Mountain-Goat Grammie

Earlier this week a friend posted a photo of her and her walking buddy, Cooper, on the trail that runs above our houses- the Bonneville Shoreline trail. It looked so glorious that it tempted me right out of the house and up onto the mountain.

I grew up right at the base of the mountains in our little town in the Indian Valley, California. I used to take off and explore all over the mountains. It always refreshes and rejuvenates me to take a hike (which is different than a walk!)

Harley could hardly believe his good luck! I never let him off the leash when we go on walks. But since this was a hike and we were up the mountain I told him he needed to stay where I could see him or he'd have to go back on the leash. (Yes, I talk to him like he's a person... a little person in a hairy-suit!) He understood and was quite obedient to my conditions; well, most of the time.

We hadn't gone far when the view opened up across the valley to Utah Lake with the cerulean sky overhead.

At this point I couldn't tell where the trail went next... silly me, I should have just looked on Google Maps on my iPhone which clearly shows the trail. So I doubled back and headed up the side of the mountain on a mountain goat deer trail.

I wanted to get up to the power lines and survey the fire damage (which is almost imperceptible after the wet September we had). I quickly realized that this mountain goat trail went up and down each of the gullies that one almost doesn't perceive when looking up on the mountain. After one such gully I was seriously doubting the wisdom of where I was (what if I tumbled down the mountain and had to call for a rescue? Now that would be embarrassing!) and decided that I needed to just start down hill until I hit the real trail again.

There is a lovely rock that was just right for resting on. I spied out my house. It was easy since my other neighbor has a wonderful bright red tree in her yard.

I'm always surprised at how a camera diminishes distance. This photo doesn't reflect how far this Grammie had hiked!

I've often thought I'd like to hike to the top of this mountain... but not this day!

We got back home just as the light was turning all golden and lovely.  We'd had a happy outing on this golden, stolen November day!

MY SITTING ROCK.

I know that all too soon we will have snow and it will be months before this kind of hike will be possible.

Alpine Loop- The Last Hurrah?

Last fall when DeLoris and I normally take our annual Alpine Loop trip she was not feeling well enough to go. Ever since then I've felt overwhelmed that we didn't get to do it and I MIGHT NOT EVER GET TO MAKE THAT TRIP AGAIN with my DeLoris!

Only a few weeks ago I got a call from Shari, DeLoris' daughter, telling me I'd want to go see *Mother* because they didn't expect her to last the week! I couldn't get down to Payson to see her until the next morning and when I came into her room there she was sitting up in bed drinking a carton of chocolate milk and looking very frail!

I've been down several times since then and she has always looking tired and in pain. Imagine my surprise when I went yesterday and this is the woman I saw!! I told her she was beautiful (and the Ever-ready bunny)! This is just a pix taken with my iPhone and edited in instagram! My wonderful, beautiful, glorious DeLor-EE-ous! She just turned 93!

Welp, I wasn't going to let the opportunity slip by again. I made a date to come back this morning and we would get in our 9th Annual Alpine Loop Trip (only 10 months late!) And I realize that this truly may be our last hurrah trip. My DeLoris has shrunk so much that she joked she needs a booster seat to see out the window!

When we arrived at the park entrance I asked the girls working there if I could buy my America the Beautiful Senior Pass a week early. They kindly sold it to me with a promise that I won't use it until next Saturday! I am so excited to have this happy little pass. It allows me free entrance to all National Parks for the rest of my life! Yay little-Joanie!

I made several stops for photo ops. We both commented that we've driven this route so often that we have favorite views and sights along the way. I always love how the aspen look. I almost feel like this should be a *find the hidden objects* puzzle.

We always make our stop at the rest rooms on the American Fork Canyon side of the trip. I have a selfie from this exact place in 2008. Today's selfie doesn't merit publishing (especially since we both have a very cute photo included in this post!)

And it wouldn't be a photo outing without a flower. I got this one with my olloclip macro lens on my iPhone.I love my MPC!

After lunch at In 'n Out as we were motoring back to Payson DeLoris said she might live another 5 years. Oh, how I hope that is true if (big IF) she can remain healthy and without much pain. What a wonderful dear friend she is to me. I'm a lucky girl!

Quail Adventures

It was a *beautiful-work-in-the-yard* day today. I started early with a trip to the green waste dump to get a load of compost. It is so wonderful and black and compost-y!

I bought a bunch of plants yesterday at Home Depot to fill in some blank spots in my yard. I started in the front; planting a big hydrangea and installing my new self-winding hose reel. As I came around into the backyard I saw movement...

It was a quail family: Mama, Daddy and a bunch of little babies were crossing the back lawn and went into hiding under the currant bushes. I struggled to get my iPhone out of my pocket to get some photos. Those little babies move FAST!!! I have several of photos of rocks as they darted along the breach filled with rocks between the garden shed and the raised garden area. I didn't want to unduly upset them, but I NEEDED SOME PHOTOS! So I stood back by the edge of the shed and just kept clicking photos.

Daddy immediately flew away, I'm sure it was a diversionary tactic but I couldn't help but see that it left Mama in crisis with about a dozen babies! She was talking to them the whole time...

"All right babies, be brave and follow me!"

"Stay right along the fence..."

"Be quick now! Come under this nice plant..."

And, my favorite, "Come my babies. Let me gather you under my wings!"

I love how fluffed out she is. I couldn't see any babies under her. What a good Mama!

O ye people... how oft have I gathered you as a hen gathereth her chickens under her wings, and have nourished you. (3Nephi 10:4)

The Lord, in His Goodness

Wednesdays are my Temple day. I love my service there. So many blessings have come as a result of that service in the last seven and a half years. Today was a particularly good day. It was one of those days where I knew that the Lord was aware of me; that He loves me and ALL who will seek Him. The Lord, in His goodness, delights to own and bless you.

As I was leaving I wanted to get some photos of the beautiful gardens before they are replanted for next spring. Come September I always know that the days are numbered and my next visit could be the one with naked flower beds. (Always a sad time for me... I leave my flowers in as long as I can.)

(DIGITALLY PAINTED IMAGE)

I was using my MPC (aka my iPhone), which can be difficult since I can't see the screen in the bright light. I'd just snapped a couple of photos when I saw movement from the corner of my eye. There was a sweet little hummingbird just feet from me supping at the zinnias!

I zoomed in and just kept blindly taking photos, hoping I would get something good.

It was just one more Tender Mercy of the Lord... just one more witness that He is aware of me and gave me a chance to see one of His wonderful creations.

Labor Day

For the last several weeks I've felt fussy every time I look in my pantry. It just wasn't organized!

So this-day, Labor Day, I decided that it was a good time to tackle this mess. Funnily enough one of my cute little neighbors did her Grandma's pantry as well.

I pulled out my MPC because I was too lazy to walk upstairs and get my Rebel... ahh well... I can't be too energetic on a holiday, can I?

The last time I did this type of *take-everything-out-and-wipe-down-the-shelves* cleaning was just after Simba died when all of the neighborhood mice moved in IN MASS! I really needed to do it that time!

I spent all afternoon pulling things out, a shelf at a time, wiping down the happy red-checked shelf liners, throwing away the stuff that was OLD when I moved it here from Palmdale and replacing things in an organized manner.



Now this is the sad part... I took my *after* photo (again with the MPC); when I uploaded them to my computer to write this post I really can't see that much difference. But I don't feel fussy anymore when I look in there. 

My open spice shelf also needed a once over.



No before and after here... but I'm happy to see all of my sparkly-clean spice bottles.

Joanie's Big Day

Let me just start by asking, "How can Little Joanie be sixty-years-old?" I've always been the baby of the family... even now I have people say, "You're only 60? Try it from here!" Ah well, 60 is the oldest I've ever been!



On my actual birthday Ann and Wayne came up to go to dinner with us. It was very nice to spend this day with one of my sisters who *prayed for me*!

Since 3rd Sunday Family dinner was this weekend Camille asked if I wanted her to make a Pig Pickin' Cake (cha! YES!) Stuart went digging for candles and the best selection available was a *6* and then a *0* made of mandarin oranges!



Everyone sang *Happy Birthday to Joanie/Mom/Grammie* complete with some harmony by Kevin (I love harmony!)

And as exciting as turning 60 might be for me... it couldn't hold a candle to Uncle Stuart and a swarm of ants on the patio!



This is the second time they've done this!



Which isn't a very smart move... what can I expect? They are ants!

Teeny Burros

Along 4th South, by the Harward Farms building, is the cutest family of burros!



I've been watching them for several weeks now and finally just stopped to take some photos with my MPC. These are miniature burros so the babies are truly teeny...



This-day they were gamboling and nipping at each other, naughty children!



The little dark one seemed to be the instigator! Look at his mischeivious little face! He wants to give his friend a *yip*!

MY Kind of Fireworks

Lasterday evening Harley and I took a little walk-a-bout. I have several favorite route that we take... and THIS-night I chose the right one!

This is what I was rewarded with after my fairly steep climb (it's good for me!)...



Isn't this just one of the most wonderful things you can see? AND to show just how wonderful this was... it was taken with my MPC aka iPhone! You know it's an awesome sight when even a low-end camera can capture this beauty!

My favorite part is the *God's light* coming through the clouds. Truly He has created a beautiful world for us to live in.

Nana's Flowers

This-day I went to see my Desi for a much needed wax and trim (wow, that sound's like an ol-timey barbershop!) She'd just returned from a Christmas visit with her Daddy. She was unpacking and said, "Look at these wonderful flowers my Nana made! She is so much more creative than me!" I immediately fell in love with this off-white one and came home with it for my very own.

Speaking of crafty... I love my new iPhone camera and Snapseed app... EXCEPT... on that itty-bitty screen I can't see how much is too much when I edit a photo. So although I love my newest MPC (marsupial-pocket-camera) it will never replace my Rebel!

So here's your twenty-twelve version of good ol' jb!

Snow-topped Thistle

Yesterday we took a little jaunt down (or is it up) to Elk Ridge. A friend who lives there had tickets for a BYU Ballet Showcase that I was picking up (which was wonderful!).

We woke up to a sprinkling of snow here in Springville, but as we proceeded up the mountain to Elk Ridge I saw fields of darling little thistles wearing their festive little fluffy caps! There were acres of them!



Aren't they so cute? Yeah, and by the way... I took this with my new iPhone- my newest MPC! (I'm in love!)

texture layers-

 kk_look up- blending mode-color burn 71%
kk_serious magic- blending mode- screen 96%

Double Rainbow

Miss Camille Moves 1st Grade

When I took the baby SD card out of my MPC-phone I discovered that I had some very fun photos from 11 days ago (the day before my surgery) that I'd completely forgotten about. What a happy find!

Camille's been teaching 1st grade out in Saratoga Springs for the last four years and whereas she loved the people she worked with (you know who you are) she was not wild about the commute, especially since the onset of the I-15 corridor construction! (It already cost her a tire.)

Each year Camille has put in for a transfer to other schools, within the district, which would be closer for her. This year was her lucky year! Her previous school was going through a significant downsize: from 8- 1st grade classes in '09-'10 to only 4 in '11-'12! (There were only 7 last year!) It is a wonderful blessing that Camille was able to transfer to a school right in Orem, 2.1 miles from her house, right across the street from Desi's! Hooray!

ANY-way, on June 13th Miss Camille and I trekked bravely out to her old school with Kevin's (Camille's-kind-of-Kevin) cargo van. Our quest was to remove 4 years worth of planning and working, playing and teaching from her old room there. There were so many fun memories for both of us. Camille has let me come help her prepare for each school year: putting up bulletin boards, original artwork (Horton the elephant in his tree, and other trees) and tons of fun visuals for those ickle-firsties!

Our main concern was could we fit the kiva into the van? LIKE A GLOVE! I just love the laws of physics: leverage, wheels, balance, a little muscle-power. We leveraged the kiva onto one of the rolly-carts, wheeled it out the very uncooperative double set of doors, tipped it into the back of the van and...

P-U-S-H-E-D!

Go little Camillie!



The second section of the kiva just needed to spoon on top of the first. But we didn't realize we had it backwards until we got outside. We flipped it around, again with the tip and push! Yay for girl power!  We laughed and had a good time with all of our silliness.



With impending thunderstorms threatening us I neglected to get a photo of the van fully loaded... right up to the roof! We stopped at Carl's Jr for a much-deserved milkshake on the way home.

I'm looking forward to another day of working in Miss Camille's new classroom when my hands are strong enough for the work.

333- In Perfect Harmony

I'd be the first to tell you that I'm not *up* on architecture but I do know what I like and I do think I have a good eye for beauty.

As I was driving through Orem today I saw this naked tree in silhouette on the rather plain brick building. But the way the tree traced its way across the arched windows of the building just set off the *oh, that's just right* in me. I was stopped for a left turn from State Street on to Center Street and had enough time to pull out my mpc from my cavernous purse and capture two shots without any cars... a serendipitous moment.



Looking at this harmony just makes me happy!

P.S.  You can see Beatrix reflected in the window just to the left of the tree trunk! =)

323- Harry Potter Theme at BYU Bell-tower!

Several months I saw a group on Facebook saying that the Harry Potter Theme would be played today, 11/19/10, the opening day of the 1st part of the Last Harry Potter movie. You know how these things sometimes go... a lot of wishful thinking.

I went to the Temple this morning and got out just in time to boog-it down to the Bell-tower with mpc in hand. I found a parking place RIGHT THERE.; And at noon guess what happened??



You betcha! HP Theme! Yay!

3-2-1- Blast off!... or Beatrix' Twin

I needed to send back a package this morning on my way to the Temple. Imagine my surprise when I pulled into the parking lot and there was Beatrix' much redder and younger twin. I whipped out my mpc and clicked an image to save this day. I talked to the owner of the other red New Beetle and sang Beatrix' charms. I hope that the she enjoys her Beetle as much as I have Beatrix.



We just celebrated 11 years together! It's nice to have an old, dependable friend in Beatrix!

314- Temple Poppy

I mentioned about 6 weeks ago that it was only a matter of time before they gardeners at the Temple pulled up all the beautiful summer flowers to plant for next spring. It always kills me. Sure enough the next week they'd been replaced.

This year they planted mostly primroses; whereas previously they've planted mostly pansies. What I didn't know until they started poking up their happy little faces is there are also Icelandic Poppies! What a wonderful treat. Because of our temperate fall they've been tricked... and I love it.

I pulled out my mpc as I was leaving today and captured this beauty. It wasn't until I got home, uploaded and looked that I saw the words that I love so much. Holiness to the LORD The House of the LORD.

295- Pumpkin Walk

We got to enjoy a local festival, The Pumpkin Walk. It was very fun. Holly said that by the end her face hurt from smiling. There are HUNDREDS of carved pumpkins lining the park walks.



And the displays? They are created using pumpkins, gourds and squash depicting different children's movies and books. The first display was A Bug's Life. I thought the art work on this bug-guy's face was awesome.



These pumpkins as flower centers were clever.



And Freddy Feet! Gotta have a picture of Freddy Feet!



The penguins from Madagascar...



And, Phil, you filthy monkey...


(Funny story- when Christian was about 4 his mom asked him to go wake Daddy up very nicely.  He marched down the hall, flung open the door and hollered, *Dad, get up you filthy monkey!* bwahahahaha)

This corn husk, dried corn, fruit and berries is from The Polar Express.  Somehow I missed getting photos of the faces of the characters; again, a work of art.  Love the *punkin-presents*.



This little piggy was my favorite... look at the *nipples*!



It was finished off with a beautiful sunset and the rising full moon.



Good fun, good friends.

274- Abandon Rail

There is one thing to be said about my fun little marsupial-pocket-camera... I can set it down on an abandoned railroad track and it will focus itself and take a dandy photo without me having to lie down with it!

I love this perspective...

198- Hang Gliding over the Y

As I was leaving the BYU Creamery this evening I saw an amazing sight... a bright orange hang glider soaring over the Y. I whipped out my little marsupial-pocket-camera and caught some nice shots.



I do wonder, where will he land? There is nothing but houses there. Will he shoot for the middle of campus, the stadium, the top of the law building, will he get hung up in a tree?

So many questions...