273-(6864) First Snow on Maple Mountain

Our storm arrived right on schedule... "Fritz said it would be like this!". The snow line is hanging about 1000' above the valley floor looking very much like someone VERY large had fun with the powdered sugar.

Isn't it interesting how we become very possessive of things? This is *my* Maple Mountain! In the few short years we've lived here I've come to love her deeply. I heard sisters talking at the Temple today about how they knew they would be able to see snow on *my* mountain... I suppose I will let them look!

I am so grateful for this connectedness that I feel here in Springville. In so many ways it has been like moving back to Greenville. The weather is so similar. I know that some people get aggravated with the sudden changes in weather that we experience here... but it is so familiar that I could dance with glee!



Another of the Lord's tender mercies.

** So are you still wondering about my title? Who can tell me about the additional numbers? I'll tell you tomorrow if you haven't figured it out!

272- Storm's a'Comin'

Today, right now at 6:19pm Mountain time it is 78 degrees... ahh, but that storm's a'comin'! Temperatures tomorrow are predicted to be 30-35 degrees cooler than today! I think fall is going to swoop in all at once tonight...

In anticipation of said storm I went out and did some yard work; including raking up soft-gooshie fruit that has lain on the ground for two weeks while I've been gone. Mmmmm-mmmm... DON'T get a spoon!

After some back-breaking work I took a break on the deck and looked up to find these beauties... the precursor of the storm.



Now I am sitting in my perch of a playroom and am watching the storm creep up *my* mountain. I just love to watch the storms move in.

271- Ick-Lick

Last evening when I was cleaning up after dinner I was putting away the leftover Yummy Easy Chicken (recipe to follow). This is one of my favorite dinners; lots of yummy chicken gravy to have over rice, UMMM-umm! When I picked up an empty 1-liter water bottle from the sink and threw it away in the recycle bin I notice had a spot of chicken gravy on my finger. I quickly licked it off...

ick...ick...ICK... ICK!!! Grab a tissue, wipe furiously at my tongue, ick, gag, ick-ick, gag-gag... run to the bathroom!!! Whew, rinse, brush the poor tongue, rinse again! Deep exhale... sigh... It wasn't my yummy chicken gravy... IT WAS A BLOB OF PINEAPPLE HAND SOAP! (Shiver!)

Exhibit A

Yummy Easy Chicken

4 boneless, skinless chicken breasts, cut in half
1-2 Tbs butter
2 cans cream of chicken soup (or 1 c of c and 1 cream of mushroom)
1/2 can water
various herbs (it's different every time but I like: sage, poultry seasoning, thyme, or an herb blend)

In a large skillet brown chicken pieces in butter on both sides. Add soup, water and herbs. Cover and simmer about 15-20 minutes. Serve over steamed rice (my favorite is Jasmine rice!)

270- The Windows of Heaven

Most of you know the scripture in Malachi 3:8-12 where the Lord promises that if we pay our tithing he will "open the windows of heaven, and pour you out a blessing, that there shall not be room enough to receive it."

I'm here to tell my Windows on Heaven story tonight. Way back in 1997, at the bottom of the housing crash in Palmdale (Palmdale has a very volatile housing market with high peaks and "way down in the valley" lows) we were able to purchase this lovely house. We felt so blessed to be able to afford it, as we had been hit very hard by said crash. We lovingly restored our house with paint, carpet, landscaping, trees, more paint, wood floors, paths, more landscaping... etc. There was a lot of love and sweat in this happy house.


(our old Palmdale house today newly loved and painted by the newest owners)

I never thought I would leave Palmdale. We'd raised out *little* family there. We had dear friends and we'd put down deep roots in our 23 years. But then some of our dear friends announced that they were moving to Utah! Wait... how could that be? They were just as connected and rooted in Palmdale as we were. But Nancy explained that they were following the Prophet's counsel to get out of debt. I realized that our wonderful *blessing* home had become even more of a blessing since it had tripled in value! We, too, could sell our home that we loved, go to a cheaper housing market, buy a modest home and have it nearly paid for with the equity! After 18 years of paying child support I never thought we would ever get a paid for home. But here we are... nearly there. We owe less on our present home that many people rack up in a month on credit card debt!

What makes all of this so poignant to me is that the Palmdale-crash-cycle has continued. Less than a year after we sold our Palmdale home it had quadrupled in value!!! Some poor soul bought it and then the bottom dropped out of the market and they lost all. My *happy home* sat vacant for over a year. But it was just sold in July at one third of the market high! I hope that *my* happy home continues to be a safe haven for its current occupants.

Do I think that all of this was just a coincidence? Not in the least! The Lord honors his promises. When we obey He is bound to bless us! Will the blessings come right away? without any trials? Probably not, but when we do what is right and are obedient the Lord truly does open the windows of heaven and pours out a blessing that there is not room enough to receive. How grateful I am for that principle. How grateful I am for a loving Heavenly Father.

269- In-n-Out

FIRST... HERE IS MY DISCLAIMER... I DIDN'T TAKE THIS PHOTO... I GOT IT here from Flickr images!



I should be flogged for not getting MY OWN photo of In-n-Out! I ate there THREE times (and took Spencer once when I didn't eat!) while I was on vacation. I just love In-n-Out burgers! My favorite is a #2- cheeseburger with grilled onions, fries & Dr Pepper. Occasionally I will get protein-style, no bun and wrapped in lettuce. It is very tasty and leaves me more room for the fries. I have to be STARVING to be able to eat ALL of a #2. I know that lots of people think this is silly... all this hype over a hamburger restaurant (hats off to Harry Potter for that name) and that hamburgers are created equal... NOT SO! It is one of those places that just makes me happy to eat there.

The happy, but not new news, is that we are getting our very own In-n-Out in Orem at the corner of University Parkway and State Street. It should be finished in December.

I also found this Awesome photo of In-n-Out, but it is copyrighted. Click on the link if you want to see it. I think this is the Las Vegas Tropicana store. It looks just like where I had lunch on my drive home yesterday.

268- Spencer aka Chester

Spencer came over tonight for a visit. We were sitting around visiting and reminiscing about when Spencer lived here with Auntie P. We got to laughing about all the funny things that happened but the one that stuck out in my mind was when Edna forgot Spencer's name and started calling him Chester.

Edna would yodel out, "Ches-TERRRR!" Finally *Chester* would come in to see what she needed; usually a blanket or she couldn't find the TV remote. My happiest memory was one time when I was here. Edna says, "See that handsome young man? Have him come and and say good-night to me!"


(Spencer- age 25)

267- Joanie @ PCH

We had such fun the day we went *down-below*. Besides the aforementioned activities (Bishop's Store house, Cielito Lindo & Baby Zoe) we went to the beach. I've had a hankering to go to the beach for a couple of years... and since we were right there and had time to kill we took advantage of a trip down to Santa Monica beach. I'd forgotten how long the walk is across the sand at Santa Monica! They've also added pedestrian bridges to cross Hwy 1 aka Pacific Coast Highway. Before you'd take your life in your hands to cross.



I love how P captured not only me, the highway, beach and ocean, but if you look in my glasses you can see the five plinths erected to honor the California soldiers lost in war.


(marsupial-pcp)

Of course I had to dabble my feet in the water... with only slightly better results than the pool at Bek's house. This time I had on some French Terry capris; even though I rolled them up to my knees the waves got me and the terry pants wicked the sea water up to my mid-thigh... the good news? I was hot so that felt good.

266- Auntie P Gets A New Title

For years my best friend/sister-by-choice, Pauline aka Auntie P, has been a wonderful Auntie P to not only my children but countless other lucky little kids (and Mommas). Auntie P was only able to have one child of her own and I've reminded her many times that if she'd had her allotted 3-6 children there would have been so many of us who would never have been the recipient of her administrations and love.

But all of that ended 5 weeks ago. Auntie P got a new title... she is now Grammie P! This is Grammie P and her little baby Zoe. I don't think little Zoe even realizes what a lucky baby she is!!!!!!!

265- Cielito Lindo

Ahhhh... get out your memory-foam shoes because I'm going to take you for a walk down my memory lane...

Ages ago when I was in Spanish 1 I learned the song Cielito Lindo. That song has stayed with me all these years and it runs through my head periodically... ESPECIALLY when I am taking a trip to my favorite Cielito Lindo.



This has to be one of the finest taquito cookeries on the face of the earth. (Just go to their website... they are world famous!) Taquitos are just happy food in my book. (I just went and searched my blog because I was sure that I'd blogged about taquitos before... but I hadn't. I suppose that will be another post for another day.)

Cielito Lindo is situated at the east end of the historic Olvera St in downtown Los Angeles. They serve their taquitos with what they call avocado sauce, but is really tomitillo sauce... yummy! My favorite is to get them with a side of beans and cheese! Oh my... it's a little slice of heaven! It is right up there with a trip to Disneyland on my fun-o-meter!



Who could resist this plate of yum-ness!? Certain not Auntie P and I!



When we were leaving Springville, a week and a half ago, for our road trip down here we made a quick stop at Taco Bell and it made me think that I would be able to go get taquitos at Cielito Lindo! I started singing Cielito Lindo for Camille and Stuart. Camille made me repeat it several time trying to figure out what it said...

I Googled to get the lyrics-

De la Sierra Morena,
Cielito lindo, vienen bajando,
Un par de ojitos negros,
Cielito lindo, de contrabando.

Estribillo: Yeh... this is the only part I remember!!
Ay, ay, ay, ay,
Canta y no llores,
Porque cantando se alegran,
Cielito lindo, los corazones.

Refrain:
Ay, ay, ay, ay,
sing and don't cry,
because singing gladdens,
pretty sweetheart, one's heart (Just for you Camille-y)

Pájaro que abandona,
Cielito lindo, su primer nido,
Si lo encuentra ocupado,
Cielito lindo, bien merecido.

(Estribillo)
Ese lunar que tienes,
Cielito lindo, junto a la boca,
No se lo des a nadie,
Cielito lindo, que a mí me toca.

(Estribillo)

Si tu boquita morena,
Fuera de azúcar, fuera de azúcar,
Yo me lo pasaría,
Cielito lindo, chupa que chupa.

(Estribillo)

De tu casa a la mía,
Cielito lindo, no hay más que un paso,
Antes que venga tu madre,
Cielito lindo, dame un abrazo.

(Estribillo)

Una flecha en el aire,
Cielito lindo, lanzó Cupido,
y como fue jugando,
Cielito lindo, yo fui el herido.

(Estribillo)

264- Pinecone

One of my favorite things about visiting at Bek's house is the smell of the pines. I reminds me of when I grew up and the wonderful spicy smell that would envelope me when I walked outside. What wonderful memories...