Vernal's Homesteaders Home

Vernal in the High Desert bordering Colorado. Terracotta colored mountains and loose towering rock mountains are truly mind boggling. When we drove to the border town of Vernal high in the desert, I couldn't believe the gorgeous formations of the earth there. I think this town was settled a long, long time ago. We saw a homesteaders home that has been abandonded. What a shame. I was raised in one in eastern Oregon. Such warm and delightful memories. We were out for a drive for the day, but we will return to Vernal this spring. I love that drive, plus they have a nursery there that sells High Country Roses!

Provo Canyon Rock Formations

Wind in the canyons leading out of the valley, whip through at a terrific speed. I've watched as the mighty wind storms whipped enough snow off the granit mountains until they were bare. Yesterday, while we were drive to the upper basin where Salt Lake City is, I watched as the wind over Mt. Timpanogos blew fiercely and whipped the snow on top into clouds! Awesome. The sky was blue and the sun was shining, but there over 11,000 feet the wind was causing a terrific storm. This valley and its sheltering mountain ranges give me such goosebumps when the force of nature displays it's powers. At one spot in Provo Canyon, there is a perpetual waterfall for thousands of feet. It the winter it is a curtain of ice glued to the granite.

Provo Canyon in the Winter

Provo Canyon is beautiful any time of the year. When we drove through it just after a big snow storm we were amazed at the breathtaking beauty of the gigantic granite mountains. I'm sharing a few. The road is a wide and safe highway, but ice and snow on it can be hazardous. We were going up the canyon, but we passed miles and miles of stalled cars on the other side who were headed for the Lower Basin. They were waiting for the road to be cleared near the mouth of the canyon, where ice had caused an accident. Beauty has it's price, I'm thinking.

We missed our beloved Tyson and Chelsea and Crystal and Jordon so much that we drove up to Idaho to see them just before Christmas. What a joy to be with them again. They are so alive and delightful and loving and welcomed us with open arms. We couldn't be prouder of them and the successes that have made with their lives. May God bless them forever and continue to guide them. They are our family. While traveling to be with them, I snapped a few pictures of our beloved Idaho, also. We visited our best friends, John and Paige, who live in the quiet dreamy countryside west of Boise. The sun was setting as I took pictures of the surrounding farms, the Boise Mountain Range, and the Owyhee Moutanin Range. While driving home I was lucky to get a picture of a train on an overpass over the freeway down by Glenns Ferry. Another pictures shows the heavenly rays of early morning bathing the very productive farms around Jerome and Gooding. As we drove over the snowy and slick and hazardous Sweetzer Pass we had to stop a couple times for truck accidents. I got a picture of some of the snow on the mountainous pass. We truly enjoyed our visit to our precious family in Idaho.

Snowy Christmas at Home

This winter we have enjoyed sooooo much beautiful snow on the Wasatch Mountain range that towers over our humble little home. Gosh, I didn't know there was so much awesome beauty to be seen. I don't think the Austrian Alps have as much beauty as this gigantic mountain range in the Rocky Mountains. We now own a snow blower and it gets used just about every day. I think I really love our little home here in this heavenly valley surrounded by the mountains.