Provo River Falls

How could we live in Utah for over 14 years and NEVER know about Provo River Falls? I only happened to find out about it because a friend at Ballerina Farm, posted about it!

So the very next day we went on a little explore up through Heber Valley to find it. The falls DID NOT disappoint! The winter snow run-off is wonderful! Such a rich blessing to this parched desert land!

I grew up in a little valley in the Sierra Nevada mountains of California so getting *back to nature* always feeds my soul!

We hiked around a little from the top of the falls (above) all the way down to this log *barracade* (you shouldn't go around that!)

But it is easy to see from down here (notice that the city mouse is still at the top) that there is also a *hand rail* one may use to get down to the bottom... although that is not how I went. I used nature's natural stairs down the face of the rocks AWAY from the water (raging river of death! sharp rocks at the bottom? bring it on!)

The minute I got down to the bottom and past this monolith, a distant relation to Stonehenge (see side view above)...

Instead of being this...

I was instantly this...

ANN, JOANIE, ELSIE, SUE

BURNEY FALLS CALIFORNIA

1957

The mist coming off the falls brought tears to my eyes, and joy and thankfulness to my heart. I was instantly revitalized and this darling little 5-year old ballerina again.

Gordon is always so patient with me when I am getting my nature (or photographic or potty or whatever) fix.  I so appreciate that about him!

I took my shoes off and put my toesies in the freezing water that instantly is TOO COLD!

And after a respectable (and respectful) amount of time, I bid farewell to this new *best friend*!

And, we will be back...

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!

"It All Started in Yosemite- 1912"

I love family history- most specifically, family stories. I grew up in a family rich with stories. So telling this one makes me very happy. I've known it for quite a while but I just pulled it out and dusted it off to use as part of Primary Sharing time last Sunday.

My Mom, Elsie Munce Caraway must have asked her father William Munce to write her the story of when/how she was born. The following is the letter she received from my Granddad. (his original punctuation and spelling have been preserved)

"Home
January 21, 1960

Hello Kido:

Well you have sure landed me a dilly of an assignment, requesting at this late date the mode, and method, of your arrival at 2010 East 16th St St in Oakland, Calif. on April 15, 1913

I'll have to go back to 1912 to get this tale off to the right start.

Our neighbors, named Garner, wife and daughter, talked up a trip to Yosemite Valley; said trip to be made in a covered wagon and a team of horses."

WAGON TO YOSEMITE 1912

"Dad supplied the transportation and we russeled up the grub; so bright and early one July morning we hit the trail, and enjoyed every hour of the four days it took to reach Inspiration Point where we got our first glimpse of the wonders of Nature."

WILLIAM AND ELSIE MUNCE AT YOSEMITE 1912

"We made camp under the Royal Arch, and for about ten days we were leg weary;"

WILLIAM AND ELSIE MUNCE ON MULES AT YOSEMITE 1912

"and then went over to North Fork where Mrs Garner had a mother and brother on a rundown ranch close to a small Indian village where we stayed about a week and then took the trail back to'ard home by round about roads arriving safely having spent about 25 days of dust and ashes with board and lodgings in the open."

GROUP AT NORTH FORK- ELSIE MUNCE 2ND FROM RIGHT

"Time marched on; and on one occasion I see Mother making baby clothes and asked her how come? She said I had planted seed under the Royal Arch and that she was going to make a daddy out of me, which she did, for she wanted her baby born in Oakland so here we are back where we started from.

When my Mother heard the news she was real tickled and told your Mother-to-be that she had been with each of her daughters when their baby came, so she would stand by.

On the 15th day of April old Dr Beckwith was on the job with all his equipment and you took your own sweet time coming out to see what kind of company you were forced to keep. You were a red, rosy, package, and I can still hear my Mother singing, crying and praying as she was giving you your first bath. She never got through telling folks of her new granddaughter's big blue eyes and ready grin; she was the proudest Granny in town and was happiest when she had you in her arms and sang to you some of the old time Scotch lullabyes."

JESSIE RAE MUNCE HOLDING HER GRANDDAUGHTER ELSIE LOUISE MUNCE CIRCA 1914

"Hope this is what you wanted; but if it isn't sing out and I'll try again.

Dad"

They had several other happy Yosemite vacations but no Munce-Yosemite-vacation story is complete without adding this last photo! My Granddad was a big man, over 6' tall; surely he knew the dangers of hand-feeding the bears! (Run away, run, run away!) But here he is... feeding the bears with his "machine" in the background.

WILLIAM MUNCE HAND FEEDING BLACK BEARS AT YOSEMITE 1930

Cascade Springs

This glorious fall day Gordon and I took a little explore up to Cascade Springs. The first time I remember visiting Cascade Springs was August 1981 with Gordon. Since we've lived here in Utah we've made another couple of visits. I've also been there with my DeLoris. (If you want to read about those trips click on the Cascade Springs tag to the right)

The last time we were here we saw moose! I was hoping to see some today, but no luck.

I love the beauty of this peaceful place.  It feeds me soul to peruse the tranquil trails and wooden walks.

I love the geology of places. As you hike up the trails that encircle Cascade Springs you get here... a large pond that just appears out of no where!

The DNR has a wonderful web page that talks about Cascade Springs.

"At the upper springs area, more than 7 million gallons of water seeps through the ground each day."

Then that 7 million gallons burbles, rushes and sings over the rocks.

As I was headed back I was met by this beauty! This tree just felt magical... I've decided that it is a faerie tree.

An Autumnal Explore

Our sweet Kevin (Camille's-kind-of-Kevin) told us he would be working up at the Timber Wolf today and asked if we'd like to come up for lunch. YES! We always love it when Kevin cooks! We dined out on the deck with this beautiful view and the warm September sun adding to our enjoyment.

As we were leaving Gordon asked if I was up for a drive up the canyon. This time we decided to take Right Fork instead of Left Fork. Right Fork almost immediately turns into National Forest land. It was a perfect fall day for a drive!

The aspens have started changing... this isn't the best specimen but beautiful nonetheless.

One of the things that I like best about this drive is all the free-range cattle. The *alpine air* must agree with them because many of them are enormous! Not fat... just BIG! I convinced Gordon to stop and let me take a photo of this cute mama and baby.

However about fifteen minutes later we came upon the KING OF THE MOUNTAIN! Holy-freakin'-cow-BULL! This dude started giving us the stink-eye as soon a we rounded the curve in the road and we didn't even think once about stopping to ask HIM if we could capture his likeness! He will have to remain in my mental photo album.

I had no idea that bovines could give the stink-eye!

Coming and Going

I just got home from my wanderings in the West! This is the first road-trip Elio and I have made! It all started on April 11 when I headed south  down the I-15 to visit family in California.

Shortly after this gas stop, where I reset my trip/mpg averages, I realized that there's something seriously wrong with this particular reading!!! I just WISH I was getting 72mpg!

Since I've *worn out the I-15* over the years I have some favorite sights... Virgin River Gorge is one of them.  Just outside the gorge I saw the happiest thing, but it wasn't a safe photo-op.  I passed a livestock truck hauling pigs.  Out of one of the holes was a little pink piggy ear- flapping in the wind!

And, favorite stops! Vegas used to be the first available In 'n Out Burger! So glad we have it in Utah Valley now.

The kids always loved Monkey Mountain at the top of the Baker grade. (This is what gave me the idea of the coming and going title...)

My first visit was at Spencer's house! I was able to accompany him and Deborah to the LA Temple for their Stake Temple Night.

And the next day I got to see my good friends- Batman and Robin (aka Auntie P and Sonny). Apparently I didn't get the memo that Auntie P's grandson's 1st birthday party was themed. But that's ok... I'm always Wonder Woman!

Sunday was Stake Conference with Spencer and family... happy day.

Monday found me on the road again. I'd noticed that the Joshua trees were blooming when I was headed through Barstow but didn't stop to get a photo until I was headed west out Hwy 138. They say this doesn't happen very often.

Next stop was at Rebekah's. I told her that her job was to make sure I got a photo with my Flynn boys! I can't believe how grown up they all are. Where did my tiny babies go?

But somehow I didn't get photos of Rebekah and I. We had a delightful visit. We went to the Fresno Temple on Wednesday evening. Truly the words from 3 John 1:4 apply to me, "I have no greater joy than to hear that my children walk in truth."

Bek and I found this beautiful fountain at some random shopping center in Fresno.

In the original planning stages I hadn't planned to go to the Bay Area but as the time drew close for my trip I knew I just *needed* to include it. I stopped first thing at Roselawn to leave early birthday flowers for Tony. I felt great peace and love for my wonderful first-born and not too many tears.

I had a lovely visit with Sue and family. We all got together for dinner the first night and I was able to meet my newest little grand-niece, Audrey Ella. I was able to have a wonderful visit with all. I'm so grateful for family. Plus Sue and I made a productive shop at Blue Door Antiques where we found some wonderful orphaned quilt blocks. Sue already has hers in various stages of completion! I told her she was the Queen!

Saturday I took I-5 south back to Palmdale. It's been years since I've taken that route. I normally go via Hwy 99. I was interested to see that they've moved Harris Ranch's stock yards away from the freeway. We've driven past there when you can literally see the methane gas hanging in the cow-manure scented air.

This time around I stayed at Auntie P's house but we had Spencer and family over for dinner and delicious strawberry dream cake.

This may very well replace Pig-Pickin' Cake as our family favorite.

Monday we went to the garment district in LA with Deborah and Andrea.  Pauline was the winning shopper this day... all I got was some zippers.

And no trip to So Cal is complete without a trip to Cielito Lindo. It has pretty much replaced Disneyland.  Well, maybe not, but it's a lot cheaper!

And our trip back home from LA- I've always love this series of tunnels that transition to the I-5.

Tuesday was the day of reckoning and time to come home. And here is Monkey Mountain headed north.

So what of this trip? Here are my stats-

• 12 days
• 2287.3 miles that Elio drove (this doesn't count when other people drove us somewhere)
• A combined total of 40 hours driving time
• 27 family and family-by-choice members visited
• Elio- 9 months old
• Joanie- 60.5 years old
• Countless potty stops (oh, for crying out loud!)
• And quite possibly the easiest solo road-trip I've made in the last decade... I think that must be a result of Elio's comfortable ride and awesome family visits.
• One happy Pup and Pap when I returned home!

A Three-Hour Tour

On Tuesday I borrowed Kevin-son's pickup so I could haul several loads of branches/lilac trimmings to the green-waste lot. Harley rode along, cuz- DOGS LOVE TRUCKS! And that got me to thinking... I'd sure like to take a little dirt road jaunt.

My first thought was to take Harley but then I knew who REALLY needed to go... my Dee-Lor-EE-us! So I called and arranged to pick her up in about half an hour.

I really wanted to take the right fork of Hobble Creek Road to Diamond Fork Road that comes out on Hwy 6 in Spanish Fork Canyon; about half of the drive is paved so it should be a piece of cake.  It's about a 3 hour trip.

DeLoris and I love to take these types of road-trips backwards... you know start on the other end and work ourselves back. Hmmm... maybe that's not such a-good-fing-idea! I HAVE a Atlas and Gazetteer of Utah with back roads, recreations sites and GPS grids... but did I take it with me? NO... I knew where I was going. Urm... when we got the the fork in the road, we took the right fork (WRONG) and went for about an hour on an increasingly poor road before I finally stopped listening to DeLoris and turned around.(What, I ask, is wrong with me?  Hmm, that's too long a subject!)

So, SOMEWHERE on a road that isn't even on my Atlas and Gazetteer is this beautiful mountain, covered with fir and aspen.  It was a wonderful sight and I'm glad I got to share it with my DeLoris.

Palmdale Visit

I started my California trip (3/8) in Palmdale and the first stop was go to Spencer's house! Deb and Riley were at the gym so Deb told Riley there was a surprise for him at home. I met him at the door and he wanted to know what I brought him! Not exactly the reaction Deb was looking for! bwahahaha... but that's ok... I love my little guy!

The next day we NEEDED a beach day! This time we decided we'd try the Santa Monica Pier. I haven't been there for ages, not since... well, I don't remember when! Spencer chauffeured us in their minivan. And you know what? He drives like a dad... all mature and everything. I was relieved to have him drive. I know I can still drive in LA traffic, but after driving for 9 hours the day before, I was a little road weary.

SPENCER, DEBORAH AND RILEY (WITH SEE'S SUCKERS IN THEIR MOUTHS)

We parked at the Santa Monica Mall (I'm sure there is a better name than that but I don't know what it is... maybe Auntie P knows! Jump in here on the comments and tell us P.) After using the facilities we took a walk down to the pier. I saw a darling *Angry Birds* stocking cap that I would have gotten for Riley (remember- what did I bring him?) but he took one look and gave it the thumbs-down.

We wandered to the end of the pier where we were accosted by Snake-Man! ICK! saw some fishermen and the Amusement Park. They've done a good job of providing fun rides for the littles! I love this shot of Riley looking so pleased with Deb and Spencer in the background.

Next up was the mini *Mali-boomer* (I stole that name from CA Adventure).

Put up your hands, Riley!

And, since we were in the neighborhood (took us 2 hours to travel 13 miles! I'm not joking!) We HAD to stop at Cielito Lindo.

OhMyStinkin'Heck! Do I ever love this place! I told the guys I'd come all the way from Springville, Utah just to eat their taquitos and tomatillo sauce and he gave me extra! YUM! (It makes my mouth water just looking at this lovely mess of greeness!)  But Auntie P scored the biggest deal getting taquitos for Steve AND a pint of sauce for $10!

There are always interesting-sorts down at the beach... it makes me so grateful for my home!

We arrived back in P-dale at dark-thirty so Spencer dropped us off and took his tired-self and tired little family home.

Next day, after some retail therapy with Auntie P, they came back for dinner at P's house. And look what Auntie P had for Riley!! Now we see who the best Grammie is!

My stay in Palmdale was too short this time around... I will have to plan better on my next trip. I'm so grateful for my sister-by-choice and Spencer, Deborah and Riley. It was wonderful to see them all again.