me useful gifts: mostly cutting implements (bwa-ha-ha-ha-ha), scissors, knives. I still have all of them. And since he taught me how to sharpen them (but I've forgotten the trick for scissors =() they are just as sharp and useful now 40 years later. I think that taught me that sometimes you really are better off to spend a little more and then the item lasts a lifetime.

So where am I going with this? I'll tell you. You know that I have (and carry with me) my little marsupial-pocket-camera. My new dSLR is just too bulky and expensive to carry in my purse. I've thought that little MPC was better than nothing or a camera phone photo... but just barely!

EXHIBIT A



We went up to the Draper Temple to do an endowment session. When we came out there was beautiful Lone Peak covered with huge cumulus clouds and a black threatening sky. I uploaded the photo to my computer and played with it. Tweaked the lighting, added blended layers to try to brighten it, high pass filter to boost sharpness. But I am still not happy with the results. It is NOT what my eyes saw!

EXHIBIT B



Every evening this week I have gone out on the new deck to enjoy the beautiful weather. I have my chaise lounge out there and then I drag out a pillow and beach towel to make myself more comfortable. I've done some reading, eaten dinner, listened to the sounds of nature and the neighborhood and tonight did some clouds watching. When I saw these beautiful clouds hanging over Hobble Creek Canyon I came in and got my new Cannon Rebel XS, put on my 50mm lens with a polarizing filter and snapped off some photos... THIS IS EXACTLY WHAT MY EYES CAN SEE!

The only *edit* I did on this was balance my lighting (it was a little underexposed) and add my watermark...

I rest my case.

147- Heart of my Garden

My first spring here at my Springville house I started playing in the dirt (aka working in the garden). We live in an area called Hobble Creek... keep that in mind.

I started digging up rocks in every flowerbed I went to. It wasn't long before I unearthed a *sign* (like I needed a sign) that this was MY house and I was in the right place... just where the Lord wanted me.

I dug up a heart-shaped rock. It just made me happy. For the last 4 years it has had different flower-bed homes; sometimes hiding under the Feverfew, sometimes in the ivy... but I think it has finally found its permanent home in the rocks by my new deck.



I've been *saving* all my rocks in a funny little breach between my raised vegetable garden and the shed. I've collect them in all sizes and shapes: some as big as my thigh... (I'm not kidding! Look at the ones in the top left of the photo), head size, potato size, flat, round, craggy... yep... all of them. I moved many of them to this new area that used to be flowerbed and lawn to create a nice drainage area by the stairs. I used sand to fill in around them as I did with the flagstone. I am so pleased with the results.



You should see me sitting here smiling my satisfied smile! I just love my new deck! Thank you again Kevin-dear!

146- Burned-out?

Do you ever feel a little like this tree? Like you've been struck by lightening? Like you've been rocked to your center?

I'm sure that we all have at one time or another.



I'm just so grateful to be so grounded in the Gospel of Jesus Christ. I know that He is always there... even when I feel like I've been struck by lightening... He is always there.

145- Memorial Day Sunset

This evening Gordon, Harley and I went for a little drive just to see what we could see. We ended up driving up Maple Canyon. I'd never been up that way before. There is a wonderful campground up there. The campground is separated by the creek, which in heavy run-off stage was making a waterfall across the road.

We saw lots of deer and decided that they were congregated in one spot to lick the salt up off the dirt road. They would run and hide when a car drove past, but we went up, turned around and then parked and watched them for several minutes. Sadly without a tripod all of my shots were pretty blurry so they aren't here. Sweet Harley, he loves all animals so much and wanted to get out and make friends. I didn't think the deer would like that.

We started back down the canyon just as the sun decided to put on a spectacular display! I just love sunsets like this that turn even the eastern sky pink... what a beautiful sight.



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144- Rain, Beautiful Rain

This is our 3rd Memorial Day weekend in a row that we've had cool and rainy weather (in 2007 we even had a freeze warning and I had to cover my tomatoes!)

THIS IS NOT A COMPLAINT! I love the rain! (It's just an interesting observation!)

Today after choir practice I notice my ivy was all shiny, clean and covered with raindrops... PHOTO OP!

I just love the look of raindrops on ... well, just about anything! This ivy meets me at my front door and in the winter it kindly sacrifices itself as deer fodder.



By now, you all know that one of my favorite flowers is the Gerbera daisy! These lovelies wait for me on my new deck... ahh, I love their colors and happy little faces!



And let's hear a big shout out for my 300th post!

143- Children Captivate Me

Yesterday at the reception there were lots of children but some of them particularly caught my eye. I love to photograph children... they are so honest with their feelings and it shows on their darling little faces.

Here are some of my favorites -

I've wanted to try panning (following a moving object that is in focus while the background is out of focus thus showing the movement). I had a perfect opportunity... this little cutie was trying to swing herself. I asked her if she would like me to swing her (what... am I crazy... of course she did!!) I told her I was going to take her photo while she was swinging... could I have asked for a more photogenic little girl?



I made friends with this little guy when he dumped his plate of cashews on the grass. I asked him if he would like a cup so he wouldn't drop them again. After we'd picked them all up he climbed right up in the empty chair by me to finish them. I'd made a friend! Love his brown eyes...



Blue-face-crew-boy cracked me up!! The party favors were candy sticks. As you can see... this little guy got a blue one... ALL-OVER-HIS-FACE. How could you resist a face like this?



And my last little friend of the day is this tousled-haired boy... he only made a brief appearance... just long enough to make sure that Grandpa got him a cupcake! Can't you just see the anticipation in his eyes? Grandpa gave him a bite and then they were off home (one of the adjoining houses).

142- On the Street Where I Live

I've said many times what a lovely place Springville is. In so many ways it has felt like moving home. There is such a feeling of community, belonging and neighborhood here. As a funny aside we had a meeting last night to form a neighborhood watch and I came home from it saying... that is what we already do... we watch out for and take care of one another.

There is one lovely family that lives at the end of our street (2 doors down) in their backyard is a beautiful spring-fed pond with enormous trout (that they feed dog kibble!!!) Because if it's beautiful location many people ask them to use their backyard (that adjoins 3 other beautiful yards) for weddings and/or receptions.

Tonight was one of those nights. A dear friend's son got married and I went for the reception. I loved the colors the bride chose... bright turquoise and lime green. One of the first things I say was this pair of heels deserted on the deck! The image just caught my imagination...



Not long after that I found the owner of those cute shoes... the very cute (and talented) sister of the groom who took the photos AND made the wedding cake!



How cute is this cake???



And last, but certainly not least on their happy day... the happy couple.




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141- OK Let's Rock

Way back on Tuesday (yeah, this week, two days ago... but feels like at least a week ago!) I worked out in the backyard all day. The next step for deck completion was a pad for the second stairs to descend to (come on down!)



When I look at the seemingly small area- about 6' x 10' that I cleared I wonder what was so hard and what took so long... I had to remove all the sod, a shovelful at a time, move a sprinkler about 8', level and lay flagstone to create the pad and then I added my own *home-grown* river rock in the corner. (Yep, I grow them here... I clean out a flowerbed of all rocks and next season there's a whole new crop... what do you suppose the seed is? Sand??) I've still got enough rock to finish the corner between the pad and water valve cover... I save that photo for another day.

And the other thing... have you notice how Harley is always in the picture... it's his bid for fame!

140- I just couldn't see making this post...

... literally! I got something in my eye, managed to put a 2-3 cm gouge on the cornea and spent until 1 am in the emergency room where the nice doctor gave me some good drugs (numbing eyedrops) and some bad drugs (Percocet, made me throw-up) and sent me home. I was tempted to go for the pirate look, but I decided to pass. Today I am feeling better, but I can still tell that my eye is scratched and I can't like it!

So with that as an excuse, here is my real post for day 140...



Growing up we had an enormous white locust tree in our back yard. Daddy built me a tree fort in this tree. Every spring when it would bloom the smell was just heavenly! I love that sweet, wonderful, memory-evoking smell.

When we moved here to Springville I found out that there is also a purple variety of this wonderful tree. I purchased a Purple Robe Locust down at the local Sunroc hardware store and planted it in the front yard. It is a beautiful tree and mine has flowered twice each season since I planted it (which I don't think is normal). It only has one weakness (literally) the wood tends to be quite brittle and our *canyon breezes* have broken off several limbs. I hope it survives... but in the meantime... I wait for that lovely smell each spring.

139- Amanda Ruth

Last night I was lying on the bed and looked at the clock and realized that tomorrow (today) was Amanda's birthday. She would be 33 today. I started writing some of my feelings last night and was so tired all I could do was feel sad. Today I worked just as hard, but I think it was very therapeutic and tonight I've enjoyed scanning photos and working on this post very much.


Joanie, Rebekah meeting Amanda, just home from the hospital- May 1976.

Almost from conception I was filled with the most profound love for my yet unborn baby. It wasn’t until Amanda was born that I realized that the Lord knew just how much I would need to love this little girl. She was a true redhead and had the stereotypical personality. She had almost no tolerance for frustration; she was hot or cold, red or white, extremely happy or very sad. And I love her with all my heart.


Rebekah, Grammy, Amanda and Tony- May 1976

Mom came to take care of us when I had Amanda. She was so good to do that for all of us. (I missed that with my three younger children.)


Amanda in Tony's giant pumpkin- October 1976


Amanda at 17 months


Amanda Christmas 1978

Ann and Sue tell me that she was a little Joanie in so many ways. She loved to make up names for her little stuffed animals. There was: Koomot, the bear and Moosamoola, the dog. Amanda said the funniest things; she’d put her eye on my cheek and then say, “I’m gonna keep my eye on you!”


Amanda in Baker, OR- summer 1979

She loved to write on the walls, the floor, my car bumper (hot in the sun), and the heater with crayons. It didn’t matter what I did; spanking, time-out, make her clean it up… nothing. (And after her death when I had my car serviced some well-meaning mechanic cleaned that crayon off the bumper and I was heartbroken!)


Amanda's 4th birthday- 1980

This will always be my favorite photo of Amanda. It captured her sweetness and her precious spirit that was just too big for that little body.

I struggle when I try to express her brief life here on earth; the whole of it was fraught with much family upheaval and I know that if she could have come to my family under different circumstances her little life would have been easier. I am particularly grateful that I will have the opportunity to "raise" her in the next life without all of the dysfunction and garbage... what would I do without that eternal perspective?


My last photo of Amanda and I together- August 3, 1981

Amanda, I love you and I am so grateful that you are my little girl... just keep waiting for me... I will get there soon.

138- The Master Plan

This last week while Kevin was working on the deck I've put in considerable time in the yard.

Today's task was to trim up some of my trees in the front yard. Last year we bought a small chainsaw type trimmer on a pole so I can reach up to the high branches and still remain on the ground (always a good plan). I don't have any special training to do this kind of trimming, but I know what I want the end result to look like, and I've watched how others who know what they are doing and copy them, so I selectively remove the branches that aren't part of the plan.

My very favorite shade tree (see, I have to qualify that favorite) is the Globe Willow. I've planted one, or more, at each house we've lived in since 1988 (hmm, 21 years). I love how they resemble a ladies' full skirt swishing in the wind.



I will never forget how I felt when I drove past my old house on Apollo Ave after we'd moved and I saw that the new owner HAD RUINED MY TREE!





Well, I thought he had. But as I watch through that summer and subsequent summers I found that this new owner, who I found out was a landscaper, really knew what he was doing. He knew that master plan for that tree. This is a photo of my almost 20 year old Globe Willow. Isn't it beautiful? But my first thought was that he had ruined it.





We all know that analogy about the Master Gardener who trims and prunes us... and frequently it hurts and we don't like it one bit and we feel that we must have been ruined. But if we just wait a few years, or decades, we see the Loving Master sees the big picture... He knows the Master Plan!

137- Now I Have a Full-Deck!

Ahh, this is what I love... family dinner at Grammie's house! And tonight we got to use our wonderful new deck. The weather was very cooperative, the high 70s, with lots of shade for our SE facing deck. I made chicken on the BBQ, the kids brought salads and we had a lovely feast. Is there anything better than enjoying your family... children and grandchildren gathered 'round? Well, not for me... I love it.


All the family gathered on the deck for dinner.


The chicken was naughty... it got put in jail! (Protective custody!)


Yummy dinner...


After dinner Camille was chillin' and got chilly!

136- Not Playing with a Full Deck

You like that title? That's my way of saying that the deck is still a work in progress! Kevin got the stairs up on one side of the deck, but the other side needs to have some landscaping done before he can attach the stairs. There is painting and the aforementioned landscaping to complete this phase of our project.

We've had lovely weather all week, just perfect for deck building. But now that our lovely rain is gone I had to spend the evening getting our sprinklers all working properly. That included moving one that was now under the deck.



I think we are all wearing out... it is a good thing that tomorrow is Sunday and the day of rest!

135- Almost finished

I am amazed at how fast this deck is coming together. Today Gordon and Kevin put in the last of the Trex decking boards. I loved watching them work together. Gordon said, "I only did 5% of the work but I'm only in 5% of the shape Kevin is in and I'm feeling it!" Tonight we both enjoyed a hot shower/bath (I'm the bath-girl) to soak away our soreness!

The other fun thing is documenting this project in a unique way. I got so tickled when I laid down on the dining room floor that is on a level with the new deck! And Harley, not to be outdone, came and laid right down beside me! Funny pup!

Tomorrow the stairs go in... just in time for 3rd Sunday dinner... hmmm, what should we have for dinner? I know! I know! BBQ on the new deck!!

134- What a bunch of good guessers!

OK, so Deb gave you all a wonderful hint! Yep, it's a deck... and what a *heck-of-a-deck* it is! Kevin is so handy!

So here is the before... this was our old porch and it was literally falling down. I think it must have been built when the house was16 years ago. One of the steps had broken in half lengthwise and the railing were falling off.



Kevin was so hammer happy that he start the demolition before I got a real before shot! And here is a shot of the toolman himself... complete with the *tool-belt-hike-up-manuver*. I caught this shot just at the right time.



Most of the decking is down, but you'll have to come back tomorrow for that one!

133- What is it??

I wish you could see me sitting here smiling my happy smile! I've got a mystery, or secret. Can you guess what it is?

I'll give you some hints:

• Our son Kevin (cute little Ethan's daddy) is working on it for us.
• It is something we needed (well, kind of) and really wanted.
• If you come to dinner on Sunday you will get to see it.
• Do you know what it is?
  

132- Out to Pasture

Several months ago this old Dodge pickup showed up down on the corner of 4th S and 13th E. I've been captivated by its presence ever since. Tonight when the light was just right (well, it was the first time I drove past!) I took my camera to get some shots of this old worker who's been put out to pasture!

I can only imagine all the loads it has hauled, Scout camp-outs it has been on and how many kids have piled into the back for a fun ride with the wind in their hair (I used to love to do this, but now I cringe!)



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131- And I'd like a little shrubbery...

Yes, you guessed it... a throwback to those old Monty Python days (and the knights who say NEE).

I mentioned several days ago all of the wonderful plants I have here on my little quarter-acre of heaven. At the front corner of my house, right outside my playroom window (yeah, I've decided to rename my workroom my playroom!) is a wonderful shrubbery (NEE) that I just recently found out was Sandcherry. It has those lovely reddish-purple leaves and in the spring it is covered with these delicate pink blossoms.

130- Watercolor Tulips for my Momma

I took this photo a few days ago with my little marsupial-pocket-camera as I was leaving the Temple. The sun was setting behind the tulips and it was so beautiful. Sadly little m-p-c doesn't do such a good job of metering light as I would like. But that's ok, it gave me a chance to play with some filters.



As I was working on this I thought, "Wouldn't this make a beautiful Mother's Day card?" So here it is, delivered via cyberspace to my Momma who's been gone for 32 years (yesterday). The nice thing is I know that SHE knows how much I love and miss her... and as Cindy says, "The veil is only as thick as we make it." Once again, I am so grateful for eternal families.

129- I Stand at the Door and Knock

Today was a Stake Relief Society Enrichment day (translation: a morning gathering of women from several of our congregations to enjoy a time of spiritual renewal). The theme was Spiritual Strength Training... for living a Christ Centered Life.

One of the the workshop presenters, Ben Knowlton, a Seminary teacher, was teaching about the scripture found in Revelations 3:20-

• Behold, I stand at the door, and knock: if any man hear my voice, and open the door, I will come in to him, and will sup with him, and he with me.

Then he made the comment "Jesus doesn't knock and run".



That phrase hit me very strongly as I mentally thought about all the times I've been *ding-dong-ditched*. I could feel the frustration I have when I get to the door (and it is usually late) and find that it was just a prank.

BUT THAT IS NOT HOW OUR SAVIOR BEHAVES! He has promised that he will stand at the door and knock... and wait... and wait... and wait... and then when we let him into our hearts he will feed us! What a marvelous blessing!

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128- The Story of the Little Highchair

Somewhat over 40 years ago my sister, Sue, bought a high chair for her first little daughter, Cindy. I don't know if she bought it new or got it at a garage sale. All I know is that it was eventually covered with a wonderful 1960's vinyl green & blue print. All of Sue's kids used it and when I went to visit, my littles would use it.

Now fast forward almost 20 years... I was expecting Spencer and I'd gotten rid of all my baby stuff. Sue very kindly gave me this cute little highchair. Spencer ate many-a-*peanut-buttew-lou-unch* cut up in little squares with scissors in that little highchair. Then it became Camille's highchair (Stuart got a newer, bigger one).

Fast forward another 15 years (so a total of 33+ years, yeah, I know... it's the new math!!) Bek had little Caden and needed a highchair, so Grammie dutifully recovered the little highchair in white (NO blue & green print for that Mama!) and it went to live at Bek's house for several years.

When Brock no longer needed a highchair it came back to Grammie's house and now waits patiently for little visitors just the right size to use it.



This weekend little Ethan is at Grammie and Grampy's house. When it was time for snacks and dinner I plopped him into the little highchair (you'd think by now it would have a name, wouldn't you?) This isn't his first time in the chair, but it is the first time he's been in the chair and the house wasn't full of noise and people for Sunday dinner. Almost as if Ethan had read the script he started rattling the stainless-steel tray and, my favorite, hooking his toes on the bottom of the tray and pushing.


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It is funny how fond we can become of these inanimate objects like a funny little highchair. But it has been my friend now since about 1966... that's a long time to have a friend! (So can someone please tell me why I am crying right now???)

127- Fount of Every Blessing

One of my favorite hymns is Come Thou Fount of Every Blessing. I love the words, the tune, the harmony, the feeling but most of all the message.

"Here's my heart, O take and seal it; seal it for thy courts above."

126- Lipizzaner Stallions

Anyone who knew me *when* will remember that I was absolutely horse crazy! I LOVED horses, drew horses, ran around like a horse, made horse sounds, dreamed horses, prayed for a horse! Yeah, I had it pretty bad.

I loved the movie Miracle of the White Stallions and was so captivated by these beautiful Lipizzaner Stallions as well as any other movie about horses (Black Beauty, The Horse with the Flying Tail) and books about horses (Misty of Chincoteague being my favorite, I know Mom read this book to me a dozen times!)

What a wonderful treat, then, to find out that the Royal Lipizzaner Stallions were going to be here! They gave a one-night performance at the McKay Event Center at UVU. Gordon had seen them previously; years ago in Germany, but I'd never seen them before. I really enjoyed this date.





And because I don't have a tripod my photos are grainy and somewhat blurry, but click on this YouTube video to see them in action. Just wonderful...